[Eric_K]

So I finally turbo'd my race car. The car now has a 2.5liter turbo engine from a 1989 Porsche 944 turbo in it. It is a fairly straight forward swap but of course the devil is in the details (and there are a lot of details). I bought the 951 parts car about six years ago with the intention of doing the swap and it has just now come to fruition. I was slowed down because as it turns out the 968 engine is a workhorse. It never let me down in 6 years of racing. It is now on the stand enjoying some time off.

Some how the random boxes of parts strewn across the garage reformed into an engine and it actually works! Quite well really. I have not tapped the engine's full potential (and may never) but on converative boost and crappy tires I lowered my best time at Spokane by nearly 5 seconds! It can outrun a mean e46 M3 on the straight - unfortunately he had me covered everywhere else that weekend but nothing a new set of tires and some fine tuning couldn't fix though.

Video
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bL8joHVNAo
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR_ehi6Icew

   

Here are some specs:
Vitesse Vflex Stg3 turbo/maf/smt6/boost solenoid
72lbs injectors
Setrab Oil Cooler
Tial 38mm wastegate
Spec Stg3 Clutch
Fidanza Flywheel
3" exhaust

Here are a few pics of the project:
http://www.968turbo.com/turboengine.htm

I'm going to give it another run this weekend at Pacific Raceways.

   
   

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[PorscheDude]

As always, awesome videos!!

Did you have change driving style much to account for the turbo?
What gear box are you running??

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[Eric_K]

It actually doesn't feel much different, except stronger. The Vitesse setup is nice as it feels more like a big engine and not a turbo. I had a 944 turbo that was very laggy and required a different driving style. But not this one.

The box is the 968 6 speed hooked to a 951 torque tube.

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[Mark]

nice!!!

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[Gotter]

You held off that M3 for most of the race, but the tire disadvantage in the turns was the undoing there at the end. Fantastic, though!

Question: Why did you opt to drop a 944T engine in there and lose .5L instead of turbo'ing the 3.0 or go 3.2 and then turbo that?

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[ds968]

very nice !
btw, on the first vid - what in good god's name were those two ( well, those three ..) in front of you producing in terms of hp and torque ?! looks as if they must have been well over 400 on both power curves .. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img]

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[333pg333]

<!--quoteo(post=76490:date=Jul 30 2009, 04:55 PM:name=J.C.)-->QUOTE (J.C. @ Jul 30 2009, 04:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->You held off that M3 for most of the race, but the tire disadvantage in the turns was the undoing there at the end. Fantastic, though!

Question: Why did you opt to drop a 944T engine in there and lose .5L instead of turbo'ing the 3.0 or go 3.2 and then turbo that?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That would put him in a totally different class I'm assuming.
Nice job Eric. Hope you enjoy the boost. The VR stuff tends to be very linear so it should prove an easy transition.
Love the videos. Keep them coming!

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[Eric_K]

<!--quoteo(post=76490:date=Jul 30 2009, 04:55 PM:name=J.C.)-->QUOTE (J.C. @ Jul 30 2009, 04:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->You held off that M3 for most of the race, but the tire disadvantage in the turns was the undoing there at the end. Fantastic, though!

Question: Why did you opt to drop a 944T engine in there and lose .5L instead of turbo'ing the 3.0 or go 3.2 and then turbo that?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

As Patrick mentioned, by dropping down in displacement but adding a turbo I can stay in the same classes. It is also a lot more affordable to go 2.5.

<!--quoteo(post=76491:date=Jul 30 2009, 04:56 PM:name=ds968)-->QUOTE (ds968 @ Jul 30 2009, 04:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->very nice !
btw, on the first vid - what in good god's name were those two ( well, those three ..) in front of you producing in terms of hp and torque ?! looks as if they must have been well over 400 on both power curves .. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

2 cars are ex-ASA stock cars and the other is a GT2 Nissan 350Z. They are all purpose built tube frame cars so they are light and powerful. I'd really need to turn up the boost to catch them!

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[benspeeder]

Way to go, Eric! Excellent online video - I need to buy a better camera.

There used to be a couple wild 951 cars making 450-500 hp at the wheels that raced up at LimeRock. Event the full blown Trans Am cars couldn't catch them.

I used to race the ASA stock cars - if they still have the Lingenfelter LS1 series engine they make around 400 hp at the crank but all you need to do is swap out the throttle body and get another 80hp. Cars weigh about 2500 lbs without driver.

Dropping your personal best time by 5 seconds and staying the same class! That is tremendous racing strategy! I always say that 50% of the game is played in the garage and off the track - you sure beat the competition with that play :-)

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[Lonestar968]

Friggin' sweet. I grit my teeth when the M3 sneaks by in the corner only to succumb in the straightaway. The bimmer dude must have some ridiculous brakes. Wow! I love watching the 3-series shrink in the rear view shift after shift. Oh what a feeling for Eric. How demoralizing for the bimmer-guy.

The E-machine does appear (IMHO) faster when following the M3, what with the higher RPM shift points, a tad more tire squeel and the occasional understeer moment. Racing, there is no substitute.

I'd love to see the same race with Eric on fresh shoes. The video really pulls you into the action first-hand! Well done!

Awesome, awesome, awesome!!! Thanks for sharing!


Dan

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[wmuldowney]

So does anybody else see the down side to all this? Have you no shame? Do you not even see what you done to me (and probably others) now?

So first I have to sell my beloved 93 Tip coupe and get a Cab six speed for my new daily driver.

Then I have to find a tired 6 speed coupe, take out a second on the house, cash in the kids collage funds and possibly start robbing banks. And then I can go racing, become disenchanted with stock power. Visit RSBarn, get race preped' then go race somemore.

Thanks alot.

For real though, great job, car looks/runs great, I'm so jealous!

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[pmcrespo]

Sensational! Congrats on the kick ass setup! ...as always... fantastik driving!

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[Eric_K]

<!--quoteo(post=76675:date=Aug 2 2009, 07:29 PM:name=wmuldowney)-->QUOTE (wmuldowney @ Aug 2 2009, 07:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->So does anybody else see the down side to all this? Have you no shame? Do you not even see what you done to me (and probably others) now?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Ha, ha! Its my form of an economic stimulus plan. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]

Here a couple more pics
   
[attachment=7981:37880729...312c60_o.jp
g]

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[Scott Collins]

Hey Eric,

Nice job with the new turbo motor and thanks for posting the photos and videos. I really enjoyed listening to that engine make that car move out. I appreciate your approach to this need for more speed in order to be competative. I have always been tempted to turbocharge my stock 968 engine, but held off for all of the reasons you did. I bet that the 2.5 turbo motor is maybe easier to find parts for than the 3.0 968. Am I right about that? I might race mine someday and want to keep in mind that any mods I do will affect eligibility for racing. I am just wondering about a few details of your work if you have a moment to reply:


1. How did you connect to the 968 torque tube?
2. What exhaust are you using?
3. Is your set-up something that would be street legal? If not, can it be, and what would need to be done?

(BTW - I keep editing this post because I keep looking at your "Before and After" pics. I love the shot of the chopped in half Turbo S! That is awesome! Was that the Ginsu in action, as Seen on TV, cutting through steel then slicing a tomato like butter? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img] Since I used to drive a 944, and have seen the innerds of that motor, not intentionally I might add, it just takes me back....)

Thanks for adding some detail when time permits.

Cheers!

-Scott

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[Eric_K]

Depending on where and who you race with, the swap will definitely bump you up against some fast cars. I was already in the deep end, I just needed a bigger paddle. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

Using the 2.5 is a lot easier because by mixing and matching the right pieces there are not a lot of custom parts needed. It is all a 951 setup so that whole world of tuner parts is available. I used a 951 bellhousing, fw, clutch, starter & torque tube. The 968 shift linkage and tranny bolts right up to it. I'm also using the 951 electronics so using the 951 flywheel and sensors made that easy. Using the 951 bellhousing also allows you to use any "off the shelf" 951 exhaust. I'm using a custom 3 inch, but any 951 exhaust would have worked (barring the slight difference at the tip to clear the 968 bumper cover). It would be possible to run a catalyst and have a very stock looking setup and be street legal (depending on local laws and inspection rules). There are a few 951 vs 968 part differences that aren't obvious until you start mixing them. For instance the clutch hose is routed very differently and the alternator/starter cables are different lengths among other things.

The 951 had already been cut in half when I bought it so I didn't witness the butchering. It had hit a pole on the passenger side.

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[biotechee]

Eric-

Because of using the 951 bellhousing, have you now committed yourself to lengthy clutch changes? Or are there modifications that can be made to simplify a clutch change more along the lines of the 968 clutch change?

Just curious.

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[Eric_K]

Unfortunately, clutch changes will not be as simple. I went with a beefy clutch and all new stuff in there so hopefully it will be a while before I need to go in there. I've also cut out the spare tire well. Hopefully that may help give enough room to slide the torque tube back without removing it. I'll find out - eventually.

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[flash]

that would definitely allow you to install a diffuser plate and open up the rear lower valance - that would dramatically improve drag and add downforce

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[Eric_K]

Yeah, that is on the future upgrade list.

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[flash]

i'm working on it for the blue car right now as a part of a comprehensive underbody aerodynamics project - i finally got back to working on the under body stuff this week after sitting half done for over 2 years - i already have prototypes for most of it, but need to work out a few more things to finish it all

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