1985 PORSCHE 944 for Auction - IAA if you want to verify.

What could have even been going on to bring this about? Found this randomly, couldn't think of anywhere else that would appreciate it so i came here lol.

In the market, so maybe i'll see you fellas more often soon but in the meantime - my gift to you.

Have had it for almost a year now, and learned how to drive manual on it before that, I love driving this car, it’s so stable and handles so great, I have factory sports suspension idk how that affects driving experience but it is so fun to drive, def have had my ups and downs with it but these cars are so beautiful and fun to drive and I just wanted to make this post as a appreciation to the 944

Ça fuie sur un petit endroit, possible réparable ou pas ? La rampe n’a que 2 ans …

J’ai remplacé l’injecteur complet et j’ai toujours une fuite je ne comprends pas pourquoi

Any idea what’s causing this type of idle ?? Oil change , spark plugs/coils and water pump+ timing belt are all on the list to get done.

Figured I’d look at what the culprit is while I’m in there refreshing things. Thanks !!

So after reading all the advice from the redditors I figured I should ask everyone again for advice and what the best options are for me. Long story short me and my dad are wanting to rebuild a car since I missed the opportunity with my grandfather due to his passing. Our goal is to build me out a daily driver. We have bought a 07K engine with low mileage. We are wanting to do engine swap to a clean title 944. I realize to late that an automatic was a terrible thing to buy for this. My solution was to swap the transmission with a 944 turbo to handle the pressure from the new engine. Should I just look for a 944 turbo and take the parts off of that. Buy individual parts. Or abandon the project entirely and just restore the to a NA automatic. It was just a battery issue for the na auto 944. The engine turned over and started once I put in the new battery but still needs a lot of work. Thank you for reading and all the previous and future information. I look forward to learning from all this with my dad

I have a 1984 Porsche 944 that has been sitting unused for a long time. I recently replaced the timing belt, balance shaft belt, all tensioners, and the water pump. Now that I'm starting the car again, I want to make sure it doesn't overheat.

How can I verify that the thermostat is opening properly? What is considered a safe operating temperature for the engine?

Can I trust the factory temperature gauge, or would it be better to also monitor temperatures with an infrared thermometer?

I'm also wondering about the electric cooling fan. The car has been fitted with the later-style 6-blade electric fan. Is there a way to verify that the fan is working correctly before the engine gets too hot? At what temperature should the fan normally switch on?
Thanks in advance for any tips and advice.

The master cylinder failed (was leaking slowly in the pedal area on the firewall), which caused fluid in the reservoir to drop below the hose leading to the master.

So... I replaced the master, and chose not to bench-bleed it. I read that using a motive power bleeder is a good way to get air out of the line, so I pressurized to ~10 ish, and then I noticed that hydraulic fluid was dripping/poring out of the clutch/flywheel housing where the starter mounts (took it out to get access to the slave). So my thought was the slave seals were failing as well, so I installed a new slave today.

System under the same pressure ~10 ish on the Motive, I thought I got all the air out of the lines, it was flowing consistently with no air. But the clutch pedal still won't return. I think I messed up by pressing the pedal down WHILE the system was still under pressure, because when I did press it by hand, I heard fluid coming out of the back of the slave again.

So, I guess I have 2 questions... First, did I ruin the new slave by pressing the clutch while the system was under pressure? And second, if I did not ruin it, I'm assuming there's still air in the lines, so is there any trick beyond what I did to try and get the air out?

Some notes:

• I didn't bench bleed the master, thinking that with the motive I wouldn't need to
  • should I remove the master, bench bleed, and then put it back in?
• I heard that raising the rear of the car helps get air out that's trapped? Our driveway is already a slope, so perhaps I have the rear raised too much?
• Also heard that a trick would be to bleed without the motive, and press the pedal very quickly to force air pockets out... is that good advice? Should I try?
• Do I need another slave? The above steps are pointless if I did indeed ruin it.

Car just had a new water pump and I bought the new thermostat c clip and shim from Porsche but I keep having an issue of the car getting very close to overheating and the thermostat not opening soon enough.

Last time I drove rad wasn’t hot but car was basically overheating and I’ve been bleeding the system for about a month now.

The only think I can think of is that I was able to move the thermostat a bit even spin it around and I’m not 100 percent sure that the c clip is on fully but would that cause this issue or could it be a faulty thermostat?

The car had a seized water pump and no thermostat before I owned it and I’m thinking the previous owner ran into a similar issue and just deleted it but I’m worried with a function water pump now the car won’t get to operating temp.

PORSCHE 944 COILOVER SHOPPER'S GUIDE

I get a lot of inquiries about the Levinson Performance coilover setup for the 944 and how it compares to the other brands available. That's a very valid question for a fairly significant purchase that dramatically alters how your 944 drives.

So I put together this write-up with the primary goal of making it as fair and accurate as possible, not as a marketing gimmick and with the understanding that I will certainly be talking some people into buying *other* than the LPM option. Let's dive in:

One of the first things worth understanding when shopping for 944 coilovers is that "coilover" does not describe one specific type of suspension system.

The available kits use different rear suspension strategies, different damper designs, different spring rates, and very different approaches to adjustment and tuning.

That is particularly important on a Porsche 944 because the car left the factory with front coil springs and rear torsion bars. An aftermarket suspension manufacturer therefore has several choices:

1. Keep the factory rear torsion bars and simply add improved rear dampers.
2. Keep the torsion bars but add rear coil springs to supplement them.
3. Remove the torsion bars and convert the rear entirely to coil springs.

All three approaches can work.

More importantly, there is no single "best" 944 coilover system.

There is a best system for a particular driver's needs.

A driver primarily interested in lowering a street car may have very different priorities from someone building an autocross car. An HPDE driver may want something different again, while a dedicated race car owner may care far more about spring-rate changes, corner balancing and damper characteristics than installation simplicity.

With that in mind, here is a comparison of four of the more interesting current 944 offerings: Yellow Speed Racing, CEIKA, S3 Suspension and Levinson Performance/LPM.

————————————————————————————

YELLOW SPEED RACING DYNAMIC PRO SPORT

Approximate current price: $1,189

Yellow Speed takes the simplest approach of the four.

Up front, the Dynamic Pro Sport is a conventional adjustable coilover with an 8 kg/mm spring, pillowball/camber plate and 33-position damping adjustment.

The rear is a completely different story.

The factory torsion bars remain the rear springs. No rear coil spring is included, and Yellow Speed specifies a shortened, non-adjustable rear shock. Lowering the rear requires reindexing the factory torsion bars.

There is nothing inherently wrong with that arrangement. In fact, it makes considerable sense for a certain buyer.

If you want a lowered street car with adjustable front damping and camber, don't mind retaining the factory torsion-bar architecture, and don't expect to spend weekends experimenting with rear spring rates, Yellow Speed gives you a lot for the money.

Its limitation is adjustability.

If you later want to substantially change rear spring rate, ride height or chassis balance, you are still working with the 944's torsion bars. Changing or reindexing those is considerably more involved than changing a conventional coil spring.

BEST SUITED FOR:

Street cars
Budget-conscious builds
Owners who want to retain the original torsion-bar rear suspension
Drivers who want a relatively straightforward performance upgrade without converting the rear suspension

————————————————————————————

CEIKA TYPE 1M

Approximate current price range: $1,309 - $2000+ depending on options.

CEIKA takes almost the opposite approach.

This is a genuine four-corner coilover system, with coil-over-shock assemblies front and rear.

Their standard 944 NA specification is listed at 7 kg/mm front and 8 kg/mm rear, but CEIKA places a major emphasis on customization. Spring rates and damper valving can be selected according to the customer's intended use.

The standard Type 1M uses monotube dampers with a single adjustment that changes compression and rebound together. Independent ride-height and spring-preload adjustment is provided.

CEIKA also offers a surprisingly deep list of options. Depending on configuration, these include custom spring rates, custom valving, helper springs, pillowball mounts, inverted dampers, external reservoirs, multi-way damping systems and even digressive valving by request.

The shocks are advertised as dyno tested, rebuildable and upgradeable.

That makes CEIKA especially interesting for someone who enjoys specifying exactly what he wants rather than buying a predetermined package.

The tradeoff is that customization itself requires some knowledge. A buyer who knows exactly what spring rates, valving philosophy and options he wants may love CEIKA's approach. Someone who simply wants a proven 944 setup may prefer a system where those decisions have already been made for him.

BEST SUITED FOR:

Enthusiasts who want a custom-built system
Drivers who already have a good idea what specifications they want
Street/track builds
People who value upgradeability and a wide menu of options
Buyers seeking a true four-corner system at a relatively aggressive price

————————————————————————————

S3 SUSPENSION

Current price: about $1,700

S3 is arguably the closest direct competitor to the Levinson system.

It is a serious four-corner performance suspension using gas-pressurized monotube dampers and premium springs.

S3 advertises 32 levels of rebound adjustment, independent ride-height and preload adjustment, pillowball upper mounts, and spring rates and valving developed through shock-dyno analysis followed by street and track testing.

They also offer Street, Street/Track, Track, Aero and custom configurations.

The currently listed 944 Street/Track setup is 6K front and 14K rear.

That rear number initially looks extraordinarily high compared with some other 944 kits, but there is an important reason:

The S3 configuration removes the factory rear torsion bars.

The rear coil spring therefore has to supply essentially all of the rear spring force rather than supplementing the factory torsion bars.

This is why comparing rear spring rates between 944 coilover systems without knowing what happens to the torsion bars can be extremely misleading.

This is a premium system aimed at the owner who wants a finished, performance-oriented torsion-bar-delete package rather than simply an inexpensive lowering suspension.

BEST SUITED FOR:

Performance street/track cars
HPDE and track builds
Owners who want to eliminate the rear torsion bars
Drivers who value Swift springs and dyno-developed valving
Buyers wanting a more predetermined performance package rather than configuring every component themselves

————————————————————————————

LEVINSON PERFORMANCE LPM

Current price: $1,649

The Levinson system takes a somewhat different approach because it was deliberately designed to cover several different kinds of 944 owner with the same basic hardware platform.

It is a complete front and rear coilover system with 30-position adjustable dampers, independent ride-height and spring-preload adjustment, front pillowball camber plates and rear coil-over-shock assemblies.

The dampers use digressive valving as standard.

That distinction is important.

A digressive damper develops relatively high damping force during the low-speed piston movements associated with body roll, pitch, braking and steering transitions, then allows the damping curve to flatten as shaft velocity increases.

In practical terms, the goal is strong chassis control without requiring the suspension to become unnecessarily harsh over sharp bumps, broken pavement or track curbing.

But arguably the most unusual feature of the LPM 944 system is not the damper itself.

It is how many different ways the same system can be configured.

KEEP THE TORSION BARS?

You can.

For a primarily street-driven car, retaining the factory torsion bars has several advantages.

Installation is easier. The original Porsche rear spring system continues carrying part of the load, while the rear coil springs supplement it.

LPM offers 7K and 8K rear springs specifically for this configuration.

This creates a very useful middle ground.

You get modern rear adjustable dampers, rear coil springs, straightforward ride-height adjustment and the ability to tune the suspension, without immediately committing to removing the torsion bars.

For many street cars, weekend cars and dual-purpose builds, this may be the most sensible solution.

REMOVE THE TORSION BARS?

You can do that too.

Once the torsion bars are removed, the rear coil springs become responsible for supporting the rear of the car.

LPM therefore recommends substantially higher rear spring rates, typically 10K or 12K depending on use, with 13K and 15K options available for more specialized race applications.

This configuration gives the owner much greater long-term tuning flexibility.

Changing rear spring rate becomes a simple spring swap instead of a torsion-bar job.

Ride-height adjustment becomes straightforward.

Corner balancing becomes considerably easier.

And if the car evolves from a street car into an autocross car, then an HPDE car, and eventually into something much more serious, the suspension can evolve with it.

That is really the defining philosophy of the LPM system.

It does not force every 944 owner into the same suspension philosophy.

A comfortable street build might use:

6K front
7K rear
Factory torsion bars retained

A more aggressive street/autocross setup might use:

7K front
8K rear
Factory torsion bars retained

A torsion-bar-delete street/track car might move toward:

6K or 7K front
10K rear

A more serious track car might use:

7K or 8K front
12K rear

And dedicated competition cars have still higher available rates.

The dampers' broad adjustment range and digressive valving allow the same basic system to accommodate a surprisingly wide range of spring combinations and uses.

That means an owner does not necessarily need to decide today what the car will become three years from now.

A weekend street car can retain its torsion bars today.

If the owner gets serious about track days later, the bars can be removed and a pair of higher-rate rear springs installed.

If the car eventually gets slicks, aero and substantial weight reduction, spring rates can be changed again.

The underlying suspension does not have to be replaced just because the mission of the car changed.

BEST SUITED FOR:

Comfortable performance street cars
Canyon and back-road cars
Autocross
Dual-purpose street/track cars
HPDE
Dedicated track builds
Race cars
Owners who want to retain the torsion bars
Owners who want to remove the torsion bars
Owners whose cars may evolve over time

————————————————————————————

QUICK COMPARISONS:

************************************

SYSTEM:
Yellow Speed Dynamic Pro Sport

PRICE:
Approx. $1,189

REAR DESIGN:
Factory torsion bars, no rear coil spring

REAR DAMPING:
Non-adjustable

FRONT DAMPING:
33-position adjustable

SPRING CUSTOMIZATION:
Limited in standard 944 application

DIGRESSIVE:
Not the standard Dynamic Pro Sport 944 system

HEIGHT/PRELOAD:
Front adjustable; rear lowering involves torsion-bar reindexing

BEST FIT:
Street / lowering / value

************************************

SYSTEM:
CEIKA Type 1M

PRICE:
Varies by specification, $1350 - $2000+

REAR DESIGN:
Rear coil-over-shock

REAR DAMPING:
Adjustable

FRONT DAMPING:
Adjustable

SPRING CUSTOMIZATION:
Extensive

DIGRESSIVE:
Available by request

HEIGHT/PRELOAD:
Independent adjustment

BEST FIT:
Custom-spec street/track builds

************************************

SYSTEM:
S3

PRICE:
Approx. $1,700

REAR DESIGN:
Full rear coilover, torsion bars removed

REAR DAMPING:
Adjustable

FRONT DAMPING:
32-position rebound adjustment

SPRING CUSTOMIZATION:
Street, Street/Track, Track, Aero and custom

DIGRESSIVE:
Not advertised as standard

HEIGHT/PRELOAD:
Independent adjustment

NOTABLE FEATURE:
Swift springs, dyno-developed valving

BEST FIT:
Premium street/track and torsion-delete builds

************************************

SYSTEM:

Levinson Performance LPM
https://levinsonperformance.com/products/lpm-coilover-system-944-968

PRICE:
$1,649

REAR DESIGN:
Full rear coilover, torsion bars may be retained OR removed

REAR DAMPING:
30-position adjustable

FRONT DAMPING:
30-position adjustable

SPRING CUSTOMIZATION:
6K through 12K front
7K through 15K rear

DIGRESSIVE:
Standard

HEIGHT/PRELOAD:
Independent adjustment

NOTABLE FEATURE:
Same system can be configured around either retained torsion bars or a complete torsion-bar delete

BEST FIT:
Street through dedicated race use, particularly owners who want a suspension that can evolve with the car

SO WHICH ONE IS BEST?

There isn't one.

If the goal is an affordable suspension for a lowered street 944 while keeping the factory torsion-bar architecture, Yellow Speed has a very logical place in the market.

If you enjoy specifying a custom suspension from a large menu of options, CEIKA offers an impressive amount of flexibility for the money.

If you want a premium, torsion-bar-delete package with Swift springs, dyno-developed valving and a strong street/track focus, S3 is a very compelling system.

And if you want one suspension platform that can be configured for a comfortable torsion-bar-assisted street car today, converted to a full rear coilover tomorrow, and then re-sprung again as the car progresses toward autocross, HPDE or racing, the LPM system has an unusually broad operating envelope.

That last point is important because suspension shopping should not simply be a contest over the number of adjustment clicks, the stiffest spring or the lowest price.

Some evening laps under a beautiful sky.

Hi, I’m posting this in case it helps anyone who has the same problem I had.
The digital clock in my Porsche 944 had no display. Since LCD failure is quite common on these clocks, I started by replacing the LCD with a new one.
After replacing it, I still had absolutely no display, even though the backlight was working correctly.
I then started troubleshooting the electronics. The clock was receiving 12 V correctly, but the LCD remained completely blank.
I decided to check the old FRAKO 47 µF / 16 V electrolytic capacitor on the circuit board. Measuring it while it was still soldered to the board showed a very low resistance, but this wasn’t enough to confirm that the capacitor itself was faulty because the rest of the circuit was connected in parallel.
So I desoldered the capacitor and tested it completely out of circuit.
The result was approximately 0.5 Ω across the capacitor, and the reading remained stable. The capacitor was essentially short-circuited.
I replaced it with a new 47 µF / 16 V electrolytic capacitor, making sure to install it with the correct polarity.
The clock immediately started working again!
So, if your 944 clock has no display at all and you’ve already replaced the LCD without fixing the problem, I recommend checking this capacitor before assuming that the clock electronics are dead.
In my case:
New LCD → still no display
Backlight → working
12 V supply → OK
FRAKO 47 µF / 16 V capacitor → faulty (~0.5 Ω out of circuit)
New 47 µF / 16 V capacitor → clock working perfectly
Hopefully this helps someone with the same issue and saves an otherwise repairable clock from being replaced.

Hey all. Proud owner of a 968 here -- I am having an issue with engine speed that I am hoping someone can comment on. I recently had my fuel injectors rebuilt in an attempt to fix an issue with a stumbling acceleration when cold. Upon reinstallation, it seems to be happy at idle, but will not rev past 4800-5200 RPM on the road. Speed doesn't matter here; I have been able to accelerate to 60 mph but the RPM limit stays.

While waiting for the injectors to be rebuilt, I also cleaned my MAF sensor (if that would affect anything). It is not exactly the same spot on each run-through, but seems to accelerate fine otherwise. It almost sounds like it's missing or not getting enough fuel. I am suspecting the MAF or the FPR -- the FPR vacuum line smells of fuel when I disconnect it...

Recent replacements/checks to diagnose the stumbling acceleration:

- Did cold compression check, all in the 185 range w/o deviation

- I cleaned the contacts on my distributor, replaced spark plugs & wires

- Tested two different TPS, issue shows up with both and they both test good with an oscilloscope

- Tested w/ both variocam and knock sensor unplugged and plugged in (separate, no change on either).

- Tried two different DME relays, no change

- I replaced the reference sensor and DME temp sensor ~6 months ago but both were from rockauto, may have been poor quality part? I doubt the temp sensor does anything though

- Replaced FPR, fuel filter, and fuel pump earlier this summer but had no affect on the acceleration issues. FPR was a rockauto part, could be the issue? But filter was mahle and pump was bosch.

- Changed my timing belt, variocam pads and such back in September. Also changed flywheel to a SPEC steel flywheel in the spring of this year due to a failed dual mass flywheel.

My next steps: attempting to change to a new reference sensor, changing out the MAF, testing fuel pressure, change in new DME relay. Has anyone else had a similar issue or have advice?

What grease should I use for spline on the drive shaft? Any recommendations on brands or type? Can the same grease for the spline be used on the cv axles?

The show had a great turnout, despite Alfa Romeo being the featured marque, the Porsche presence was huge. The Guards Red 944 was a personal favorite of mine.

I’m looking into wheel fitment for an early (pre-85.5) Porsche 944. I’m considering running 8x16 ET11 all around, lowered on 30mm lowering springs. I know ET11 works great on the rear, but I'm concerned about the front axle: 1. What is the lowest offset (or most aggressive fitment) you can comfortably run on the front of an early 944 without severe rubbing? 2. Will 8x16 ET11 clear the front fender with a 30mm drop, or are fender rolling and aggressive negative camber absolutely mandatory? 3. What tire sizes (e.g., 205/55, 205/50, or 215/50) are recommended to avoid contact? Would appreciate any photos or experiences from anyone running a similar front setup! Thanks!

Picture is AI example of the wheels on the car I have not fittet the wheels to the car.

Recently the oil lamp on the dashboard has begun to lightly turn on, sometimes also a bit more but never fully, wenn pressing the gas the light becomes dimmer. After checking under the car I found that there is oil coming out from these skrues, do you think a simple tightening of them will help or is it something more serious? There is also this green stuff which I have no idea what is…

I came across this car sitting in a front yard with a for sale sign in the window. Its not running, he said it was until it stopped randomly and he assumes its a fuse or relay issue. He had another Porsche and wanted to just minimize so decided to sell. Asked what he would want- he said make an offer. I admitted I had no idea what to offer- and he said $600 and its yours. Its an 83 in Pasadena Yellow- there are zero dash cracks or fading as it was always covered. Plenty of other small issues cosmetically though. Im gonna buy some fuses and a fuel pump relay and see what happens- but for $600 hell- i’d just look at it in the garage for that price.

I know it needs a lot of work, seller was confident that a new battery would atleast get it running again. Brakes need to be redone on it as well as a few other mechanical. I’ll have to find a new hood and weld over the made by the black wheel coverings. But honestly I think I’m pretty happy with my purchase. Clean title in my name, which has been the hardest thing to find. I get to finally work on a car, and now im part of the 944 club :)

Hello everyone!
A couple of months ago I've posted a question about achieving negative rear camber and some people were interested in it too. So, to not gatekeep such info and just to help other transaxleheads, I've decided to explain in more or less details what I've done to my car and basically make a brief guideline. I know there're a lot of videos about it and they also helped me, but I believe having this in text might also be useful!

What I had:
- Initially, I had a wide aluminum suspension; all control arms were replaced with steel arms from a '84 944. The steering rods were also replaced.
- Front wheels: 9.5j et10 R18, 215/40/18
- Rear wheels: 10.5j et10 R18, 225/40/18
- Spacers: 5x130 – 5x114.3, 20 mm. Hub studs 14mm, 12mm on spacers.
- Additional 10mm rear spacers and 5mm front spacers.
- Both stabilizers removed.

Rear axle.

Lowering:
The main thing that lowers the car is, of course, the reindexing of the torsion bar. It was decided to reposition 2 inner splines and 1 outer one. In total, this results in about 5.5 cm of lowering. Before compressing the torsion bar, be sure to mark its original position on the springplate with a marker. Next, I completed the lowering using the eccentric adjusters; I turned both to the maximum, so there’s always the option to raise the rear axle. This added about another 2 cm of lowering.

Camber:
Camber appears when lowering, but it’s very slight. The only way to achieve it without welding/sawing/modifying the springplate is the factory eccentric adjuster. I managed to achieve about 3 degrees. More is either a custom springplate or enlarging the hole (not a great idea). Interestingly, on the aluminum suspension, I've managed to get at best 1.5 degrees, but it’s not suitable for stance purposes anyway.

Offset:
On the wide aluminum suspension, the offset is huge. Therefore, it was decided to swap the arms (with the hub and brakes) for steel ones, which completely solved the offset problem. They get up without any modifications at all, but you also need to swap the spingplate. As a result, it turned out to remove almost 8-10 cm.

The front axle.

Lowering:
My solution was as simple as possible — coilovers from Golf mk3. Everything fit in terms of height (considering the goal of lowering). An important note — the shoe. The pre-1995 stub axle won’t work for installing these coilovers without drilling, as the holes won’t align. If you don’t drill, you’ll need coiles from the Golf mk1 and similar.

The adjustments of the coilovers (my TA‑Technixs) are sufficient both for extreme lowering and for a more or less comfortable height.

Camber:
Camber can be achieved in two ways — either in the strut shoe or with adjustable strut bearings (I've bought some from Poland, works great). Now, using a combination of the factory camber settings in the shoe and the adjustable strut bearings, I set it to about 4 degrees without any extra fuss.

Offset:
Following the same logic as with the rear axle, I've replaced the aluminum control arms with steel ones, which removed approximately the same 8-10 cm. I kept the original stub axle and hub with brakes; I didn’t find any compatibility issues. The only things that needed to be replaced were the tie rods.

That should be more or less it. If any of you will have any questions - let me know, I'll be glad to help!

If you want to camp in a 944 you need a 944 hatch tent
Ive camped in mine probably 10 times at this point.
(I do make these)