1984 Porsche 944

1984 Porsche 944 questions and answers

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Q: We just aquired a 1984 Porsche 944, what can we do to increase mpg and performance?
We were told it gets mid 20's and we would like something higher if possible. Also our 1987 Pontiac Fiero has more pep and it's as slow as, or slower than our 2005 Mazda 6. Sad for a sports car, even it it is a early/mid '80's. I appreciate all the helpful advice. We'll keep it in mind, and thankfully the belts were are all just replaced. . .the previous owner had them go out and had to rebuild the upper part of the motor. My husband is loving the car and after a few days of driving is getting a good feel for when and how to push it. It has better performance than we first suspected. Thanks again.

A: You are looking to do two things which are generally opposites... the fact is, in order to get better fuel economy, you are going to go for less performance, and in order to get more performance, you will generally be trading off fuel economy (among other things). But ok... for fuel economy. The biggest thing you can do will be to drive with a lighter foot. Next, make sure you are running enough tire pressure (and probably on the higher side of the recommended ranges) to decrease the contact patch, and thus, rolling resistance. Make sure the car is in good running order,,, and if you wanted to go further, you could look to have a custom DME chip made to maximize fuel economy. And further still, an alignment setup aimed at the least rolling resistance would help too... but ultimately, the biggest difference will be your driving style (to compare, in a similar age 911, I will average 30+mpg on long highway trips, but tend to get 6-7mpg while at the track... same car, different driving style). For performance... the biggest thing you can do to increase the performance of the car is to upgrade your driving skills. While the 944 doesn't have a lot of power, in the hands of a capable driver that can fully utilize it's strengths of balance and poised weight transfer, it is capable of very good lap times and is an excellent performance platform. Along those same lines would be to look for improvements at the areas where the 944 already is strong... better tires (and inflated to maximize the grip, at the cost of rolling resistance and gas milage), as well as a more aggressive alignment and corner balancing to help bring a more neutral handling stance to the car. Next would be stiffer and adjustable suspension as well as things like decreasing weight (wheels are especially good as this is decreasing unsprung rotating mass!). As for improving power... a custom DME chip to advance the spark will free up a little power at the cost of some fuel economy and a requirement of premium gas. A more open exhaust might get a little as well... but these are generally going to be small gains. Larger gains will get into very expensive area and you'd be better off simply looking at a better car. The couple areas where you can maximize both: Driver ability... always a good upgrade, and it's usable in any vehicle. Look at lightweight wheels... this will make better use of the car's existing power and also require less power to get going. But keep your expectations realistic. You will not change the basic character of the car... it will still be a momentum car in terms of driving, and if this is not what you are looking for, you'd be better to look towards different platforms that will offer what you are looking for.

Q: I'm taking the engine from a Porsche 944 (1984) manual xmission and putting it into 944 body with auto xmisson
what do I need to be on the lookout for. problems expected?, etc

A: Mounts for the gearbox, and starter. You may want to get the Factory repair manual prior to starting this endeavour.

Q: i have a 1984 porsche 944 what is the exra lock on left rear corner panel near the door lock ?


A: That would be an 'after-market' dealer installed alarm system. Thats how it was done back in 84 before the key chain remote.

Q: i have a 1984 Porsche 944, wont start. ?
not batter, not starter, not relays, help plz when i say the car wont start and what not, i literally mean, i put key in, try to turn over, NOTHING, all i hear is fuel pump in the gas tank, lights work fine, and windows... just no power is getting to the starter automatic transmission, pretty much in 944, its WAY difficult to do anything with the wires, hopeing some one could point me in the very BEST direction, but i guess ill have to trace.......

A: Not uncommon, these are very unreliable cars. Good luck, oh kiss your bank balance good bye

Q: What is value of 1984 porsche 944?
91,000 miles average condition

A: it is worth whatever some one is willing to pay

Q: would anybody know where i can get a bracket and pully to get rid of my ac unit on my 1984 porsche 944?
or dont they make such a thing

A: any porsche dealer will have a listing spec order part

Q: 1984 Porsche 944.?
I'm thinking of buying this car, I've taken a look at it in person a few times, it looks a bit weathered but nothing a new paint job couldn't fix. The interior is very aged, and the car has about 150,000 miles on it. The seller is asking $3200. Do you think this is reasonable? Also do you have any advise for what to look for, common problems with porsche 944's, I don't know much about the subject.

A: I think around $3,000 for a solid 1984 Porsche 944 is a good price, but you should expect to do more-or-less continual maintenance to keep it running properly. However, this is true of any 22-year-old car. As for rust, Porsches after 1976 use galvanized sheet metal, so rust is almost never an issue. I had a 1978 Porsche 924 that had no rust whatsoever, and that was after driving it in upstate NY winters. You will have lots of other repairs, and the 944 will require an expensive timing belt replacement every 30K miles. If you don't do it yourself, expect $500 for this replacement. Nearly all parts are still available for the 944, so don't worry about that. If you enjoy the car and are willing to do most of the work yourself, this is a very satisfying car. It is peppy, handles great and has decent brakes. If you are willing to spend a little more money, look for a 1986 or later model. There was a major upgrade for the 1985.5 model, which included more power, better brakes, stronger ball joints and a better interior. However, it will probably cost you at least another $2,000 for one of these later models. Finally, it's always great if you can find a Porsche that hasn't been beaten up on racetracks. Ask questions and see what answers you get, and look for signs that it might have been raced. These include racing seat belts, holes where a role bar might have been attached and painted-over numbers on the doors/bodywork. I like older Porsches and there is a great community of owners out there to encourage you and help you solve problems. As long as you are willing to do the work to keep your Porsche running, you will find it educational and very satisfying. If you can't/won't do the work yourself, the car will almost certainly be too expensive.

Q: how much would a 1984 porsche 944 which hasnt been driven for 10 years and is in bad condition cost?
hasnt been inspected since 1997 and is in pretty bad shape

A: My real advice is going to sound tough, but it's the same advice everybody gave me, and I ignored. It's not worth it to buy a 944 unless it's a turbo (sometimes called the 951) or the 16V engine (called the 944S or 944S2). You can get a regular 944 for a few thousand, but it has a weak(by today's standards) 150HP 2.5L four cylinder. It is next to impossible to get real performance improvements out of this engine, unless you spend thousands more. By the time you do all that, you still won't have the performance of a turbo or the S. And for what you spent on the car, plus upgrades, you could have gotten the turbo. And that already has the bigger brakes, better suspension, ABS and the better body kit. That being said, if it's an '84, my guess is the front seats are trashed, the dash is cracked, and it needs engine work. All of these things are not cheap to fix. If the paint looks cracked (like spider webs) expect to pay a lot to fix it up. As in thousands to sand down to bare metal to fix. I wouldn't give the guy $1500.

Q: 1984 Porsche 944- 5 speed?
I'm thinking of buying this car, I've taken a look at it in person a few times, it looks a bit weathered but nothing a new paint job couldn't fix. The interior is very aged, and the car has about 150,000 miles on it. The seller is asking $3200. Do you think this is reasonable? Also do you have any advise for what to look for, common problems with porsche 944's, I don't know much about the subject.

A: I'm going against most of the rest of the responders here. I think around $3,000 for a solid 1984 Porsche 944 is a good price, but you should expect to do more-or-less continual maintenance to keep it running properly. However, this is true of any 22-year-old car. As for rust, Porsches after 1976 use galvanized sheet metal, so rust is almost never an issue. I had a 1978 Porsche 924 that had no rust whatsoever, and that was after driving it in upstate NY winters. You will have lots of other repairs, and the 944 will require an expensive timing belt replacement every 30K miles. If you don't do it yourself, expect $500 for this replacement. Nearly all parts are still available for the 944, so don't worry about that. If you enjoy the car and are willing to do most of the work yourself, this is a very satisfying car. It is peppy, handles great and has decent brakes. If you are willing to spend a little more money, look for a 1986 or later model. There was a major upgrade for the 1985.5 model, which included more power, better brakes, stronger ball joints and a better interior. However, it will probably cost you at least another $2,000 for one of these later models. Finally, it's always great if you can find a Porsche that hasn't been beaten up on racetracks. Ask questions and see what answers you get, and look for signs that it might have been raced. These include racing seat belts, holes where a role bar might have been attached and painted-over numbers on the doors/bodywork. I like older Porsches and there is a great community of owners out there to encourage you and help you solve problems. As long as you are willing to do the work to keep your Porsche running, you will find it educational and very satisfying. If you can't/won't do the work yourself, the car will almost certainly be too expensive.

Q: Value of a 1984 Porsche 944, used, 121,000 miles.?
What is the retail vaule of 1984 944 with 121,000 miles, single compact disk, tilt wheel, power steering, power wheels, leather seats (driver seat has tear/hole in it), 5 spd, A/C, Curise control, power windows, moon roof, and alloy wheels. The brakes pulsate a little bit. I went to KKB, and it said $6,000 if in execlent condition. but it is not, I want to know if I am getting a good deal from this dealership for the price. They are asking $4,000. Could it possibly be worth a tiny bit less? I can spend that much, but if possible I would like to spend a little bit less. If you found proof that it is worth less PLEASE give me your source so I can present it to the dealer. Thanks!!!!!

A: just take your offer to them in cash. whatever you want to pay and make the offer. If they refuse, come back the next day. Many times, they will accept an offer if they see you walking out the door with cash in hand.

Q: My 1984 Porsche 944-after replacement of spark plugs, engine hesitates. Any suggestions?
My son replaced my 4 spark plugs with new (and compatible) ones. engine runs, but seems hesitant. after rechecking everything, he remembered that while unscrewing one of the old spark plugs he saw that its ceramic was chipped, but didn't make sure to see if the chip found was the whole or part of the missing chip. other than that, all was done properly. any ideas as to how to solve this problem? Thanks.

A: Check to see that plugs were gapped right then check and/or replace old plug wires. If you replace one (Plugs) it's always wise to replace both. Because the plugs fouling out could have damaged your wires.

Q: what is the fuel psi for a 1984 porsche 944 supposed to be?
im trying to replace my porsche fuel pump with after market but i need to know the required fuel psi to do so can anyone help non turbo model

A: Looks like it should be 2.0 bar ar idle for the 8v cars and 3.3 bar for the 16v cars. Yours is an 8v, unless someone has swapped the engine... http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/fuel-01.htm This is per Clark's garage which is a respected resource for 944 DIY. Here's the main site: http://www.clarks-garage.com/ and I found this info under the Garage Shop Manual section. Z, that's a terrible comment. Obviously, you've never driven one. They are fantastic cars. Not a 911, but that's not always a bad thing. I own one of each and have for years. the 944 is definitely better in some respects. Lastly, I just noticed after submitting that the first oster also referenced Clarks Garage - a great testament to its validity. However, he pointed to a reference to turbo cars, which yours is not...

Q: 1984 porsche 944, safe car? Do they break down a lot?
Im thinking of purchasing an 84 porsche 944, very nice car , but do these models break down a lot? Is it good on gas? Please help! I need to make up my mind already!

A: It shouldnt break down depending on how good it was maintained by the recent owner(s) Porsches are known for their quality and speed, thats why they are so exspensive! But i think some of the ealier cars porsch made where nice in their time but now are kinda ugly.

Q: what is the 1984 porsche 944 wheel fitment?
I know there are two wheel types, a four and five lug but what is the spacing for the five lug hole?

A: 4 bolts were only used on 924's through 1984. All 944's have 5 bolt x 130mm diameter. Check this link for some great info: http://www.connact.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faq13.html

Q: What do you think about a 1984 Porsche 944?
i'm thinking about purchasing one. it has 60,000 miles and looks to be in great shape. I hope to make it into a tuning project. i know the car is an inline 4 cylinder. i hope to add turbo or super, but what else should i improve (given that nothing is horribly wrong with the one i purchase)

A: Dont get a 944 without a turbo its garbage. its probably in good condition porsches last a long time with low miles and the body holds up but without a turbo its a waste. id get a 944 turbo and put a bigger turbo on it and get new intake exhaust injectors plugs wires rebuild it with stronger pistons and clean it up real good.