GTR34 Registered User

Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 267 Garage

The unconventional swap: Audi AAN powered 944



It's been a while since I've been on the forums. So, here's whats going on with my 944.



Given that my car is at 193,000 miles right now, there's certain items that just need replacing. Torque tube bearings are the audible first on the list and the transmission is making a nasty vibration sound at low RPM. (Ring and pinion?) The clutch has not been serviced to my knowledge in a while, the rear main seal is leaking, the cam box and tam tower seals need replaced, the list continues. I decided I wanted to do the webcam #274 for my car as it would add a nice pep and some low rpm torque (knowing full well that the 944 engine is not modifiable sanely, within a budget and on an NA level).



All things considered, one of my dream cars has been an audi 5 cylinder powered turbo 944 - regardless of what others think of this swap, I can never get it out of my mind and I am in love with the audi line of 5 cylinder engines. And when I found out that the audi 5 cylinder engines were a proposed engine package for the original Porsche - Audi joint venture with the 924 (after much forum reading and drawing conclusions based on the bellhousing pattern being nearly identical) I was ecstatic to discover the Audi 5-cylinder engines are actually a whole lot more related to the 924 and 944s that I thought.



So, if a cam and a clutch alone for my car is $1400 and an entire AAN 5 cylinder turbo spec engine is $1,100, I am seeing an opportunity. I recently have just acquired a daily, have won an internal design competition at my college to fund this project (college for creative studies transportation design), have a place to work on my car indefinitely and know that the AAN is compatible with the 944 (after some custom work) and has been done before, I decided to do several weeks worth of research and theory confirmation before diving in.



So here it is!



I've decided to swap my 944's engine for an Audi unit.



This swap is sort of wild-west territory - LS swaps are tried and true, but I much prefer the road less traveled. I have been in contact with LeRoy from Nina's 20vt blogspot and talked to several parts guys about availability, so after doing a great deal of research I know what I can accomplish.



Initally I had the reaction of any 944 owner - If I do this, I'm removing the 944's heart and soul. The 944 engine is a beautifully crafted and elegant all-aluminum sculpture, sounds great and is all-around a great engine. However, the 5-cylinder 944 has always been in the back of my mind and I've always wanted a 944 that is unlike anyone else's. I've made my decision to stray from a purist route since the car is high-mileage, has its share of dents and scuffs, half of the paint is no longer original nor done in similar time periods and it needs to be torn down anyway due to existing maintenance issues. This will never be a mint example of a 944 nor do I want it to be.



Anyway, to start I want to take the right approach to this build. I'm starting by fully rebuilding the engine while the car is still mobile and lining up all fresh major components before actually tearing into it. I've started by acquiring a long block from Force 5 Auto in New Hampshire - a 139,000 AAN code 20 valve turbo engine from the 93-97 audi S4/S6 (similarly, the 3B I believe from the late audi 100 of which only a few were imported and additionally the S2 and audi 90 turbo quattro, correct me if I'm wrong).



This past weekend I had it shipped to the shop, hoisted it up and attached it to an engine stand I bought at harbor freight







The teardown I've completed thus far has involved removal of the head and some ancillaries, lubrication of the cylinder walls and covering them until I get back to the bottom end. The top end I have with me at home which I will begin a detailed teardown based on audi service manuals and logged disassembly and reassembly with new wear items (valves, springs, guides, seals, re-cut valve seats, possibly lifters depending on condition). I already have the shop picked out that will be able to check head flatness and deck if necessary as well as recut the valve seats.











Although I already have a fastener log and an exploded view PDF manual, I've decided to keep each fastener with the part removed in its exact location just in case.









What I am doing and what I really want to share is my build log . I want to keep it completely open for comment so anyone who is interested may provide input or advice along the way. I've started the very beginning on what I have done thus far which involves engine spec-ing, turbo selection (Yes, I know where to find turbo trans, torsion bars, rear arms, all necessary hp-increase components)



Because info on this swap is few and far-between, I am documenting every detail of what I do, down to fastener size, grade hardness, thread and torque (so anyone with this engine can buy new fasteners). What I'm hoping for is constructive advice to any left-field stuff I haven't already read about on audi-porsche forums, and generally just a third method of insurance in case I miss something.



Thanks for taking a look and stay tuned as well as ask any questions!



Link to the build log Hey guys!It's been a while since I've been on the forums. So, here's whats going on with my 944.Given that my car is at 193,000 miles right now, there's certain items that just need replacing. Torque tube bearings are the audible first on the list and the transmission is making a nasty vibration sound at low RPM. (Ring and pinion?) The clutch has not been serviced to my knowledge in a while, the rear main seal is leaking, the cam box and tam tower seals need replaced, the list continues. I decided I wanted to do the webcam #274 for my car as it would add a nice pep and some low rpm torque (knowing full well that the 944 engine is not modifiable sanely, within a budget and on an NA level).All things considered, one of my dream cars has been an audi 5 cylinder powered turbo 944 - regardless of what others think of this swap, I can never get it out of my mind and I am in love with the audi line of 5 cylinder engines. And when I found out that the audi 5 cylinder engines were a proposed engine package for the original Porsche - Audi joint venture with the 924 (after much forum reading and drawing conclusions based on the bellhousing pattern being nearly identical) I was ecstatic to discover the Audi 5-cylinder engines are actually a whole lot more related to the 924 and 944s that I thought.So, if a cam and a clutch alone for my car is $1400 and an entire AAN 5 cylinder turbo spec engine is $1,100, I am seeing an opportunity. I recently have just acquired a daily, have won an internal design competition at my college to fund this project (college for creative studies transportation design), have a place to work on my car indefinitely and know that the AAN is compatible with the 944 (after some custom work) and has been done before, I decided to do several weeks worth of research and theory confirmation before diving in.I've decided to swap my 944's engine for an Audi unit.This swap is sort of wild-west territory - LS swaps are tried and true, but I much prefer the road less traveled. I have been in contact with LeRoy from Nina's 20vt blogspot and talked to several parts guys about availability, so after doing a great deal of research I know what I can accomplish.Initally I had the reaction of any 944 owner - If I do this, I'm removing the 944's heart and soul. The 944 engine is a beautifully crafted and elegant all-aluminum sculpture, sounds great and is all-around a great engine. However, the 5-cylinder 944 has always been in the back of my mind and I've always wanted a 944 that is unlike anyone else's. I've made my decision to stray from a purist route since the car is high-mileage, has its share of dents and scuffs, half of the paint is no longer original nor done in similar time periods and it needs to be torn down anyway due to existing maintenance issues. This will never be a mint example of a 944 nor do I want it to be.Anyway, to start I want to take the right approach to this build. I'm starting by fully rebuilding the engine while the car is still mobile and lining up all fresh major components before actually tearing into it. I've started by acquiring a long block from Force 5 Auto in New Hampshire - a 139,000 AAN code 20 valve turbo engine from the 93-97 audi S4/S6 (similarly, the 3B I believe from the late audi 100 of which only a few were imported and additionally the S2 and audi 90 turbo quattro, correct me if I'm wrong).This past weekend I had it shipped to the shop, hoisted it up and attached it to an engine stand I bought at harbor freightThe teardown I've completed thus far has involved removal of the head and some ancillaries, lubrication of the cylinder walls and covering them until I get back to the bottom end. The top end I have with me at home which I will begin a detailed teardown based on audi service manuals and logged disassembly and reassembly with new wear items (valves, springs, guides, seals, re-cut valve seats, possibly lifters depending on condition). I already have the shop picked out that will be able to check head flatness and deck if necessary as well as recut the valve seats.Although I already have a fastener log and an exploded view PDF manual, I've decided to keep each fastener with the part removed in its exact location just in case.. I want to keep it completely open for comment so anyone who is interested may provide input or advice along the way. I've started the very beginning on what I have done thus far which involves engine spec-ing, turbo selection (Yes, I know where to find turbo trans, torsion bars, rear arms, all necessary hp-increase components)Because info on this swap is few and far-between, I am documenting every detail of what I do, down to fastener size, grade hardness, thread and torque (so anyone with this engine can buy new fasteners). What I'm hoping for is constructive advice to any left-field stuff I haven't already read about on audi-porsche forums, and generally just a third method of insurance in case I miss something.Thanks for taking a look and stay tuned as well as ask any questions!

Last edited by GTR34; 06-14-2016 at 10:14 PM ..