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Misc
©
2001
[email protected]
Jim Griffin
The previous owner replaced the gearbox on this car with that of a 1989 944 Turbo S.
He told me that it was done for the following reasons:
- The OEM gearbox was damaged at a track event.
- The Turbo S transmission has a limited-slip differential and oil cooler.
- The ring and pinion gearing is different, providing a little bit more rpm in each gear, thereby reducing the need to upshift as often. He found this most advantageous on the track. He said that the best way to describe the benefit is that he would be able to hold a gear longer than a stock S2, reducing time, and possibly giving him the advantage at the end of a straight, leading into a corner. He experienced several instances where a stock S2 needed to shift up to fourth, when he was able to remain in third. He was able to pass and/or get the lead into the approaching corner.
He got the idea to swap in the Turbo S gearbox from a friend of his that had a Turbo S with a blown engine. His friend decided to put an S2 engine into his Turbo S, while keeping the original gearbox. He found that this "experiment" proved advantageous for the above-stated reasons.
Here is comparison data for both gearboxes.
| S2 | Turbo | |
| Ring and Pinion - 8:31 | Ring and Pinion - 8:27 | |
| Final Drive - 3.875 | Final Drive - 3.375 | |
| 1st Gear - 35.205 mph | 1st Gear - 40.420 mph | |
| 2nd Gear - 59.848 mph | 2nd Gear - 68.714 mph | |
| 3rd Gear - 88.011 mph | 3rd Gear - 101.050 mph | |
| 4th Gear - 119.109 mph | 4th Gear - 136.754 mph | |
| 5th Gear - 158.421 mph | 5th Gear - 170.740 mph |
Data provided by
PowerHaus II
To see the speed in each gear at all RPMs:
Gearbox Swap - All RPMs
As you can see, this data supports the reasons for the swap as stated above.
The top speed in each gear at redline is higher with the Turbo S gearbox.
In real world driving, I have found it to be just as intended. I have the ability to hold third and fourth gear longer, which in most day-to-day driving scenarios, is a big positive.
However, I have noticed that the car is not in its prime powerband in fifth gear on the highway at legal speeds. (I'm guessing that I would be at maximum power somewhere over 100 mph.) What that means for daily driving is that I either leave it in fourth, and suffer a bit of gas mileage, or cruise along in fifth, maximizing gas mileage, and downshifting to fourth when I need a quick burst of power. This may be the case with a stock S2 as well, I don't know. I haven't driven another S2 yet to be able to compare.
In summary, I like the gearbox swap so far, and I'll update this page again as I gain more experience with the car, on and off the track.