The New Porsche 944 4-Cylinder-Aluminum Engine - Application of the 390 Alloy Based on the Experience Gathered with Air- and Water-Cooled Porsche Engines

The basic Porsche 944 engine was derived from the 928 V8 engine, which is demonstrated by cylinder distance, same crankcase design and same valve train. The engine block is cast in an open deck process with aluminum - silicon alloy 390.

10 years experience with this alloy on 911 air-cooled and lately on 928 water-cooled engines has proven the use for aluminum engine blocks without liners.

With the use of 2 counter-rotating silent shafts, to compensate rotating masses of the 2nd order, the character of a 6 cylinder engine with respect to noise and vibration is achieved.

A digital engine electronic system in conjunction with a high compression ratio and a thermc dynamically optimized combustion chamber achieve a very high power output with low emission and good economy.

The systematic use of aluminum and plastics result in a low engine weight which even with 25% more displacement and 30% more power result in basically the same weight as the present 4 cylinder engine.