718 cayman engine swap, Will the 4 cylinder turbo engine physically fit in a 914 Options

[david63]

Searched through threads for a bit and didn’t see anything referencing swapping a 718 cayman 4 cylinder turbo motor into a 914. I imagine in the near future these engines will start showing up for sale from wrecked cars, etc.

Realize that it is water cooled so cooling would require a radiator like the unit Renegade hybrids sells. Will need to get air flow to the turbo. Also lots of questions about if the engine will physically fit in the 914. Wiring, ECU’s, transaxle, on and on. I get it, it would require a lot of fabrication.

The price of doing a 6 cylinder conversion is straightforward but getting pretty expensive.

The turbo 4 cylinder motors advertise over 300 hp at the crank and it would be cool to have a 914 with a 4 cylinder high horsepower motor.

I bet someone has already done this I just haven’t found anything. Who knows, someday this may be a common swap….

What do y’all think about this idea?

[Front yard mechanic]

Just 30k shy of trying this (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif)

[Mitox]

Very cool expensive idea. Go for it, so we can watch the process.

[SirAndy]

Looking at some pictures of the engine online, they look wide when compared to the transmission mounting points.

That makes me think the engine would probably not fit and hit the trailing arms.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[mepstein]

If it's your passion to do the swap, go for it.
If it's because you see it as a money saving option to a 911 engine swap, I don't see it.
The amount of time it will take to fab the unique conversion, compared to the almost bolt in nature of a P6 swap, will be substantial.

[wonkipop]

could be wrong but pretty sure 718 4 is direct injection.
not sure if carbon build up due to EGR in intake ports and manifold is as bad as it is on audi and vw engines but i assume it could be an issue.
just saying.

nice idea though.
a few years back was thinking that a polo aircooled 4 would be my engine of choice for a modded 914. thats if i won the lotto and did not give a second thought about $.
i like the sound of them and i like the idea its lighter than a 6 and preserves the weight factor of why an original 4 was so nice (if not powerful).

[mepstein]

could be wrong but pretty sure 718 4 is direct injection.
not sure if carbon build up due to EGR in intake ports and manifold is as bad as it is on audi and vw engines but i assume it could be an issue.
just saying.

nice idea though.
a few years back was thinking that a polo aircooled 4 would be my engine of choice for a modded 914. thats if i won the lotto and did not give a second thought about $.
i like the sound of them and i like the idea its lighter than a 6 and preserves the weight factor of why an original 4 was so nice (if not powerful).

I believe they are $80-100k now. That’s a lot more money for two less cylinders.
One of our customers has an Emory outlaw with a Polo. They really make sense for a 356 since they fit the engine bay so well. While they save 80-100lbs in the car, it’s less of a benefit for a 914 since it’s mid engine and built around a six.

[Ninja]

This is one of the swaps I considered.

When swapping to a modern can-bus controlled vehicle drivetrain it's easiest to start with a functional complete vehicle. It will save $$$$ and TIME heading back to the salvage yard for yet another critical piece of wiring or black box...

The GM LGX V6 "Alfa" platform is my current choice for a 914 drivetrain.
This will require a custom engine to trans adaptor that no one makes now.
I would use a 986/987 manual transmission.


Second (mainly due to cost) would be the 718 PDK.
If you stayed with the entry level 718 the 2.0L badges would be correct!

Third choice for me is a 986/987/981.

I've seen (not in person) both 986 and 987 conversions "complete".

Here's one that was recently on BAT. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-porsche-914-40-2/
Pre-2000 are the simplest versions for conversion. They went electronic throttle post that point along with further complexity.

The year 2000 is usually the point of significant can-bus "complexity" in most of the car brands.

That BAT car shows the tightness on the inboard suspension mounts. Worth looking at for ideas.

Any of the above really require a functional donor.

I don't have a 718 or a base 16+ Camaro but I DO have a functional (roached) 99 2.5 Boxster!

I believe the 718 engine is too wide for the stock rear suspension but the wheel base is damn close to the same and I could see a 914 BODY swap onto a 718 chassis as being a possibility. Keep all of the modern sports car but make it look "similar" to the old.

Sort of like this.
If I won the lottery I'd order one of these just to have it...
https://www.carscoops.com/2025/10/no-this-i...ext-best-thing/

@wonkipop DFI started in the 08 Boxster S and spread quickly to the other models.
I'd choose DFI over port any day!
I'd EXPECT to rip off the intake manifold and clean the carbon every 50k or so...
50k could be a LONG time on a secondary "fun" vehicle.
The fuel in the intake charge takes up approximately 9% of the available volume and injecting it directly is ALWAYS worth more than 10% power increase with a bunch of other benefits.

Now, carboning up the intake valves IS a real issue! Multiple manufactures have added the port injectors back in (has both port and DFI now) to solve it.

[wonkipop]

could be wrong but pretty sure 718 4 is direct injection.
not sure if carbon build up due to EGR in intake ports and manifold is as bad as it is on audi and vw engines but i assume it could be an issue.
just saying.

nice idea though.
a few years back was thinking that a polo aircooled 4 would be my engine of choice for a modded 914. thats if i won the lotto and did not give a second thought about $.
i like the sound of them and i like the idea its lighter than a 6 and preserves the weight factor of why an original 4 was so nice (if not powerful).

I believe they are $80-100k now. That’s a lot more money for two less cylinders.
One of our customers has an Emory special with a 2.5 polo and a second polo engine as a spare. They really make sense for a 356 since they fit the engine bay so well. While they save 80-100lbs in the car, it’s less of a benefit for a 914 since it’s mid engine and built around a six.

yikes.

yeah, i'd only entertain if money meant nothing to me. which ain't ever ever ever going to happen. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[scallyk9]

Check out the 914 with an early Boxster engine that recently sold on bringatrailor.com

Looking at the modifications and fabwork done to make it work was quite interesting. Not the modern 718 engine but it is feasible without bodywork and was cheaper than finding a very good 3.2L and 915 transaxle as I had done.

[worn]

Looking at some pictures of the engine online, they look wide when compared to the transmission mounting points.

That makes me think the engine would probably not fit and hit the trailing arms.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

A key bonus is that this motor floats in mid-air. Installation is much easier.

[Steve]

I rented a 718 Cayman S in Germany. The turbo lag was horrible and it didn’t sound like a flat 6. More like a 4 cylinder Subaru. To each is own, but I should of rented the GT3.

[bkrantz]

could be wrong but pretty sure 718 4 is direct injection.
not sure if carbon build up due to EGR in intake ports and manifold is as bad as it is on audi and vw engines but i assume it could be an issue.
just saying.

nice idea though.
a few years back was thinking that a polo aircooled 4 would be my engine of choice for a modded 914. thats if i won the lotto and did not give a second thought about $.
i like the sound of them and i like the idea its lighter than a 6 and preserves the weight factor of why an original 4 was so nice (if not powerful).

I believe they are $80-100k now. That’s a lot more money for two less cylinders.
One of our customers has an Emory outlaw with a Polo. They really make sense for a 356 since they fit the engine bay so well. While they save 80-100lbs in the car, it’s less of a benefit for a 914 since it’s mid engine and built around a six.

Note sure what you are pricing, but I see complete 2017-18 Boxsters and Caymans going for $50k. I would guess that a good used motor alone is $10k.

[rgalla9146]

Anyone consider a '04 R32 (240 hp) 6 speed ?
plenty out there, engine in front of axles and has to carry a THOUSAND fewer pounds.
Plus a little reverse heritage.

[targa72e]

Doing a air cooled 6 swap is the easiest (not the cheapest) since its been done a lot. There a a few examples of Boxster Engines and or transmission swaps. You could get a whole roached Boxster for less than 5K, If you wanted a Porsche drive train without air cooled 911 money this seems like the way to go. Just like a larger 911 air cooled engine you will need cooling at the front (oil for 911 engine, water for Boxster) not much different in my opinion.

john

[Kraftwerk]

Guy from Quebec who bought my car years ago claimed he was going to drop a Boxster engine in it, was his plan anyway. Miss that car,
the 1.7 ran like a top, I wrung all 79 Hp of it.

[Spoke]

I believe they are $80-100k now.

Yikes!

At that point I'd be looking for a nice 911.

This one has 47K on the odometer. Not mine.

[SirAndy]

... a few years back was thinking that a polo aircooled 4 would be my engine of choice for a modded 914. thats if i won the lotto and did not give a second thought about $ ...

I believe they are $80-100k now. That’s a lot more money for two less cylinders.
One of our customers has an Emory outlaw with a Polo. They really make sense for a 356 since they fit the engine bay so well. While they save 80-100lbs in the car, it’s less of a benefit for a 914 since it’s mid engine and built around a six.

Note sure what you are pricing, but I see complete 2017-18 Boxsters and Caymans going for $50k. I would guess that a good used motor alone is $10k.

@bkrantz
I think he's talking about the /4 polo motors.

https://www.polomotor.com/

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[TheRuttmeister]

Anyone consider a '04 R32 (240 hp) 6 speed ?
plenty out there, engine in front of axles and has to carry a THOUSAND fewer pounds.
Plus a little reverse heritage.

The Golf?

You can't use the FWD transmission (unless you are ok with deleting the boot and moving the CG backwards and up a lot, and building a structure to carry all that). So then you are looking at anything that will mount to a boxster 5 speed. Yes the VR6 might be a bolt-on and is going to be simple to fit because its so tiny... But its not... an amazing, engine. Not when you can fit a so many other options in there.

Don't get me wrong, it would be cool to see... but I don't think there's a huge cross-over between the GTI crowd and 914 owners.

(owns a GTI and a 914).

[bkrantz]

... a few years back was thinking that a polo aircooled 4 would be my engine of choice for a modded 914. thats if i won the lotto and did not give a second thought about $ ...

I believe they are $80-100k now. That’s a lot more money for two less cylinders.
One of our customers has an Emory outlaw with a Polo. They really make sense for a 356 since they fit the engine bay so well. While they save 80-100lbs in the car, it’s less of a benefit for a 914 since it’s mid engine and built around a six.

Note sure what you are pricing, but I see complete 2017-18 Boxsters and Caymans going for $50k. I would guess that a good used motor alone is $10k.

@bkrantz
I think he's talking about the /4 polo motors.

https://www.polomotor.com/

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Thanks, that makes sense. I will work on my reading skills. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)