944S Engine Identification Question

[jppp3]

Newbie here. I am the new owner of a 1987 944S (I think). Also are still driving a 1986 944, 300k + miles and still strong and running well. THe puzzle here is that the VIN on the vehicle and title check out as a 1987 944S, but under the hood the engine looks virtually identical to my 86. The one or two 944S pix I have seen show a different air intake filter config.( with a 16V logo on it).

Short of removing the timing belt cover, is there anyway I can tell?

I will keep this car "S" or not, the car is of low but uncertain milage(usual odo failure), as evidenced by the pristine condition of the interior and un-pitted windshield.

[magcuda]

quite q bit of difference, I have attached a picture of each

Edited April 20, 2010 by Loren
made images viewable here

[jppp3]

Newbie here. I am the new owner of a 1987 944S (I think). Also are still driving a 1986 944, 300k + miles and still strong and running well. THe puzzle here is that the VIN on the vehicle and title check out as a 1987 944S, but under the hood the engine looks virtually identical to my 86. The one or two 944S pix I have seen show a different air intake filter config.( with a 16V logo on it).

Short of removing the timing belt cover, is there anyway I can tell?

I will keep this car "S" or not, the car is of low but uncertain milage(usual odo failure), as evidenced by the pristine condition of the interior and un-pitted windshield.

[jppp3]

Thanks magcuda,

Looks like somebody swapped it out somewhere-sometime. Trouble is now I don't know how much mileage is on the engine I got.

[Rdward]

Newbie here. I am the new owner of a 1987 944S (I think). Also are still driving a 1986 944, 300k + miles and still strong and running well. THe puzzle here is that the VIN on the vehicle and title check out as a 1987 944S, but under the hood the engine looks virtually identical to my 86. The one or two 944S pix I have seen show a different air intake filter config.( with a 16V logo on it).

Short of removing the timing belt cover, is there anyway I can tell?

I will keep this car "S" or not, the car is of low but uncertain milage(usual odo failure), as evidenced by the pristine condition of the interior and un-pitted windshield.

Just wondering did you get the car off of ebay? I believe the one that I saw was burgundy exterior with burgundy interior. If so I actually posted a remark to the seller that the engine was not an S engine. His response was he knew that the engine was not an S but the vin showed that the car was an S model. He should of disclosed this to you before the sell.

[jppp3]

Close RdWard,

ebay-yes, color-Yellow with black interior.

There was a comment posted questioning whether it was an "S", but cited the turbo nose of the S2. The VIN checked, but I did not see the engine difference in the pix until I got the car home. Pretty sure this was an engine swap, just don't (yet) have the details.