Why The LS Engine Swap is So Popular

One of the most common engine swaps of all time is the LS, but why? What is it about this engine that makes it so popular? This 944 racing team built the perfect example of a good LS3 swap-and Jalopnik’s biggest LS skeptic finally gets why people love these cars so much.
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[@basedjorts]

Doubling or tripling the horsepower of a car with minimal weight gain, plus a massive aftermarket and they can be found everywhere for cheap. I think its pretty self explanatory why the LS is so popular.

[@leps69]

Its that cheap that in europe we have to save whole year without food to buy one

[@basedjorts]

@@leps69 This video is clearly talking about from the perspective of US car owners. Of course the LS will be expensive in markets with few LS vehicles.

[@hawkeysim1487]

Brett Hobbs thanks for the short explanation, took me 20 secs instead of 8 minutes

[@FantasticPyroclastic]

@@leps69 car is ~5k + ~8k for the engine+gearbox ...

[@P1983sche]

An LS swap doesn’t just happen though...there’s a lot to think about besides just an engine/transaxle. Placement of motor mounts/trans mounts, rerouting plumbing for cooling/fuel delivery, gauges etc. Better have a little know how on fabricating things a little.

[@mrthunder8190]

I ran a 944T in the SCCA for 7 seasons. With minimal mods - cam, chip, bigger turbo, injectors, intercooler - was able to get 375 to the rear wheels at 16lbs of boost. Car was very reliable. 404 HP at 19 lbs of boost, still reliable. If I was going to do the LS swap, it would need to be at least 450Hp at RW HP to make it worthwhile!

[@aaronesau9427]

I love how this car still looks like a 944. It was a beautiful car and I am glad they kept it's good looks.

[@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney]

Why? Because they run forever and are easy to find, cheap to buy, cheap and easy to fix, cheap and easy to hop up, aftermarket support is virtually limitless, they make great power, they sound AWESOME, and most importantly small and light (for V8s that can make the kind of power they can) enough to be adaptable to almost any chassis. Yeah, everyone does it and it's boring, but damned if I'm not putting an aluminum 5.3 in my El Camino when the Edelbrock injected 327 in it now blows up. Sure, it'd be way cooler to do a big block or a hot rodded straight six or, well, damn near anything, but for a regular guy with regular tools, regular abilities, and a regular paycheck, nothing else can remotely compete. I LOVE when people build hot rods, racecars, Jeeps, trucks, whatever with cool and original engine choices, but I FULLY understand why LSs go in like 70% of builds. They're kinda perfect, not unlike their small-block Chevy ancestor and the Ford flathead before that.

[@BrianHenshaw]

Wow Van Svenson! I've watched all of his 944 videos back in the day. Great to see him still tinkering with them!

[@Jesusprayerwarriorbw]

Right! Bout 5 yrs ago or more I saw his orange 944 go thru the process. Dude has a great channel.

[@Rennpanzer]

Van is the MAN ;-)

[@glennoropeza3545]

944 with a V8 conversion? Sure , I think it's the perfect marriage!

[@fa-ajn9881]

You've created a C5 vette lol

[@gsh9225]

Somebody should put LS in a Ferrari to make it more reliable

[@f2detaboada]

Now with an LS12, that's possible

[@johnlinzmayer7036]

@Deez CM BS. :-)

[@billkerksiek208]

@Deez CM I know of more than 10 Vortec Trucks with over 300k on them.

[@v000000000000v]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKDboJp8ps5rr6s

[@richardharrold9736]

@Deez CM the K-series is a great engine in many ways but it doesn't have a great reputation for reliability... plus as Rover no longer exists the parts supply can be an issue.

[@markarnold7516]

Why did the world drop SBC in everything for 30 years? Inexpensive, reliable, small dimensions, able to make power. Same with an LS. After all, it's the next generation SBC. Oh, and did I mention decent gas mileage?

[@glennoropeza3545]

Let's not forget that these engines are cheap and plentiful! And the amount of horses generated is so cost effective! Now that 944 is no lesser Porsche with the LS swap, it can give those expensive cars a run for the money!

[@tempest411]

@@glennoropeza3545 Actually, a 944 with an LS is worth less than when left stock.

[@koollee]

Who cares if its worth less than stock. Theres enough stock ones out there already. I aways trip off car guys who think all the cars should be built back to plain jane original.. just like everyone else

[@tempest411]

@@koollee Don't kid yourself. There aren't that many 944s out there any more. I've only seen a couple on the road in the last five years since I've been into them, and I live in the S.F. Bay Area.

[@koollee]

So, theres enough out there. And some of the people swappin better engines into em leave the appearance stock. My friend had his second white 944 with dark brown interior (i loved the color combo) it handled beautiful, the engine ran good but power wasnt special and it ran with a miss after a while . The other half of folks who LS swap em build cars that were no longer clean anyway. I know where 2 r for sale here in socal. Definatly worthy of v8 swaps. This 1 fkn tweaker shows a pic of his red one for sale (pix of when it was clean and nice) then he'll try to sell u it in current tweaked out condition with orange on the hood, door panel missing, dash lookin almost destroyed, engine tryin to overheat, and the fukker says he has to find the title.. ex wife may have it, etc. I now have a cab 996 911 that needs an engine. I wouldnt really want v8 there (24v v6 yes) but in a 944 i would want a v8.. chevy or ford, or ??

[@EdwardViaTomato]

I want an LS swapped "rally cross-play" 944, IOW, a "fake" Safari Porsche, like the heavy duty trucks you see at Kohls, or the plethora of Jeep-thing Jeeps I see around the burbs, lightbars and all. More specifically, I want a "cyberpunk" 944. Inspired by the cars in the live action Ghost in the Shell, which I believe were Lotuses.

[@jamespurvis8880]

I had a 86 944. Wish I still had it. Was a fun car to drive very balanced.

[@floof4444]

I just picked one up. Very beautiful and amazing car.

[@Bigsky1991]

I'm going to do this soon... mine will be an LS6 car, and I bet I get it done (caged, painted, race suspension, tires) for 6k or less... stay tuned!

[@jputtrexx]

hate the LS swap cause it's basic? Basic is every engine that gets swapped out, they are basic because they just don't cut it. In the HP world the LS is never basic. I think the word you were looking for is common. LS's are common because they are that good. Small package, easy to modify, cheap. I'm sure they are "icky" to the bespoke crowd, but I don't think you're gonna find a lot of support for that kind of thinking in this kind of Car enthusiast. They think of going Fast above anything.

[@zxKrookedxz]

look up what basic means and delete your comment

[@Uglier_God]

Brilliant

[@REAPER3fitty]

@@zxKrookedxz thank you. I was about to go off but your calm answer saved me.

[@johnlinzmayer7036]

You made some good points -- but you lost virtually all credibility with "basic." I plan a 944/968 LS1 swap BUT... a 944 Turbo engine is great in its own way and understandably some Porsche enthusiasts would not remove it. I respect that. Personally, I would for an LS1; what mating the LS1 with the handling and suspension of a core 944/951 can achieve. OMG! :-) Now the 911... I WOULDN'T TOUCH IT!! There is (to me, subjectively) something sacred about such purity. That's me! :-)

[@dougg1075]

One of the best engines EVER!!

[@kurtschalper771]

Ayeeee the 944 getting some love

[@crocosnz3322]

"mmm hmm", "mmm hmm"

[@jnieto490]

The "pumpkin spice of engine swaps" I like both pumpkin spice and LS swaps 😁

[@zTheBigFishz]

Small, light, and powerful. That is why LS motors are so popular.

[@williammcdonnell4677]

and reliable

[@HarryTwatter]

the only thing Stef loves is Mr. Regular

[@user-lp2ll9kh3j]

lmao

[@MaxSpeedMike]

If they needed to be converted, were they even a car guy? Who doesn't love a roaring v8

[@zxKrookedxz]

me when every single car sounds the same

[@HarryTwatter]

pretty sure we follow 99% of the same channels

[@zxKrookedxz]

i think we all do, i see him everywhere

[@chrisallot66]

Liberals...

[@zxKrookedxz]

lol trueee

[@ScottO84]

Because they're physically relatively small (especially considering potentially 6+ L displacement), light, and have the ability to make 450+ HP to the wheels with some minimal mods. The LS3s in particular are essentially begging for a more aggressive cam, which with today's cam technology can be very streetable/usable. Even leaving the stock LS3 heads (which flow VERY well) and adding just a cam, longtubes, better air intake, and a tune can net you 530+ to the crank.

[@YouTuber-jz5nd]

I’ve always thought it would be a fun project to dry dump a Euro 3.0 liter M3 engine and stick it in a 944 chassis.

[@YouTuber-jz5nd]

Height would probably be an issue though.

[@taylorc9480]

One if my fav cars of all time!

[@joseph_the_human]

Nobody ever talks about the trans-axle! What do you do when you have a 944 with a bad trans-axle and no donor. You can't put a Corvette one in there , and the original ones cost a ton of money to rebuild because they're super complicated. Someone needs to engineer an aftermarket one for the 944. Emagine the possibilities!

[@timmietz]

Spencer Cox!!! I know him!! He did my 997.1 C2S build a few years ago. Great work!

[@TheTastyPancake]

I love the editing and the music

[@pugbug288]

LS haters be mad.

[@Ballowt]

I found myself saying uhh hmm everytime he spoke on the car by the end of the of the video lol

[@derangedemu]

“Everything on a long enough timeline gets an LS” -Mr Regular

[@luisgonzalez1637]

LS swap all the cars!

[@mista_ruby]

Next video: "Converting an 2JZ Swap Hater"

[@hvymtal8566]

Coming up on MCM: Converting a Barra swap hater

[@glennoropeza3545]

2JZ is the world's best inline 6cyl. But the engine may be too long to fit in a 944!

[@Jesusprayerwarriorbw]

Renegade hybrids in Las Vegas makes some great Porsche V8 conversion kits for 911,944 & Cayman/Boxster.

[@glennoropeza3545]

Yes they do! They're the best!

[@koollee]

No theyre not. Kennedy may not do the whole kit or installation but has way wayy more engine choices. Get the rest frm Renegade

[@robertpaupard1265]

Hey, I'm just being honest- At the very beginning the LS has an odd sounding exhaust note. I believe the best swap for a 944 is the VW/Audi 07k 2.5 5 cylinder with a from-factory high flow head designed by Lamborghini's design house with 100CFM more air flow than the comparable 944 2.5 4 cylinder head AND nothing beats the 5-cylinder rasp at such an affordable price. Check out @Boost Brothers Garage on KZbin for more info. I just figure they deserved a mention. Maybe you guys could do a video on that. You should ask Boost Brothers if you could do a video offering about their 944 07K...

[@matthewwong1326]

Honda J-series V6 surely should be up there with 2JZ as the 2J is a very heavy engine but very well engineered

[@thelonewanderer420]

Matthew Wong or a kseries

[@keithcannon3682]

The J series is a great option. Also the 3.8 liter 3800 supercharged engines are a great option. Can make 800hp with the right parts!

[@hvymtal8566]

LS is often seen as a relatively simple way to get gobs of power. The fact that so many people swap GM LS engines makes it seem a bit unimaginative and compromising the original character of the car. For mad tire destroying builds, particularly slow but good chassis like Nissan S1_ or Toyobaru twins, that's fine (though pro drifters might give you crap for getting power the "easy way") but it's when people swap them in as a means to put 1 billion hp in their car just so it goes faster (as compared to learning how to _be_ faster) and totally ruins the ability to actually be able to enjoy as a road car vs working over the existing engine, that's where people get upset about it

[@axial8959]

No way! I saw Stef’s car at Radwood Austin!

[@Redtail_News]

Is that a custom rear spoiler or available for purchase?

[@Templar50401]

I have a deserted 944 in the neighborhood. Been wondering about this engine swap. 🤔

[@marklangren3142]

Van you have two better choices a properly built turbo motor or a well built 3 ktr motor

[@nick_osas]

When people cringe at Ls swapped Japanese or German cars, i cringe and think to myself “why does it matter?”

[@xBelastianx]

Are you jeagoulous, Stef Schrader?

[@Sumonic]

I NEED those taillights 😍

[@azspotfree]

Holding the throttle of an LS wide open, like in the beginning of the video, to where the rev limiter is chattering like that, is seriously stupid

[@quickturn66]

People seem to have no idea what’s going on inside an engine!

[@dodgehemi5045]

not difficult to ad 80ft lbs of TOKE to 944t. This has more low end range on dyno vs 2.5" turbo.

[@Jim-zy3lf]

My Son's is in the Process of becoming a Stroker Small Block FORD👈🇺🇸 and junking that Weak link Transaxle out back !

[@harrison4ever125]

Great video!👍🏻

[@jodygreen1518]

I love jalopnik that 944 is so cool

[@youngmaestro4153]

An LS swap may be called many things, but BORING is NEVER APPROPRIATE

[@donleo8037]

How much for this swap ? I have a 944 turbo

[@loganejupi7162]

On a long enough timeline...

[@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney]

Logan Ejupi ...everything gets 'LS'd.

[@scoobygms210]

Great work Stef so jealous !

[@BrettsGarage]

I used to have a 90' S2. Absolutely loved that car and regret selling it to this day. Just curious what they're doing to the transaxle to get it to handle all of that power?

[@zacharyweiss6753]

Brett Voigt the 968 and 944 turbo transmissions are way over engineered and surprisingly can handle the power stock

[@glennoropeza3545]

Luckily for the present owner , the previous owner had made those modifications!

[@jclar3565]

944 didn't need anything. The stock power plant was great it had an S version and a turbo version.

[@jedclampett6466]

Getting rid of my BBC and opting for a 4.2l Vortec

[@Clayvicle]

I like this host, she's a natural presenter. Let's have more. Side note, I feel like I saw her on an RCR video? Could be wrong idk

[@DeftonesFan867]

You have. When he went down to Austin.

[@abhimaanmayadam5713]

She actually left Jalopnik because Univison was cutting down staff and she took the buy out. She still writes for them and stuff, but she isn't an official employee.

[@mattmodena8299]

What wheels are those?

[@ianozi24]

stef your car might have a lot of drag resistance with its new tailgate.

[@superchief15]

I owned 3 Porsche 944 and it has a balanced chassis from the factory and swapping an LS for factory motor doesn’t put any strain on that platform!

[@Minong_Manitou_Mishepeshu]

I'm not a fan of cross breeds, but this is cool. I would put a 350hp 6 cylinder in one out of a new Camaro.

[@mateow9650]

LS3, automatic thumbs up

[@matthewschiebout7384]

LS is always the answer. But i'll build my Ford anyway.

[@glennoropeza3545]

Coyote Power! 425 horsepower stock!

[@2mchhp]

Don't forget ford's DPS6 tranny

[@ebdbdave]

Please let me know if you ever sell it!

[@gregwarner3753]

Why start the video with some kid wasting tire rubber showing they are idiots. Great swap but why not just buy a C-5 Vette.

[@seanhayes1965]

Thats a great idea for that car

[@Evocati-Augusti]

I did a swap on an 83 944, but I would never touch the outside of the car...

[@swish1onu]

So you called the LS swap basic.. but never sat in a car nor driven a car with the swap? That speaks volumes about your "journalistic" style.

[@Vgk36]

I agree . Her shitbox is basic . This is not . Too much background music clouding the 944 LS sound. Jesus let us hear the thing rip. Hoonigan style they are not.

[@khalid749]

What tail lights are those?

[@4GamerSNeXiZ]

Where can I find those rear lights? O_O

[@miguelcastaneda7236]

k is it the kit from we wont way name of company in nevada...alot of people were not satasfied with it a number of problems with it..were more satasfied with the supercharger kits avaliable..also a 944 928 931 will outhandle in turns most newer porsches

[@rfl35]

WHERE CAN I GET THAT WING !!!!!

[@artmchugh5644]

944 muscle I believe that it was home made . love driving mine , still with proper Porsche power 😎😎😎 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWjEaqOtfbGKa9E

[@mikolanimator]

Is that Monticello, NY?

[@bobsap1723]

I have a 1987 944 S 😃

[@bryceellery]

Title should be "boring history of the 944"

[@Johnnyynf]

I hate the person who LS swaped rotary cars even the engine is in good condition . Now change my mind

[@taylormullis4942]

Power, fuel consumption, reliability.....need i go on?

[@scoobygms210]

Johnny Yu lolol

[@MrFredHoogendoorn]

Everything Taylor said plus an Rx7 will still keep its 50/50 weight distribution after the swap.

[@katieadams5860]

For the RX8 it makes sense because of its great handling and practicality, but for an RX7, it makes no sense

[@MrCaptainandrew]

Beecher Adams have you ever driven an rx8?

[@marklangren3142]

A 944 turbo motor will turn out 600+ hp

[@nickkalister6291]

no LS swap ever ruined a 944 . . . . unless it's a 944/968 clubsport, but even then . . . . hmmmmmm

[@woodychadwick9834]

All my life myself and my friends have shoe horned big iron into small import cars. It's a little hard to make them handle properly. Over.

[@johnlinzmayer7036]

Not an LS in a 944, which has a relatively large engine area, and still virtually 50/50 weight distribution with the aluminum LS engine. Near perfect. :-)

[@944tim]

taqt 4:44 it appears Ship the Sheep taking a ride. (Ship the Sheep frpm Webcomic Count your Sheep 2003) I could be wrong, but the resembelance is uncanny

[@tomupchurch4911]

"mmm hmm....mmm hmm" between and in the middle of individual points of information...

[@Speadraser]

Don’t be so pretentious. Brilliant, didn’t you say?

[@fila6243]

Oh ya the swap kit cost me 7.5k canadian. Our dollar sucks.

[@raymondsarvarian42]

They fucked it up. LS engine is good for truck not sport cars specially Porsche. Sport car you need Rpm not torque.

[@ralphroadster9823]

A Porsche that runs ...had a 944 what a pos

[@tempest411]

944s will definitely weed out those that can wrench from that can't, that's for sure.

[@ralphroadster9823]

@@tempest411 no was not the wrenching ....was the money ...parts....electrical dumb ceramic fuses .....lsx cures all the stupid problems of car..that looked great

[@johnlinzmayer7036]

@@ralphroadster9823 (Your car/your problems), unfortunately. Sorry man. Many others had little problems and love the 944/951 lines. :-)

[@ahmoodaa]

You Know

[@kurtroepke2559]

Because the 4th gen camaro sucks.

[@nickthompson318]

Porsche 2.5 four cylinders aren't brilliant. 😅

[@ridge9066]

Cudaman65 eat your words! Remember when these were made

[@nickthompson318]

I know when they were made. In an era that had engines like the AAN. Hell the VW 16v engines are better than the 2.5.

[@localmotion411]

Why does she have to talk like she is the host of a kindergarten kids’ educational DVD?

[@jorgenunesdasilva4965]

So She used to think the LS was boring? Coming from the mouth of someone Who thinks the 4 pot with no torque and 170 to 211 bhp Porsche engines are brilliant ... only the turbo made decent Power complementing the excelent chassi, but it wasn't very reliable...

[@fredbobberts5753]

Mmm an s running well has decent power. 190 hp and better torque down low.

[@recyclespinning9839]

Doesn't a Corvette already have all that??

[@ShaunHensley]

ReCycle Spinning corvette is heavier.

[@AndreS_-df2nw]

About 800 lbs. The RX7 guys that track them with LS V8s can get weights down to 2400lbs, sometimes less..

[@ChibiKuzan1]

Also also also I love the fact that 4bangers can make a v8 run for its money. Lmao

[@tom1323]

Would be a women to say that the ls swap is basic. Clearly knows a lot about engines lmao

[@notj5712]

And this fudgesicle's opinion matters, why?

[@holzwurm_hd7029]

I would rather take an Rotary that has 60hp instead of driving a V8 car. 1. V8's are wayy to common, 2. Personally i think V8's don't sound good, not even nearly comparable with the sound of an Rotary. V8's are heavy and also personally i love the power Band of rotarys is way more interesting to me.

[@joelouis8313]

You need a different narrator.

[@ChibiKuzan1]

I hate it when it's a rotary. If you think rotary is unreliable then you could be right. If you dont freaking understand the engine. I've seen rotarys that pass the 200k miles and if you know how to take care of a rotary itll last buddy. Bite me.

[@The_Fat_Turtle]

It sucks when they take out a perfectly fine rotary for an LS, but I have no problems if the original engine died.

[@63vettuser38]

Under powered 944 they are flooding the junk yard with these porsches. Hard to ruin a junk car..

[@glennoropeza3545]

True! If anything an LS swap is giving a new life to a dead 944!

[@johnlinzmayer7036]

I'm not sure if you meant the junked 944s are "junk," or you view all 944s as junk? I guess the latter. If so, a (friendly) FU! They're overall classics, at least in their own special way. :-) They're a "junk car" if they're understandably junked. If they're looking and running well, they're FAR from junk. :-)

[@glennoropeza3545]

@@johnlinzmayer7036 My definition of Junk would be that it's past it's economic life! It would cost more to restore than what it is worth. Even the more sought after aircooled 911s some have insane owners that drop 80-90grand on a car worth 50 max!

[@StoicaVladIoan]

The wing and color combo are idiotic

[@artmchugh5644]

Not sure what happened but the engine blew UP !! At the glen .

[@raysore_]

I still hate LS swaps. Bite me.

[@thegospelelvis]

$

[@richardclark5148]

Of course you ruined the balance of the car...maybe a 3 gen hemi in a 928...

[@ShaunHensley]

Richard Clark saw another 944 engine swap video and discovered the original car is ass heavy and the heavier LS is closer to 50/50

[@keithcannon3682]

Not at all! Same balance with more power. Really....what's not to love?!

[@ne2i]

Dont use an iron block. the best for the 944 is the 5g Camaro

[@fobbitoperator3620]

Coyote swap is gooder!

[@kenwolff5334]

Joel Williams

[@fobbitoperator3620]

@@kenwolff5334 uuhhh, yes??

[@REAPER3fitty]

Joel Williams

[@fobbitoperator3620]

@@REAPER3fitty Uuhhh'hhuuhhh?!?

[@REAPER3fitty]

@@fobbitoperator3620 Joel....