944 Automatic Transmission (Type 087) — Data, ATF & Torques
Factory data for the 944's three-speed automatic transaxle — the Type 087 M / 087 N unit, its converter and final-drive ratios, the torque-converter and stall-speed figures, the ATF and final-drive fluid specifications and capacities (total fill versus the drain-and-refill change quantity), the tightening torques, and the ATF-and-filter service. Match the ratios to the code letter stamped on your transmission; USA/Japan figures are given in brackets.
Factory data for the 944's three-speed automatic transaxle. Like the manual car, the automatic 944 is a transaxle: a hydrodynamic torque converter and a planetary gearbox sit at the rear, bolted to the final drive, driven by a torque tube from the front-mounted engine. Two variants share this data — Type 087 M (944 Europe and rest-of-world) and Type 087 N (944 USA / Japan); the 924 S used the same family. The exact ratios depend on the code letter stamped on the unit, so read the data by code, not by model year. USA/Japan figures are given in brackets. For the manual-gearbox equivalent see the manual transmission data.
The ratios and converter figures are dimensionless, capacities are given in litres, and the hypoid displacement is in millimetres, so the only values on this page that switch between metric and imperial are the tightening torques.
Transmission identification
The transmission type and its build date are stamped on the case as a code letter followed by the day, month and year. The two types and their code letters are:
| Type | Code letters | Fitment |
|---|---|---|
| 087 M | RH | 944 Europe / RoW, until September 82 |
| 087 M | RCA | 944 Europe / RoW, from October 82 |
| 087 M | RCD | 944 Europe / RoW, from December 83 (also 924 S Europe/RoW from model 86) |
| 087 M | RCE | 944 Europe / RoW, from December 84 |
| 087 N | RCB, RCF | 944 USA / Japan (RCB also 924 S USA/Japan from model 87) |
The earliest RH unit uses slightly different gear and converter ratios from every later code letter; that distinction is what the two ratio columns below capture.
Technical data
The left ratio column covers code letters RCA, RCB, RCD, RCE, RCF (both 087 M and 087 N); the right column is the early RH unit only.
| Item | Code RCA…RCF | Code RH (early) |
|---|---|---|
| Number of gears | 3 forward, 1 reverse, parking lock | (same) |
| Driving position 1 | i = 2.7143 | i = 2.5517 |
| Driving position 2 | i = 1.5000 | i = 1.4483 |
| Driving position D | i = 1.0000 | i = 1.0000 |
| Driving position R | i = 2.4286 | i = 2.4615 |
The clutch is a hydrodynamic torque converter. Its data is shared across code letters, with the USA/Japan (087 N) figure in brackets:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Converter ratio | 2.08 (2.5 USA/Japan) |
| Converter code | J (K for USA/Japan) |
| Stall speed | 2200 ±200 rpm (2800 ±200 rpm USA/Japan) |
| Final drive | hypoid / ring gear |
| Hypoid displacement | 44 mm |
| Final-drive ratio | 12 : 37 (11 : 38 USA/Japan) |
The torque converter is a welded, sealed unit and is replaced complete if damaged — its bearing-sleeve wear limit is 34.25 mm diameter with a maximum out-of-round of 0.03 mm. The converter code is stamped on a lug: K identifies the USA/Japan converter, J the rest-of-world unit.
Fluid specifications & capacities
The automatic transmission and the final drive take different fluids and are filled separately — do not confuse them.
| Reservoir | Fluid | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic transmission | ATF Dexron (Dexron II D) | approx. 6.5 L6.9 qt total (with the ATF cooler) |
| — change quantity | ATF Dexron (Dexron II D) | approx. 2.8 L3 qt |
| Final drive | hypoid gear lube SAE 90, API GL5 (or MIL-L 2105 B) | approx. 1 L1.1 qt |
The total ATF volume of approximately 6.5 L6.9 qt is what a dry transmission and its cooler hold. A routine fluid change only drains the pan and cooler circuit, so the change quantity is the smaller figure — approximately 2.8 L3 qt (see the service below). The final drive is a separate hypoid-oil reservoir of about 1 L1.1 qt, the same SAE 90 GL5 grade used by the manual car.
Caution: ATF level is critical to correct operation. The difference between the upper and lower marks on the dipstick is only 0.4 L0.4 qt — overfilling causes foaming and faults just as underfilling does, and excess fluid must be drained back out.
Changing the ATF & cleaning the filter
Park the car on a level surface and bring the transmission to operating temperature before draining. Fresh ATF is red and transparent; in service it turns brown and then black, which is normal and not in itself a fault.
- Unscrew the oil filler tube at the oil sump and the filler tank, and drain the ATF.
- When the ATF has stopped running out, remove the oil sump and the oil filter screen.
- Clean all parts thoroughly and reinstall, fitting new gaskets for the filter screen and the sump.
- Refill with ATF through the filler. Add approximately 2.5 L2.6 qt first.
- Clean the top of the tank and its cover before adding fluid so dirt cannot fall into the filler.
- Start the engine and, with the car stationary, move the selector through all positions.
- Check the ATF level and top up to the lower mark if needed.
- Take a short test drive to warm the ATF to hand-warm temperature.
- Re-check and correct the ATF level as below.
Checking the ATF level
- Stand the car on a level surface.
- Move the selector to N and apply the parking brake.
- Run the engine at idle during the check.
- The ATF must be hand-warm (approx. 40 °C104 °F to 60 °C140 °F) — heat expansion shifts the reading at higher or lower temperatures, so checking hot or cold gives a false level.
Read against the dipstick marks, remembering the 0.4 L0.4 qt span between lower and upper. Fill to the lower mark and do not overfill.
Tightening torques
Torque values for the Type 087 automatic transmission, its final drive, and the throttle and ATF-supply hardware. (Imperial values toggle from the metric figure shown.)
Transmission & valve body
| Fastener | Thread | Torque |
|---|---|---|
| Plug for test connection | M 10 x 1 | 15 N·m11 ft·lb |
| ATF filter tube to oil pan | M 24 x 1.5 | 80 N·m59 ft·lb |
| ATF supply tank to holder | M 6 | 7 N·m5 ft·lb |
| ATF supply tank holder to transmission | M 10 | 42 N·m31 ft·lb |
| Automatic transmission to final drive | M 8 x 1.25 | 29 N·m21 ft·lb |
| Intermediate plate to transmission case | M 5 x 0.8 | 3.5 N·m3 ft·lb |
| Pump to transmission case | M 6 x 1 | 7 N·m5 ft·lb |
| Cover to pump body | M 4 x 0.7 | 1.4 N·m1 ft·lb |
| 2nd-gear brake-band adjustment | M 12 x 1.5 | 19.6 N·m14 ft·lb |
| Oil pan to transmission case | M 8 x 1.25 | 20.5 N·m15 ft·lb |
| Oil filter screen to valve body | M 5 x 0.8 | 3.5 N·m3 ft·lb |
| Valve body to transmission case | M 6 x 1 | 3.5 N·m3 ft·lb |
| End plate to valve body | M 5 x 0.8 | 3.5 N·m3 ft·lb |
| Separation / transfer plates to valve body | M 5 x 0.8 | 3.5 N·m3 ft·lb |
| Manual valve lever to transmission case | M 6 x 1 | 3.5 N·m3 ft·lb |
| Converter to drive plate | M 8 | 40 N·m30 ft·lb |
Controls, final drive & ATF cooling
| Fastener | Thread | Torque |
|---|---|---|
| Shift segment to manual valve lever | M 16 x 1.5 | 20.5 N·m15 ft·lb |
| Kickdown valve lever to throttle shaft | M 8 x 1.25 | 17 N·m13 ft·lb |
| Shift-segment spring to transmission case | M 8 x 1.25 | 20.5 N·m15 ft·lb |
| Control-cable lever to shaft | M 10 x 1 | 18 N·m13 ft·lb |
| Governor cover to final-drive case | M 8 x 1.25 | 9 N·m7 ft·lb |
| Flanged shaft to differential | M 8 x 1.25 | 25 N·m18 ft·lb |
| Pinion cover to final-drive case | M 10 x 1.5 | 42 N·m31 ft·lb |
| Final-drive case cover to final-drive case | M 8 x 1.25 | 25 N·m18 ft·lb |
| Ring gear to differential | M 10 x 1 | 78 N·m58 ft·lb to 93 N·m69 ft·lb |
| Oil-filler plug in transmission case | M 24 x 1.5 | 20 N·m15 ft·lb |
| ATF line adapter to final-drive case | M 16 x 1.5 | 80 N·m59 ft·lb |
| Line to transmission outlet | M 12 | 22.5 N·m17 ft·lb |
| Line to transmission inlet | M 16 | 30 N·m22 ft·lb |
| Line to radiator inlet | M 14 | 22.5 N·m17 ft·lb |
| Line to radiator outlet | M 16 | 30 N·m22 ft·lb |
| Control cable to transmission | M 10 | 20 N·m15 ft·lb |