How to remove charcoal canister and not get CEL? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Kroggers · 12-10-2011, 10:04 PM

After the issues with the fuel tank in my racing car, I have decided to simplify the breather system a bit and remove the charcoal canister etc - I have been given the understanding that this system is not required in a race car under FIA regulations, so see no reason to keep it.

This is how the tank looked after the 2011 season!!!

But I want to remove it and not have the CEL come on due to a number of sensors not connected or working as expected.

I can see that most of the system is located under the front right wheel arch, but how do I remove this all and still trick the system into not giving me a CEL every 10 seconds?

Anyone able to help me out with some advice and recommendations on this one???

Brad Roberts · 12-12-2011, 08:56 PM

Why not run with the CEL on? We gut/strip these things down and just check the codes every once in awhile. If something is really really wrong, it will flash the CEL.

You *should* have the ROW tune anyway which does away with our secondary 02's and air pump related junk.

The system can be fooled, but the expense is not worth it. Just run it with the CEL

B

Kroggers · 12-13-2011, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

Why not run with the CEL on? We gut/strip these things down and just check the codes every once in awhile. If something is really really wrong, it will flash the CEL.

You *should* have the ROW tune anyway which does away with our secondary 02's and air pump related junk.

The system can be fooled, but the expense is not worth it. Just run it with the CEL

B

I think this is what I will have to do, as I want to remove as much "extra" stuff as possible.

What is the ROW tune?

Brad Roberts · 12-13-2011, 09:22 AM

ROW= rest of world tune, no secondary 02's and no smog/air pump

In the USA we receive the LEV tune = Low emissions vehicle which includes the smog pump and secondary 02's and maybe a few other monitoring type sensors

In our race cars, we push the stock ROW tune to them, then manipulate that tune to make more power. This cleans everything up under the car and cleans up the engine compartment (less crap)

I'd have to look through the country list to see which tune your car received!

We remove everything...

Brad Roberts · 12-13-2011, 09:26 AM

DO NOT cap off the vent line from the tank

ask me how I know

Just trim it back and leave it behind the inner fenderwell liner.

B

Kroggers · 12-13-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

DO NOT cap off the vent line from the tank

ask me how I know

Just trim it back and leave it behind the inner fenderwell liner.

B

Yes, my plan was to have the vent line go from the tank to wherever it runs and then leave it there - I am just having problems understanding which one it is under the front fender

Everything else I will remove...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

ROW= rest of world tune, no secondary 02's and no smog/air pump

In the USA we receive the LEV tune = Low emissions vehicle which includes the smog pump and secondary 02's and maybe a few other monitoring type sensors

In our race cars, we push the stock ROW tune to them, then manipulate that tune to make more power. This cleans everything up under the car and cleans up the engine compartment (less crap)

I'd have to look through the country list to see which tune your car received!

We remove everything...

Interesting! My car is a UK delivered car (it is even RHD), so I would be interested to know what tune it came with. I do know it has 4 O2's as I replaced them recently...

Would be keen to know what I can remove and what the process is - as this is a dedicated racing car I want to make it as light and fast as possible. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Here is more on the car - "Hello" from a new member

Brad Roberts · 12-14-2011, 09:29 AM

If it has 4 02's it's a LEV tune. The secondary 02's (the 02's that pass through the trunk floor) can be safety wired under the car in fresh air or the ROW tune can be pushed to it and remove them from the system (we save them for spares)

I'd be interested to see a picture of your engine compartment!!

Someday in the near future I'll buy a RHD dash and build one for the USA

B

thstone · 12-14-2011, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

In our race cars, we push the stock ROW tune to them, then manipulate that tune to make more power. This cleans everything up under the car and cleans up the engine compartment (less crap)

Not sure if this applies, but is there any concern about the Boxster Spec rules regarding "no modification to the ECU"? I suppose it depends on your race class and sanctioning body.

Brad Roberts · 12-14-2011, 06:16 PM

I was on the original rules committee in 2005 that wrote the BoxsterSpec rules

I do this to my SCCA AutoX cars and SCCA Road race cars, or the GT class NASA cars

I'm the one who can "plugin" and see if you changed anything from the stock tune

Brad Roberts · 12-14-2011, 06:19 PM

On the spec cars *most* of us just safety wire the secondary 02's up and out of the way. It keeps the CEL from coming on for that function.

I believe EricO had removed his from the system when they paid to have the immobilizer removed. As someone pointed out in another post, it is possible to have all the excess removed.. but at 1k a pop? is it worth it? Just buy a generic code reader and check your codes before loading the car for the track!

B

thstone · 12-14-2011, 08:31 PM

Brad, yes the EricO situation is what prompted my question. Thanks for hanging out here and helping out with some of our questions. Your time and expertise is appreciated.

Kroggers · 12-14-2011, 08:32 PM

We do not have the Boxster Spec over here in Finland. I am driving in the Porsche Sports Cup, and the regulations are more or less a direct copy of the FIA regulations with some extra Porsche stuff included. So I am quite free to do modifications.

So, what is the advantage with the ROW tune, and how do I get it? Apart from the two O2 sensors, what else do I need to change?

Here is some current pictures from my engine...

Brad Roberts · 12-14-2011, 08:34 PM

I'm still asked by people nationwide (as I attend PCA club racing events) if I can put the BoxsterSpec.com site back up. It was your one stop site for Boxster racing. I sold it

Brad Roberts · 12-14-2011, 08:38 PM

Get rid of this and this lol

No need for the engine compartment fan or the smog pump (really surprised to see the smog pump~!!!)

Dont worry about the ROW tune, unless someone close to you has a PSTII, it will be tough to come by. Just run it!!

I'm **assuming** you had the car tuned for the IPD?

Brad Roberts · 12-14-2011, 08:41 PM

Run an extension on the breather tube for the power steering reservoir.. it will keep fluid off the top of the engine!! extend it all the way to the bottom of the tub!!

Then CLEAN THE ENGINE~!!!! LOL

Kroggers · 12-14-2011, 11:10 PM

Thank you for all the good info and help. Basically the car was delivered with the engine as stock. To save some money, I had only the minimum done to get the car approved by FIA. Figured other "improvements" could be done by me as and when I had the time and money.

I only got the car at the start of the 2011 season, so this winter is the first time I get to start looking at what I should do.

The IPD plenum was my first "upgrade", installed it last week. So "no" I have not done any tuning for the plenum - I hope to do that at some point with a DME upgrade...

I will remove the engine fan, and do some reading on how to remove the smog pump - is there an "idiots" how to on the forum I can read for this?

Where is the breather for the power steering, and how do I extend it?

Sorry for the stupid questions. I am new to the Boxster and this is the first time I have started to look at all this in detail

And, yes - cleaning the engine is on my list

-- EDIT --

OK, did some searching, and if I understand correctly I need to get the following parts from Porsche to be able to remove the smog pump:
996 113 140 53
996 113 340 50
996 113 233 50
996 113 213 51

I also need to remove the intake system to get to the parts that have to be removed and replaced.

Does this sound correct, or have I managed to get the wrong information?

Brad Roberts · 12-15-2011, 11:02 AM

I have helped people with their Porsche's for 26 years now. I have slowed down over the last 3 years, but I won't stop. I'm just more selective on who I'm going to help. I'm excited that you are running this car oversees!! I'll help however I can!!

You need exactly 3 tools to remove those two items I pointed out.

1. 10mm 1/4 inch drive socket
2. Quarter inch drive ratchet
3. Spring clamp pliers (or regular pliers)

The fan and smog pump are held in with M6 screws and nuts (10mm head)

It *should* take you about 10min. to remove them both. Once you have the smog pump out of the way, the screws for the engine compartment fan will be visible. I believe there is 3 of them (on the fan and on the smog pump) that you need to remove.

If need be, I'll snap a few pics of the pieces removed from the car (I have a collection of them)

GO!!!

Brad Roberts · 12-15-2011, 11:13 AM

Yes. Correct on the parts list. The covers typically run $5-7 US and no, you do not need to remove the plenum. You have to be creative

Kroggers · 12-15-2011, 12:32 PM

This all sounds good Brad, I will order up the parts and start the removal as soon as they get in - probably after Christmas now, as the family must come first at this time in the year

I will also look to remove all the fuel tank breather stuff at the same time.

I am flattered and honored that you are willing to help me out, I really appreciate it...

As for the car, I can also say that I have the first Boxster racing in Finland both within the Porsche Sports Cup and in general, so I feel a bit special on that front

That is another reason for why we do not have a Boxster Spec racing over here

I am not completely new to all this - I striped down and rebuilt my 1978 911SC including installing a 3.6 964 engine etc, but that was a 4 year slow learning curve for me. With the Boxster I feel like I am at the start again, so there will be some stupid questions along the way

Brad Roberts · 12-15-2011, 12:36 PM

Someone I consider a close friend lives in the Nederlands (just south of you.. lol) and is a diehard Porsche guy with a some track experience.

My customers come from all over the world. We have a 986S in the shop right now, the guy is from Sweden. We also have a 83 EuroSC from a customer in Germany.