noob question
 

Hey i got a simple question. im about to do this mod i have the screwable tip on my 03 boxster. Now when i drill the holes how far in deep to i drill? Do i drill al the way in ? am i supposed to make a hole in the frist chamber. How far exactly did u push the drill bit in ? Thanks for the help

Mod works on 00 non S Boxster
 

I can't see spending a grand for a new muffler,especially for the small gains it makes, but always wished the car sounded a bit more aggressive at lower rpms. Drilled two 1/2" holes, one on each side, using a 12" long bit, it made a small difference from idle-2500 rpm. Went up to a 9/16" and it sounds great now! That extra 1/16" adds over 25% more to the drilled cross sectional are, and it makes a big difference. Car sounds great at idle and normal cruising speeds, no resonace at all. Above ~3000 can't tell a difference at all, which is fine with me, it has always sounded good at higher revs. Just use a good sharp bit, push slowly and spin the drill slowly until the bit bites. The 9/16" bit fits tight on both sides as you put it in, but this helps guilde the bit and I didn't have a problem slipping. Thanks for the tip!

I did this tonight and it works great, just enough sound!!!!!

Everyone should do this mod!! i got my bit a lowes for 12.95.

Thanks for this great DIY.

Crios

That is pretty cool, I think I am going to give that a try. did you have any modifications to your air intake?
You have any other clips?

did the drills, love it, and plan on doing a second set of 1/2 inch holes strait back. Just a FYI. My drill bit was dancing all around. My tips do not come off, so the angle of attack was shallow. Some say to center punch. I used a large flat head screwdriver and pounded it into the pipe, poking a large hole, then drilled. Made the experience lasted about 2 mins per side. Obvious but someone may benifit from the suggestion.

James

I drilled two holes (one per side) also but accidentally made them a little bigger then I intended and it sounds greats. As they mentioned on here previously, more noticeable when you go past 3000 rpms and it sounds louder not different.

What are the biggest holes so far?
 

I started with 1/2"dia holes (one each side) on my 2002 2.7 and liked the extra sound. Eventually I wanted more, but could not find a larger diameter drill bit that was long enough to reach with the fixed exhaust tip. Then one day I ran across a 'stepped' drill bit and a drill bit extension, and slowly worked my way up to a 3/4"dia each side. I think it sounds even better. Definitely not too loud.

What have others tried?

I used a 1/2" drill bit but as I said earlier, I got carried away then combined with the angle, I made my holes about the same size as yours. They are 1/2" by 1" so it should be the same, I like the sound and thought about going bigger.

Does it matter if you drill almost straight back and not so much on the side? I assume you are still going into the same chamber of the muffler. I have the single tip (non-removable) and it is very hard to go at very much of an angle. Thanks.

If you drill straight back, you'll drill through the back of the muffler and you don't want to do that. Drill to side like Crios instructed. I have a 98 Boxster with a single non-removable tip and didn't have any problem. Just use a long bit, 12" or so or use a drill bit extender. You can buy both at Sears. I just increased the diameter of the holes in mine to 1". I used a step bit to increase the size. I was getting a bit of "PFFHT" sound as I rev it. The increased diameter took care of that, the sound got a little deeper and no cabin drone.

Since we got into the low 30s here in Chicagoland today, I took the Box out for a drive to see how things sounded and rid myself of some cabin fever. :dance:

Box-s Muffler drill out.
 

I was contemplating the easiest hack on my stock 00' S muffler & reading this found me with drill in hand in no time. Your'e idea is brilliant. I drilled 2 holes 7/16 in each side & with a reemer punched them out to about 11/16. Used a 2x2 chunk of fir with a 'v'groove sawn in it to guide bit. It is a perfect note w/ minimal cabin drone which goes away @ 2800. I rarely run less than that anyway. It just screams when whooped! I also recently swapped stock header/cats for chinese headers ($69.00 +32.00 ship). They are awesome for the $ & collectors/welding is just great. Extended all 02 sensors placing pre-02's near header outlet (fitting provided in hdrs) & post 02's in top of pipe right behind 2nd cats, behind rear wheel well. I am now remodelling intake. All this fancy stuff available for $3-400 is great for a neurosurgeon, but I can't see it. I got some 3.5" silicon tubing (50%+- larger than stock dia) & 2 3" abs Street 45 deg. plumbing fittings, cut them down, rasped & sanded the insides to elim drag. The stock air box provided the short section w/ MAF hub when sawn up & removed, & I'm now patterning 3/32' uhmv plastic (or whatever it's called) for a new AB to house a 4.5x5.25, 6" long Conical filter from local ap store. I opted for an oilless K&N look alike for $20.00. It will be more of a plenum than an air tube, not much sucking hopefully, the fixed dia @ MAF must be maintained to get the cfm reading though. It will throw cel's I know, but with what I've saved I'll find someone to remap ecu. Working on this car is the most fun I've ever had with mech tools. What a great car. $15K for 31K miles, are u kidding? Rich mans garbage i guess. I won/t have 18 in it for a really fun fast ride thats so addictive to drive!

Do you guys think you could do this with removed cat's?? its a 03 non-s with a remapp and intake and both cats removed... please let me know :D

I have an 03 S with a BNC filter, secondary cats removed, 200 cell primary cats, and FVD software and I love still love my exhaust mod. Go far it! It is a cheap (free) easy mod.

Ok got a drill and did it, but i only drilled one hole as its already noisey without cats..
and all i can say is WOW sounds close to a GT3, incredible gonna take it for a drive and see how she go's otherwise i recommend this mod highly!!! :cheers:

ps. il try take a video ;)

im even considering drilling a 2nd hole, but im scared about back pressure problems
iv booked the car for dyno, so ill see whats what :D hopefully there some gains :cool:

Oooh... definitely let us know the results of the dyno!

I get a BIG smile everytime I see someone do this mod! :cheers:

Ok drilled 2nd hole and reset the ECU to re-learn as my tuner said.. and WOW IT IS JUST INCREDIBLE!! dyno tomorrow morning as its a public holiday today ;)

let you know how it go's :cheers:

So who's gonna make the before and after videos?? Outside car and inside car.. :)

I'm bummed... I just did the mod on my '01 S, with 1/2" holes.. no sound difference at all! :-(

..Joe

Shure you angled the holes like the thread said? otherwise i noticed a big difference when i did mine :confused:

Ah, you did not read from page 1? Take a look at my videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CRIOS123

You are probably correct. I have non-removable tips, and had to use a 12" bit.. so my angle was very shallow and so my holes are further back then I think they should be. But, looking at the cutaway picture, it looks like any hole into the middle chamber should work...

After driving it today... there is a difference. Not much of one, but there is a difference. I think I need a bigger drill! :-)

...Joe

Don't know how I missed that...thanks!

Wow has anybody come up with some wood vee block jigs for fixed tips yet?

I was having a tough time getting the angle with my fixed tip 98 and a 6" long bit. I stopped before I caused any damage.

Any fixed tip guys have recommendations or pics of how they did it?

Bought a long 1/2" drill bit over the weekend and tried again, but I still can't seem to get any bite on the side of the pipe. The angle at which the bit contacts the pipe with the tip on is so shallow that it is just barely milling the surface of the pipe with the side of the bit.

Can anyone that did this with a fixed tip post some more details?

Just lightened my muffler with this DIY mod. Took me long enough to get around to it, saw the thread when it first came out.
Drilled ¾" holes in my fixed tip 2000S using a stepped drill bit I got at Harbor Freight. I've seen these bits at Home Depot also, I think they were Dewalt brand. The small tip of the step drill doesn't have the tendancy to wander around as much as a full size bit and I didn't have a lot of trouble getting it to start drilling at the bend in the pipe. I mounted the bit in an Irwin 12" drill bit extension and angled the bit into the pipe, letting the extension ride on the inner edge of the exhaust tip to brace it. The smooth shank of the extension didn't even leave any discernably marks on the edge of the tip. The only hassle was I had to grind the shank of the bit round to fit into the extension, since it came as a hex shape. The only mistake I made was to angle the bit upwards when I was drilling. The bit ran into the pipe that connects the center chamber to the end chamber after I broke through the first pipe. Luckily, the bit is short enough that was still able to finish drilling without drilling into the other pipe behind it. I put some scratches on the inner pipe, but unless you get down on the ground with a flashlight, look into the exhaust tips and through the first holes, you'll never see them. So in hindsight, keep the drill bit level. Oh, it was fun sweeping all the stainless steel chips from the driveway the first time I started it up after the drilling. They come spraying out and make a weird noise as they come out the tail pipe. At first I thought I had done something wrong because the sound was so strange. The metal chips must make a swirling/rattling noise until they get blown out. A good reason to take the car out to blow out the muffler with some high RPM's. :D
Just like the previous posts, the sound is throatier and a little more burblier (sp?) at lower RPMS and I notice it some when accelerating and deaccelerating more than before. Other than that, the perma-grin gets even bigger. Sound more like a sports car now.

Crios Exhauset Hack to 1998 Base with Welded Tips
 

Just did this hack to my 1998 Boxster Base. I of course have the welded tips.

I took a long screw driver.

Angled it as much as possible towards the outside of the car so that the tip was on the inside of the pipes.

I held the angle as hard as I could so it wouldn't slip inside the pipe.

I hit it with a hammer a few times to create a hole.

I drilled the hole until it was all the way through being careful to not go any further inside then a complete hole.

The sound is noticably throatier at low RPMs, but there is no difference at the higher RPMs probably due to the much higher flow.

Recommended and easy.

i am having the same problem as some others. can't get the angle because of the welded tip. the bit just slides down the pipe. any other suggestions. also, looking at the original picture...am i suppose to drill through two pipes? ie.obviously, drill a hole into the last out going pipe, but then does that hole just enter into the chamber? or is it suppose to enter the entering pipe? refer to the original picture. the "bypass" as outline on the picture with green arrow, shows pipe1 to pipe2. thanks. is there a specific drill bit i should buy? i bought one that was extra long and "masonite" bit, but it didn't work.

FWIW, someone did this to their 02S at a local Boxster work on cars day (drilled 2 holes with a long drill bit), and afterwards, I could hear no difference. You sure it's not all in your mind? :)

tuanle,

Please read my post that was posted just before yours. Follow my EXACT description and you will have no problem.
Also, you are not drilling into cement, so ditch the masonry bit and get a bit made for metal!!

greenerob,

thanks. when i posted, i didn't see yours. sorry. newbie. as for the bit, couldn't find it at home depot. that was the only one that was long enough. i'll try a different home depot. not much selection at local one. were you able to drill with cordless drill or did you have to get a corded drill? electric ones have more power right? also, instead of crios recommendation of drilling towards midline, you punch your hole away from midline, right? will try again.

I drilled with a cordless drill. It probably took a little longer though. As far as the angle of the I held the screw drivfer as far towards the center as the tips would allow and then waked it a couple times. I used a long and thick flat headed screw driver.

On the early welded single exit boxes could you not just drill one big hole between the two outlets with a tank cutter? It would have exactly the same affect.

Sounds logical to me. The whole point is to tap into that center chamber.

that was me
 

I notice a difference although sutle. feels like I gained a few hps also! :cheers:

Must be the brake bleed! ;) Glad to hear you noticed a difference. Will have to get Gundo to drill bigger holes next time!

yeah i don't know how you guys are doing this on the welded tip models, i'm just tearing up the tip now.

Tried punching a small hole to start, can't seem to get it with a long flat-head or an actual punch at the end of a long file I have. any other suggestions?


edit: got it, just used the large flat head screwdriver and a hammer and punched out a 7/8" x 3/8" rectangle. Couldn't get anywhere with a drill. Took about 15 minutes once I figured out the technique. Haven't started it up, we'll see how it sounds tomorrow, if I can notice a difference.

edit: There is a slight difference in noise level, but i do like it. It's really pretty tough to notice, which is good. no drone whatsoever.

just a note, don't forget to take the tape off the exhaust tip before you leave for the day... :matchup:

I tried to do it over the weekend, but just couldn't. Tried first with the drill, but it wouldn't catch. Also tried with a flat screwdriver, no good, it just keeps dancing around...

Don't know what to do next.

mcfly.