Schnell Headers on 986 with Stock Exhaust

[panameras]

Hi fellow Boxster owners

Im about to purchase a set of Schnell exhaust manifold for my 2000 Boxster S, mainly for the purpose of sound but Im wondering if it would give actual performance gains with the stock exhaust system in place?

Two reasons that I have chosen Schnell, 1: cheapest I can find (please link me if you know a better/cheaper product. 2: being a 2000 boxster s it doesnt have any cats near the manifold, fabspeed offers a set of headers with cats for double the price which i dont think i needed them.

Please share your thoughts.

[jwilson95]

I would think you would get a performance gain and sound gain from any brand out there from what I have read. The Porsche OEM headers on 2000 up cars have 4 cats. 2 integrated in the headers and 2 further back.

I have seen the fabspeed online and looks like a great system, but expensive as you mention. I also have interest in the maxspeed motorsports headers on ebay which are the only ones I have seen in that price range with 4 O2 bungs in them for the oxygen sensors.

From what I have read and talked with my local Pcar indie shop, you can expect 10-15 HP gain from headers depending...

Anything is better than the horribly designed system from Porsche. Another "keep the Boxster below the 911 in performance" design.

Let us know what you go with and how you feel about the change. I feel that is the next mod I will be doing to my car.

[panameras]

Thats weird I could only see two cats in my system, unless (see pic) that tiny pipe with a oxygen plug on top is the one of the second set of cats. There definitely no cats intergrated with the headers. If not I guess an possible explaination would be although my is classified as 2000 model but it actually was built in 99 (as what it says on the built plate).

Any more info on the maxspeed motorsports headers you mentioned?

[edevlin]

I only picked up 6hp at the wheels on my 2.7L 2000 Boxster based on a before and after dyno runs when I added headers and a single pair of 100-cell cats (replacing the two stock pairs). A small hp gain, especially for the cost, but, boy does it sound sweet....

Ed

[Adam]

Panameras, the stock system on 200-2004 boxsters looks like the one on the left.
It looks like the manifolds are missing in the pic you provided!! Maybe it's just the angle....take a pic of the underside of the engine!!

[jwilson95]

A pic is attached of the stock headers with horrible merge collector and integrated cat converter.

You can see the 4 O2 bungs (2 precat, 2 postcat) I have referenced. The problem is extending the wires of the 2 precat O2 sensors so that they are now 4 postcat O2 sensors in order to not have CEL's when you install new headers that remove this terrible OEM design. I want to check with my local Pcar Dealer to ask his thoughts. I want to keep all O2 sensors if possible.

Maybe some other guys have done this successfully already?

[rule1]

Panameras, Did you get the message I sent you?

[Adam]

Jeff, I think you have to stick with some sort of pre-cat or CEL is likely. The 02 sensor will think there is an emissions device malfuction and more than likely throw a code if you go with a catless header i believe. I like these fabspeeds with high flow cats and before and after bungs. Yes, they are expensive but they have the cats and 4 bungs.

[rule1]

I have maxspeeds headers on my 2000 and I have had no CEL or any problems with these headers. I had big gains with headers, muffler and EVO intake. Look on his EBAY store, My dyno results on there.

[jwilson95]

Rule 1

I didn't see any dyno charts on the ebay store. Maybe I just missed it? It did say their opinion was 10-15 HP gain, but who knows really...

Did you go with the Maxspeed exhaust also? I have a B&B and like it so far.

Do you have the chart you can post along with sound clips, etc? I'd love to hear the sound difference.

I'm wondering if you can extend the O2 sensors that were in the cats and have 4 O2 sensors after the secondary cats thereby tricking the O2 sensors not to throw a code?

I will update if I get anything from my local mechanic.

[jwilson95]

Hey Edevlin-

What brand did you go with for your system and have you had any issues?

[noone986s]

This might be an issue of US versus non-US cars. I have a 2001 S and replaced my headers with stainless Cargraphic ones. There are definately only two cats and O2 sensors on my car and the header dos not have the pre-cat pictured in the other post. It looked the same as panameras. I still have the old headers at the back of the garage and will post a picture later tonight.

[panameras]

you are right noone986s, I just fond out that US and North American 2.7 and 3.2 has 4 cat. but ROW has only 2 near the muffler. Im from Australia btw.

see bottom half of the picture, just manifold pipes no cat! sorry about the angle cant get my camera under there without jacking it up.



I guess thats a bonus for us since we dont have to go through the trouble of relocating the oxygen sensors!

so what do you think of these

[panameras]

Originally Posted by rule1

Panameras, Did you get the message I sent you?

yeah I got your message thanks for that.

btw which muffler are you using? does it drone a lot? thats the only concern I have holding me back from get one.

[panameras]

Originally Posted by Adam

Panameras, the stock system on 200-2004 boxsters looks like the one on the left.
It looks like the manifolds are missing in the pic you provided!! Maybe it's just the angle....take a pic of the underside of the engine!!

Adam, is that the Fabspeed muffler? how does it sound any drone?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by panameras

Adam, is that the Fabspeed muffler? how does it sound any drone?

I don't have first hand experience, but 1 or 2 guys on here have used the newer fabspeed muffler and said there was drone in the 2-3k rpm range. It not GHL bad but it is more than stock. I am considering using the Fabspeed header/cat combo with the main cat delete bypass pipes with the stock muffler. The stock muffler flows well according to the experts and isn't too loud. I think this combo would give a nice bump in power and sound without being over bearing.

[noone986s]

This is what I have installed, but the 3.2 versions. I have a pic of the old ones that I need to download from my phone. They have no cat.

http://www.cargraphic.co.uk/index.php?/s,6,7,18,714,2436/&start=12

The second ones you posted look good, but be aware that most of the bolts snapped and I had to helicoil them.

Will post photo later of the old one.

I am trying to choose a silencer that is not too noisy

[panameras]

Originally Posted by Adam

I don't have first hand experience, but 1 or 2 guys on here have used the newer fabspeed muffler and said there was drone in the 2-3k rpm range. It not GHL bad but it is more than stock. I am considering using the Fabspeed header/cat combo with the main cat delete bypass pipes with the stock muffler. The stock muffler flows well according to the experts and isn't too loud. I think this combo would give a nice bump in power and sound without being over bearing.

good to know stock muffler is up to the job. your combo sounds good, actually would be the most ideal setup IMO. hardly any aftermarket mufflers are drone-free, except maybe milltek so I have heard.

[panameras]

Originally Posted by noone986s

This is what I have installed, but the 3.2 versions. I have a pic of the old ones that I need to download from my phone. They have no cat.

http://www.cargraphic.co.uk/index.php?/s,6,7,18,714,2436/&start=12

The second ones you posted look good, but be aware that most of the bolts snapped and I had to helicoil them.

Will post photo later of the old one.

I am trying to choose a silencer that is not too noisy

thats some expensive and quality hardware *drool* excellent choice!

as for the silencer have you considered modifying your current one? like this:http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=ARCHIVES&Number=1067764&page=8&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1

[noone986s]

Yeah I have seen that before, a bit too loud I think, I need to be under 98db for most of the trackdays here.