Help me soup up my boxster - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Boxster_luver · 02-15-2009, 06:43 PM

HEy guys, I have a 98 2.5l boxster. Im new to all cars(was never a gearhead until my first porsche 944). So I know very little about anything. Im hoping some one has some good ideas or projects I can do to my boxster to increase performance.
I was already thinking about a new exaust system, new headers, new cat conveter, cold air system, and maybe a power chip. I want to make my car around 10-11 second 1/4 mile. So please help me out. Also im wondering, what can the 986 share with the996?

Michael

kabel · 02-15-2009, 07:16 PM

Michael

Welcome to the forum. We are here to help you get aquatinted with your new to you Boxster. My first recommendation for anyone just joining a forum, is to take some time and poke around the forum, you will discover many discussions and answers to your question(s) already exist.

+ The general consensus is our boxsters are producing near their maximum power and the additional gains are minimal compared to the cost (short of dropping in a newer, larger engine).

kabel · 02-16-2009, 07:47 PM

headers, exhaust, intakes even superchargers

Quote:

Originally Posted by kabel

... take some time and poke around the forum (i.e. Search), you will discover many discussions and answers to your question(s) already exist.

. . .

stephen wilson · 02-17-2009, 02:58 AM

IMO the best bang for the buck would be trade up to an S model, preferrably a few years newer.

ekam · 02-17-2009, 03:33 AM

Get a bottle of naws.... no, get 2 bottles!!!

bkiersz · 02-15-2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster_luver

HEy guys, I have a 98 2.5l boxster. Im new to all cars(was never a gearhead until my first porsche 944). So I know very little about anything. Im hoping some one has some good ideas or projects I can do to my boxster to increase performance.
I was already thinking about a new exaust system, new headers, new cat conveter, cold air system, and maybe a power chip. I want to make my car around 10-11 second 1/4 mile. So please help me out. Also im wondering, what can the 986 share with the996?

Michael

Welcome to the forum.

10-11 second quarter is really fast, and the mods you have listed aren't going to get you there. I think you are trying to make the car into something it's not. There are a lot of cars out there that will run the quarter faster than your Boxster, and you could probably buy many of them for what you would have to spend to modify your Boxster to compete with them. I think that most of us have come to accept that it's not how fast you get from A to B, but how much fun you have and how good you look doing it. Few vehicles can compete with the Boxster for the style and fun factors. Enjoy the car for what it is.

Just my $.02 worth.

vath2001 · 02-16-2009, 02:09 AM

Welcome to the Boxster world. Sorry to disappoint you, but Boxster are not 1/4 mile machines (unless the 1/4 has 3 S curves and a hairpin turn). We do great, as long as we don't have to drive straight.

But, poke around the foum and everything is in here.

Jake Raby · 02-17-2009, 05:36 PM

The key is increasing USABLE power and enhancing throttle response for great performance on the road course and street. Many times we have won races with lesser HP figures with increased torque and throttle response through the most critical portion of the rev range. This gets the car off the corners and onto the straights faster and on the street it REALLY increases the fun factor.

Thats what I am most pleased about with my current 2.5 development by far. The snap this combo has is unreal and the engine pulls to redline so fast that it can't be shifted fast enough... Tomorrow I am turning up the revs to 7,400 :-)

As for the exhaust note.... well our Clients are much more concerned with that than I am.. in fact I generally have to ask my employees and others about their thoughts on sound because it generally doesn't impact me that much.. Sound doesn't increase or efficiency or numbers, so it doesn't do much for me at all. :-)

The past two days on my 83 mile commute I averaged 34 MPG in the test car in the current state of tune... everything follows efficiency!

Boxster_luver · 02-17-2009, 07:54 PM

Thanks alot guys, you gave me alot of helpful information!! Now I did meen to ask this...What is this about 996 parts fitting the 986?? What exactly can you swap and why havn't people done this before? If I am able to do an engine swap is it just a 2.9 that I can fit? 300hp sounds great for me, I know now i'll never get a 10 second car but a 300hp is plenty fast for me. Now about super chargers and turbo chargers, that was what I really wanted to do. I e-mailed TPC and they said they don't offer a super charger OR a turbo charger for the 98 2.5. So is there a way I can make my own?? What all is involved in making one and installing it and is it something that my dad and myself can do our selves?
For enhancing the throttle responce what would you suggest I change or modify?
I'de like to ask all of you questions because each of you seem to have knowledge in your own way but it's hard to keep track of all your posts lol.

Michael

Adam · 02-18-2009, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster_luver

Thanks alot guys, you gave me alot of helpful information!! Now I did meen to ask this...What is this about 996 parts fitting the 986?? What exactly can you swap and why havn't people done this before? If I am able to do an engine swap is it just a 2.9 that I can fit? 300hp sounds great for me, I know now i'll never get a 10 second car but a 300hp is plenty fast for me. Now about super chargers and turbo chargers, that was what I really wanted to do. I e-mailed TPC and they said they don't offer a super charger OR a turbo charger for the 98 2.5. So is there a way I can make my own?? What all is involved in making one and installing it and is it something that my dad and myself can do our selves?
For enhancing the throttle responce what would you suggest I change or modify?
I'de like to ask all of you questions because each of you seem to have knowledge in your own way but it's hard to keep track of all your posts lol.

Michael

The best way to make around 300 hp is to drop in a 3.4L from a 996 or have Raby bore and stroke your 2.5L and do a total rebuild.

Kirk · 02-16-2009, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster_luver

I want to make my car around 10-11 second 1/4 mile.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

OMG, I almost cried while laughing when I read that one, and with a 2.5L none-the-less. Dude, there is no way, on God's green earth, that you could squeeze the 700 HP or so necessary out of that 2.5L engine to get your 2,800 lb Boxster down the quarter mile in 10-11s. Did you mean a short track, 1/8 mile???

Kirk

Topless · 02-17-2009, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirk

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

OMG, I almost cried while laughing when I read that one, and with a 2.5L none-the-less. Dude, there is no way, on God's green earth, that you could squeeze the 700 HP or so necessary out of that 2.5L engine to get your 2,800 lb Boxster down the quarter mile in 10-11s. Did you mean a short track, 1/8 mile???

Kirk

I guess if the OP stripped the car and then dropped in a blown LS1 motor he could get there for a few passes until something breaks. Might be a tad more than $3k though.

blue2000s · 02-17-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirk

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

OMG, I almost cried while laughing when I read that one, and with a 2.5L none-the-less. Dude, there is no way, on God's green earth, that you could squeeze the 700 HP or so necessary out of that 2.5L engine to get your 2,800 lb Boxster down the quarter mile in 10-11s. Did you mean a short track, 1/8 mile???

Kirk

11.0 second quarter mile takes about 500 HP in a 3000 pound car.

blue2000s · 02-17-2009, 12:33 PM

Drag strip cars are best made when starting out with a turbocharged engine. AWD DSMs are famous for cheap speed, for example. They started out with a reasonably stout drivetrain and a virtually indestructible iron engine block. Just reinforce what you need to, increase fuel flow and airflow and you're off to the track. 11s are not difficult or all that expensive with those cars.

Different story with an aluminum engined, high compression, mid engined Porsche, as has been noted, longevity will be an issue.

trieullionaire · 02-17-2009, 04:28 PM

How about a different perspective. Well, we are living in tough economic times as indicated by the news media and talks of government efforts in recent weeks. I say it is okay to drag race, but a fundamental shift in our thinking is necessary, a paradigm shift if you will from orthodox thinking - slowest one wins and saves fuel. :dance:

I was at Sebring when they had the 48 hours just a couple weekends ago, and it's impressive seeing the old box keep up with some of the other heavy hitters out there. One of them was a stock 2.7 no mods except for a shorter pulley, fabspeed exhaust and headers. That thing sounded amazing and with everything ripped out, probably was a bit faster than my stock set up. I still have exhaust envy to this day, but hey my car looks fast when I'm not moving so it's all good. I forgot my point, but its coming back to me...mods like that track car seems to me the best way to harness your engine's potential in a way where you can sleep easy at night and you might not be winning straight line races, but it be a real hoot to drive and listen to the sound of a beautiful exhaust note.

Adam · 02-17-2009, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue2000s

11.0 second quarter mile takes about 500 HP in a 3000 pound car.

And some sticky drag radials.

mikefocke · 02-16-2009, 09:11 AM

If that is what you want from a car?

You want displacement and torque and the 2.5 has not to much of either.

So my advice is trade it now on a big block something or other. Or learn to drive the lower displacement Boxster to the 9/10ths and be proud of your driving skills instead of the torque in the engine.

The link will help you understand just how expensive it is to significantly improve the Boxster engine. It also gives you an idea what a bigger engine into your car swap might cost. More than you paid for your car, I'd wager.

http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/itisn%27tfastenough

RandallNeighbour · 02-16-2009, 02:18 PM

Join your local PCA club and enroll in a driver's education course. You will quickly learn that your car is fast enough to make drivers in much faster cars look pokey if you learn how to drive the car.

The boxster is designed for cornering, not straight line performance. Enjoy it for what it was designed to do. Find some twisty roads!

Boxster_luver · 02-16-2009, 06:28 PM

I do appreciate all of your opinions except for the guy who laughed at me lol.
I guess im stuck in the fast and the furiouse mode. I do realize that I need to get over this racing thing and have fun with my car. But, if I did want to squeese a couple of extra horsepower out of it what would you guys recomend? I meen would you say it's worth putting in a better exaust system and headers? It's about 3k for the system and headers.

Michael

Sputter · 02-16-2009, 07:44 PM

It's a tad early for April 1st

You sure bought the wrong car for that stuff man.
You could go for a motor swap, checkout flat6 or even Ruf.
The 3k might or might not get you a few extra ponies (even that is up for debate) but it's not very cost effective nor would it be enough to be noticable.

+1 for what Randall said. Learn how to drive it and have fun.