Fabspeed bypass pipes - worth it?? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

23109VC · 09-03-2009, 10:06 AM

If I were to have about $500 burning a hole in my pocket, and used it to buy these bypass pipes and put them onto my 2000 2.7L 5 speed - am I really going to notice any difference in speed or sound?

i've read claims of 8hp and more torque - which some people could feel via the butt-dyno.... just curious if anyone here thinks that on a 2.7L car, this mod would actually make the car feel quicker?

I'm in CA - so I need to stay smog legal. Pelican parts website says the secondary cats are unnecessary, that it won't throw a CEL and that it will still pass smog. That true? why did Porsche put those cats there if we don't "need' them?

does it sound tons better once these cats are gone?

I'm also thinking of putting the Pedro techno-torque onto my car - wondering if the combo of that plus the bypass pipes might give the car a little more zip!

thanks.

Boxtaboy · 09-03-2009, 11:00 AM

I've seen someone install the Fabspeed cat bypass pipes at a local work on cars day, and after the installation, I could hear absolutely no difference in sound to be honest. I heard it while he revved it from idle, and also driving right next to him while we were driving home. He, however, kept his stock exhaust on the car, which was a 2000 S. I'm not sure if the sound would be any better with a modified exhaust, but maybe it would.

I personally don't think you gain that much sound or power from it, but you do lose a lot of weight by removing those heavy cats. That's probably the best part of adding them. LOL

sd_boxster · 09-03-2009, 11:48 AM

I have the Fabspeed bypass pipes installed on my '03 2.7. I have also done the "Crios" mod - i.e. drilled a couple of holes through the inside of the exhaust pipe into the center chamber of the muffler. I'm delighted with the combination that these two tweaks made to the exhaust note.

I cannot say that there is any power difference, but the sound is awesome.

Since I lost weight from the back by removing the secondary cats, I was able to delete the spare tire to keep everything trimmed out.

I have read that the 2.7 will still pass smog without the secondary cats. I'll find out for sure next August. You will not throw a check engine light, since the O2 sensors are located fore and aft of the primary cats.

See my thread (Exhaust mods = crying babies :)) for clips of my setup.

jwade · 09-03-2009, 04:47 PM

I posted up a video of mine the other day so you can hear. Do a quick search if you want to see it.

I have the PSE version 1 w/ the by-pass pipes, but still have retained the stock headers for no CEL issues. Sound is throaty with the by-pass pipes. Seriously, after I saw the stock secondarys in the flesh, they scream "RESTRICTIVE"!!! And are heavy.

Fabspeed's stuff was lighter, but I did have to use oem porsche clamps as their clamps didn't work out that well. Sorry guys, but have to be honest here.....

Their mandrel bent SS tubing is gorgeous and I thought the mod was well worth the money, but go ahead and add a BMC filter too for even more power. The combo will give you around a 10hp increase.

If someone were closer to me, and I went the header route, I would get turbowerx headers and reflash the dme to RoW. I think this combo is very enticing because of hp gains and price. Here is a link to the headers.

http://www.turbowerx.com/Porsche_Products/Headers/986_Headers/986_Headers.html

Cloudsurfer · 09-04-2009, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwade

I posted up a video of mine the other day so you can hear. Do a quick search if you want to see it.

I have the PSE version 1 w/ the by-pass pipes, but still have retained the stock headers for no CEL issues. Sound is throaty with the by-pass pipes. Seriously, after I saw the stock secondarys in the flesh, they scream "RESTRICTIVE"!!! And are heavy.

Fabspeed's stuff was lighter, but I did have to use oem porsche clamps as their clamps didn't work out that well. Sorry guys, but have to be honest here.....

Their mandrel bent SS tubing is gorgeous and I thought the mod was well worth the money, but go ahead and add a BMC filter too for even more power. The combo will give you around a 10hp increase.

If someone were closer to me, and I went the header route, I would get turbowerx headers and reflash the dme to RoW. I think this combo is very enticing because of hp gains and price. Here is a link to the headers.

http://www.turbowerx.com/Porsche_Products/Headers/986_Headers/986_Headers.html

I have the TurboWerx headers and a RoW reflash, and it's great. While the secondary cats aren't great, flow wise, and are heavy, the worst part of your exhaust are the headers, which are atrocious.

jwade · 09-04-2009, 05:44 AM

Patrick,

I think the TurboWerx headers are the way to go. I just wish someone was closer to Nashville, Tn and had a PST2 for the re-flash. I just cannot stand CEL's...or any light on the dash going off...

If anyone is close to Middle Tennessee, I would be glad to pay for this service of a re-flash.....

Jon

mts · 09-04-2009, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwm750

I have the TurboWerx headers and a RoW reflash, and it's great. While the secondary cats aren't great, flow wise, and are heavy, the worst part of your exhaust are the headers, which are atrocious.

Interesting, there have been a few before/after's done on the Boxster headers indicating the aftermarket ones did very little and that the OEM headers, with the exception of being a bit ugly, worked pretty well and weren't the worst part of the Boxster exhaust system.

Do you have some before/after dynos on your TurboWerx ones? I'm not trying to be contrary, just looking for additional data. Thanks

mts · 09-04-2009, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC

If I were to have about $500 burning a hole in my pocket, and used it to buy these bypass pipes and put them onto my 2000 2.7L 5 speed - am I really going to notice any difference in speed or sound?

i've read claims of 8hp and more torque - which some people could feel via the butt-dyno.... just curious if anyone here thinks that on a 2.7L car, this mod would actually make the car feel quicker?

I'm in CA - so I need to stay smog legal. Pelican parts website says the secondary cats are unnecessary, that it won't throw a CEL and that it will still pass smog. That true? why did Porsche put those cats there if we don't "need' them?

does it sound tons better once these cats are gone?

I'm also thinking of putting the Pedro techno-torque onto my car - wondering if the combo of that plus the bypass pipes might give the car a little more zip!

thanks.

If you are expecting something dramatic, don't waste your money. You'll get a small bump in power, but 5-8hp is going to be negligible if noticable at all to most people's "butt dyno".

No, it absolutely does not sound "tons" better. It does increase the sound a little and I liked the changed, but it isn't dramatic unless you put it in combo with other exhaust mods.

I was very pleased with my bypass pipes, but I had pretty limited expectations of what they would do for my car. I agree with Boxtaboy that the lost weight of the factory cats may very well be the best part of this modification.

After following a few of your posts related to this I fear you will end up disappointed with these if you don't add them in combination with some other items.

Good luck

Johnny Danger · 10-03-2009, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC

If I were to have about $500 burning a hole in my pocket, and used it to buy these bypass pipes and put them onto my 2000 2.7L 5 speed - am I really going to notice any difference in speed or sound?

i've read claims of 8hp and more torque - which some people could feel via the butt-dyno.... just curious if anyone here thinks that on a 2.7L car, this mod would actually make the car feel quicker?

I'm in CA - so I need to stay smog legal. Pelican parts website says the secondary cats are unnecessary, that it won't throw a CEL and that it will still pass smog. That true? why did Porsche put those cats there if we don't "need' them?

does it sound tons better once these cats are gone?

I'm also thinking of putting the Pedro techno-torque onto my car - wondering if the combo of that plus the bypass pipes might give the car a little more zip!

thanks.

Having two sets of cats is like having two more big toes ! They serve no purpose but to satisfy "Uncle Sugar" and his OBD II requirements. Get rid of them, and free up some excess weight and perhaps create a better flowing exhaust while retaining some needed back pressure.

jmatta · 10-03-2009, 07:15 AM

Wow, that tire is not getting patched, how far did you drive on it to make it look like that?

I drove a little over a mile under 25 mph to get to a safe spot. I run around -2.5* camber in the rear which helped rip it up a bit. I knew the tire wouldn't be repairable anyway, but didn't want to ruin the rim, so I took it easy on the shoulder. Looks like the tires when they flat them in F1!

I think the Fabspeed pipes area great investment in sound and perhaps HP, though I have no evidence of that. It did take significant weight off the rear and did I mention the sound?

sd_boxster · 10-03-2009, 08:32 AM

Today, Mrs. sd_boxster told me over breakfast how happy she was that our Boxster sounds "throaty". While out walking this AM she came across a guy in a stock Box and described his exhaust note as "just sad."

Fabspeed, I have a slogan suggestion: "Exhaust mods even the wife will love!"

jmatta, not sure how you got your wheel into the frunk, as my 17" wouldn't go. I haven't tried since... maybe I was too busy being irritated about having a flat to puzzle through getting the wheel to fit, though it being round and all limits the number of configurations one has to try...

jmatta · 10-04-2009, 12:47 PM

not sure how you got your wheel into the frunk

Perhaps it was because it was so flat and compressed...I was very careful the lid closed without issue.

Banana S · 10-31-2009, 06:37 PM

I ordered a set of Fabspeed secondary cat bypass pipes this week and received them today. My observations, in no particular order:

- The pipes are VERY nice quality. Very impressive, although for the price I suppose they should be.

- No instructions came with the pipes, which doesn't really bother me, but some people might find that disconcerting.

- Porsche's choice in hardware sucks. Just sucks. Sucks hard. Really. There are ten (10) bolts holding the stock cat bypass pipes to the muffler and the headers. Seven (7) of the ten (10) bolts broke immediately upon trying to remove them. (And I sprayed all of them with WD-40 first.) One (1) nut was so rusted that I could not get the socket on it firmly, and I ended up rounding the edges of the nut. Had to use a Sawzall to remove that nut. The remaining two (2) nuts, which happened to be the two (2) nuts that are hardest to reach (at the top of the flange connecting the secondary cats to the headers), were TACK-WELDED to the headers! Yep, some genius attached the secondary cats to the headers, then once the nuts were tight, he tack-welded the nuts to the headers. Brilliant. I was able to remove one of those two nuts with a combination of a Dremel tool, a Sawzall, and a die grinder. I'm going to finish removing the last nut tomorrow, after I buy another Dremel tool. (In fairness, this one was on its last legs anyway.)

- Because the four (4) bolts closest to the muffler broke (or had to be cut off with a Sawzall) when I tried to remove them, I'll need to pick up four new nuts & bolts at the hardware store tomorrow while I'm picking up that new Dremel. To those planning to do this install yourselves, I'd recommend picking up those four bolts beforehand.

- It's been said plenty before, but it bears repeating: The Fabspeed secondary cat bypass pipes are MUCH lighter than the stock secondary cats.

Can't wait to finish the job tomorrow and see how it drives & sounds.