986 Performance parts wishlist
 

Hey guys.

I was wondering if you could have any performance part made for your car what would it be?

My business partner and I are Mechanical Engineering seniors. We have access to several CAD software packages, and we also have virtually unlimited access to a machine shop.

Post parts that you wish were available for the boxster, and if there is enough interest we will design, and produce the part for you.

We can design virtually anything you need, we just need ideas and feedback.

It can be anything, exhaust kits, intakes, control arms, various linkages etc. Whatever. post it here and we'll see if we can design and manufacture it for you.

- dependable AOS replacement that doesn't cost what the Porsche Motorsport AOS costs ($700).

- electric power steering kit that doesn't cost what the Porsche Cup kit costs ($2k).

- steel spark plug tubes that don't crack.

- an intake plenum that doesn't cost what the IPD plenum costs ($900).

- panels to cover the exposed lines that run under the car.

- a 7.8 DME back-date kit that allows you to put a 7.8 engine in a 7.2.

- adaptor kit that allows you to get your 'S' centre rad to vent upwards (without having to replace it with a GT3 kit).

- i think the BMC CDA is the way to go for CAI; a kit that comes with all the bits to fit it in the Boxster would be useful.

Great!!! thanks for the feedback. We'll start researching some of these ideas, and post what we've found.


Thank you for the ideas keep them coming guys!

I second a lot of these idea's:

- dependable AOS replacement that doesn't cost what the Porsche Motorsport AOS costs ($700).

- electric power steering kit that doesn't cost what the Porsche Cup kit costs ($2k).

- an intake plenum that doesn't cost what the IPD plenum costs ($900).

As for the BMC CDA, I've already done that :)

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4334031_n.jpg

sam

I too would like to see some thin but tough (and yet easily removable) underbody panels to protect all those exposed important bits under the car.

I know you'll appreciate the can of worms you've opened up for yourselves as engineers, but hey, if you do manage to get really really close to satisfying the outlandish demands of your customer (us), kudos to you. :cheers:

Oh, and how about a 4 litre flat six that fits in a 986 engine bay? ;)

that was my thinking with the 7.8 back-date kit - you can't run a 7.8 motor (ie, a 3.8) with a 7.2 DME, but you can but a 7.8 DME in a 7.2 car. you need to change some pin-outs (fabricate adaptors, extensions, etc.) replace the ABS controller (and gauge cluster if you want your cruise to work, and hvac controller if you want your a/c to work) and change fuel delivery from return to 1-way. add lowering motor and transmission mounts/adaptors and a few hose extensions/couplers and you should be there (that's what the internet tells me, anyway). A kit would be cool.

its not a problem, the challenge is good. If we cant do it we can't but we are going to thoroughly research and try out the idea before we say it cant be done. :)

For the spark plug tube, would aluminum be acceptable or do you want steel specifically. The reason I ask is that steel is alot harder to machine.

I think Aluminum 6061 will also do the job right. Aluminum 6061 is very strong and very light weight its the grade commonly used on aircrafts.

I always love a nice carbon fiber part .. but what is a BMC CDA ?

Third these ideas....plus oil pressure and temp, voltage indication kit. Perhaps this could be done via a nav screen

Rear adjustable toe control arms seem to be very expensive for what they are.

Automatic fire suppression system for the engine compartment.

Lightweight clutch pressure plate

Boxster S exhaust system with optimum tubing I.D. for street driving RPM

Air Oil Seperater improvements ie. a screen/filter that mounts on the 97-02 head where the boot attaches.

:)

bmc is the company, cda stands for 'carbon dynamic airbox' - an inline cold air intake.

steel or alu; i would let the engineer advise as to the most suitable material.

re. gauges, plx has a multigauge that can display data in various formats - obd info from the computer, or specific sensor data (can mount in a 987 pod on the dash or a steering wheel pod). if you want oil temp, your stereo has the ability to display that. if you install an oil pressure sender on your motor and run the wire forward, a 996 gauge cluster will give volts and oil pressure.

Got some updates on the spark plug tube. I just picked up one and dropped it off at my partners shop. Hes gonna discuss it with his machinist and see what we can get done.

Aluminum 6061 seems like the material we will be using though. I'll have the parts drawn up by tomorrow, and ill run some tests on it to make sure we wont run into any issues like thermal expansion etc.

We are guessing that porsche chose to make the tubes out of plastic because its cheap and also acts as a heat shield to protect the coils. Our solution will be to try adding a thermal coating to the tubes.

The final issue is the O rings. the OEM o-ring looks like its very high quality, that said it still seems a bit expensive for what it is, we will try to source a cheaper one with the same quality and include it in the kit.

Either way, i'll post more info as i get it.

Thanks again for the feed back

For the AOS. Would you guys be open to replacing the entire system with a oil catch can? We could design a kit that replaces the factory AOS with an oil catch can.

An oil catch can would do the job as efficiently and would be more reliable, as you'ld never have to worry about replacing a leaking AOS. Plus it would look pretty cool installed IMHO

i can't speak from experience, but others have done the catch can and it can fill up in higher-g/racing situations, so not a maintenance-free solution like the AOS (uh, ... not that the AOS is maintenance free ...).

The machinist says its not a problem, does anyone have a used coil pack they want to part with so we can do some measurements off it? thats the last thing we need to do.

It doesnt have to be working we just need to make sure everything fits before making them

Heres a pic of the spark plug tube. Its drawn to scale, we're gonna perform some tests on it, then we'll give the machinist the drawing to make a prototype :)

After that I'll put up a thread setting up a group buy :)

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/8...rkplugtube.png

the black area is the thermal coating

Looks great, well done!
Sam

Alright next part the covers under the chassis to cover the exposed wires.

QUestion do you guys want them made out of plastic or aluminum?

Also does anyone know of a boxster owner that lives in the dallas, plano, lewisville or denton texas area. We just need to see your car for a day to take pictures of the underbody and make some measurements.

We should be able to get those panels made pretty quickly :)

I can help you with that. pm your address and I will get it to you.

I'm in Dallas / Plano and can offer my 2003 for measurements. Send me a PM to make arrangements.

Regarding your question about the material choice for the underbody panels (aluminum or plastic), how about both? :D

Given the choice I'd prefer metal for durability, but at the same time I know the plastic is likely to cost less and would do better with any heat that might be generated by boxes, and durability would only be an issue if one is running over things consistently or having to remove the panels often for maintenance. But if you can do both, I say do both and that way we have an option for preference. Maybe see if there are some existing points you can use to bolt these into place, or in the case of plastic, maybe look into some sort of snap-fitting style?

Aluminium skid plate that protect everything. From the coolant drain over the headers, over the oil pan, covering the tranny.

Easy to make I would think. The 911 world has them. I am tired of smacking my oil pan on speed bumps.

I thought the reason why those parts are exposed from underneath is to allow air to flow through to prevent heat soaking?

In that case maybe they could be designed to still allow air flow throughout that space while being able to provide protection to all of those components and connections.

What is required to get an oil temp displayed on the radio?

http://www.cb-racing.com/boxster_AC.html

Check that out, Miken.

I know it's not the radio, but it's a way for you to see it.

EDIT: And I just realized by your sig that you've got an 06, so I'm not sure that this would apply any longer, but still an interesting thing to know.

my bad; i meant the ac unit not the radio.

ps; you r2specracing guys rock; this is excellent.

Car diagnostic tricks which works on 1997- 2000 boxsters.

There is some sort of serial data stream or CAN interface that allows the AC (manufactured by Audi) unit to display engine parameters. Here is a list of what can be seen:

To switch from F to C:
Hold down the recirculating button then push both the temperature + - buttons.

To access diagnostics:
Hold down the Recirculating & Air up buttons for 5 seconds.
The + - buttons go up and down through the list of "c" codes.
The center vent button switches the left display between the "c" code and its actual value.
Press the Auto button to exit.

0c - ERL
1c - Oil Temp?
2c - Inside temp. Sensor mounted in the aspirator assembly at the side of the dash.
3c - Outside temp. Sensor located inside the air inlet of the A/C unit.
4c - Outside temp. Sensor located in front grill of the radiator. The data is fed to the climatronic from the instrument cluster. When not moving, the instrument cluster OBC temp display retains it's last setting until moving. This is to prevent heat emanating from the radiator affecting the temp. sensor. The A/C unit uses the lower of the two outside air temp values in determining fresh-air temp.
5c - Outside temp. (matches with OBC outside temp display)
6c - Coolant temp.
7c - Footwell discharge temp.
8c - Sun sensor (dash top)
9c - Sun sensor.
10c - Passenger compartment fan speed.
11c - Passenger compartment fan voltage.
12c - Temperature mix Flap command 1=COLD, 100=HOT
13c - Temperature mix Flap position
14c - Central Flap command
15c - Central Flap position
16c - Footwell/Defrost Flap command
17c - Footwell/Defrost Flap position
18c - Recirculation Valve command 1=OFF, 100=RECIRC
19c - Recirculation Valve position (feedback)
20c - Vehicle speed in kph, updating only once per second. (real speed, not speed+safety margin as in the speedometer)
21c - Engine RPM in hundreds. This too only updates once per second.
22c - ?
23c - ?
24c - Sun sensor, exterior lights switch & panel lights control (term. 58 & 58d voltage) - used for A/C panel display illum.
25c - ?
26c - ?
27c - ?
28c - Fan speed?
29c - ?
30c - Engine run time in seconds (255 max.)(=0xff)
31c - Timing counter
32c - Displays test
33c - Software version? Mine states 3.4
34c - ?
35c - Outside temp. from inlet sensor (filtered?)
36c - temp?

Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

An aluminum skid plate is very doable, we can design it with air vents to help get rid of the heat from the manifold. If its fuel lines those don't get that hot anyway usually.

There is another advantage to running a skid plate, Improved aerodynamics.

Most of the drag created by a car is created under the chassis. The smoother and flatter you can make the chassis the more down force the car will generate, and the more stable it will be at high speeds. Thats why the underside of a 911 is so flat.

In theory a flat belly should make a significant difference.

Timothy, thank you I'll send you a pm to get your contact info. I'm going out of town for a little while but Andrew (by partner) will call you and set up a meet :)

harryrcb, I just sent you a Pm thanks for the help :)


Edit: oh I just remembered something, with exhaust you want the pipes to be as hot as possible so trapping the heat may actually be a good thing. The hotter the pipes the hotter the exhaust gases, the hotter the exhaust gases the greater the flow velocity inside the pipes. This will create more power, theoretically.

This is why header heat wraps and thermal coatings make power.

The danger would be transmitting heat to other components, but thats something we would compensate for during the design phase.

also this is a pretty cool shot from one of the tests we did. Its basically showing the temperature distribution through the tube.

This is assuming oil temperatures of 400 degrees and direct heat of 1075F on the tip.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/955...stribution.png

Its not accurate because after we did it we found some other things we didn't factor in, in reality this part will never see any temperatures remotely close to this, because the heads are cooled by the cooling system. The idea behind doing this test is to make sure the part will not melt or expand under usage.

Regarding the underbody trays, since we're talking aerodynamic advantages, how about seeing if one of your alternate designs can involve some diffusers that blend well with the rear of the car? Since we've got a center exhaust that leaves plenty of room on either side for some functional diffusers :)

I tried that sequence on the 987 and got nothing. I'm guessing that the data is still in the DME; any other thoughts of retrieving water/oil temps from the 987 DME?

that process only works on early 986 cars. any of the aftermarket obd devices should give you that; there's even apps you can get for your ipod i believe.

OMG, yes, diffusers - please!!! An underbody tray(s) which led up to some nice aggresive diffusers would have me 100% sold.

I really would like something like this, carbon would be nice, but alluminium or plastic would be fine:
http://www.kokeln.com/images/undertray.jpg

Regards,
Sam

+1, those look awesome! I'd probably color match them, but that looks great, and looks like it works. :D

Your 03 doesn't have tubes, they are cast into the head on 03-up cars. A 6061 spark plug tube would be a GREAT idea for the earlier cars though.

I think some undertray and diffuser pieces would be neat to see.

A back dating 7.8 DME kit would be cool, but that's not exactly an easy proposition and I'm not sure how much market there is for it. I specifically looked for an 03/04 when I decided to stuff a 3.8 into my car.

Count mer in for this as well, maybe a carbon lip spoiler (a bit GT3 like) that would fit on a 986 S as well would be cool

Any news from the engineering dept.? ;)

I guess I should start by introducing myself. I am the other R in R2. I am a mechanical engineering student entering my final year of study. I am not a traditional student; I served in the US Navy from 2000 to 2006. I've always loved Porsche cars and I can't wait to own one!

Just to fill everyone in on Rayner, he is currently working an internship at Virginia International Raceway. I got to admit I'm a little jealous, but hopefully he will get some valuable experience.

I got the coil I needed for testing (thanks Harry) and everything looks as we expected. I am going to have the machine shop start on the prototype tomorrow. They will be machined out of 6061 Aluminum on a CNC Lathe. It will look amazing when finished. After a few tests, the part should be ready.

The AOS is presenting a unique challenge. I need to learn more about how the AOS works on the 986. I have looked at some stuff for Subaru, but I don't know how many modifications would be necessary to make it compatible. We can design one from scratch, but that could raise us to Porsche Motorsports price range. Stay tuned.

The skid plate seems fairly simple. I'm sure that feeling will change when I actually see the underside of a 986. I can't settle on a material. I've seen 911 skid plates made out of stainless steel and steel. I like aluminum, but it will not last nearly as long as steel. We don't have the facilities for carbon fiber, but I do have a contact that designs carbon body parts. If there is enough interest, I could ask him for a tentative quote.

On a side note… R2 Spec Racing is currently looking for a 944. We plan to begin our motorsports career with Spec 944. If anyone knows of a good 944 near Dallas, TX at a reasonable price, than let us know.

on the issue of the skid plate; carbon fiber would not work. one good hit and it would shatter. The 911 version of this is stainless steel.
Just sheet metal.

there is also a nice metal front skid plate. I have gone through a plastic set already.

The rear diffuser would be nice in carbon fiber.


Also another nice idea would be if you could make a aftermarket Air box that bolted to fender like the OEM, but allowed for the placement of the cone filter (Evolution motor sports) so that it is sealed and can act like a ram air system without the hot engine air getting in.

Steel skid plate sounds good to me. I think the potential weight gain is worth the protection.

As for the diffusers, I know carbon fiber is highly desired, but how much more viable would ABS or fiberglass be for you guys to fabricate the part?