someone's advice on these 987 intakes?

[Topless]

Save your hard earned $$ for tires. That is where the action is on these cars if you want max performance.

[John V]

Originally Posted by Topless

Save your hard earned $$ for tires. That is where the action is on these cars if you want max performance.

Best advice I've heard in a long time.

I'll add in to save money for gas, too! And sunscreen...

[Ex911Ownr]

Well, I don't know about that...I've got the EVO intake and really love it!! The sound is so incredable that my son went out and ordered his the day after we installed mine! It took a few hours to get everything all installed (just because its always tight getting to that motor), I don't know about actual HP gains, but it makes this wonderful sucking sound when you tromp on the gas and especially around 5,000 RPM....music to my ears anyway. Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.

[Topless]

Originally Posted by Ex911Ownr

Well, I don't know about that...I've got the EVO intake and really love it!! The sound is so incredable that my son went out and ordered his the day after we installed mine! It took a few hours to get everything all installed (just because its always tight getting to that motor), I don't know about actual HP gains, but it makes this wonderful sucking sound when you tromp on the gas and especially around 5,000 RPM....music to my ears anyway. Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.

Exactly! If you dig that louder intake noise... go for it. If you are hunting performance gains... forget it. The stock Porsche intake is excellent.

I have used K&N air filters for 30 years on highly modified dirt track and offroad racing machines. They make an excellent product and in the world of dirt track racing there is no substitute. They have their place... just not on my Boxter. Those boys in Stuttgart spent thousands of hours engineering the intake right the first time. I am not going to undo their fine work by bolting on an aftermarket intake just to make my car louder. To each his own though.

[RandallNeighbour]

I do think you get a couple of HP out of it. I'm planning to do it next year. Letting the car suck in more air can't be bad.

[z12358]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I do think you get a couple of HP out of it. I'm planning to do it next year. Letting the car suck in more air can't be bad.

Randall, actually it can. As with most engineering designs, the final solution is a result of some sort of optimization. In this case, one needs to maximize air flow AND minimize debris getting into the engine. As Topless suggested, I will leave it to Porsche engineers to find that optimal spot. They want to get the most performance without risking damage to the engine -- same as I do. Our motives match closely, hence our optimal solutions have to be close.

Z.

[RandallNeighbour]

would you have the same opinion about widening the exhaust with new headers? I did that and gained HP and did not lose any low end power (from reduced back pressure).

[eslai]

Originally Posted by z12358

They want to get the most performance without risking damage to the engine -- same as I do.

I partially agree with you but I'd say more that they're trying to hit a performance target than trying to extract the most possible. They have design parameters and are building to them.

If one wants to unleash a few more ponies at the expense of engine longevity, that is certainly within one's perogative, but it isn't going to make much of a difference. Real power ain't cheap. These intakes aren't what I consider a bang-for-the-buck modification. Nor would a simple muffler change be very worthwhile.

[Topless]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I do think you get a couple of HP out of it. I'm planning to do it next year. Letting the car suck in more air can't be bad.

Mods are always a tradeoff. We just don't always look down the road to see what the side effects will be. It has been tested and proven that the K&N/EVO oiled type air filters do let in a little more air, especially at high revs. They also often foul the Porsche MAF sensor causing a check engine light. We also know through testing that they let a little more grit in which will shorten engine life.

In a racing application you are not worried much about engine life. Performance is everything. In the Baja 1000 you build it to last 2000 miles just to be safe. Often it doesn't make it to the finish. You plan on rebuilding after every race. Track racing is the same. You plan to rebuild often. Performance is everything. K&N is your friend.

A street car is a little different. I want it to be reliable. I don't plan to rebuild often... if ever. A new Porsche motor is expensive... about the same price as a Corvette 6.0L crate motor. In this case I am very interested in engine life so I want the best protection from grit I can get. I really don't care about intake noise. I choose to keep my excellent Porsche air intake and paper element. I gladly give up a few ponies at rev limit in trade for 20-30K longer life on my motor, abscence of CEL issues and general peace of mind. It's always a tradeoff.

[Bavarian Motorist]

I want to be somewhere in the middle. This car is a lease for 3 years and I am protected under warranty for four (granted I can get mods that comply with warranty)

Engine life is not a priority for me because I don't keep my cars for very long.

You could make the argument that driving your car hard shortens engine life and causes things to wear as well, but I still want to drive her hard. This is no different in the sense that it will put extra wear in all likelihood, but it fits in more with my purposes.

I want to make my car perform to my liking without completely compromising reliability. This is very doable and this is the middle-ground which I am looking for.

10hp would make enough difference for me to be happy. Since this is a lightweight car, it is very elastic to those power increases.


I don't want a 400hp drag car, nor do I want to keep the status quo necessarily.


If I could have gotten the S I would have, but I couldn't. I don't wanna get into personal reasons as to why.


I have been checking out the ImagineAuto stage 2 performance upgrade which includes intake an ECU "flash", but I'm not sure if it's worth 1400 bucks for a CLAIMED 15-18hp (15-18 is worth it, but it's claimed, and that makes it questionable)

Some friends told me I could get a custom muffler made for only a few hundred bucks but I can't find any places that do it.


I'm just looking for a small bit of added performance. No more than 20hp.


Then again I am sure when I get that 20hp, I will want more lol. But I will try control myself