Autralian Boxster Exhaust Ssytem

[aussieboxy]

Hi Guys,

I was checking out the Fabspeed exhausts and they showed how the standard exhaust is compromised by the 2 catalytic convertors and the way the egine pipes went met. I was under my car today only to find that it is significantly different in the 1st secstion. The engine pipes don't go into a converter the just flow like extractors into the exhaust and there is the converter at the back the same as on the Fabspeed video.

My question is, is this standard in Australia or has my car been modded?

By the way what to the catalytic convertors do?

Thanks

[NickCats]

Aussie,

Here ya go :

A catalytic converter (colloquially, "cat" or "catcon") is a device used to reduce the toxicity of emissions from an internal combustion engine. First widely introduced on series-production automobiles in the US market for the 1975 model year to comply with tightening EPA regulations on auto exhaust, catalytic converters are still most commonly used in motor vehicle exhaust systems. Catalytic converters are also used on generator sets, forklifts, mining equipment, trucks, buses, trains, and other engine-equipped machines. A catalytic converter provides an environment for a chemical reaction wherein toxic combustion by-products are converted to less-toxic substances.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_Converter

Nick

[aussieboxy]

Thanks Nic

[Tool Pants]

You do not have the pre-cat on the exhaust manifold that is required in North America.

[Cloudsurfer]

This raises an interesting question. Would it be benficial for us North American guys to "upgrade" to the non pre-catted headers, and then either run the high flot secondary cats that are sold, or simply use the factory secondary cats, with a Lamda sensor before and after?

Patrick

[Tool Pants]

This is a 2003 S owned by Paul in Australia. You can see there is no pre-cat on the exhaust manifold. He just has the rear cat. The 2.5 also did not have a pre-cat. The 4 cat system started in 2000.

Paul and I exchanged hp numbers and the difference was like 1 hp. But if you wanted to elminate the pre-cat I suppose you could buy ROW manifolds. You would need to check ROW and US part numbers to make sure it would work.

[Tool Pants]

For others, this is the pre-cat, which is part of the manifold. Aussieboxy does not have this.

[aussieboxy]

Yeh those 2 pics exactly depict what I was talking about. I'm surprised there is only 1hp difference considering the different flow charateristics though.

Thanks for the update.

[2000SoCalBoxsterS]

With regard to the 4 Cats (2 on each side) on the 2000 Boxster S and Boxster's. FabSpeed claims that if you buy their secondary Cat bypass pipes ($495) you can run with just the header pre-Cats and pass emissions inspection here in the U.S. without any problem. They claim that the secondary Cats are "Deletable".

[Tool Pants]

The problem, at least in California, is that there is supposed to be a visual inspection first. If you do not pass the visual then you don't even go on the dyno.

The inspector is supposed to look to make sure all the emission equipment is in place. One place I went to (for my truck) the inspector even had a floor mirror on wheels and he looked under the car.

Since I have a 1997 Box I have had about 4 smog inspections during my eight years of ownership, every 2 years here in California. Never looked under the car or in the engine compartment for the first 3. On the 4th he looked everywhere and I had to remove the engine lid. He thought I had a chip because the exhaust was sweet smelling, the trunk carpet was removed (because I had just replaced the tank) and you could see the DME, plus several Porsche mechanics were watching him. He had smogged my car twice before, but this time he did it by the book.

[2000SoCalBoxsterS]

Luckily I have moved back to New York from the left coast. I plan on doing the full boat FabSpeed exhaust system very soon along with the cold air intake and performance flash from Revo.