Cold air intake

[Ghostrider 310]

Anybody out there running the claimed cold air intake with the K&N cone inside a box? If so, other than noise did it boost the performance? Did you get check engine lights? The evo sports website claims you will get no lights as a result of installation, I'm skeptical about that.

[PorscheDoc]

Originally Posted by Ghostrider 310

Anybody out there running the claimed cold air intake with the K&N cone inside a box? If so, other than noise did it boost the performance? Did you get check engine lights? The evo sports website claims you will get no lights as a result of installation, I'm skeptical about that.

I have installed so many of the Evo kits on boxsters it makes my head hurt. Better sound, a little more performance (not a lot in comparison to what we get on other cars, ie turbos, etc), and absolutely no CEL's. Have never had one come back in with a CEL.

Edit: There is really no reason to get a CEL, all you are doing is changing out the airbox, the MAF sensor stays the same. Just a more efficient way to get air in.

[PorscheDoc]

Oh, and that is the EVO highflow intake, with the cone filter, not the Quick flow K&N panel filter system. The K&N will cause a CEL if you over oil the filter, it will ruin the Maf, so you have to be very careful with that. I would just stick with the highflow intake box, it gets twice the HP anyways.

[Brucelee]

Thanks for the info Doc!

[Ghostrider 310]

Originally Posted by PorscheDoc

Oh, and that is the EVO highflow intake, with the cone filter, not the Quick flow K&N panel filter system. The K&N will cause a CEL if you over oil the filter, it will ruin the Maf, so you have to be very careful with that. I would just stick with the highflow intake box, it gets twice the HP anyways.

thanks Doc, any special tips on removing the exterior intake, it sounds like an easy to break item..The reason I asked about the cel was due to reading a blurb stating that the increased airflow causes this, S Car Go states that their intake plenum ( a great looking product) does cause CEL to light. If you had to choose and you were looking for a bit sportier sound would you go with a B&B or other aftermarket exhaust or the evo intake?

[PorscheDoc]

I'm not familiar with what is on your car for mods, so i will give a "in general" response here.

1st modification that should be done to any boxster or 996 in my opinion is a B&M short throw shifter. If you haven't already done so, i truly believe that this will enhance your driving experience more than any intake or exhaust. The stock throw on a boxster and 996 is absolutely horrible. My 4x4 nissan has a shorter throw. Put in the short throw, and it is amazing how much more fun the car is to drive. Once you drive one with a short throw, then go back to stock, it feels ugly. This is definetly a do it yourself mod, first time probably 1.5 hours, once you are familiar with them, its about a 30 minute job.

2nd modification i would do would be the evo highflow intake. 8-10 horses isn't alot (for the boxster, that is a pretty good gain though), but it gives a nice sound to the intake when you are stomping on it. Installing for the 1st time, i would say about 3-4 hours. You have to remove the outer trim for the air duct, and then you reach in and yank the snorkle part out. If you haven't removed that trim piece, it is a little nerve-racking, as you don't want to break it. It is held on by one screw, then just pulls out......with some force. Then out comes the snorkel. It is just held in tight, a good tug and out she comes. Then you have to remove the drivers side of the intake manifold. 6 bolts IIRC on the runners, and loosen the rubber couplers on the intake plenums, and you can move it out of the way enough to remove the stock airbox, which is held on by about 4 small bolts. Of all the boxes i have removed, there have been 2 that i haven't had to partially break to get out (the mounting tabs stick out and hit the edge of the engine panel, so you usually will break them off during removal). No biggie, its goin in the garabage anyways. Then you swap the maf to the new tube and install the Evo box (which slides right into place), and put the intake back on.

3rd modification would be the exhaust. We have installed mostly dansk exhausts (also what fabspeed uses), which is a nice exhaust. I have installed a few oddballs here and there, but the majority is dansk. We use to install GHL exhausts, until we started dynoing them on the 996's and found they lose power. GHL's response was "so what," so we stopped installing their products entirely. I have not installed any B&B stuff on the boxster, so I can't give you any advice there, but we use only B&B on our 930 motor builds. Very good company.

At anytime i would also do a GIAC flash tune, which again is good for 10-15hp IIRC, and the powerband is attractive.

Thats my take on it after having done a ton of the cars, but others may feel differently. It should give you an idea of where to start though.

[nastyboxster]

Porsche Doc

Thanks for the info. I've done #1 and #2 already and is very happy with the results. With regards to the exhaust, does it add any hp or is it just better sound? Where is the best place to get the exhaust? Fabspeed sells it for $1095. Is this about right?
They also have a 2nd cat bypass pipe. Any experience with this? It's less than half the price of an exhaust and they claim it adds 9hp.

[RandallNeighbour]

Doc, can you do a flash tune on a 97?

[Ghostrider 310]

Doc interesting post, thanks.

I have read very mixed comments about the B&M.
Some people didn't like it and said they broke some bushing on install which prevented stock replacement. Schnell is supposed to be better but I don't have enough information to confirm that. Regarding the airbox, being a purist, I would store those items so my car could always go stock on resale. I would be interested in knowing how the Porsche mechanics take it out. Perhaps your point is major disassembly would be required to free the box without damage.

Is there a true difference between the Fabspeed and the Dansk? They look remarkably simular. The B&B unit looks very nice, I have great confidence in their quality, I'm more concerned these modifications in tandem would make my Boxster too loud. Does flashtuning always require mailing out the brainbox? Who do you like for this type of work, what is the usual cost.

Thanks Doc.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by nastyboxster

Porsche Doc

Thanks for the info. I've done #1 and #2 already and is very happy with the results. With regards to the exhaust, does it add any hp or is it just better sound? Where is the best place to get the exhaust? Fabspeed sells it for $1095. Is this about right?
They also have a 2nd cat bypass pipe. Any experience with this? It's less than half the price of an exhaust and they claim it adds 9hp.

Ghostrider, there is not one iota of difference between the Dasnk and Fabspeed mufflers. Fabspeed even says they source them out straight from Dansk.

[Ghostrider 310]

Thanks Adam,

Nasty, based on Adam's post I'd buy the Dansk from



http://www.************************************************************ $755.95.

[JP-s-in st. louis]

Originally Posted by PorscheDoc

I'm not familiar with what is on your car for mods, so i will give a "in general" response here.

1st modification that should be done to any boxster or 996 in my opinion is a B&M short throw shifter. If you haven't already done so, i truly believe that this will enhance your driving experience more than any intake or exhaust. The stock throw on a boxster and 996 is absolutely horrible. My 4x4 nissan has a shorter throw. Put in the short throw, and it is amazing how much more fun the car is to drive. Once you drive one with a short throw, then go back to stock, it feels ugly. This is definetly a do it yourself mod, first time probably 1.5 hours, once you are familiar with them, its about a 30 minute job.

2nd modification i would do would be the evo highflow intake. 8-10 horses isn't alot (for the boxster, that is a pretty good gain though), but it gives a nice sound to the intake when you are stomping on it. Installing for the 1st time, i would say about 3-4 hours. You have to remove the outer trim for the air duct, and then you reach in and yank the snorkle part out. If you haven't removed that trim piece, it is a little nerve-racking, as you don't want to break it. It is held on by one screw, then just pulls out......with some force. Then out comes the snorkel. It is just held in tight, a good tug and out she comes. Then you have to remove the drivers side of the intake manifold. 6 bolts IIRC on the runners, and loosen the rubber couplers on the intake plenums, and you can move it out of the way enough to remove the stock airbox, which is held on by about 4 small bolts. Of all the boxes i have removed, there have been 2 that i haven't had to partially break to get out (the mounting tabs stick out and hit the edge of the engine panel, so you usually will break them off during removal). No biggie, its goin in the garabage anyways. Then you swap the maf to the new tube and install the Evo box (which slides right into place), and put the intake back on.

3rd modification would be the exhaust. We have installed mostly dansk exhausts (also what fabspeed uses), which is a nice exhaust. I have installed a few oddballs here and there, but the majority is dansk. We use to install GHL exhausts, until we started dynoing them on the 996's and found they lose power. GHL's response was "so what," so we stopped installing their products entirely. I have not installed any B&B stuff on the boxster, so I can't give you any advice there, but we use only B&B on our 930 motor builds. Very good company.

At anytime i would also do a GIAC flash tune, which again is good for 10-15hp IIRC, and the powerband is attractive.

Thats my take on it after having done a ton of the cars, but others may feel differently. It should give you an idea of where to start though.

HHHMM: My list off what I did in THAT order. Thanks for the credit DOC.

Guys, I bought my EVO from DOC and installed it myself. It was very easy, I do however suggest the K&N cone filter over the paper one of EVO'S. (do not over oil and please wipe down before installation). While doing this do De-snork otherwise it is just silly.

As for the muffler I used the Cargraphic (fabspeed). If Doc does wish to share he can use my DYNO sheet. I am very happy that I can keep with a stock C4S (20-110). Speed is what "I LIKE", it may not be for everyone so lets not start a flame war.

My car sounds great, its quick, and handels awsome. I can not wait till Doc is done with it. BTW. What the heck are you on this board when you could be fininshing my car .

[PorscheDoc]

Ok, i will try and hit them all at once here. We do in house GIAC flash tuning. There are 2 ways to do this, one we have customers send their ECU's in, and we "bench" flash them, or two, the customer brings a car in, and we plug in to the OBDII port and flash it right there. Takes about 20-30 minutes depending on the car and software. There are many GIAC dealers across the US, so if you don't want to pull your ECU, there is probably a dealer close. www.giacusa.com has a dealer list. I can pull up a pricing sheet on what GIAC tunes cost, I usually try and stay out of the pricing thing, and let the other guys handle that end. I have never been much of a salesman, I'm better at just giving the technical side of it

I guess my post was misleading, the exhaust fabspeed sells is the dansk unit, it says dansk right on it. I don't believe fabspeed has come out with an exhaust yet, but i am sure it is in the works and will be good, as that is the other exhaust manufacture we install the most along with B&B.

To install the B&M shifter, you must bust the stock end bushings off the unit to get it out. You can buy them from porsche if you ever want to put it back together....no one will, trust me. If someone doesn't like the B&M shifter, i am guessing because they installed it, and didn't get the cables set correctly, or tightened down the allen screw too much so the shifter was notchy. There is no other way to remove the bushings, they snap through a hole, and you need to bust the tabs off the other side with a chisel to get the bushings back out through the hole. It is one of those jobs that you really don't want to watch someone do, kinda like not wanting to watch a surgeon do brain surgery. You know it is going to end up good, but man, it looks nasty while he is doing it, lol. The schnell is a knock off of B&M and ii have not heard good things about, and at half the cost, there has to be a decrease in quality as well. The B&M is the same unit (SSK) that porsche sells as the upgrade. I have never seen anyone take one of these cars back to stock after doing what small amount of modifcations are available. I haven't installed a single one where the customer wasn't very happy with it.

To remove the airbox without busting the tabs off, you have to remove the entire manifold out of the way. Not impossible by any means, just takes a little longer. I don't go that far, as they are always going in the garbage anyways, so why waste the time. But that is how i have gotten boxes out unbroken in the past.

As far as making the boxster too loud with mods, i don't think that is possible. Even with everything we discussed, they are still a pretty mild sounding car. I suppose running a muffler delete or something like that might get pretty loud

I will see if i can round up a file of JP's dyno, it put down 240RWHP on our mustang, with a nice curve.

I haven't installed any of the 2nd cat bypasses from fabspeed, but if it is like any of their other bypasses, then it will be good stuff. Don't know about the noise increase though, there definetly will be some. I haven't really found a B&B or Fabspeed product that I didnt like though...or didn't perform well.


And i'm spent.....

[nastyboxster]

JP

Porschedoc mentioned that you dyno 240hp at the wheel. That's about 20hp over stock. Looks like the only performance mod you did so far was the Evo air intake and the dansk exhaust. Is this correct? I didn't think the exhaust would add that much more hp.

[JP-s-in st. louis]

It is true, and I used the Cargraphic muffler. Since I have moved to Seattle I will bring it up to Vancouver after I get it back. My wife and I will be up there for a day of shopping or a trip to Whistler.

[nastyboxster]

JP

That's great, let me know when you'll be up here.

[tweed999]

I just ordered a B&M Short throw shifter and an EVO high-flow air intake. I didn't even consider if this would void my warranty (I bought a porsche certified 2002 boxster). I have a warranty up to 100k miles but need to mod this bad

Does anyone know what mods will void a porsche warranty?