Kg11

If you were able to purchase a dirt-cheap 987.2 3.4L and wanted to bring the engine closer to its potential, which mods would you choose and why? A friend has a 3.4L 991 making 375hp without breaking a sweat, so I know it is possible. 320hp seems weak!

Here are the options I have seen: what works, and what is marketing buzz?

Tune (several vendors)
Headers (Cargraphic? Any other 3.4L DFI options?)
Exhaust (for backpressure: is it necessary?)
IPD Plenum and GT3 TB (some say great, some say a waste of money).

I also hear great things about the TPC sway bar and drop link setup.

On other cars, I have seen headers rated anywhere from 5-15hp, a tune between 8-22, exhaust 4-15, and IPD plenum with tune somewhere in the 8-15. A guy here had a 981 Spyder with a tune, and IPD plenum that was verified at a 30hp increase.

I would love to get into an inexpensive, sub $40k 987.2 CS, but I think the engine might feel like a big letdown compared to even the 997.2, which is rated a lot higher. Of course, if it could be "woken up" for a few grand....

RennKit-Dave

Ohgoshjoshracing

PorscheAddict

Race headers and tune and you'll be basically at that 375hp level. I've seen dynos at 320-330 whp with race headers and tune on 93 octane, which translates to ~370-380hp crank. Also sounds gnarly.

Kg11

Cool, thanks! We are downsizing from a GT4 and I find the CS to be a bit "lethargic". I don't expect GT4 response, but I know the 3.4L makes 350hp in a 991, so why not at least this much in a 987?

I would keep the GT4, but it is a lot of scratch tied up in one car, and that money would be nice to have for some track days!

PorscheAddict

I'm not sure about 987.2 compared to 981. For some reason I was thinking there were less tunes on the market for them, maybe less headers too. I have Fabspeed and Cobb on a 981S. 981 also has better cooling stock, if you're tracking this car.

FWIW, my tuned catless 981 with the PDK is pretty close to dead even with a GT4 on straights in my experience. Which makes sense, since it should be within ~10 hp and has instant shifts.

daylorb

I've done a tune on my 987.2, was going to go the intake route but the tuners recommended against it. Headers though, that is another story. Put those two on and I think you'll be pretty happy.

Just the tune made a pretty noticeable difference - had an instructor in my car who drives the same year stock cayman R, and they asked on the first lap "what have you done to the engine, this feels like more HP...." that was bone stock + Softronics tune only.

Soul Performance

For the 987.2S the Race Headers and Tune will net you the biggest return on investment, you'll pick up on average 25-30whp. I picked up 27whp on my Cayman R with just those upgrades. A catback system on top of that may net you another 5-10hp across the curve, but don't expect a noticeable difference on the butt dyno there. Unlike the 987.1 the 987.2 generation cars do not have redundant secondary cats in the mufflers, so there isn't as much potential in performance increase from the mufflers. The IPD/TB setup would net you the least ROI on anything less than a 3.8L, with a little top end improvement and negligible on the low end and mid range, though feels smoother across the curve. They make good power on big hp/tq builds and turbo applications. For software, one of the best guys in the industry is Scott over at Softronics who we collaborating as a dealer. If you race with PCA, you'll find he has been a sponsor and tuned the majority of the cars hitting the track. Great guy, huge supporter of the community and deserves the tuning business.

I'll shoot you over a PM to discuss things a bit more in depth. I've build a lot of these cars including my own and would be happy to give you some insight not just on exhaust for the platform, but suspension, brakes, tuning, intake, etc.

- John Gaydos

badabing

Daylorb - could you elaborate on why the tuners advised against an intake?

Reason I ask is I have a 987.2CS with Fabspeed catless headers and fabspeed supercup exhaust on it.

Already bought the IPD Comp plenum and GT3 TB as well as Cobb AP. Just haven't installed and had tune done.

John G

Can softtronics tune be applied using Cobb AP?

Soul Performance

It's not that the intakes are bad, it just doesn't have much ROI unless you're trying to squeeze every horsepower out of the top end. Most all the guys running in the spec series with PCA Club Racing run IPD Plenums with the 82mm throttle body for that reason, but it's just not quite worth it from a performance standpoint otherwise until you start doing bigger displacement/horsepower builds. If memory serves me right the factory plenum and 74mm throttle body maxes out it's potential around 400whp. Now, I will say ditching the factory airbox and putting on a intake like that from PCS Innovations makes WORLD of difference purely with the intake sound. You can literally hear the air getting sucked in right behind your head, it's intoxicating. I'm running that intake just for the sound of it haha.

Scott doesn't support the Cobb platform as it doesn't allow him the flexibility he wants/needs for his custom tuning. That said, he does use devices that allow you to flash through the OBD2 port so you don't have to pull your ECU. I just sent out one of his setups to a Spyder owner yesterday, his support and knowledge is top notch.

Kg11

Thanks for the feedback! I like the tune and headers route to start.

I have a GT4 plenum and GT3 TB already, but I don't think the 3.8 fits the 3.4.

Soul Performance

For everyone's reference, the 981/GT4 plenum and 987.2 plenum are different. The plumbing/hardware/sensor attachment are different and the 987.2 requires an additional downpipe. A 981/GT4 plenum can be repurposed by Greg at IPD to fit a 987.2 for around the $300 mark.

Charles Navarro

If tracking the car, the single best investment is in cooling for both the engine and transmission. If just a street only car, I wouldn't bother, but otherwise the .2 cars and subsequent 981/991 run way too hot.

Kg11

The ones we are looking at all have the additional radiator and transmission cooler, but that is great to know!

Soul Performance

Hey Charles, what are your thoughts on oil to use in the cars? You're the pro there, would love to hear your recommendation.