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2004 Porsche 996 C4S 30HP Challenge with $2,000Budget
Hello Porsche Fam,
Will be upgrading a few pieces on my 04 C4S and wanted to pick your brain on what you would spend the $2,000 for Engine Performance on. Here is what I am hoping to accomplish. Wanted to get 30HP with bolt on parts hovering around 2k budget. I am keeping the stock XLF PSE mufflers on, I love the grumbling sound it makes. This is my daily driver to work(5 miles) and weekend vehicle. I do not track the car, it has 138K miles on it btw. This is just the engine/exhaust/intake performance budget. I have set aside another budget for suspension components, Clutch, IMS, RMS, semi solid motor mounts, and FF transmission inserts. Please let me know if there is something else I am missing. Here's a rear pic.
List:
Top Gear 200 Cell Catalytic crossover pipes. Cost $531 HP: 12 to 15 Claim Wanting these over the X-Pipe design so I can keep low end torque.
Off shore brand headers. Cost $200 HP: 5-7 Claim
Air Intake (K&N Cold air system or EVOMS) Cost $500 HP: 6-10 Claim
IPD Plenum Cost $790 HP: 24 Website Claim
GT3 82MM Throttle Body Cost $200 HP: unknown
Under Drive Belt Pulley Cost $ UKN HP: unknown
Counterpoint: If you aren't tracking the car, do you really need extra power? It's pretty rare on the street that you can responsibly open the taps 100% for more than a few seconds without endangering yourself and others and/or risking arrest. So is the difference between 320 hp and 350 really going to affect your enjoyment of the car $2000 worth? Furthermore are you willing to risk decreased reliability by stressing the engine more with some of these mods?
I think the K&N intake is pretty universally frowned upon on here. It pulls in hotter air from inside the engine bay instead of colder air from the spoiler that the stock unit has access to, and it likely has poorer filtration. I think its main advantage is that it makes more noise, but IMO that's better done via exhaust, which it sounds like you already have taken care of.
You'll also get conflicting reports on the underdrive pulley. The main risk I see with that is that you will reduce your coolant circulation. And some of the cheapo pulleys have been known to shear in half, so if you do it, buy a good one.
You'll also get conflicting reports on headers and their merits. There was a thread on here recently discussing the pros and cons of the cheap ones from the land of China vs. ones that would consume almost your entire budget.
Anyway, my point is you might drop $2000 into the car and be disappointed that you can't really feel much of a difference after. Even if you were tracking the car, 30 hp extra would probably only result in tenths of a second gained on lap times. Worth it? That's up to you! Personally I'd rather spend the money on something I can feel or see more readily every day, like suspension, wheels, tires, interior or exterior appearance stuff, etc.
You are not going to get those added HP numbers by stacking parts... unless you dyno tune the car.
And, that can be catastrophic in the wrong tuners hands!
List:
Top Gear 200 Cell Catalytic crossover pipes. Cost $531 HP: 12 to 15 Claim Wanting these over the X-Pipe design so I can keep low end torque.
Off shore brand headers. Cost $200 HP: 5-7 Claim
I am also in the market for a new exhaust, and I have tentatively eliminated X-pipes, partly for the same reason. But if the other exhaust related things in your list provide more hp, wouldn't they also reduce low end torque for the same reason (reduced back pressure)?
I have an like new EVOMS air intake kit for sale for $400.oo shipped. Save you a little money off of that 2k target! PM me if interested, and good luck otherwise.
Counterpoint: If you aren't tracking the car, do you really need extra power? It's pretty rare on the street that you can responsibly open the taps 100% for more than a few seconds without endangering yourself and others and/or risking arrest. So is the difference between 320 hp and 350 really going to affect your enjoyment of the car $2000 worth? Furthermore are you willing to risk decreased reliability by stressing the engine more with some of these mods?
I think the K&N intake is pretty universally frowned upon on here. It pulls in hotter air from inside the engine bay instead of colder air from the spoiler that the stock unit has access to, and it likely has poorer filtration. I think its main advantage is that it makes more noise, but IMO that's better done via exhaust, which it sounds like you already have taken care of.
You'll also get conflicting reports on the underdrive pulley. The main risk I see with that is that you will reduce your coolant circulation. And some of the cheapo pulleys have been known to shear in half, so if you do it, buy a good one.
You'll also get conflicting reports on headers and their merits. There was a thread on here recently discussing the pros and cons of the cheap ones from the land of China vs. ones that would consume almost your entire budget.
Anyway, my point is you might drop $2000 into the car and be disappointed that you can't really feel much of a difference after. Even if you were tracking the car, 30 hp extra would probably only result in tenths of a second gained on lap times. Worth it? That's up to you! Personally I'd rather spend the money on something I can feel or see more readily every day, like suspension, wheels, tires, interior or exterior appearance stuff, etc.
Hello DKraige,
No don't really need extra power. Just want it breath and flow a bit better. Want to hear the PSE system roar a bit. I don't even listen to the radio at times, just the sound of the exhaust is music to my ears. I am going with the 200 Cell catalytic crossover pipes, might find some better mid range headers(any recommendations around $500?) Sticking with an air box from a 997(for aesthetics) with OEM paper air filter and staying away from the under drive pulley. Already purchased the GT3 82mm throttle body and searching for IPD plenum. My 996 air box tabs are broken off, this allows the snorkel to be loose and swings freely. My factory headers after a visual inspection has rust around the nuts and bolts, this is one reason I want to remove and replace. I haven't taken the car pass 5,500 RPM yet. Just drive around the 3-5K range when merging onto the highways. The Oklahoma roads are pretty bad, I am mostly looking out for potholes. Lucky for me, my 10min drive to work is on roads with a lot of curves and twist mostly. Yes, I have set aside monies for other items needing to be replaced as you pointed out like suspension, wheels, tires, interior or exterior appearance stuff (going to replace side markers as previous owner spray painted them black) :/ Thanks for your input, taking your advice on avoiding the K&N, pulley, and sourcing mid range headers.
AnthonyGS, lol no thanks on the nitrous. Im sure you blew up a lot of Hondas with that nitrous in your time.
Nein_11, I did actually give that EVOMS some thought for many months now. I saw your post. Did you do a before and after dyno run?
RS10, yes I am willing to sacrifice a little lost of low end torque. Hoping the IPD plenum + GT3 82mm throttle body will make some back(I don't know) If this set up amplifies the exhaust tone and adds 15-30HP, then I am happy. Most of my OEM parts are broken anyway. 996 airbox tabs are broken, snorkel swings freely. I recently replaced the oil tube, it was throwing a CEL. OEM headers has rusty bolts & nuts. This car came from the east coast. Maybe due to salted roads in the winter.
808Bill, will be looking into this with my Indy. Dyno-ing the vehicle before and after parts installed. They are going to do my wheel alignment after the new suspension components and wheel & tires package install. I will try to follow up with pictures. My greasy hands all over the iphone while working on the vehicle. Going to do install one time over the span of 1-2 weeks. Been gathering a grocery lists of parts over the past months. September weather will be in the 70-80's hopefully, that will be my start date.
Just sit and read the forums for awhile. Do a search for performance mods. It’s all there - whether you like what you read is debatable. $2k isn’t going to get you much except a lighter bank account., but you’re welcome to have at it!
I have the 200 cell cats and they sound nice. Don't change the headers, the Porsche ones are very good.
If I had $2000 for "track mods":
1. Deep sump/x51 oil baffles- all the power mods in the world won't help when you starve your bearings of oil. $500
2. AWD delete. Free
3. entry level bucket racing seat(s) - much lighter than the stock seats. $1500
Now your car is 100 lbs lighter and more durable.
^^+1
HP mods on NA 996s are a waste. Better cats and underdrive pulley are about all that I've seen make the slightest difference on the dyno. Everything else is nearly placebo. For laptimes, a good LSD is one of the top priority after safety and protecting the engine.
08-17-2018, 06:05 PM
2004 Porsche 996 C4S 30HP Challenge with $2,000Budget
