Joe@Fabspeed

Hi Dennis....Joe @ Fabspeed Motorsport. Not looking forward to CLUB racing your 996 in 2002! If results vary.......you have to return your Fabspeed performance products. Just see the "fine print"! LOL

Just wanted to add some background information regarding our 996 cold-air hiperformance upgrade kit for the 996 stock airbox.

The 3 part kits definetely- without any doubt- add significant horsepower and sportscar sound to all 996s.

The Fabspeed cold airupgrade kit acts to increase flow by 25% thru any 996 OEM Porsche stock air intake system by utilizing 3 engineered parts that are completely logical.

1ST- replacing the 996 airboxes internal muffler adds 1.5liters more air to the "clean side" of the 996 airbox and allows the engine to "suck" air across the entire topside of the airbox not just from the right side. This carbon fiber style part is a key component and eliminates the Porsche intake muffler THAT doesnt allow airflow from the left side of the top airbox section. Proof: look how the airfilter doesnt get dirty on the left side/drivers side that means no air is passing by that area OR it would get dirty. So in a bone stock configuration each and every 996 engine sucks air from the RIGHT side of the airbox only. With Fabspeed cold-air upgrade the entire top clean portion of the airbox allows the engine immediately access to a much greater volume for amazing throttle response and more power.

2ND- The stock 996 intake hose is corrugated internally with several distinct internal ridges and with a side tube branching out for the muffler. These are non smooth protuberances that create boundary layer separation and disturbances that inhibit maximum potential airflow & velocity for the 996 engine.

The Fabspeed solution is a 996 intake tube that is 4 ply silicone rubber that is SMOOTH inside to get maximum flow acheived from the airbox outlet to the throttle body. The Fabspeed tube is more rigid than stock so even at 7000+RPM the hose can not cave in atall under vacuum. Its better than stock by design for high RPM vacuum loads exacerbated by freeflow exhaust as well I might add.
Fabspeed offers the silicone tube in super shiny RED aka motorsport "big red" style.

Aa compared to competitors 996 intake systems the Fabspeed airintake tube is a ONE piece design not an inferior 3 piece design plastic or metal piece of pipe with 2 extra pieces of hose at both ends with 4 extra band clamps.....all these competitors solutions & parts will create internal ridges and boundry layer separation that do not maximize flow. Competitors like RM racing also just plug the muffler hole from on top and dont eliminate 996 muffler nor add the last MAF intake ring.

3RD- component of the kit is the carbon fiber MASS AIR RING

THis part replaces the 996 airboxes mass air flow screen with our contoured slip in ring that adds over 35% better flow at the vital air intake point for all 996s. This piece acts like a intake horn you would see on any racecar from F1 to FIA GT...it makes the mass air area like an intake trumpet funnel with a maximized rolled edge so airflow is smooth as silk. It is design to snap in place and not come out and has not failed in tests. But if you want to....a couple dabs of clear nail polish, clear GE silicone, or model cement will secure it well.

Fabspeed has not had the opportunity to personally DYNO test the system on a customers 996 as the 2 local customers would not permit their 996s to be dynoed. One other customer is very cool BUT has a 996 C4 .......so we couldnt dyno as its all wheel drive and virtually 99.99% of the chassis dynos in the USA are 2 wheel drive only.

We are receiving DYNO results from several sources (Racers Group in California & others) as I write is among several. Racers Group informed us that they added 35-39HP to a 996 with Fabspeed: headers, maxflow mufflers, BMC F1 airfilter, Coldair upgrade, and Piggyback CHIP program custom dyno tuned for the 996. Also just by the seta of my pants and several other people you can feel the 996 is stronger. Feeling anything in your butt--- typically means that 8-12HP has been gained. If you can feel it versus stock.... it is significant.

Other background- these parts we have supplied make sense in old and modern terms of adding horsepower/hotrodding any car.
For years better airflow through any intake system adds power and reducing backpressure of a stock exhaust system adds power. Tuners try to maximize both sides synergistically and then tune it for maximum power!

For example the 2001 Corvette Z06 had 385HP and for 2002 the Z06 was upto 405HP. GM powertrain engineers have quoted the total gain of +20HP are in eliminating the PRECATS (+5HP) and then eliminating the MAF screen and improving flow capacity through the Corvette airbox (remaining +15HP).

Friends if you run an airfilter you dont need MAF screens as they arent there to "straighten" the airflow. They are provided as safeguards by automanufacturers incase you are ignorant there) and remove the airfilter to protect the engine from ingesting leaves and big foreign objects. Everyone that runs an airfilter doesnt need maf screens on their 996 or most any other car they own!

Installation instructions come with all Fabspeed 996 airintake kits. The Fabspeed 996 cold airupgrade kit takes less than 30 minutes to install and requires a philipps screwdriver. Numerous detailed photos of stock 996 airbox parts V Fabspeed and systems installed on 996s. Have a great holiday and Dennis hopefully I wont have to send a call tag after the 2002 Lime Rock race! Happy Holidays to everyone.
Fabspeed website --performance for the next millenium

Dennis

Hey, I could make a similar argument with ripping the baffles out of a muffler! Anyone want to bet their 401K money that this would produce more power? I thought not. No dyno results=GAMBLE. No matter how good the theory looks on paper.

Yeah, If I dont win every race, I am returning all the parts and selling the car, LOL.

996 MGF

RESULTS IN FROM RACER GROUP DYNO TUNING!

I had my 996 at the Racer Group yesterday. I already had installed Fabspeed exhaust, Fabspeed intake, BMC filter, and Autothority chip. I was there for the Program computer upgrade and some suspension mods. I was amazed at the degree of programming capability of the Program system. We spent ~ 3 hours on the dyno performing pre and post runs. Fuel ratio, timing and other parameters can be tuned at any RPM/load ratio for your particular vehicle. You can see the immediate impact of the changes in the HP reading of the dyno, therefore HP can be maximized at any seeting. No "fixed" chip can offer you this level of performance.

My going in HP with the upgrades installed above was ~ 325 HP (engine). With just the install of the Program computer we added 24 more HP at the largest gain. >20 HP was added in the range from 4800 to redline. That puts max HP at < 350 with the upgrades noted. BTW - this translates to a rear wheel HP of ~ 270.

Additional notes: I had been having problems with the engine light coming on with various intake systems I've tried in the past. Tony at RG found that the Autothority chip was "tuned" way too rich and the Fabspeed intake which delivers more air was actually calling for addional fuel on top of the Autothority curves, hence the fuel/air ratio was way off in midband. We actually decreased fuel % to arrive at max HP.

hubec

I posted this previously in another thread, if you didn't see it there check it out here:

I own a '01 996 C2 coupe - I just installed mine today AND I ran with the G-Tech before and after. I entered 3150lbs as my car's weight and made all runs in 2nd gear from 2000rpm to redline. On the same (relatively) flat road. Note: I did NOT reset the ECU. I was also periodically getting wheel spin even in 2nd (I have winter tires on).

Pre Fabspeed air...
Date time: 01-12-15 14:22
Engine temp: 92
Fuel load 70%
Temp: -2c
HP results: 255, 256, 275, 256, 262, 270
Average HP, (less 2 lowest): 266

Post Fabspeed air...
Date time: 01-12-15 16:12
Engine temp: 92
Fuel load 65%
Temp: -5c
HP results: 256, 268, 272, 270, 267, 253, 275
Average HP, (less 2 lowest): 270

So, what does the above tell us? Well first off it shows that a G-Tech is a piece of crap. We can't really conclude wether the kit helps, it doesn't seem to hurt. Of course results may be more decisive when the ECU gets a chance to learn the kit.

General comments on the kit: Easy to install, as long as you take a few minutes to work out how the various components slip appart. The MAF replacement ring didn't fit perfectly, it would need some trimming and glueing if you were to install it. I didn't install it because it's obvious it doesn't really do anything. If you were really serious about "smoothing the airflow" you could just take a dremel to the outer lip and continue the curve already there (you'll see what I mean when you install the kit).

Removing the two MAF screens may have a bit more consequence than Joe stated. It's possible for the air filter to break apart, in which case the open MAF/Throttle would allow the bits to get sucked into the engine. It's also possible for the airbox itself to break apart, or for the screws in the airbox to fall out. Personally I took the chance and removed both screens as I believe this is the largest gain offered by the kit (Of course I could have done that without the kit...).

If you already have a sport exhaust the noise difference isn't very noticable. You just get a hissing-wind type of sound in the second half of the rev-band. I was naively hoping for a cool intake honk or rasp, but this is better than nothing.

996FLT6

With reference to MKW sounds like a very good idea to seal the holes of the hot air portion. My question is where are they located and how do u go about sealing it. I would like to try it and see if there is a difference. Take care. MIke

MKW

when you remove the air filter, the lower half of the air box pulls right off after removing the single bolt . The hot air intake is an area the size of 1.5 playing cards with about a hundred tiny holes and the lower right . I just cut a piece of black ABS plastic from TAP plastics that matched that area and attached with some stainless #8 3/4" bolts and nylock nuts through 5 of those holes. Simple and secure.

996FLT6

Thanks MKW. Another question did u notice a difference compared to not doing that at all with blocking off the hot air intake? Thanks. mike

MKW

I did everything at the same time , including the BMC.

SICAONE

I drove to Fabspeed's shop today and picked it up. It took about a half hour to install. The smoothing ring popped right in but just in case(from previous posts), I applied some clear nail polish to assure it stays. I noticed the hot air holes that people have been talking about covering. I left it alone. It seems that Porsche put it there for a reason. One idea is that if too much water gets into the intake, it drains through these holes. The holes themselves are also very small that I don't think that it would cause too much of a difference in intake temperature. Air is sucked more efficiently through the path of least resistance, hence the big tube that Porsche uses as the intake. I notice a difference in sound at high RPMs'(above 4500) in gears 3,4, and 5. It does feel quicker at these engine speeds but I have no way to formally test it.

MKW

The air box bottom half HAS separate water drain holes . Also , I had noticed the oily , black dirt pattern on my old paper air filter matched the hot air holes exactly -the rest of the filter was very clean- so I assume it does draw quite a bit of air , since that area is directly under the MAF horn intake area .

BretC in SD - 996C2

Joe @ Fabspeed...A Question?? What is your position/recommendation on the holes at the bottom that everyone is talking about covering to stop the hot air intake?

And any dyno charts you can post yet?

Thanks,
Bret

Joe@Fabspeed

Hi Guys...in my opinion......I would say its perfectly fine to seal up the grid of holes in the rightside bottom pan of the 996 airbox. They are only there so that incase of a absolute monsoon or deluge.....the airbox has these area of holes so rainwater can drain out. Porsche has to worry about freakish potential warranty issues due to acts of GOD ...like 10" of rain during a Hurricane. Porcshe wouldnt have added these holes if the 996 airbox was "designed like a snorkle" to suck cold air vertically outside the engine compartment. Its a well designed airbox.....Porsche had to make it foolproof and thereby added holes so water could escape.


If I had a 996 I would just stop off at HOME DEPOT and get a $3.50 tube of GE black silicone chaulk and seal everything EXCEPT 1-2 holes. This way water can still get out when I wash the car or during a spring thunderstorm. All any engine wants is lots of cold fast moving unobstructed airflow.

I am still waiting for the Racers Group to send me DYNO results as well as several others sources. If anyone would like to come down in their 2002 996 for a dyno test I would offer a free exhaust install and coldairupgrade kit installation if you would do a dyno test. Thanks

MKW

The oem outside cold air snorkel empties into the lowest part of the air box's bottom tray. The bottom of that tray is slanted from both ends and meets at a valley on the center left side where a drain hole exists. The "hot air " grid of holes on the right side is terraced two levels ( about 2-3") higher . You would need to pour several gallons of water to get up to those holes at a fill rate faster than the drain hole can handle . If water came in at a rate that could fill that volume, no way would those " hot air" holes empty it fast enough , IMO! At that point, the filter would be water logged , as it is only a fraction of an inch above those latter holes .

Joe@Fabspeed

MKW....you looked at it better than I did. Then perhaps a simple 1/4" hole uder the inlet snorkle elbow will be the best way to get rid of any water and then block off the right side hot-air holes. Have a great weekend.
joe @ Fabspeed Motorsport