RollingArt

I got the X51 airbox installed last weekend. It was all done except for the second air intake cut out in the engine lid. Had it all laid out, ready to make the hole and was having second thoughts about cutting into my pristine car. I got over that on Wed and made the cut. Very happy with the finished product and it adds a bit more bark to the intake.


I installed the headers about six months ago, along with 200 cell sport cats and fvd mufflers that I purchased from Carrera Mike here on the list. This exhaust set up sounds fantastic. WAY better than than the stock PSE that came on the car. Not many owners change out their PSE mufflers. I was only going to try them as an experiment and figured I'd eventually go back to the PSE, but I just love the finished product I ended up with. Freeway cruising is very quiet. Almost stock sounding with zero drone. The volume doesn't really increase much until about half throttle or so. Did I mention I love this set up?

I still have the X-51 throttle body and intake manifolds to install to finish my project. That will be a bit more involved and take some time. After that, for the icing on the cake, I'll do a Softronic flash on the computer that will be optimized for these upgrades. This is going to be good!


Pics:

1) Side by side comparison of standard 997.1 box and X-51 box. Besides having a second cold air intake and less internal restrictions, it also has about 50% more volume to it, an important aspect of a performance intake.

2) The stock airbox before removal.

3) X-51 box installed.

4) Ultimate 997.1 exhaust setup. IMHO (I know there are other great exhausts available.)


My next thread will be a poll. I need to get input from you guys to see if you think it would be a good idea for me to "floor it" with this setup or just keep it mellow!




C-YA, I'm going for a spin,
Phil

Skibum

Looks awesome!

Aren't those support clamps to the inside of the muffler coupling on backwards?
(I think the "accordion" part goes around the pipe.)

RollingArt

Now that you mention it, it did come with the accordion over the pipe. Didn't seem to make any difference on the install, but I'll roll them around the other way later today for the heck of it. It will only take a minute. Thanks for the note!





Phil

akw

Nice work! Looks great. I've been thinking about doing the X51 headers to go with my PSE.

Edgy01

Beautiful job! A much fuller engine bay now! And a color-coordinated coolant cap!

alexb76

You should have done a dyno before/after! Too late now I guess.

RollingArt

Hey, thanks guys.

Go for the x51 headers akw. Easy and rewarding project. Porsche seems to have done their homework on these. Think this design is known to make the best power. Always a good foundation for future mods like the ones I'm doing. And looks so much better than the cobbed looking stock headers. Regular Carreras have nicer headers that look like these, in a smaller diameter.

I haven't tried the headers with the PSE. That's the setup Edgy01 has, maybe Dan will chime in on that combo.





Phil

RollingArt

Yeah I know. It would be very interesting to see the numbers. Just that besides being a hassle to get it done 2-3 times, I'm just not crazy about subjecting my car to the dyno runs. Told myself before I started that I didn't need to see the numbers, but the rear tires seem to be running out of grip much more easily now. Kind of makes me want to see the numbers now.

Maybe I'll find someone with a stock S that I can do roll-ons with to see what's up.






Phil

Zeus993

Looks fantastic. How many hours for the complete set up... Headers to X51 box?
Joel

slicky rick

brother it seems you have a 997.2 so the headers might really be of benefit. Did you feel any loss in low end torque like most of the 997.1 owners felt when they to x51. I was thinking that the x51 would be better suited for the 997.2 for the increase norsepower of the di engine. i, for one, will not sacrifice low end torque as i do lot of city driving for my car so torque in the lower range is benefitial... one of the benefits of the power kit- torque in the low to mid range.

Edgy01

The sound coming from a stock 3.8 with the X51 headers and PSE is great!

Love to be able to afford a nice CF airbox like Phil has someday!

Phil--did you add the center cooler as well?

Skibum

You really ought to consider Cats, Dan.
Tastes great AND less filling.

RollingArt

I've never heard a 997 owner with the x51 headers complain of a low end torque loss. My car FEELS stronger everywhere. I can see the theoretical possibility of a torque loss, but if there is one, it's nothing I can notice. (see, I should have done the dyno runs) I know cat bypass pipes will lose torque. These motors are designed to have some back pressure in the exhaust. Even the Cup cars run high flow cats.

Either way, all the excitement happens up higher in the rev range. I want to let it breath and do it's thing.

I would like to hear the x51 header - PSE combo. I may be missing out on something here!

Haven't added the middle radiator. I may in the future, but so far I've never seen my temp gauge go over 175*. I will be adding the low temp thermostat. That sounds like a great idea for these motors and their known issues.






Phil

Edgy01

Recall that the water temperature gauge is dumbed down. All you will ever see normally is about 175ºF. ONLY when it gets really hot will it suddenly spike up past the 175 point. By then, it could be too late.

yvesvidal

And what was the cost of the operation: Cost of the air box and cost of the headers?

Thanks
Yves