ashtonw24

I'm the owner of a 2000 Boxster. It's the Tiptronic tranny and has only 80k miles on it. I've gone ahead with the purchase of a Maxflo exhaust system from fabspeed motorsports and also purchased their cold air intake system. I'm mainly looking for a good bit more sound and power, but don't know if it's worth the money to get an ECU and what benefits they provide for a non turbo car. As i'm an active duty Marine, options are mostly cost decided. Any advice is appreciated on what else to do with my baby

Semper Fidelis

Byprodriver

Welcome to the forum & thank you for your service for our country. These engines are fairly well tuned when new. You have done pretty much all you can with the good parts you have chosen. The only other part that will give you a bolt-on power increase is a 4" underdrive crankshaft pulley. It will make a noticeable difference in acceleration. Beyond that you need a bigger engine & or manual trans. (Tiptronic has about 5% more power loss drag than manual)

Semper fi

ashtonw24

Thanks a ton for the advice. I'll start doing some search into getting that upgrade and hope i win the lottery. Greatly appreciate your help!

Audi Junkie

Do a good intake cleaning with some carb spray.

ashtonw24

Thanks...i'll definitley have that done

Macster

Why?

Based on what evidence the intake needs cleaning?

Do you really want to risk washing the oil film off the cylinder walls of your engine for some shade tree mechanic "tune up" operation?

If you are concerned about engine, fuel system, intake and other items that may have collected deposits that could affect engine performance, run a bottle or two of Techron through the engine (via adding the Techron to the gas tank prior to a fill up) following directions on the bottle.

When the gas tank with the last bottle of Techron gets down to say 1/4 a tank change the oil/filter.

Done.

ashtonw24

Thanks...I'll talk with the guy taking care of her and see what he thinks. Appreciate the advice

terbiumactivated

Chevron techron is a fuel system cleaner, I'm unclear on how changing the oil filter after using techron does anything, fuel filter maybe but oil filter? I would think any particulate (not likely) flushed into the cylinders is going to get burned up in combustion.

It sounds like your car runs well, you said you want more sound and already have a maxflow muffler. Make sure the cold intake you purchased doesn't destroy the stock airbox otherwise the actual intake temperature might be higher. Many 986 guys have modified the stock box to accept a custom intake but to remain in place, functioning by use of a added plexiglass piece, do a search or ask around for someone who has modded the intake. If you don't see one here try 986forum, one guy there did an exceptional fabricating job with photos and write up, well worth finding before you mod the airbox. If you decide to remove the entire airbox, many have said it's not possible without breaking said box, no going back so do that homework.

If you really want a bit more performance with an easy mod the underpulley is a good get for a 986, if you go this route get the RSS pulley which is more robustly made than some of the other brands. You can also add a bit of power and sound by changing the stock exhaust headers, know this, the bolts that hold the stock headers are prone to snapping off which makes an otherwise easy mod into a titanium bit seeking hell, if you get headers, slather the bolts with penetrant for a few days before you even begin, plan on headers making it loud with the top up, best of luck and thank you for your service.

Macster

Techron has two phases of action: liquid and vapor.

IOWs Techron a portion of Techron is formulated to remain liquid as part of its cleaning operation. The other portion is formulated to to turn into a vapor when it comes in contact with hot surfaces. (This has a similar effect to water when introduced into the chamber the water droplets flashing to steam and helping to remove deposits.)

In both phases of operation the Techron can contaminate the engine oil and diluting the engine oil which is not a good thing.

Additionally the combustion camber deposits removed by Techron and that are dissolved into the Techron that makes it into the engine oil contain compounds that form acids in the oil.

After using Techron draining the oil and changing the filter and of course refilling the engine with fresh oil removes the diluted and acidic oil.

As for the fuel filter...

Unless the car has been left sitting a long time to the point the fuel in the fuel lines has congealed or dried out there is no need to worry about the fuel filter. In the above case there would be a lot more to worry about than just the fuel filter. I came across one car (a 993 Turbo S) that had sat 3 years unused and it required (I was told) a new fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel lines, fuel injector replacement to resurrect it from being left idle for so long. (I do not recall if the tank had to be replaced too or just cleaned out.)

As long as the car is used, driven at reasonable intervals, the fuel system is self cleaning and a bottle or two of Techron will not result in any significant impact on the fuel filter.

The intake valves, fuel injector tips, combustion chamber surfaces, exhaust valves, O2 sensors, and converters are self cleaning too to a point, but often vehicles do not get driven long enough that this self cleaning takes place.

For instance even though I drive 30 miles to and then back again from work at mostly freeway speeds when I take a longer drive of around 50+ miles towards the end I can feel the engine running better. This is to me some indication that deposits have been removed burned away from the longer drive.

For those that can't or won't drive longer distances every once in a while, the named items and their surfaces can and do accumulate deposits and for these Techron can help remove the deposits.

But Techron -- from the bottle -- should not be used too often. At most I use it every 2 years in my cars an oil change or two prior to having my cars smog checked. And even then I have not adhered to this every two years religiously. Given the driving I do the engines just do not require this chemical treatment.

terbiumactivated

Wow no wonder it's named Techron! It's Technical, thanks for the explanation, I used it once in my 944 noticed no change whatsoever.

gfl

You are right on when you say "for a non turbo car". Chips do precious little for non-turbo cars. What you might look into is the technotorque from "pedro's garage" - he's a solid engineer and a stand-up guy.

Check it out.

I personally dont throw money at the power side of these cars. You spend a lot and get a little. Handling can be really improved, albeit at a cost in NVH.

Grant