Lockdown job on my 986S?

[el 3.2S]

I am now into my second of at least 4 weeks of lockdown. I have been using most of my time fairly wisely and going through my to do list of jobs in the garden, house and on the cars. Today it was raining so I was in the garage and working on the Boxster. Managed to do the repair job to the central glove box lid hinge, took rear wheels off and adjusted the handbrake, fixed a small brake fluid leak from a rear bleed screw, touched up red caliper with paint, cleaned inside rear wheel arches and insides of rear wheels. Am pretty happy with my day's work. 

Now for the next car related job which is a bit more involved and been waiting a whole lot longer than the others. About 1 or 2 years ago I made an impulse purchase from someone who used to be on here. It is a throttle body and intake pipe. I think they are brand new and I believe everything needed is included, to make it kind of plug and play? It is so long ago, I can't remember what difference it will make to my 986S but I recall they cost a bit! Can anyone advise what difference, if any, it will make? Also, can anyone who has fitted similar give any fitting advice, is it a bit of a fiddle?

Pics of said pipe and throttle body:

 

[the baron]

Nice job, keep ups the good work.

[Lonewolfgjp]

I ve done this intake job and it was fiddly but well worth while. The hardest bit is fitting the intake pipe to the air box but if you take your time is do able 👍 Don’t forget when you have it all fitted to do the throttle body reset. Put the key in the ignition and turn it until the lights come on but don’t start the car. Leave it in that position for a minute and then turn it off and remove the key. After that you can start it up and check for any air leaks👌

[el 3.2S]

4 hours ago, the baron said:

Nice job, keep ups the good work.

Thanks, will hopefully keep the momentum going and do the intake job.

4 hours ago, Lonewolfgjp said:

I ve done this intake job and it was fiddly but well worth while. The hardest bit is fitting the intake pipe to the air box but if you take your time is do able 👍 Don’t forget when you have it all fitted to do the throttle body reset. Put the key in the ignition and turn it until the lights come on but don’t start the car. Leave it in that position for a minute and then turn it off and remove the key. After that you can start it up and check for any air leaks👌

Thanks for that and the top tip. The car is not going anywhere anytime soon, so have loads of time to get the job done.

[bally4563]

From memory, I can't see in your kit but you need to reduce down to connect to the MAF, as for performance,not major gains but Bum Dyno, tells you it's a worthwhile job.

[el 3.2S]

1 hour ago, bally4563 said:

From memory, I can't see in your kit but you need to reduce down to connect to the MAF, as for performance,not major gains but Bum Dyno, tells you it's a worthwhile job.

Ok thanks, will try to ensure it will work with what I have, before I start dismantling my engine. I am going with the Bum Dyno on this one.

[Lonewolfgjp]

The maf is connected to the pipe on the air box, so no need to mess with it 👍

[Southy]

I have this on mine, I actually think you lose a little low down torque, but you do get more mid range, this is all bum dyno so probably not worth listening too 

Don't forget get a good sports filter to let that air in quicker.

[½cwt]

Ironically you need a smaller inlet for lower rev intake to get torque so it will suffer, hence the reason you get variable intake or plenum valves that open up a higher revs on many normally aspirated performance engines.  If you live over 3k all the time then its fine, otherwise it will actually be a slight loss in performance....

[el 3.2S]

2 hours ago, Lonewolfgjp said:

The maf is connected to the pipe on the air box, so no need to mess with it 👍

Thanks for that.

2 hours ago, Southy said:

I have this on mine, I actually think you lose a little low down torque, but you do get more mid range, this is all bum dyno so probably not worth listening too 

Don't forget get a good sports filter to let that air in quicker.

Sounds positive.

1 hour ago, ½cwt said:

Ironically you need a smaller inlet for lower rev intake to get torque so it will suffer, hence the reason you get variable intake or plenum valves that open up a higher revs on many normally aspirated performance engines.  If you live over 3k all the time then its fine, otherwise it will actually be a slight loss in performance....

Hmmm that is a bit of a spanner in the works, as likely more often under 3000rpm than over it. Will collect ny BoXa card on the way out.

[Menoporsche]

Possible to fit 987 airbox like the 550 Anni?

[½cwt]

2 hours ago, el 3.2S said:

Hmmm that is a bit of a spanner in the works, as likely more often under 3000rpm than over it. Will collect ny BoXa card on the way out.

Life is full of compromises.  I'm not sure you'll lose a lot with the upgrade kit, just as a dyno might not say you gain a lot at the top, but an interesting project to do.  You might just want to make sure it is reversible in case you don't like it.

[½cwt]

58 minutes ago, Menoporsche said:

Possible to fit 987 airbox like the 550 Anni?

I'm rled to believe that air box out of a 986, unless you sacrifice it, is injection system off and possibly inlet manifolds out on the left bank.

[bally4563]

Done the 987 air box mod on a 986 , would I do it again ......two years later you can still see the scars!!

Anyway if you are doing the 73mm TB you need to reduce down to connect on the MAF, from memory also if you fit the 987 air box you need to keep the MAF from the 986, runs like dog otherwise.( stand to be corrected ,was a while ago)

[naim22]

If wanting run the 987 airbox , If your car is running Bosch ME 7.8 DME you can flash the 550 Anniversary software and calibration, the 550 has the larger MAF housing (ID 86mm) from the factory as it is built with a 987 airbox

If running Bosch ME 7.2 DME then you can run the 3.4 996 software and calibration, as the 996 3.4 also uses the 86mm ID MAF housing if wanting to run the 987 airbox

I guess it would be possible to use the 986 MAF housing inline without flashing the DME but I am not sure if this would be counterproductive as it would be an additional restriction in the system over both a standard system or a 987 style system

Simply using the 987 MAF housing without a flash will cause the mass flow rate to be incorrectly calculated as the cross sectional area is needed to do so. 

If retaining the 986 airbox,  this modification could cause torque to drop slightly at certain rev ranges. This is because by design the intake narrows in diameter as it gets closer to the TB, which  reduces the pressure and this allows the cylinders to fill with air more easily as this intake design actually helps to force more air into the manifold by having a delta P across the intake pipe

Unless increasing the size of the bore at the airbox end (ie 987 airbox) then this effect is reduced slightly as there is less narrowing from the airbox to the larger TB

However this reduced diameter also acts as a flow restrictor. Removal of this restriction should help to increase the mass flow rate as it is a function of cross sectional area. 

It's something I have been interested on doing to my car, although I'm not convinced fully of the benefits yet. I want to get a better understanding of the gas path and how the air charge would be affected before doing so

[Lonewolfgjp]

These are all valued points but personally I would go for it. You’ve got all the kit and plenty of time, try it if you’re don’t like it you can easily swap it back. 

 I don’t remember loosing any low down torque but if I did it must have been negligible as I’m not a particularly fast driver. I noticed a lot response in the mid to top range and it s all most worth doing it just for the induction noise.

You will need to add a performance air filter, when the curfew lifts👍