The 996TT/GT2 are great cars but compared to the later generation 997TT/GT2 wide body cars, the 996s have a less than ideal intercooler inlet design which is very flush with the body of the car compared to the later cars where the inlets are mounted more on the "hips" of the car and thus provide a greater ram air effect from the incoming air. This is even more pronounced on the 991TT/GT3RS.

As a result, I am currently working with Joe Toth on a project to produce a set of intercooler inlet ducts which would aid in channeling more air to the intercoolers thereby lowering IATs. Realize that this is not a cosmetic product but rather a functional one as it doesn't matter how good your intercoolers are if you can't get enough cooling air flow to them. Currently the only company that is making such a product is Manthey in Germany. I have discussed their inlets with them and they have a viable product (about $1100) which has proved to lower IATs by 9-14F in a wind tunnel at Weissach. It is rather expensive with long lead-times as it is not an on the shelf product. After looking at other options, I contacted Joe who manufactures front bumper dive planes for the 996/7 GT2/3. I am using his dive plane and the quality is superb. We discussed this, looked at various options, and Joe has agreed to undertake the project of producing more prominent inlets very similar to the ones that have been added to the new GT4.

These OEM GT4 inlets are pictured below and attach to the body of the GT4 with some double sided tape as is done with the 997GT3 4.0 dive planes. On the 996TT/GT2, in a similar fashion, the GT4 style inlets would attach to the OEM inlets with high strength 3M double sided tape or people cold attach them with other more permanent means if they wanted to drill onto the plastic OEM inlets. . Just like on the GT4, for an OEM look, the inlets would follow the flat outer edge of the OEM 996TT ones and if they were shaped basically like the GT4 pieces than that would look great in my opinion. Not only that, but they would be very functional. Joe makes his dive planes out of a composite material or CF and the inlets could be made out of the same material and obviously painter body color if one were so inclined.

As it stands right now, I've been emailing with 32Krazy and he's been kind enough to agree to send Joe a set of the OEM 996TT inlets (from his roller car) so that Joe could use them as templates to make the GT4 styled inlets. What Joe wanted me to do is to put up a thread regarding this project so he could get a feel for the amount of people that would be interested in the inlets which in turn would give him an idea on a pricing structure so that he could recoup his tooling investment. I have no idea what the price of the inlets would be as I can't speak for Joe but anywhere in the $400-$600 range for a pair would be realistic. Depending on demand and type of material used, might be more, might be less. I think Joe could get some prototypes out in a month or so and I could do preliminary testing as I have good IAT data on my car from my local track. Thanks for reading this and please chime in if interested.

GT4 inlets (On the 996TT/GT2 the shape would not be as elongated but more "round" as that is the shape of the OEM inlets)

[url=https://flic.kr/p/w9LrbF]

 

Subbed.

 

It would be nice to have some inlets that kind of "Scoop" in more air from the stream which normally passes over the intercooler opening.

I think some of what draws air into the intercooler ducting is the air passing across the exit holes in the rear bumper. That has to create some sort of venturi or "sucking" effect from the lowered pressure, drawing in air.

Subbed

 

I'm subbed too!...I've been following this idea since you had been talking about this. Glad to see it's moving along to perhaps getting into our hands soon.

I'm guessing these would prove beneficial for anything from a stock car up to the big builds. Even just cars with a tune would likely benefit since those are heating up the air a bit more and going through stock IC's. Will be interesting to see real world results.

 

Great idea and the perfect guy to make them! I have Joe's splitter and dive planes, great quality and really make a difference on the track. I'd be interested in a pair, Florida track temps get pretty steamy. Great thread Pwdrhound!! +1

 

i understand the concept and hope it works for everyone. heres my question. since theres all sorts of room under the i/c at the bottom back why not install a puller fan to draw air thru the i/c? fans are cheap its hidden out of the way and no worry about matching paint on the older car

( will joe have 996tt made in the piece? )

 

idea is not to bad....1kg per side maybe connected with the fan under the engine hood

 

Im interested in these as long as the data stacks up but as for attaching with tape!!! I cannot see that happening on a car capable of hitting 200mph, I think they will need to be permanently attached to the stock vents.

 

probably won't work with engine fan since it doesn't run when the car is in motion. its more designed to pull heat once the motor is turned off. simple on/off switch is all thats needed. flip when you start the road course flip it off when does. or have the proefi run them based on iat temps

 

I have a pair of 996 tt ducts laying here just gathering dust (till I can get my butt in gear and put them on eBay or something). If 32Krazy does not want to pull the ducts of a car that is still in one piece (at least body-wise), I'd be willing to send mine over - not that expensive and they'd be there in a week to ten days. They can go on US ebay afterwards. Maybe I'd even get more for them LOL

As for fans: the amount of air moved by even very large, powerful fans is actually very little when compared to the flow of air produced by driving. In a regular front engined vehicle, in general all fans are just along for the ride as of around 30mph (the exact speed obviously varies from vehicle to vehicle depending on a multitude factors). I'd venture a guess that a fan so powerful that it would actually increase air flow over stock at say 50mph and above would never fit in the confines surrounding the IC or ducting in a 996.

 

Or just use a temp sender in the Y pipe all time its over Xdegrees and ign on the fans run!!!

 

Yes but it may help with heat soaking in town/pairing lanes etc.

 

subbed and in for a set.

 

That is quite possible, though I have a hard time imagining it would help anyone except drag racers; if you're in traffic or around town you will not be on boost and not be heating the ICs. And once you start rolling, even higher temps would drop in seconds once the flow of air increases.

Drag racers on the other hand, heating the tires, reversing, staging... It's quite conceivable that by the time IC temps drop it'd all be over

 

mine are still on the car . i was a bit concerned about pulling them off but john has been a great help to me and the other members on here so i was willing to try. if you want to send yours I'm fine with that. as long as john and joe get what they need . ask john and what ever he wants is fine with me.