I posted a while back regarding my experience with Fabspeed exhaust (quiet version) and headers from Imagine Auto (Steve Casper).

Original install into a 2008 turbo with no problems.

Then I traded this 08 turbo for a 09 turbo and had the dealer remove from the 08 and install into the 09.

after about 1,000 miles, CEL went on and I brought it back to the dealer. He called Fabspeed and apparently I needed new CATS because the 09 sensors were more sensitive than the 08's. Or I could just do an ECU chip mod. both would cost me well over 1,000.

So, I just figured, get use to the CEL. I was tired of spending money on this car.

About a few weeks ago, the CEL light went OFF. I could not figure out how this happened.

Then it went ON again afte about 1,000 miles or so.

2 days ago, I figured, already 7,500 miles on this 09 and I have not "opened" her up yet.

So, I hit 180+ mph on a long stretch of freeway at about 4am in the morning.

And Voila! CEL went OFF.

Then I thought to myself the last time the CEL went OFF was when I was driving the car pretty hard.

So, the reason for this post is to see if anyone else has had this experience and maybe as a solution for 997 turbo owners with CEL problems associated with exhaust mods.

I will post again if/when the CEL goes ON again.
tx

 

You went 180+ on a public road?

 

997ttt,

I had the same problem on my 07' 997TT (Fabspeed quiet version) and had the CATS replaced once by Lawell Motorsports (Terry the owner of Lawell is an avid porsche and a very competent porsche mechanic. I think he's a board sponsor here as well. You might want to give him a call). It was good for about 4 months and then it happened again when I drove it hard at high speed. I brought it back to Lawell and was told that the turbo hose was loose which caused the cel error.
Car was traded in shortly thereafter so I never got around to address that problem.
Charlie

 

Pick your exhaust wisely, the cats specifically. I believe the new Fabspeed units use different cats that wont trigger a CEL. They will go on and off depending on where the cats operate efficiency wise I would guess and I'd suggest an exhaust fix method vs. covering it up with an ECU 'fix'.

 

08s and 09s are def more sensitive, but I agree fix the exhaust, not the ecu.

 

Im having the same on/off experience, except for me it seems more related to driving in 6th gear, as opposed to driving it hard or not.

Aside from the annoying light on the dash if the CEL is lit up does it really make a difference anywhere?

 

I have the same problem. Sometimes the light gets on/off. I realized that the light only appears when i drive at lower rpm (< 2500rpm) in higher gears for long periods (1/5 of throttle without boost) and turns off when i drive it hard. I will wait for the ecu flash to improve O2 readings tolerance and fix the light issue.

 

The car goes into a semi limp mode when a CEL is triggered to avoid damage, so a CEL ain't a good thing.

 

Cel is only triggered due to the restrict parameters set by Porsche to exhaust emission control. It has nothing to do with engine management or any major failure, or else the car would go into limp mode.

 

I've driven it a few times on the track with the CEL and saw no performance difference.

So it really just is an annoying light at this point?

 

I was told by Mike at A.W.E. that if it's the front O2 sensor causing the CEL then it could hurt performance, but not the rear one. No details beyond that though. The same thing is happening to me with aftermarket exhaust. Sometimes it goes out by itself, but usually not, and my buddy clears it with his scan tool.

 

You what I find strange? Everyone seems to be getting CEL lights and you all are running exhaust systems with high flow cats. I have a local client who has driven a couple thousand miles with the Tubi Race (no cats) without any CEL lights. Then we chipped the car with APR Performance software and never runs anything less than 100 octane and does not have any cat delete software either and has yet to this day with a couple thousand miles on the ecu tune with the exhaust, has NOT gotten one CEL light. This client also only drives his car one way and that is very very hard. As they say, he gets his money's worth

Just my 2 cents.

Also FYI we have isntalled B&B/APR exhaust systems and we have not gotten any CEL lights from those either.

 

Maybe they don't driven enough miles to trigger the cel. It is just a matter of time. The first time it takes more time, but then it will appear more often. Again this only happen when you cruise at speeds bellow 2000rpm in top gear, and i found that with just a top speed run or some hard driving is enough to clear it.

 

I have a speedtech exhaust and the CEL problem went away after adding o2 bung extensions. Took me about 20 minutes to put them on. A floor jack is a must if you DIY.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/UNIVE...Q5fAccessories

 

FWIW, I have on '09tt w/ the Fabspeed sport exhaust version 3. Run it in mixed conditions, no CELs. Hope you get the problem fixed.