As I plan next mods after upgrading electronics - brief look around shows that there are 3 major versions for CAI selection - Fabspeed, K&N 57 series, EVO MS V-flow.

Strictly from visual perspective EVO unit seems like most intelligently designed one. K&N from other perspective is claimed to give maximum power boost. Could anybody comment on those matters?

I called Paragon and they say Evo kit is backordered up to 4 weeks but K&N is available. But I assumed K&N was designed for 996 - do they actually have a model that fits 997?

Also, have anybody done ECU softronic reflash in combination with CAI install and if you did it consequently - do you have any dyno numbers to illustrate resulting consequent effect of those mods?

 

A CAI will not give you any noticeable gains, they will change the sound of the exhaust. I have the Evo and it sounds good, but would I spend the $500 on it...no (it was on my first car when I bought it). The best looking unit is OEM X51 intake, but it is very expensive and you need to do some cutting.

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/me...=CarreraSSport

 

It`s same issue I was wondering to see comments on here - if anybody actually took dyno runs prior and post CAI installs.

Vortex intake design is actually supposed to improve performance a bit on high revs, at least it seems to work so on other car brands, so I wonder how it actually does work on Porsches which do have pretty good stock air intake system to begin with. Realistically speaking I was also a bit puzzled where could 20 extra horses come from, just from looking at K&N design, but figured, heck, who knows. Miracles do happen sometimes, but it seemed to good to be true to me. Seemed like too much gain from changing such a minor detail.

 

I have Headers, Hi Flow Cats, and the Evo Intake. I think that maybe combined I am getting 20 hp, but the car does rev smoother and a quicker then a stock one. The hp game can be a funny one, would you buy a CAI if they claimed 1-2 hp? so they find a point that it gains 10hp and then stake there claim on that point. The Max hp may only increase by 1-2, but at 3000 rpm it might have gained 10...

 

Your situation is different a bit - you have C2S so your stock exhaust was not quite optimized for your engine so your aftermarket headers and cats would really help it to breath a bit perhaps. On my stock C2 exhaust and engine are well balanced so I do not think it will make much practical power boost to mod exhaust in any other way than putting straight pipes and that would be way too aggressive and loud for my car.

As usual with mods the only way to know for sure if to dyno it, thinking about numbers does not help much. So I assume you did not run it on dyno after adding each other component? It`s OK if not, I am just curious.

What made you to choose EVO over K&N BTW?

 

Its just odd - I assume K&N could fit 996 only but here

http://www.vividracing.com/catalog/k...7-p-24313.html

they claim it fits all recent 997 as well. Hmm. How come?

 

EVOMS all the way

Engineered utilizing state of the art CAD CAM 3D modeling, CNC machining, computer controlled Superflow air flow testing, rotational molding, injection molding and countless man hours, these systems represent the apex of air induction technologies. All of our systems install in the factory location and utilize the OEM “ram air” fresh air ducts for lower air intake temperatures and added power. Additionally, our systems also incorporate a custom cotton air filter and a 6” injection molded Venturi that acts as a vacuum for cold-air. All these components work together to create the most powerful Porsche air intake systems on the market today. Our intake is being utilized by almost every Porsche 997 participating in the Grand AM Cup GS series due to its consistent and reliable power gains. These race teams require real results and rely on the benefits of our intake system for their race cars. +10-12 HP & +10-12 TQ

-State-of-the-art CAD CAM 3D modeling. -CNC machining. -Computer controlled Superflow air flow testing. -Installs in the factory location. -Utilizes the OEM “ram air” fresh air ducts. -Utilizes a 6” injection molded Venturi that acts as a vacuum for cold-air.



Please pm me for special 6speedonline specials.

 

That is the first time I have heard that the OEM exhaust is more optimized for the Non S then the S. I think that the results for the 3.6 would be about the same as the 3.8, but I am far from an expert.

As for the intake, it was on my first 997 and I swapped it out to the new one. Doesn't do much but make some cool noise!

 

Thanks, will PM you, but what would you comment on K&N design and their claims to boost 23HP at 5500rpm?

I wish it could be possible to find any sort of independent reviews on any of those products. It does not make research process any easier just to navigate from one manufacturer ad to another...

 

The way I understand mechanics of exhaust - in C2S engine got bigger displacement but was left with pretty much same original C2 exhaust. Which was designed and computed originally for 3.6 displacement engine, so adding aftermarket parts you improve gas flow a bit and it helps, but for 3.6 engine those improvements aren`t really required so it does not result in any significant power gains. At least that is what I learned so far from researching different dyno charts on those mod parts.

As of noise alone, well, I do not care much for it. What I really want is to get better torque in mid-range RPMs. As I rendered exhaust out of the picture all options I have now are - ECU reflash, light flywheel and CAI. CAI is a simplest one to do so, will see where will it go.

 

I am sure that K&N have some dyno results that show that there system generated another 23 hp over stock, but I really doubt it. The difference between the 3.6 and the 3.8 is 30hp, and a filter will make that up, NFL!

The best research is the ask those that have tried things, I have stuff on my car that I wouldn't do again, the CAI is one of them.

I also don't have a Plenum or an ECU Flash, but those are for other discussions.

 

to me it seems they may have tried to run stock one with closed engine compartment and for K&N run they could open it up and put a powerful blower right into it, so it will easy do 20HP gain with this setup, but, well, to assume such a cheating by default is a bit too much perhaps.

 

It's magic

 

What I`m really concerned about - those custom vortex filters are quite inferior to regular stock ones so essentially you get a bit better air flow by cost of pumping much more dirt into your engine.

May be I will just do ECU alone after all that. Need to research of that softronic ECU reflash ever resulted in any consequences to engine itself.

 

Start with Hi Flow Cats and Headers, they will really open up your engine.

If you want a really nice mod, do a LWFW. I installed one in December, I pull on 996TT on the track all the time. and I am giving up about 100 hp to them.