I am considering the new Borla exhaust for 997S and would like to install it myself. I need a way to lift up the back end so I can do the work. A set of ramps seems like the easiest way to me. Anyone have experience and can make a recommendation for some good ones?

 

Rhino ramps work great! Used them for my X51 header's install!!

 

I looked at the rhino ramp website and these look good. Did you buy them locally or on the web? Where?

 

Autozone!!

 

Sure enough I found them on the autozone website. I will have to check out my local autozone tomorrow. Thanks.

 

Get the Gray ones. They are wider and work better on the 997.

 

+2 on the Rhino ramps. Installed my X51 headers/AWE cats and mufflers using the ramps. The whole install took me 3.5 hrs for the whole system. The mufflers are very easy and you should knock those out in about 1.5 hrs.

Who has the Borla available? I was told another 2 weeks before the actual release of any kits.

Dave

 

Yea, I don't have the gray ones and the tires do hang over the edge a tad.

Dave

 

Can someone who has installed headers, exhaust etc please direct me to a step by step instructions including torque specs and tools./supplies needed

Thanks,

 

ditto! I am thinking of doing the same thing.

 

First off the install is the most straight forward I have ever witnessed for an exhaust system. The E46 M3 installing a full exhaust system took me almost a whole weekend. The headers and cats were almost a full 6 hrs to install and was quite time consuming especially the 02 sensors if you planned on installing them behind the cats to keep the functionality of them. The 997S there is no issues like this. When I did a full install back in 98 for my 98 Cobra I had to remove engine mounts and jack the motor up 1" to get the headers to fit in the engine well as that DOHC V8 took up all the room. Once again no issues at all like this with the PCar. It really is a well engineered car.

It took me only 3.5 hrs. to do the install (including disassembly)

First off after the car is on ramps with the front wheels chocked and the car in gear you can begin.

1. Remove the mufflers-start by loosening the sleeve clamps that connect the cats to the mufflers. Then remove the 3 bolts that connect the muffler to the bracket. Once this is done you should be able to remove the muffler. Do the same for the other side.

2. Next I would remove the 02 sensors and keep track of where they go, it's actually pretty hard to mess this up as they are really only long enough to go where they belong. You will have to unclip them from their anchoring point (very easy) to get them to reach their new location with the aftermarket cats. Also there is a kind of hose clamp that fastens the cats to the rear subframe, this will have to be removed as well and you will not reuse these.

3. If you don't have anyone to help you I would recommend removing the cats seperately from the header. If you have a way to hold the cat up via a friend or other aid you can remove the cat along with the OEM header. There is only 6 bolts that fastern the header to the heads, they are 13mm. In fact almost all the fastners on this car regarding the exhaust is 13mm. If you cant remove the header and cat together as one assembly you can remove the cat from the header with 3 bolts that fasten it to the header (also 13mm). Then you can remove the header which once again is just 6 bolts to a side.

4. Reverse these steps for install. Note: I only worried about tq. numbers on reassembly only for the headers which I torqued down to 25lbs. I know Porsche says 17lbs, but AWE told me they do 25lbs so I went with 25lbs even though it was a X51 header not a AWE header. Also, not a bad idea to use O2 safe anti-seize on the 02 sensors as well as the header bolts. I reused the old header bolts as they weren't TTY bolts. TTY (Torque To Yield) bolts can only be used once.

My disclaimer...I wrote this off of the top of my head on how I did this so if I forgot something...don't hold me responsible...

If you have any questions, feel free to ask..


Oh one other thing..good idea to have a good long reach open end wrenches..(I used Craftsman Pro) along with a 1/4" drive and 3/8" drive with extensions and swivels as well as a tq. wrench. Also very important..about 800mg of Ibuproferin for the sore neck and such for being on your back for the 3.5 hrs.

Dave

 

Rhino ramps work well. Make sure you get the heavy duty version. they have a smaller lighter duty model and a heavier duty model w/ higher max load capacities.

 

I used a Craftsman aluminum floor jack to get my car up in the air on jack stands. I lift the car with the rear jack point only. The whole side of the car will go up. Jack stands are placed under the front jack point and under the aluminum frame in the back. I do one side, then the other, just a bit higher. Then I go back to the starting side and level it off. It makes it easy to move around under the car with a creeper. Also makes it easier to take all 4 of the wheels off.