IPD Plenum 987.1 Boxster S 3.2 05' - 06' with 74mm Throttle Body upgrade

[markSTI]

Hi,

I have a mint low mileage 987 Boxster S 3.2 that I think is a keeper; I love the thing! I've had it three years and I have been thinking about a bit more power and getting rid of the flat spot these engines seem to have at around 3000rpm. I know a remap will sort out the flat spot and I'm planning having fitted the 200 sport cells headers and the GT exhaust from Gert at Carnewal (sounds amazing and stock exhaust and headers). I've read various conflicting posts on pistonheads and 911uk.com about how much is to be gained by adding a larger IPD plenum and a 74mm throttle body. I was wondering if anybody on here had any experience of this mod and would like to share their experiences?

Cheers in advance.
Mark & Wendy
987 Boxster S

 

[MrDemon]

upgrade to the 3.4 imo.

but if you want to mod just buy a remus back box, that helps with the flat spot as the older cars have 2 extra 400 cell cats in the rear exhaust.

My opinion is always buy a faster car if you want to go faster though, it pays you back in the end and a move to the 3.4 will not cost you much.

A remap will offer you nothing on the gen 1 and will not cure the flat spot as stated with out the exhaust and throttle body, hence [FONT=arial"]conflicting posts.

 

[markSTI]

upgrade to the 3.4 imo.

but if you want to mod just buy a remus back box, that helps with the flat spot as the older cars have 2 extra 400 cell cats in the rear exhaust.

My opinion is always buy a faster car if you want to go faster though, it pays you back in the end and a move to the 3.4 will not cost you much.

A remap will offer you nothing on the gen 1 and will not cure the flat spot as stated with out the exhaust and throttle body, hence [FONT=arial"]conflicting posts.

Cheers for the reply.

Upgrading to a 3.4 is a no go. My car is a minter (not a garage queen) with only 23k on the clock. To get the same quality of car with the history of mine, I would be paying well over an extra 10K just for just 15hp more. The Carewal GT exhaust and Sports headers should remove the flat spot. After a lot of research it looks like the Plenum and TB return not a lot of gains for a lot of outlay. I'm going to speak to the guys who look after the car and see what they advise.

Cheers again.
Mark

 

[MrDemon]

I would just do the back box and see if you are happy just with that

I did it all with a gen 1 3.4 and got 345BHp, My mate just did the back box and that felt quite good a real 10bhp and less of that flat spot.

 

[markSTI]

Cheers for the replies.

After lots of research, I've decided not to go with the plenum and throttle body , it just doesn't seem good value for money. I could end up spending over 1k and only end up with a couple of bhp. Decided to get the full Carnewal GT exhaust with sports headers, remap and air filter.

Mark

 

[MrDemon]

Well I got 50BHp and it's proven upgrade with all bits, so not sure where your research came from.

Now you are going to spend a load more and still only end up with 10bhp ! you need air in , the Gen 1 TB is quite small !

you need all the mods to get the BHP, more air in and easy way to get the air back out !

 

[markSTI]

Well I got 50BHp and it's proven upgrade with all bits, so not sure where your research came from.

Now you are going to spend a load more and still only end up with 10bhp ! you need air in , the Gen 1 TB is quite small !

you need all the mods to get the BHP, more air in and easy way to get the air back out !

Hi,

I have read lots of threads on the subject and the general consensus is that it is not worth it. There is a twenty page thread on Pistonheads and threads on Planet9 etc about it. Some people like yourself report that it works but the majority say very minimal gains. When the car goes in to the garage to have the exhaust fitted I'll speak to the guys and get their opinion.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Nick_USA]

On this occasion I am with MrD if you are adding a derestricted exhaust system you need to derestrict the intake. To fully utilise both the engine will need to be remapped:

So on my car from the intake to the exhaust:

Stock air filter. It's cold air and non oiled; some advocate swapping this to an oiled filter but many experience issues with the contamination of the MAF. The stock filter is perfectly good with the increased air demand.
Widened air duck to feed ...
82mm throttle body and GT3 plenum
Softronic engine remap
Fabspeed 200 cell sports cats
Primary CATs on the stock PSE removed

Cost don't ask but it is worth it last time the car was on a dyno it pushed out 320bhp and that was before the primary CATS were removed.

 

[markSTI]

Hi,

The car was always going to be remapped once the exhaust was fitted. In fact it is booked in for a Revo remap. The car isn't in until mid May to have the IMS upgraded and the exhaust fitted so plenty of time to make a final decision.

Cheers

Mark

 

[MrDemon]

I would not use REVO that's a VAG tuner. !

 

[rholt]

I previously had a 987 3.2 and fitted the Carnewal exhaust plus the throttle body and plenum from a 3.4 Cayman. Although I didn't have it on a rolling road there was a noticeable improvement in acceleration and torque.
I've now got a 987.1 3.4 and I've fitted the IPD plenum plus GT3 throttle body and K&N filter. Also got a sports exhaust with rear cats deleted. This time a more noticeable increase in power and torque, so although pricey (£780 from Design 911 if you are a club member) in my view it was worth it. Next stage in the quest for power is likely to be a lightweight flywheel. Clutch I think will need changing later in the year, also RMS so that will be the time to do it. Has anyone else carried this out?

 

[domb84]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but I've been considering the throttle body upgrade on a Boxster S 3.4 '07 plate with 59k on it. I'm still under Porsche warranty though so will make a decision in 6 months as thats when it's due for renewal.

Anyone made these changes recently and like the results? I love my Boxster but would like a bit more power. Problem is going to a 911 now is going to be a 10/15k uplift for what I see as 2 seats I don't need and 0.5-1s quicker to 60 depending. £1500 on cats, throttle body and a remap sounds like money well spent if it's reliable and gets somewhere between 30-50bhp IMO.

I've got the stock PSE, anything else to look out for?

 

[M40WST]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but I've been considering the throttle body upgrade on a Boxster S 3.4 '07 plate with 59k on it. I'm still under Porsche warranty though so will make a decision in 6 months as thats when it's due for renewal.

Anyone made these changes recently and like the results? I love my Boxster but would like a bit more power. Problem is going to a 911 now is going to be a 10/15k uplift for what I see as 2 seats I don't need and 0.5-1s quicker to 60 depending. £1500 on cats, throttle body and a remap sounds like money well spent if it's reliable and gets somewhere between 30-50bhp IMO.

I've got the stock PSE, anything else to look out for?

Funnily enough Bee Cool Performance has just fitted the IPD Competition Plenum, GT3 (82mm) Throttle Body, Top Gear 200CEL Sports Cats, BMC Race Filter and remapped my 2.9 Boxster and it's one hell of a transformation, it sounds amazing and really pulls. I also lowered it 30MM on H&R Lowering Springs.

There are some videos on my instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3fE4EgHp_0/ - Click the arrow for the video
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3hMvF7H--I/

Only driven car twice since done, sounds amazing and really pulls at the top end but was too wet to really drive properly. This Saturday will be the real test as it'll get a proper drive out with Region 24

Bee Cool estimate a 3rd Power Increase which would be about 325BHP, realistically I think it is probably sitting at about 300BHP based on other cars that have had similar work done. I hope to get a dyno run done in the near future, but whatever the read out I'm happy with the difference thus far.

 

[domb84]

That sounds like an incredibly optimistic gain from what I've been reading, but impressive if true. It looked like 20bhp was pretty normal and 340bhp from a 3.4 S was the best I have read.

Would be very interested to see what it says on the dyno.

 

[M40WST]

I focused my research purely on the 2.9. Did read a lot of threads on the 3.4 it sounds like a lot of people did the IPD but didn’t do the free flowing exhaust like I have and more importantly the remap makes the biggest difference which again some people didn’t do and were then disappointed by the results.

although when I say 300BHP I actually mean more like 295BHP but was rounding.

Like I say under no illusion that it will be any higher than that like Bee cool speculated, if it came out like that on a dyno I’d be amazed!

 

[domb84]

I'm thinking of going to Carnewal for sports cats as my back boxes are less than a year old. I got the PSE retrofitted as it was cheaper than getting the factory ones replaced by Porsche!

http://www.carnewal.com/products/987/p87020/987-1-Exchange-Sport-Cats

Those and the IPD plenum and GT3 throttle body.

https://www.ipdplenums.com/products/plenums/boxsters/9871-boxsters

I'm very wary of remaps, and the way i see it the above are both reversible for warranty purposes. I'll have a think but if you do get a dyno do let me know. If the above gave me 15-20bhp over stock I'd be pretty happy to be honest. I went and test drove a gen 2 Cayman R and it just doesn't feel like it's worth a 20k plus uplift over the Boxster for 20-30bhp and some aluminium doors. To me it felt more refined if anything, which isn't what I want from an R badged Porsche personally.

 

[M40WST]

Having heard what Gert can do, I would say the Carnewal Sports Cats are definitely a good option. Interesting to know the PSE was cheaper than getting the standard ones replaced! My back boxes being 63K miles old will need doing at some point. I like the idea of PSE or some kind of valved exhaust as mine can be quite loud which will definitely wake the neighbors up early in the morning so being able to make it quieter for those sorts of times would be good.

Appreciate what your saying about the warranty, a lot of remaps aren't noticeable but on certain ECUS there is a flash number which means they would be able to tell. All of the research I've read said that its the remap that makes the biggest different where the plenum and throttle body are concerned but that doesn't mean you won't feel an improvement without it. Just seems odd to spend £2k on Cars and the Plenum / Throttle body and then not spend £450 on a bespoke remap.

 

[domb84]

Was quoted over 3k for rear boxes even after shopping around. Entire PSE retrofit was just over 2k I think. Still expensive, but needed doing and I can still leave it under warranty for another 3 years. Re the remap I just don't trust that Bob and his laptop knows better than Porsche ultimately, especially if it's not been custom mapped on a rolling road and they've just flashed a standard one. I have no doubt there are guys out there who can do a good job, I just don't want to run the risk of finding another cowboy. The Porsche 'specialists' I used for the paintwork were a disaster as well and they seem well used around here.

 

[M40WST]

Wow that is alot, £2K ish for PSE is good though! Was that OPC or Specialist? When I looked it was like £3.5K and my feeling was I was going to spend that amount I'd get the ArmyTrix system as it sounds amazing.

Yeah I get that, have the same feelings as you but then I do know the company I used very well and I know if I have any issues it'll get sorted no questions asked. That's a bummer RE paint work, when I needed some done on my car I ended up going by recommendation and ended up with a good result, so much so that when I take the wrap off I'll probably use them for a full respray.

 

[domb84]

That was the OPC in South London. Sorry looking back at quote it was actually nearer 3k than 2k, anyway it was still a lot cheaper than a straight replacement.

Yeah was a simple job and it took them 3 goes to fix it and even after all that I took the bonnet catch off the other day and they hadn't bother to let the paint cure so it just ripped it off. Complete farce. I brought it up on here but the post got censored so apparently we can't post bad experiences with certain companies!