PSE muffler install with some pics

Better late than never. At xmas time I had the pleasure of having santa (in form of Gert from Carnewal) send me a nice little box. (Sorry for the first 2 crappy camera phone pics) My son was ecstatic about a big xmas gift - even if it was for daddy. And inside were 2 new mods!!! A new shifter boot with alu ring (eeeehhhhh - alu look alike plastic...) and PSE!! Finally some real sound for the 996. Unfortunally a few days after xmas, it started to snow really bad. And I was planning to do the install in my driveway (no DYI shops close and I didnt want to hand over the pleasure of fitting the PSE onto the car to some low life mechanic. So there was nothing else to do but wait it out. Days turned into weeks and finally mid January most of the snow was gone and temperature was around 0 degrees C (32 F). Good enough for me to install, and I frankly could not wait anymore. I had taken the time to read up on installation manuals on renntech, and I decided to remove the heat shields and just drive the car up on a few wooden blocks. That would give me enough room to put the muffler onto the car without a lift. For anyone interested, the DIY manual is located here (you might have to register - and thanks Loren!!! Without it, I would not have dared to this) So off with the bumper - just ~8-9 screws and unplugging a cable Heat shield is very easy to remove too on each side. There are 4 bolts on each if I remember correct. To remove the old muffler I had to use a lot of force. The sleeve holding together the pipes between the cats and muffler is very very tight. Had to use a lot of WD-40 to get them to budge under force. I almost doubted that I would get them loosened. Muffler itself is also somewhat hard to get off the car. The 3 bolts are fairly hard to get to, and your hand doesnt have much space to move. So it took a long time to take them off. After getting the 3 bolts off, the worst part of the entire install came - removing the old exhaust tips. If I had known how hard this was, then I would have gotten myself some new stainless steel ones to put on instead of reusing the old ones. There is a clamp that you need to force into opening, and it takes lots of patience with some screw drivers to get it to open enough to slide it off. Damn. In the end I got them both, and finally everything was ready to put on the new mufflers. From here on its a matter of doing everything in reverse. On with the old tips (somewhat easier to get the opened clamps on to the new pipe), bolt the muffler onto the car, tighten the sleeve, adjust tips, on with the heat shield - and finally put the bumper back again (remember to plug in the cable again). Total time in 0 degree C to do this was 2� hours. It wasnt too bad, and the sound of PSE fired up was worth every second freezing my butt off. I'm pretty sure that for a first time install, taking the "remove heat shield" route is the easiest. It allows you to handle the unhandy mufflers and see what you are doing. Now that I know where everything is, I'm pretty sure I could do it without taking off the heat shield/bumper. But having the luxury of space is great and recommendable. I took a slight chance of not installing any electronics at all - just the mufflers. And even though the wife thinks I'm crazy, I could not imagine the car without its new sound. Before this install, I didnt think the sound was very special for a sports car. Listening to the radio/CD a lot. Now I find myself turning off the radio more than its on. And driving through a tunnel with windows down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D Thats it! (Oh - replacing the shifter boot was a breeze. It took me just a few minutes to realize that I had to cut the old boot from the shifter, but once that was done the install took 5 mins. No pics of that - sorry)

Why did you remove the bumper?

Removing the bumper is optional, it makes it a little easier in getting the muffler positioned up in the back of the engine compartment. It does not make it any easier in tightening the 3 mounting bolts, but it also give you a chance to get in there and clean out any gunk that has accumulated. When I installed my PSE, I did the same thing, but did not have the benefit of working outside in the snow! The nice thing about PSE is that if you have second thoughts later and want to install the electronics it is an easy incremental task.

Thanks orient. I didn't know if maybe he was doing some other mod. I have had my full exhaust off and on several times and never had any interferance from the bumper. so I was curious.

Stupid question - what electronics are part of an exhaust swap?

It's also a hell of a lot easier if you just leave the bracket/3 bolts on the motor and just pull the two long bolts, reverse them when you put them back(nut on top), makes changing cans a breeze. You can also get great access by pulling the rear wheels, easier than the bumper.

20-30 minutes each side tops with bumper on. Floor jack, wheels off. I do it for most track outings.

a porsche under a thick layer of snow?!?!? poor porsche..mine nevers sits outside...it even has carpet under it's "feet" in the garage and I live in Southern Cali..so hardly ever rain here...but a lot a sand dust.....I guess it doesn't matter German Grundlichkeit can handle rain and snow.

Dude, I thought I was a nut for doing mods no matter what. But doing that on the ground outside in the snow takes ballz. Great Job!

As Orient says - its totally optional. I chose to do it, because this is my first "real" mod on a car besides putting on bezel rings + Lloyd mats. The removing bumper + heat shield made it very very easy to see where things fit, how to get to it and similar. I would definitely recommend it to all first timers. Only takes 10 minutes to do. PSE comes with electronics to control the valve (if you want it). Thus you can push a button on your dashboard to turn PSE on/off. As I was very sure that I would never want to turn it off, I simply installed mufflers only.

I second that! Nice job on the PSE install and many thanks for the pics. That hardly seemed like the ideal working condition for doing mods.

Amen..I am shaking just looking at the pics....tell me you had a gallon of rum next to you

Does anyone have details about the electronics install.? I saw Orient Express instructions already. Do i need to drill a hole between the mufflers and the engine bay, or is there a place to pass the vacuum connections.? Same for the wire up to the front of the car ? Are there already gromets and locations to do this ? Im probably most worried about pulling off all the internal panels to wire up the switch? How exactly does each part come off. I dont want to just tug until it moves (or breaks). Are there hidden "locking" points ? I dont want the speed cut out, so which bits of the kit do i just leave out ? Thanks All

Answers Do i need to drill a hole between the mufflers and the engine bay, or is there a place to pass the vacuum connections.? There needs to be a hole poked in the muffler heat shield, but there is a grommet hole in the body to route the hose Same for the wire up to the front of the car ? Are there already gromets and locations to do this ? There is a rubber grommet plug that is punched open with a X-Acto knife (cut an X in it) to pass the 2 little wires from the Vacuum Switch in the engine compartment to the cabin. I'm probably most worried about pulling off all the internal panels to wire up the switch? How exactly does each part come off. I dont want to just tug until it moves (or breaks). Are there hidden "locking" points ? you can tuck the 2 little wires along the edge of entry threshold rocker panel cover (the one with the trunk and engine release buttons), and along the bottom of the rear quarter panel cover. If you have a coupe, the carpet in the rear and the Bose subwoofer need to be moved out of the way to get to the bulkhead grommet described above. Most of the trim pieces are held in with clips. I dont want the speed cut out, so which bits of the kit do i just leave out ? When the PSE relay is wired up, to disable the speed cutout, do not connect the Pink/Grey wire on the relay harness. Do you have the instructions on how to install the PSE? If not go down to the dealer that you bought the exhaust from and ask the Service manager or your favorite Tech to print you out a copy of the Technical Information Binder, 911/996, Group 2, 6/02 2601 "Exhaust System/Sports Exhaust System", Retroffitting (5/23/03). It is 11 pages long, and has lots of illustrations in it where things go, and how to wire up the relay, switch, etc.

Orient Express, could you post the instructions for the PSE? I got a Gemballa unit. The instruction show a place to tap into the vacumm line but I can't fine it. I'm hoping the PSE has a better spot.

Where does the Gemballa unit show to tap in for the vacuum?

Here is the write up on my PSE install. I have some pictures of the vacuum connections in there.