Pse

New to the board, but I've been lurking for a while. Just picked up my new 911 40th which is fantastic and I got a great deal on. Had the dealer install the PSE without electrics, and it seems awfully quiet, way too quiet. As car is not broken in, I can't wind it out. Any thoughts? Thanks!

The sound should be just a nice burble until you wind it out - can't say I have exactly watched but it seems to take on a nice hard edged sound as I swing past the 3.5k mark. Sounds very cool after that.

"awfully quiet, way too quiet" We all have different definitions of loud. However, it sounds to me like you need to check out your mufflers. With the X51 on your 40th (congrats, BTW), you should be ROCKIN'! Not obnoxiously loud, but very, very racy, especially through tunnels and underpasses. I'd look up under there and double check the type of mufflers. Afer confirming the proper part, you may want to have the valves checked, although the valves should be open all the time without electronics installed. Your lack of sound may just be due to a lack of rpm during your low rev break in period. Cheers

If you really think it's too quiet, go back to the dealer and listen to your car next to another 911 with the standard exhaust. You should notice a marked difference at idle, and if you just jab the gas up to 2500-3000 rpm's or so. Also if you get underneath the car you can see (or feel) the little PSE valves on top of each muffer toward the rear of the car. The stock mufflers don't have them. I checked mine just to be sure the dealer actually replaced my 1 bad PSE muffler with another PSE. Enjoy your new car!

Thanks for the replies. I'll check for the valves. Unfortunately the dealer is 200 miles away and as I live in VT., there are very few 911's around at all. I traded an 02 C4S for this car and it just seems that the sound is only a little different.

NLash, As the others have noted, the most noteworthy feature of the PSE is the smile it puts on your face when you hear the noise reverberating off a tunnel wall. You don't even have to be winding out the engine to enjoy it. Drive the car a bit, and check for that smile, or even listen to yourself saying "Oh yeah!!!!" You'll know for sure then!

NLash, which of the two (C4S or 40th) do you prefer? Can you compare/contrast, now that you've had both? Thanks.

I'll need to drive the anniversary more before I can say for sure. They're both great cars. The C4S feels like it's on rails, rock solid all the time, and has the wide body, which I like, but the steering and handling of the ann. is much crisper and more direct feeling. Also while not yet broken in, the car feels much quicker.

You definitely don't need to wind the car out to tell the difference. In fact, my PSE seemed a lot louder when they were new than a month later when they were "broken in". PSE is not like bypass pipes but there should be no doubt if they installed them. I remember a case many years ago when a car dealer (not Porsche) sold a car "with air conditioning" (in those days it was a dealer add-on for that car). The buyer took it back 3-4 times because it didn't work, but was always assured the AC was OK. She finally found out from another dealer that they never installed the AC! Here's a pic of the PSE:

I'd hate to think that but know it's possible. The car definatel sounds better than my C4S did with the stock exhaust, but I thought there would be more sound. Does anyone know if it's possible to install this exhaust in the queit setting when done without electrics. Thanks! Norm

Norm, The default setting on these mufflers is in the 'open' position. That's what makes installing them without the electronics so desirable. Your dealer would have had to purposefully alter something (I've no clue what) to have them stay in the closed position. Looking at jcnesq's picture from Carnewal, you can see the valve's sticking up from the muffler. If you've identified those valves on your mufflers, you've at least got the right parts on your car. Hate to send you 200 miles back to the dealer, but if you're still in doubt, a compare to another car is the only way you'll be sure.

Looks like the right exhaust. Maybe I'm just going deaf. Thanks for all the input. Norm

I just put PSE on my 99 C2 Cab yesterday, and it is quite a bit louder than stock, but not real LOUD. Perfect. And with a Cab, you don't need an underpass to hear it really well!

NLash, if you are really concerned, you can solder the valves permanently in the open position. I've been considering doing that. Sometimes I think the PSE sound varies a little too much and I end up wondering if the lack of electronics allows the valve to partially close intermittently. Either that or I also go intermittetnly deaf.

Thanks for the tip. It's starting to sound better as I put more miles on. Definately not loud but a nice, mellow rumble. Sure love the car! Norm

An alternative to soldering the valve would be to simply wire-tie the valves. I considered this before I did the complete electrically, vaccum installation which took over 10 hours. Look at the valve attached to the muffler and move it with your fingers. Then get a piece of metal wire (maybe unshielded 18 gauge) and wrap it around the level/arm. That should do the trick. You may have a harder time with the passenger side muffler because it's valve location is facing up but you should be able to get to it. The best part is, if you want to go back to loud, just cut the wires.