PSE cutout removal with pics

thanks to jfintexas (many thanks) i was able to figure out how to make my PSE NOT stop from 28mph-44mph. I figured we should have a DIY here as opposed to renntech. Took me about 15 minutes to do it, but that's cause i'm very non-mechanic friendly haha 1) find the relay (under steering wheel, above the fuse box, there is no covering to it you should see a lot of relays) 2) find the one that's pictured below 3) pull it out (wiggle it out) 4) you'll need 2 really small flat head screw drivers, insert them into the edges here, twist to get it open and slide them in more. once you have both sides pulled apart (screw drivers stuck in place) use a pliers to pull it out via the teeth, careful not to damage teeth 5) find the resister/wire u need to cut. it's pictured here. 6) cut the wire on the end closest to you, same as pictured in arrow above 7) use needle nose pliers/tweezers to play/twist pull back and forth till the back wire becomes weak and breaks Finished product: you can see half of the orange resistor thingy to the right (half cause it got smashed as i was playing with it to break it off). 8) slide it back into the case, put back in car and ENJOY!!!! thanks again to jfintexas!!!

Very nice, SubZero...very nice! This will make is so easy for those wanting to do this mod in the future. Day 2 after my mod and loving the sound. My 9 and 11 YO P-Car loving sons noticed the change and says it sounds like a race car :-)

Thanks SubZ. Great instructions and photos! Looks pretty easy...even for me!

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super easy, and when i say if i can do it you can do it... i know ZERO about cars lol. I called the guy above 2 times just to make sure haha, so trust me, you can do it, it'll take 10-15min, and most of all you'll LOVE hearing it. i drove around tonight windows down in the cold just to enjoy it haha

or just cut/disconnect the speedsignal to this relay. (grey/pink wire)

If you want to make the neighbours notice the differance in the sound, rip the muffler off. That should do it.

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lol this is a porsche, not a honda

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Love the intro on your website! Sweet!

This must be for a factory installed PSE? I put one on my '99 996 Cab and by not hooking up the vacuum solenoids and electronics it was in the open/loud mode all the time.

Nice write up Subzero. Just to be totally **** and complete, it was a diode that you removed, not a resistor. I'm just an engineer, not a hater.

Awesome, going to try this tomorrow when I get home!!

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[Image-only post; no author-written text. Original image references:] https://rennlist.com/forums/graemlins/thumbup.gif

There is another much easier way to defeat the cutout. Simply disconnect the speed signal wire (pink/grey (or white) wire from the plug that the relay plugs into.

wow, i think this was the greatest thing I have done for the pcar

+1 SubZero. The sound is incredible. I had a fried of mine drive mine so I could experience the sound from outside the car. :-)

so i am half way - pulled the abgasklappen relay and no cutout. smooth sound all thru the rev range. very happy. going to ask a friend to cut the diode and add a switch (i am not so good with this work). i would like to be able to use the dash switch for quiet if needed. i cant believe it took me a year to change this! thanks subzerox - well done

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Vance, not following. Do you not already have the switch on your dash to "quiet" the exhaust? What switch would you be adding?

so if I clip the wire as suggested - rather then the diode - the switch on the dash still works for when I come home at 3 am? O

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Yes, you are just removing the speed signal that activates the relay, the switch still works the relay too.

yep, the button on the dash for the complete cut off still works

Subzero: Thank you so much for this post. Just made the mod, and am looking forward to my first drive that isn't too quiet !!

And you only need to cut one end of the diode and lift it slightly. Then if you want to return it to stock when you sell it, just push it back and a drop of solder.

Just did this - thanks guys first Mod. Waiting on parts but will be doing garage door opener next!

I had my brother alter the relay and we will see how it sounds. I had him put a switch on it. Here are some pictures.

wow - thanks for the great idea/write up! thanks to Seeeu911 for the heads up! looking forward to 24/7 sport sound!

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why are you adding a second switch? 2002 Turbo - Basalt Black Metallic / 2003 Carrera 4S - Speed Yellow / 1955 356 Continental 1500 - Rust Red

I was under the impression that if you wanted it on (loud) all the time you unplug the brown connector back in the engine compartment on the passenger side at the solenoid. If you still wanted to be able to use the switch you just disconnect the speed wire going to the relay under the dash. What's the purpose of cutting out this diode?

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This is my understanding. If you unplug the connector it's loud all the time. The switch won't work with the connector unplugged The speed sensor wire is the same thing as cutting the diode. But the diode cut is much simpler than taking apart the connector under the dash then reassembling it with the speed wires separated. The wires are not loose but in a plastic connector you have to take apart. That's a lot more effort than the diode cut. You can mod the relay to reattach the diode or buy a spare at $45? Vs taking your harness connector apart.

Does anyone know if there is a way to reverse the dash switch so that the PSE is always on loud, and that "activating" the switch effectivly closes the valves (rather than open them)?

that what the dash switch does now...It makes the PSE quiet all the time if activated.

thanks!

Wow this looks like a lot of work. All I did to make my PSE loud all the time was disconnect the vacuum lines leading to the muffler. The valves are now open all the time.

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What's a lot of work ? Pop a relay cut a diode ? what you did was easier ? unplugging the vacuum lines, sealing them up so they don't ingest dirt, securing them so they don't flap around, and now your switch does not work.

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Well I should have qualified my statement by saying I was already under the mufflers because of changing out my catalytic converters. I sealed the connections but actually removed the hoses and the actuators. So in the process my car actually lost some weight too. I didn't want the lines flapping around disconnected so saw that as the best solution. All parts are still in a bag so I can go back to stock at any time.

This was well worth the 10 minutes to do. I went for a quick spin and hearing that deep growl through the entire range was intoxicating. And the dash button still works if you need to quiet the car down.

I just installed a switch in the change holder that is a simple PSE on or off. Pulled the relay, and switch the right terminal to ground. Pure analog.

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I'm assuming you don't have the PSE switch on your dash. If you do, what is the purpose of the second switch?

Mine is a 99, no switch on the dash and no connections on the relay for one. The 99 has the old school version.

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Thanks for the instructions.... But now the real question is, WHY did Porsche design this so that the PSE stops from 28-44mph? I am assuming they did this so that the car is more efficient/powerful based on the exhaust flow at those speeds???

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Strictly for noise regulations/considerations in certain countries.

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Is this officially written somewhere? If so, it would definitely make me feel better about snipping that wire or diode. I'd just hate to think that I'm losing power or something by doing so otherwise. It would be kind of odd, however, that Porsche would do that "in consideration of certain countries" when USA is their largest market where it's not an issue AND if a person ordered the PSE which is typically a $2500-ish option, they'd want the PSE for all speeds. Further, its' not even THAT loud at all...

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If you think about it, the non-pse porsches are basically "corked" all the time and PSE was never introduced as a power adder option in anyway to my knowledge. Concerned about losing power(albeit very negligible if any) between 28-44mph? LOL. I think you're splitting hairs and doing what a model citizen does best on RL, worry...

Ok, so I just did this... Omg, the car sounds soooo much better. I ended up cutting the diode vs. Cutting the wire since the wires are tucked in there pretty good.

Good - I'm glad you like it. I know I'm very happy with it as well. I opted for the diode over cutting the wires for the same reason you did. If worse comes to worse, I'll just solder the diode back in, but I can't imagine it ever coming to that.

Did this on my car when I had the PSE installed. No need to mess with the relay you can damage other things. Just cut/disconnect the speedsignal to this relay. (grey/pink wire) is- as mentioned earlier

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I'm not sure that cutting a wire in an essentially non-replaceable harness is a less invasive approach than clipping a component on a $50 relay, but you got the desired effect, so good on you.

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What other damage are you referencing? The instructions in this thread are detailed enough to minimize risk of other damage. Just curious if you've read or experienced other issues with removing that specific diode. As Schnell said, I think snipping the wire in a tightly packed, non-replaceable harness, poses more of a challenge if something goes awry.

This an older post but I am needing some information please. I have a 2010 987.2 Boxster with SC and a dealer installed PSE done later with PSE switch on the dash.. I love the sound but would like to override the rpm where it gets more quiet and let the full sound all the time. Have seen some discussion on how to do this but older pictures will not display. Trying to locate the wire that controls the modulation of the valve so I can turn it on or off. I do like the switch to shut off PSE since wife does not like it. Just trying to override the area where it modulates the valve. Can anyone help??

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Try the 987 forum. Early 996's wiring are most likely different than your 2010 Boxter.

FINALLY got round to doing this today! Orange diode on upper right of pic before After cut. use a small nail/cuticle nipper if you just cut it you can reattach later with solder!

I did this mod18 years ago. A better approach to defeating the 25-40 mph PSE "quiet" phase is to simply disconnect the Pink/Grey wire (this is the speedometer signal wire) that goes to the relay in question. This is a safer solution than mutilating the relay. I put a jumper connector in between the wire in case I want to switch back. Now I can control if I want the mod to work or if everything just work as normal (speed cutoff of the PSE).

Picked up an `03 C4S last week and did this mod after first reading about it this morning. Pulled the relay, opened it, snipped the diode lead and reinstalled - eight minutes start to finish. I figure reversing it would require an extra two minute or so, or however long it might take to melt a drop of solder to re-connect ... _

Yep no reason to totally remove the diode, cut the easy end and just stand it up. If your too paranoid you could always drop a short piece of shrink tube around it and hit it with a lighter for a second.. totally reverse able..

Add me to the list of diode clippers. It makes all the difference for the OEM PSE. Great photos and instructions in this thread!

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Being a complete Newbie to the 996�. What is a PSE? And how do you know if your car has it? I literally have no idea what you�re referring to�. 🤔. The instructions to disable the �quiet mode� seems simple enough 😎. Thanks!

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PSE Porsche Sport Exhaust. Option on the car when new was code XLF There is a cutoff switch on the one of the horseshoe blanks to turn it off. BUT Porsche made it cutout between 30-45mph I believe. So the switch turns it off at all speeds. BUT the hacke makes it so it does not quiet down between 30-45! Bottom switch is the PSE cutoff

Ohhhh�. that�s one of the few options I don�t have and I would like a little more bark in the exhaust ☹️ Oh well, the mod looks easy enough for those that do� 😎. Thanks!!

Ssssssooooooo much knowledge gained by me in this thread that I think my hat size went up. I have a 2002 targa with PSE in the option list. It's certainly loud enough to cause me to believe it. I've worn hearing aids for decades and therefore do not completely trust my hearing, but I could have sworn the exhaust was going loud and quiet as I drove. Now I know. Son of a gun. It was. I do not have the dash switch so my car does whatever it does completely based on the minds of of its makers. I want to alter it with a switch to allow me to turn it on all the time, or off all the time. I see a couple of posts refererencing that but lacking specifics. Any help is welcome. I have electrical/electronic chops so I don't need much. Wiring diagram maybe?

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Seems odd that the car came with the optional factory installed but no dash switch. Maybe the previous owner removed for some reason? Is there a blank switch there or is there a switch for something else? IF the exhaust is cutting out at low speed then coming back on you have the module installed and the wiring should be there behind the horseshoe. Remove the horseshoe and see if the wiring and connector are there. IF you are lucky they are and you can just buy the switch from Suncoast and pop it in! ​​​​​​ https://www.suncoastparts.com/produc...Category_Code=

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I was about to say "no switch, no wiring", but then I took another look based on some information in this thread here on Rennlist . I have a blank where the switch would be -- if it were on the left that is. Lo and behold, on the RIGHT side there is a blank but with a harness connecting to the back. In other words I have everything except the switch itself. Prod month "2002-06-01" and "XLF" on the frunklid tag, so this is how it came from the factory. An odd duck I guess? Although from other threads on here it appears as though the early 996.2's might have had, errr, variations in how this was installed at the factory. I'm off now to place a small order...

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Switch came in today, woohoo! I plugged it in and sure enough it works. Made the relay mod and now I'm good to go. Thanks again to all who contribute great information like this.

Awesome! So glad it was an easy solution for you! Its nice to be able to turn it off when you want, problem is I never want! Did you put the switch on the left or right side?

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If you look at my earlier post you'll see that the switch wiring was installed on the right bottom location on the horseshoe. I specifically got a right-handed switch and put it in the same spot. I did briefly look at the harness to see if it would be possible to put it on the left side, but it was all wrapped together and really looked as though it wanted to stay where it was. Having no personal preference, I left it. Thanks again!