New to the Forum: '01 911 C4 (convert from the rice rockets)

Hello everyone, Former owner of a WRX wagon, WRX STi, Evo IX MR, 944 (years back), I have now finally got a hold of the car I used to always dream over. Once I get some posts made on here, I will be able to post up the pics. I am taking the car to the track this friday I've done a little searching, but with an NA engine, whats the best way to make some additional power? exhaust and re-flash? I've heard some of the reflashes are quite expensive with very minimal results. Also, who does supercharging on these and what kind of results are seen? Thanks for any info you guys have. I plan on researching a lot and and trying to learn as much about the pcars as I did about the STi/Evo. John and here's one of the STi at the track:

Enjoy your kraut turtle if you weren't happy with stock speed, you should've gotten a turbo

I am pretty happy with stock speed, but never hurts for more. Couldn't afford the turbo...

That's a really pretty car. Can we get more info, miles/options. STI's are sweet cars, Im curious to see how you compare these two.

Cool car, welcome!

Nice car! Congrats and Welcome

very nice. but don't rice rockets refer to bikes?

If you cant afford the Turbo, chances are you dont want to spend the money to supercharge. A full install you're looking at over $10k and that'll get you another 100hp.

I have nearly the same exact car and I adore it! 01 C4 miles38K, Black on Black, on 18's with turbo twist rims. Always looking for any excuse to get in and drive...even take the long (i.e. twisty) way home. You'll love the C4 in the rain and snow. Congratulations and Enjoy!

Thanks for the replies guys. Ah, I guess rice rocket could go either way - heh, I have one of those too - for when you want to go REALLY fast. The car has only 24K on the clock, 6spd, leather sport seats, sunroof and the pictured wheels/aero kit as options. lowside - $10K installed for 100hp? I would save towards it! haha.. as for now, turbos are still too much and I really want to try and keep this car. So we will see what, if anything, I do to this. Or if I just hold out down the line (4-5 yrs) to pick up a used WRX/STi again and go full out on that or an Elise. Comparing to the STi/Evo... the Evo MR stock handles with precision, moreso than the 911. The MR is a beast. STi had more power/grunt down low and the turbo kicks in very nicely. I had taken on (and thoroughly pissed off) a 996 C4S on the highway with ease. Turbos are fun! With this car, I really love the way it looks, handles, drives, and how comfortable it is compared to the Japanese econo racers - it only leaves a slight want for more speed, but not much. I wanted the C4 because of how accustomed I had gotten to AWD with the imports. We will see.. I will research more my options - exhaust, reflash and otherwise and go from there. Again, thanks guys! glad to join the club here and own such a beautiful piece of automotive history.

Just got back from the track... The GOOD: Acceleration was pretty damn good for non-turbo car (what I'm used to). Handling was superb for a stock car ( I expected this one ) Trans seemed very smooth and easy to work with. The BAD - Smoke coming out the left bank/exhaust pipe when taking two specific hard rights on the course. A Porsche mechanic at the track said this was "normal". I called the Porsche tuner/shop that I took the car to for inspection and they said - bring it in when you can, watch your oil and "you should be alright". Needless to say, I went out for another run and then I called it a day. The dipstick did indicate that it "ate" or smoked out about a quart maybe. Was that actually normal? OVERALL - very pleased with the car, but now concerned about this smoke/oil issue. Maybe I should have got the Elise with the Toyota engine in it instead!

Su-weet. I am covetting your wheels and carrera wing. You may have a twin before long.

but you need to consider an amberectomy. check the archives. it also looks like you might have 993 exhaust tips. yours are tiny. I bought a silver WRX wagon for the wife the first week they came out. it was a boxter killer at DEs at Sebring. Love the 996 and you will too. welcome. would also appreciate a side view of the wing when you have a chance.

GunKata - Congrats and Welcome to Rennlist. Very nice l@@king P-car! Thanks for sharing the pics!

They look like stock 3.4L tips to me, and they do have a 996 part #. Identical to those on my car. There are optional "big oval" tips available (which you may have), I think Dell's wife's car has them. Maybe he'll post a pic. Congrats on the 996, GunKata

Normal, was the oil toped off when you started. Seems to happen more often when it's full It is due to hard right hand turns and the configuration of internal oil baffels in the 996 engine. At least thats what I've heard.

Sweeeet car! I love the black on black. Welcome and congrats.

+1... Oil was probably at full or slightly over. Aim for slightly under full for track days and check a couple of times throughout the day.

jacksonking - The WRX is a beast for a great price. I think I may pick up an 02 sedan or wagon before winter for the daily driver (it will also get an upgraded turbo/injectors/reflash and beat the 996 in a straight line ) Here's another pic from the dealership, but I'll try to get a side on in a few days. I think you will love the aero kit - especially in black, it is very tasteful yet outspoken at the same time. track pics: evansaero and machobelly - thank you! I was hoping it was "normal". I had started it a few times and it puffed a little, but I'm sure its just burning the leftovers. I'll check again later. Glad to know my baby's (should be) alright! btw, the boxster owner I met at the track was extremely nice and helpful. I am hoping the rest of the pcar community is the same - reminds me of the subie crowd.

doh! now my oil is very low. I'll do some searching, but do the 911's "eat" oil?? (like an rx7/rx8 or something?)

congrats man - get the taco wing!

some do some don't Mine does not eat any oil, or I should say 'no lose since my last oil change' which was 3000 miles ago

Beautiful car, GunKata. Welcome! could stand to upgrade those numbers... never mind, put it into 'driver enhancement' mods. Can't help you with the oil question, my 3.6L doesn't use oil, but I haven't tracked it yet.

I know what you mean with the whole handling thing. I came from the Evo VIII I had the gt30 kit with an upgraded intercooler cams fuel pump computer and much much more. I know going from that I was going to miss the obnoxiously loud external wastegate that i had with the exhaust dump pipe as well. I smoked alot of cars in that cars day but at the end of this day bro you and I are still driving porsches...enjoy

Thanks for the additional replies. I did some researching and talked to the local specialist about the oil consumption of the 996 - 1 quart for every 600 miles, so I think this is all normal. Going to pick up some Mobil1 tomorrow. ^^^ very true! I knew that too, that coming into the pcar ( a non turbo) I would lose the crazy turbo kick (nothing like you had with the GT30 though!), but definitely, its a great handling, high class, fairly rare, and beautiful machine. Can always buy another import racer down the line. No one knows what an STi or Evo can do, but everyone thinks you have the fastest car on the road with the pcars.

So true...the respect factor in a porsche is completely different though. I used to have to blow the doors off of a car to gain repect from them because they only though I had some lancer or something but now I get 7 year old kids yelling out NICE CAR from across the street because they know what it is. And please dont even get me started on the whole girls liking the porsche more. I never understood why a girl would like the slightly slower but prettier car over the meaner faster more aggresive car...and I know now...thanks PORSCHE Cheers

No they don't and they shouldn't. Don't want to scare you - but that isn't "normal" and I would be really pissed if mine did. Lot of people around here have cars that eat oil, and claim it's normal - but the fact is you shouldn't be burning/losing oil much at all. Many 996's, mine included (with 103k miles) don't burn any oil at all between changes. I drive hard and hit the redline and all that stuff, but the level seriously never drops - on the both instrument gage and the dipstick. It probably means that your rings weren't seated properly by the previous owner who was scared to use his rpms and actually drive the car. Now oil is getting past the rings and burning off.

DUDE - that is terrible!!!!!!! 1 quart every 600miles?!?!?! are you kidding?!?!?! That is ridiculous and anything but normal.

Completely true actually - both in the owners manual and I confirmed the same with the local Euro shop.

LOL O.K., if you think it's normal to add a quart of oil every-other gas fillup, then more power to you. I drove to Michigan and back last year, and I would have been embarrassed and disgusted to have to buy a case of oil just to keep the engine from going dry. In fact, I wouldn't have done it because I would have been worried about my unhealthy engine. Just because it says in the manual that your car can burn oil - doesn't mean it is "normal" to burn a quart every 600miles - it ISN'T!!!! That is just ridiculously bad. A quart every 600miles is worse than my old cutlass I had in highschool. A quart every few thousand miles is pretty "iffy". I went 10,000miles between changes once (Porsche recommends 15k), and it was as full as the first mile. Your rings aren't seated properly. That means lower compression, filthy pistons, carbon deposits on the rings/pistons, and blow-by gasses mukking up your internals - oh yeah, and lots of wasted money from constantly buying oil.

I should say, also, that 1 quart every 600miles has to be the record around here for the worst oil consumption ever.

I have never added any, but they do after an RMS repair. :-)

I agree with a lot of what you said. Its in the manual though and its not that you HAVE to refill the oil every 600, its just you will be able to notice that its going down/being consumed. I would imagine that if you get regular oil changes at 3k miles you probably wouldn't need to bother with this.

Hey GunKata, Welcome to the club, nice blk on blk aero! Great that you have already taken it out on the track. That imho is were these cars shine. Yeah, we all know they could be faster in a straight line with more power but the chassis tuning and brakes are where these machines really shine. Oh, and the power that it does have with the taller gearing really gets working above 100 mph not something so easily done by the import cars without major mods.... Just remember what your car can do bone stock (top speed wise). Again, great car you got there ! -Paul

Yeah, I'm not saying that your engine is gonna explode or anything. You don't have to add oil of you don't want to - but you're gonna be 5 quarts down after 3k miles.

It was the common coolant issue. Got if fixed by the local specialists - everything should be all good now. Next track day is this Sunday , we will see if any more smoke comes about!!

Black is nice, the AWD is great, and the aero kit is beautiful! Nice car!! Shane D

I've love to hear a comparison between the Evo and 911's steering. I found the Evo to be VERY direct and quick, but lacking in weighting/feedback. You could feel a decent amount of vibrations through the wheel, but it did not weight up with increasing G's in the bends. It was also twitchy on the highway. That said, it was one of the quickest and most responsive steering systems I've ever experienced. Never owned one myself, but my friend had an VIII.

Are you saying it was the common coolant issue that caused your oil consumption? If so what is the common coolant issue? Just curious.

bump for OP