The NEW K&N Filter Kit won't fit in my car!

Yesterday I installed the new Cold Air Charger Kit in my '99 996C4 Cab and it seemed to go together and line up with everything pretty well. I then started the car and heard a loud metal on metal rubbing sound. I shut the car off and tried to investigate with a flashlilght but I couldn't see what the problem was. I then took the kit out of the car to find that the heat shield was pressing against three of the pulleys on the engine. They made some pretty good swirl marks but there was no damage to the engine and only minimal gashes on the heat shield. I called K&N and spoke to one of their tech-reps and she told me that this has been a first for this kit. I am in San Diego so I have made an appointment with them on Wednesday to go to their headquarters in Riverside, CA so that they can help me modify the heat shield without voiding the warranty. I will let everyone know the outcome. I am wondering if the C4's or Cab's have a different spacing in the engine bay? I only need about 1/4" to get a good fitment.

It should fit your car fine if it is lined up correctly. I would recommend doing a few things. First, pull the heat shield out and re-align the 3 rubber mounts. Second, make sure the heat shield is not bent. Third, when you put it back in set the align for the front "L" bracket. Last, several people have already commented about rubbing on acceleration. I made my own bracket for the left side of the heat shield as a preventative measure. I used Simpson steel to bend it into shape with one side bolted to the side of the heat shield and the other to the access hole just below the latch. Absolutely no problems here.

The 99 C4 has a different top end due to the E-gas electronic throttle system. I found this out the hard way when I bought a replacement motor for mine and had to spend an extra 4 hours of labor to have the top end changed. That is probably why yours will not line up. Good luck

The 99' Carreras are the only 996's without E-gas. All 00'+ have E-gas (including my Carrera). Hence this should not be related to the problem. But with mention about an engine replacement, if the rear engine mounts were going bad it could cause the engine to lean into the heat shield. Make sure there is no fluid around the engine mounts (i.e. they are leaking).

Actually there HAVE been documented problems just like yours. And they were here on the board. Do a search since it was recently here on the 996 forum. There were some guys having the EXACT problem of this pulley rubbing. Nice design

I just spoke with K&N and they are setting up a time for me to bring my car up to Riverside, CA so that their engineers can look at the fitment problem. They said that nobody else has called them to report this problem. So, if others are having the same rubbing issue, then they need to call K&N.

That's b/c they are calling the vendor that sold it to them, not K&N themselves. Shotty engineering if you ask me. Still don't understand the fascination with these CAI's other than the nice noise they generate. But slap on a PSE and you have all the music you need!

Along with the possible engine mount problem, I doubt that is my case since the vehicle only has 39,000 miles on it. However, if that is the case, that woulod be a crappy was to determine if you needed new engine mounts several years down the line when your K&N heat shield starts going metal to metal with your engine pulleys. Bottom line, K&N needs to put more spacing into their design!

David, while you are on-site with K&N, ask them for a CARB decal for your CAI. Otherwise you'll be failing the next smog test before they've even put the car on the test rig. No Decal = No Inspection Ask me how I know! Chris.

Incorrect..the 99 996 C4 has e-gas....its a 2000 spec car with the upgraded HP as well...all minor chabges to the 2000 C2 were first done on the 99 C4.

I received a follow-up call on my fitment problem from the engineers at K&N. It seems that I am not the first one to have this problem and they are wondering if it is just with the C4's. I live in San Diego and they are located about 1.5 hours north of me in Riverside so that asked me to drive up to their lab to see if they can modify the filter kit to fit in my car and then possibly do some design changes to the existing kit they are selling. I am expecting an appointment within the week to meet with them. I will post the results.

That's what I said. Only the 99' Carreras (not Carrera 4's) don't have e-gas. E-gas was introduced when the Carrera 4 came out in 99'. I have seen several comments about the HP changing for 2000, but this is not true. The power rating change is not related to E-gas. There was no change in the ratings of the 2000 over the 1999. Both the dealer order guide and the PCNA brochure clearly state 296 hp for the 2000 model year. This is supported by the road tests in Car & Driver, Motor Trend and Road & Track. Car & Driver shows the increase in their "tracking the changes" for 2001 the minor hp increase. This is also supported by the ratings of several tuners including Powerchip (check it out on their website). Porsche formally changed the rating for the US cars for the 2001 model years to 300 hp, although they never specified any formal changes in the vehicle for the increase. This was the first year the US cars were rated the same as ROW cars. The ROW cars were rated at 300 hp at their introduction for the 98' model year. Is there really a difference between a 99, 00, or 01? Probably not. E-gas only changes how the throttle is actuated, it doesn't change the airflow in the engine.

Sorry 02....wrong once again. 1999 is 296hp and 2000 and 2001 are 300hp. And the hp bump HAS been documented and explained by PAG/PCNA. First place is the exhaust. I'll let you do the rest of the research.

LVDELL. They make power. Maybe I should give you one for free so you see it is a reality. Simple adjustment when installing/aligning it so the screw/bracket does not hit the pulley. Call me and I can help you. The intake fits all C2/C4 for both 997 and 996. I have fit them in all models. I have also seen the exact problem you are talking about.

Hate to be brutually honest but I wouldn't even install a free one in my ride. Maybe if I didn't have PSE and I was just looking for some great sound but not a chance. FYI....CAI's do NOT "make" power. Turbo chargers "make" power. CAI's do nothing other than make some nice noise and maybe "unlock" 5hp that have been choked down by substandard restricting airboxes. I gotta hand it to you though. You realy believe it, so I have to applaud that.

LVDell, I have done the research and I can't find a single source of factual documentation that supports this claim. I did find a few other things: In the 2000 Road & Track annual, they tested a 2000 C4 Cab and it was rated as: 296hp. In the October 1999 issue of Motor Trend the summarized the changes and specs for the new model year and the 2000 911 is rated: 296hp. In the October 2000 issue of Motor Trend the summarized the changes and specs for the new model year and the 2000 911 is rated: 300hp. I have searched these forums, the tech areas, 996 FAQ, 6speedonline and even the PCA website. I have found a lot of comments like yours, but not a single pic, attachement or even a quote from a press release that could verify this claim. The only thing I could find even close was this post and response on PCA: https://www.pca.org/tech/tech_qa_question.asp?id={866F1838-E38B-47D4-BF1C-D6684DE6F90F} The owner of an 2000 Carrera clearly states the he has seen reviews that the 2000 is supposed to have 300 hp, but his Porsche Owners Manual clearly states 296hp. This is the same as the rating in the 2000 Order Guide and the 2000 Dealer Brochure. Joel Reiser from PCA did verify that both the cats and exhaust were changed for 00', but could not substantiate the hp claim. Can you please scan or take a pic of a formal documentation from PCNA that that documents and verifies this change in ratings? I would appreciate your help in this. It is not that I don't want to believe it, it is I just can't find anything that substantiates it.

LVDell, It my belief that when someone spends thousands of dollars on a supecharger to get extra horsepower out of a car, they don't want to believe that $300 dollars can also add horsepower. Granted, not as much, but if you do the math it is a substantial 'bang-for-the-buck'. What you are fighting is something called PRIDE! Good to have but dangerous to guard.

Try the following: Edmunds Here's something from a press release I found on Bloomberg, dated Dec 16, 1999 and titled, "Porsche 911 Nominated as 'Car of the Century' Award Finalist" (emphasis added): ATLANTA, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Porsche 911, a lasting and legendary design from one of the world's leading sports car manufacturers, has been selected as one of five finalists for the Car of the Century Award, which along with the Car Designer of the Century, Car Engineer of the Century Award, Car Entrepreneur of the Century, and Car Executive of the Century Awards are organized by Car of the Century International N.V. The winners will be announced at the Car of the Century Awards Gala at the Venetian Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas on Dec. 18, 1999. [SNIP] The latest and greatest 911 platform debuted in 1998 as a 1999 model year car. The new 911 plays off the highly recognized 911 shape, but underneath is all-new technology such as a water-cooled, horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower , Tiptronic S or manual transmission, all-wheel drive, and the Porsche Stability Management system. An all-new 911 Turbo, based on this new platform, will arrive in early 2000. Notice the date of the press release, then the comment highlighted above that says, "The new 911...producing 300 horsepower." I can get you can annual report detailing this if you like, but I have to find a way to scan it in.

Try PAG/PCNA. I am not doing all your research for you. Let me guess......you have a 99? FYI...R&T and MT don't count. Here's a start MSN AUTOS The 911 Turbo returns as a 2001 model, sporting more power as well as full-time all-wheel drive. The rest of the 911 model lineup gets a boost from 296 to 300 horsepower thanks to a new exhaust system. Porsche's Stability Management system is now available on the 2WD Carrera, and all 911 interiors receive minor upgrades. EDMUNDS (for 1999) Still mounted behind the rear axle, the new engine is otherwise different in every way. The 3.4-liter flat-six double-overhead-cam motor puts out 296 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque, and its new cooling system helps optimize power all over the rev range. The improved suspension is derived from the 928, and it's designed to protect the car from oversteer while cornering at the limit. Huge brake rotors and GT1-inspired monobloc calipers make slowing down even easier than accelerating. (for 2000) What's New for 2000 A new exhaust system bumps horsepower from 296 to 300. Already featured on Carrera 4 models, two-wheel-drive Carreras now get an electronic drive-by-wire throttle and optional PSM stability control. All models receive an upgraded interior console and materials. The formerly optional charcoal odor filter is now standard. There are two new standard and one new optional exterior colors.

Not following what you are saying. Who is spending the SC $$$ and refuses to believe the CAI can add 23hp? Do YOU honestly believe that the a CAI (and CAI) can add a true 23hp to your car? Do you honestly believe that PAG is choking greater than 23hp with the stock airbox? Please.

IMO, The K&N just doesn't look right on a 911. Again, just my opinion, but a K&N filter looks like something you should install in your 60's muscle car. I really believe that the factory airbox is hard to improve on. Dyno readings vary drastically from dyno to dyno. It's not hard get a little bump for advertising sake. As far as the sound.....it reminds me of the good ol' days of flipping the air cleaner lid over on a V8, and getting that "cool" sound. Kind of fun at first, but whatever. For clarification, I haven't seen a K&N install in person, nor have I heard the sound....maybe that would change my mind....but I doubt it. To each their own, not putting anyone down for having it, just expressing my 2 cents.