Porsche PSE Button

[Jono-ro44h]

Hi

First ever post, assume this has already been discussed, so apologies....

I have a 997 with a factory fitted PSE. When I press the PSE button I honestly can't tell any difference in the sound, I am assuming the valves are either stuck open or closed?

Can anyone please advise how I can check without taking the car to Porsche?

Thanks in advance
Jono

[c4sman]

Probably a failed solenoid. Assuming your car is a gen 1 the solenoid is easily accessible at the top of your engine bay and looks like this picture. Temporarily disconnect the vacuum pipes from the solenoid and see if you heard a difference with the engine running. If you do then it has likely failed and is cheap to replace (or plug the pipes to leave the exhaust always on). This picture shows the electrical connector to the solenoid already unplugged btw which you would do to change it out. Lots of stuff on the net about this so a google search will give lots of details.

[Jono-ro44h]

Thats great thanks...one last question, by unplugging should that set the exhaust to the loud mode or just the opposite of the mode it is currently stuck in, if indeed it is? I am assuming stuck in loud mode if it is stuck!

[c4sman]

From memory, a disconnected vacuum tube = loud mode. If the solenoid is broke unplugging the electrical connector won't change anything. Mine broke in quiet mode and stayed quiet with the connector on or off which I think was the vacuum feed blocked. When vacuum unplugged I got loud mode (I think). Someone on here will know the full logic of the solenoid.

[Jono-ro44h]

Hey Paddy...yes gave it a good kicking, sounds great btw, just no difference with PSE button on or off which is why i think it is stuck in loud mode as it su ds so good or whatever the correct terminology is?

Will unplug at the weekend and see if there is any difference and update the thread...thanks all thus far...jono

[Hawmaws]

Removing the cable should give you loud mode all of the time.

One of the main reasons that I moved my 997 on was the lack of exhaust noise, even with PSE on. There was a difference, but it wasn't very extreme.

[housen]

I thought my 997 gen1 c2s was very throaty when the exhaust was on

best car I ever owned

[Hawmaws]

apparently there was a big difference between the gen I and II. I have never driven a Gen I, so can't confirm that.

[V800MJH]

You shouldn't need to give it the beans.

My Cayman R exhaust note is very noticeably different when the car is just idle and I press the button.

[Porsche911R]

Hawmaws said:

apparently there was a big difference between the gen I and II. I have never driven a Gen I, so can't confirm that.

so you sold a gen 2 911 because it sounded too quite and bought a Boxster ! odd move

ALso the gen 2 is a very cheap easy fix for noise, One can buy a by-pass pipe on the gen 2 cars which sounds great and keeps your old exhaust in place and PSE switch, it's such an easy fix.

[Hawmaws]

Only odd if you prefer a 911.

The car was under warranty, so changing the exhaust wasn't an option.

[c4sman]

Gen 1 PSE sounds epic, not just loud but more importantly a great tone at low and high rpm. Gen2 PSE is pretty lame but sounds ok once you have replaced centre silencer with sharkwerks or cheaper alternative. Still doesn't sound as good as gen1 at lower rpm but gets very GT3 higher up the rev range.

[Jono-ro44h]

Wow...what a difference, so that is what it is supposed to sound like.....still not a big difference low end but above 4K rpm the difference is huge.....

Assume I need a garage to change the solenoid or is it possible to do yourself, as you can tell I am not that me mechanicly minded?

Thanks all.
Jono

[Pope]

It clips to the bracket; simply unclip it and pull off the vacuum pipes and swap the solenoid - simple.

[c4sman]

Very easy DIY. Will take you 10 mins even if you're not mechanically minded

[brownspeed]

when I bought mine it was stuck in the "loud" position.
being mechanically minded;- I've left it.
it sounds great

[crystalmethod]

I unplugged the solenoid on my 997.1, so I didn't have to switch it off every time I started the car, but mainly as it was designed to go quiet between 30 and 50 mph for noise regs I think, but which was just strange.

Opted for loud all the time, without letting on to the wife that anything had changed, or even that the exhaust was switchable.

[Jono-ro44h]

Hi All

Update.....went into Porsche Tonbridge at the weekend.

On the 997 Gen 1 the PSE works in reverse, so when you first start the car and the light is off on the PSE button the exhaust is in loud mode, when you turn the button on, so the light is on, PSE is in quiet mode, changed on Gen 2.

I changed the solonoid, very easy job, now sounds very loud, Porsche Technician tod me sound changes at 3,000 rpm. I am booked in for a full diagnostics check to see all working ok as now it is loud mode as it shoukd be when i start tge car i still cant tell any difference when i press the button!

[s4eff]

Jono-ro44h said:

Hi All

Update.....went into Porsche Tonbridge at the weekend.

On the 997 Gen 1 the PSE works in reverse, so when you first start the car and the light is off on the PSE button the exhaust is in loud mode, when you turn the button on, so the light is on, PSE is in quiet mode, changed on Gen 2.

I changed the solonoid, very easy job, now sounds very loud, Porsche Technician tod me sound changes at 3,000 rpm. I am booked in for a full diagnostics check to see all working ok as now it is loud mode as it shoukd be when i start tge car i still cant tell any difference when i press the button!

Not how it was on my 997.1 4S. The light was always off when ignition was turned on, the exhaust was loud for a second when started, due to the actuators working on vacuum, then went to quiet mode. I had to press the button to activate loud mode, this reverted to quiet when the ignition was switched off.

I thought this was changed for the Gen 2 ?

[c4sman]

Something not right. Gen1 and 2 are identical in that light on loud, light off quiet, although briefly loud on startup until vacuum makes it go quiet until you press exhaust button.