997.2 S Exhaust Centre Silencer options
Discussion
Hi
Recently bought a 997.2 S, and got to say absolutely love it, its doing will do all of things that I wanted of it, and it looks amazing. I was a little sceptical about the PDK gearbox but I am now 100% converted.
My only complaint is the lack of exhaust note its very subdued, my previous car was a partially decatt’d TVR Griffith 500 so I am used to a much LOUDER car. I am lucky that it does have PSE which certainly helps a little and whilst I maybe don’t want it quite as loud, but I would like more than I have got! So I understand that deleting the Cats is a no go as will see a large drop in torque, amongst other wider issues. I could look at “race” low restriction cats but they are expensive, and I will need to get the car re mappd to take account of them as well…
So I am looking at centre silencer replacement either from Hayward Scott or TopGear, is there a preference ? they are different designs, though of course doing the same thing. Is one louder than the other? The Top Gear one is meant to give a power increase… is that real / noticeable? I am not chasing BHP but if as a by product I get a few extra BHP or lb/ft then so much the better. The Top Gear product is also about £100 cheaper but this is not a key issue.
Lastly I do appreciate that exhaust upgrades are very personal and 1 persons quiet is another’s TOO LOUD…. But just trying to get a flavour between the two.
thanks alex
Recently bought a 997.2 S, and got to say absolutely love it, its doing will do all of things that I wanted of it, and it looks amazing. I was a little sceptical about the PDK gearbox but I am now 100% converted.
My only complaint is the lack of exhaust note its very subdued, my previous car was a partially decatt’d TVR Griffith 500 so I am used to a much LOUDER car. I am lucky that it does have PSE which certainly helps a little and whilst I maybe don’t want it quite as loud, but I would like more than I have got! So I understand that deleting the Cats is a no go as will see a large drop in torque, amongst other wider issues. I could look at “race” low restriction cats but they are expensive, and I will need to get the car re mappd to take account of them as well…
So I am looking at centre silencer replacement either from Hayward Scott or TopGear, is there a preference ? they are different designs, though of course doing the same thing. Is one louder than the other? The Top Gear one is meant to give a power increase… is that real / noticeable? I am not chasing BHP but if as a by product I get a few extra BHP or lb/ft then so much the better. The Top Gear product is also about £100 cheaper but this is not a key issue.
Lastly I do appreciate that exhaust upgrades are very personal and 1 persons quiet is another’s TOO LOUD…. But just trying to get a flavour between the two.
thanks alex
Hi, I had exactly the same dilemma in December when I bought my 997.2 PDK. There is a lengthy thread on 911 uk (997 section), and a few on here. To cut a long story short I bought the Miltek version, which are crossover pipes like the Haywood and Scott ones. It was a bit more expensive but I was told slightly better quality and that Miltek apparently have an excellent returns policy if there are any problems. It seems it is an identical copy of the Sharkwerks version, which I believe is the original, and there is all sorts of stuff online about how good that is.I am extremely happy with mine, but dont under estimate labour costs to do the swap. Rusted nuts meant 3 hours for mine, which is common.
It was. however, well worth it.
Simon.
It was. however, well worth it.
Simon.
Been running sharkwerks on my 997.2 GTS for 4.5 years and still perfect. The GTS does have PSE however so without PSE activated is still a fairly subtle but crucial upgrade. Even with pse active it’s no straight piped griff 500 (which I’ve also owned 
) but it suits the 997 much more than stock.
) but it suits the 997 much more than stock. Hi both, thank you for the replies, glad both happy with similar upgrades! I will be doing the work myself ( i stripped and rebuilt my TVR, so this is fairly simple plus i have a friend who is an ex Porsche mechanic who will happily help me)
Interesting what you say about Miltek V H&S. I will have a further look on 991UK forum. C4Sman, so with PSE off is there much of noise increase thinking of sitting on a motorway etc where this can get annoying! I have read that this mod works much better with cars equipped with PSE.
thanks again alex
Interesting what you say about Miltek V H&S. I will have a further look on 991UK forum. C4Sman, so with PSE off is there much of noise increase thinking of sitting on a motorway etc where this can get annoying! I have read that this mod works much better with cars equipped with PSE.
thanks again alex
alexcurtis said:
Hi both, thank you for the replies, glad both happy with similar upgrades! I will be doing the work myself ( i stripped and rebuilt my TVR, so this is fairly simple plus i have a friend who is an ex Porsche mechanic who will happily help me)
Interesting what you say about Miltek V H&S. I will have a further look on 991UK forum. C4Sman, so with PSE off is there much of noise increase thinking of sitting on a motorway etc where this can get annoying! I have read that this mod works much better with cars equipped with PSE.
thanks again alex
There’s no cabin drone at any speed with or without PSE switched on, so no worries about annoyance. With PSE OFF it’s still a nice improvement over stock but leans toward subtle rather than loud but a really nice tone. Interesting what you say about Miltek V H&S. I will have a further look on 991UK forum. C4Sman, so with PSE off is there much of noise increase thinking of sitting on a motorway etc where this can get annoying! I have read that this mod works much better with cars equipped with PSE.
thanks again alex
I think if you don’t have PSE you could add a low cost “gundo hack” for permanent PSE ON noise for a couple hundred quid. With PSE ON it sounds great but it’s quite full on and cold start will be brutal if you had to do any early mornings. In cabin always fine however.
c4sman said:
There’s no cabin drone at any speed with or without PSE switched on, so no worries about annoyance. With PSE OFF it’s still a nice improvement over stock but leans toward subtle rather than loud but a really nice tone.
I think if you don’t have PSE you could add a low cost “gundo hack” for permanent PSE ON noise for a couple hundred quid. With PSE ON it sounds great but it’s quite full on and cold start will be brutal if you had to do any early mornings. In cabin always fine however.
+1 Sharkwerks mine is also on a GTS but C4sman is spot on I think if you don’t have PSE you could add a low cost “gundo hack” for permanent PSE ON noise for a couple hundred quid. With PSE ON it sounds great but it’s quite full on and cold start will be brutal if you had to do any early mornings. In cabin always fine however.
Think I've supplied most of the Sharkwerks 997.2 bypass pipes in the uk through my business ABP.
Back in 2014 when I bought my 1st Porsche, a 997.2 GTS with factory PSE I found the exhaust really disappointing even with the valves open so after looking around I imported a Sharkwerks bypass which transformed the character and enjoyment of the car. No downsides, no drone, good fit with weight saving, slight power hike (+12bhp) and a much improved soundtrack. Subsequently we did a deal with SW and were bringing in 10 at a time for other 997.2 owners. Think we've sold well over 75 since and all with great feedback.
We are also a Milltek dealer and stock their bypass option also, again sold many always with great feedback. These are a lower price point than the SW but the quality is comparable and a UK lifetime warranty.
We supply a full stainless steel exhaust nut/bolt kit to replace the crusty original Porsche items.
I've used both, we've fitted both options many times and both are IMO better than some of the other options out there. I've seen some other brands suffer fractures and resonance issues so bear that in mind.
Whichever you decide to buy my advice is get on and do it as it transforms the driving experience! But sadly it won't sound like a TVR....
Back in 2014 when I bought my 1st Porsche, a 997.2 GTS with factory PSE I found the exhaust really disappointing even with the valves open so after looking around I imported a Sharkwerks bypass which transformed the character and enjoyment of the car. No downsides, no drone, good fit with weight saving, slight power hike (+12bhp) and a much improved soundtrack. Subsequently we did a deal with SW and were bringing in 10 at a time for other 997.2 owners. Think we've sold well over 75 since and all with great feedback.
We are also a Milltek dealer and stock their bypass option also, again sold many always with great feedback. These are a lower price point than the SW but the quality is comparable and a UK lifetime warranty.
We supply a full stainless steel exhaust nut/bolt kit to replace the crusty original Porsche items.
I've used both, we've fitted both options many times and both are IMO better than some of the other options out there. I've seen some other brands suffer fractures and resonance issues so bear that in mind.
Whichever you decide to buy my advice is get on and do it as it transforms the driving experience! But sadly it won't sound like a TVR....
c4sman said:
Happy ABP customer here Chris! Just took a look back and it seems closer to 5.5 years that I got the sharkwerks off you. Time flies....
Indeed it does! Now on Porsche number 4, although I think if my 997.2 GTS had been a manual I would probably still be on number one!
Still, can’t complain as the subsequent GT4, Cayman R and current 981 Spyder were/are all great cars to experience!
Hi all
Thanks for your help in the end I went for a Hayward and Scott replacement. The job was a major PIA, I am very lucky I have a friend who worked as an OPC mechanic so taking the bumper and heat shields etc off were easy being told exactly where each fixing was and the Hex size.
The real issue was the state of the exhaust nuts / bolts they were all as expected toast, started off with a regular spray off Plus Gas, got a few off using a 6 instead of 12 faced socket that helped to give a more positive drive, but using a gas bottle to get them cherry red and then could drive them off! Only had one where had to use a set of Irwin nut extractors. The exhaust clamp to the old centre box I just cut off using an angle grinder, appreciate not ideal as those clamps are expensive especially if you buy 997 specific clamps from places like Design911 but I bought the same brand with the same key 60mm ID but a little longer at 95mm and instead of £55 each they cost me £20 each delivered. Took about 4 hours work to get the old system off.
The H&S unit slotted in very well, no issues at all, including the mounting brackets so very pleased. Made sure that any new nuts were Stainless so wont be an issue if ever need to take them off again. I also sprayed the exhaust tips as they were looking tatty with High temp silver paint
So as said I do have PSE when it first starts its loud but then calms down as the revs drop but then the old was not quiet to be fair. I suspect the noise will change/ quieten as the system cokes up a little. With the PSE off I cant really hear any change to the exhaust at different revs, with PSE on it deffintly has a much better exhaust note you can hear the exhaust now and you can now hear the boxer yowl as its revs. In sport mode this is more noticeable again.
It is still quite quiet to my ear, maybe I am going deaf, but I am going to wait now, we are going away in the car for a week and see how we get on.
Thanks all, its worth the effort , now its done... alex
Thanks for your help in the end I went for a Hayward and Scott replacement. The job was a major PIA, I am very lucky I have a friend who worked as an OPC mechanic so taking the bumper and heat shields etc off were easy being told exactly where each fixing was and the Hex size.
The real issue was the state of the exhaust nuts / bolts they were all as expected toast, started off with a regular spray off Plus Gas, got a few off using a 6 instead of 12 faced socket that helped to give a more positive drive, but using a gas bottle to get them cherry red and then could drive them off! Only had one where had to use a set of Irwin nut extractors. The exhaust clamp to the old centre box I just cut off using an angle grinder, appreciate not ideal as those clamps are expensive especially if you buy 997 specific clamps from places like Design911 but I bought the same brand with the same key 60mm ID but a little longer at 95mm and instead of £55 each they cost me £20 each delivered. Took about 4 hours work to get the old system off.
The H&S unit slotted in very well, no issues at all, including the mounting brackets so very pleased. Made sure that any new nuts were Stainless so wont be an issue if ever need to take them off again. I also sprayed the exhaust tips as they were looking tatty with High temp silver paint
So as said I do have PSE when it first starts its loud but then calms down as the revs drop but then the old was not quiet to be fair. I suspect the noise will change/ quieten as the system cokes up a little. With the PSE off I cant really hear any change to the exhaust at different revs, with PSE on it deffintly has a much better exhaust note you can hear the exhaust now and you can now hear the boxer yowl as its revs. In sport mode this is more noticeable again.
It is still quite quiet to my ear, maybe I am going deaf, but I am going to wait now, we are going away in the car for a week and see how we get on.
Thanks all, its worth the effort , now its done... alex
alexcurtis said:
Hi all
Thanks for your help in the end I went for a Hayward and Scott replacement. The job was a major PIA, I am very lucky I have a friend who worked as an OPC mechanic so taking the bumper and heat shields etc off were easy being told exactly where each fixing was and the Hex size.
The real issue was the state of the exhaust nuts / bolts they were all as expected toast, started off with a regular spray off Plus Gas, got a few off using a 6 instead of 12 faced socket that helped to give a more positive drive, but using a gas bottle to get them cherry red and then could drive them off! Only had one where had to use a set of Irwin nut extractors. The exhaust clamp to the old centre box I just cut off using an angle grinder, appreciate not ideal as those clamps are expensive especially if you buy 997 specific clamps from places like Design911 but I bought the same brand with the same key 60mm ID but a little longer at 95mm and instead of £55 each they cost me £20 each delivered. Took about 4 hours work to get the old system off.
The H&S unit slotted in very well, no issues at all, including the mounting brackets so very pleased. Made sure that any new nuts were Stainless so wont be an issue if ever need to take them off again. I also sprayed the exhaust tips as they were looking tatty with High temp silver paint
So as said I do have PSE when it first starts its loud but then calms down as the revs drop but then the old was not quiet to be fair. I suspect the noise will change/ quieten as the system cokes up a little. With the PSE off I cant really hear any change to the exhaust at different revs, with PSE on it deffintly has a much better exhaust note you can hear the exhaust now and you can now hear the boxer yowl as its revs. In sport mode this is more noticeable again.
It is still quite quiet to my ear, maybe I am going deaf, but I am going to wait now, we are going away in the car for a week and see how we get on.
Thanks all, its worth the effort , now its done... alex
Congrats and hope it meets your expectation. I thought the PSE off sound was a nice subtle upgrade when you get some revs on but we there you go. Pse on is the way to go Thanks for your help in the end I went for a Hayward and Scott replacement. The job was a major PIA, I am very lucky I have a friend who worked as an OPC mechanic so taking the bumper and heat shields etc off were easy being told exactly where each fixing was and the Hex size.
The real issue was the state of the exhaust nuts / bolts they were all as expected toast, started off with a regular spray off Plus Gas, got a few off using a 6 instead of 12 faced socket that helped to give a more positive drive, but using a gas bottle to get them cherry red and then could drive them off! Only had one where had to use a set of Irwin nut extractors. The exhaust clamp to the old centre box I just cut off using an angle grinder, appreciate not ideal as those clamps are expensive especially if you buy 997 specific clamps from places like Design911 but I bought the same brand with the same key 60mm ID but a little longer at 95mm and instead of £55 each they cost me £20 each delivered. Took about 4 hours work to get the old system off.
The H&S unit slotted in very well, no issues at all, including the mounting brackets so very pleased. Made sure that any new nuts were Stainless so wont be an issue if ever need to take them off again. I also sprayed the exhaust tips as they were looking tatty with High temp silver paint
So as said I do have PSE when it first starts its loud but then calms down as the revs drop but then the old was not quiet to be fair. I suspect the noise will change/ quieten as the system cokes up a little. With the PSE off I cant really hear any change to the exhaust at different revs, with PSE on it deffintly has a much better exhaust note you can hear the exhaust now and you can now hear the boxer yowl as its revs. In sport mode this is more noticeable again.
It is still quite quiet to my ear, maybe I am going deaf, but I am going to wait now, we are going away in the car for a week and see how we get on.
Thanks all, its worth the effort , now its done... alex
alexcurtis said:
It is still quite quiet to my ear, maybe I am going deaf, but I am going to wait now, we are going away in the car for a week and see how we get on.
If a lot of your driving is at moderate speeds, be aware that the PSE is off between 45-75kph to comply with Swiss noise regulations, even with the button on. You need one of these to keep the PSE on all the time 
http://www.carnewal.com/products/997GT3/p97084/PSE...
I was under the impression that PSE is always on (when enabled of course) for the 997.2, the centre silencer allows it to meet noise regulations at any speed unlike the 997.1 that turns off a certain speeds.
Either way I find the bypass adds just enough extra noise without being too much, I have had the Topgear one a couple of years now and still think it sounds great!
Either way I find the bypass adds just enough extra noise without being too much, I have had the Topgear one a couple of years now and still think it sounds great!
I too have recently got a 997.2 S and have come from TVRs (Tuscan) and JDM performance cars (RX7). I thought exactly the same, theflat six sounds great but really muted.
Has anyone bypassed the side silencers and left the middle one in? I assume it'll drone like a bugger. I am leaning towards the Top Gear cross pipe and valve operated silencers but worried about dropping £1300 and finding it still a bit disappointing.
Has anyone bypassed the side silencers and left the middle one in? I assume it'll drone like a bugger. I am leaning towards the Top Gear cross pipe and valve operated silencers but worried about dropping £1300 and finding it still a bit disappointing.
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