what is an 'early' 3.4 996?

what is an 'early' 3.4 996?

Author
Discussion

nebpor

3,753 posts

236 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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Ah didn’t think of ASOS - good idea thank you

I was thinking clutch and brake lines, plus anything else once we are in there - need disks and pads anyway

Any collective wisdom on disks and pads? I do find the OEM not as good as I’d have thought. I’m going to stick decent fluid in whilst I’m at it

MrC986

3,498 posts

192 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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Paynewright said:
Anyone brought a new 997 shifter recently? Just wondered what is the current OPC price ?

Ian
I bought one late last year from my local OPC & I think it was about £130 with a bit of discount.

Engelberger

509 posts

68 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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nebpor said:
Any collective wisdom on disks and pads? I do find the OEM not as good as I’d have thought. I’m going to stick decent fluid in whilst I’m at it
I went Brembo all round and significant improvement was felt. (edit - also upgraded hoses)



Edited by Engelberger on Sunday 24th March 20:29

Fast Bug

11,725 posts

162 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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I went with pagid blue pads and braided hoses. Stops really well now, little bit of squeal when cold though. I had EBC yellow pads and cooked them after 2 laps at Bedford, awful pads

bgunn

1,417 posts

132 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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Engelberger said:
I went Brembo all round and significant improvement was felt. (edit - also upgraded hoses)



Edited by Engelberger on Sunday 24th March 20:29
Corroborates my experiences. I had brembo discs and pads on my Boxster and they were awesome, nice and sharp and really progressive.

The Pagid discs and textar pads I've fitted to my 996 haven't inspired me..

skinny

5,269 posts

236 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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I don't mind the gear ratios. But might be easier to change the final drive than the gears unless they are going and you need to do that work anyway - get an LSD fitted at the same time smile

Edited by skinny on Sunday 24th March 20:42

Dammit

3,790 posts

209 months

Sunday 24th March 2019
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Stock box ratios:



But then up the revs a little and you get this:



Which is sub-optimal.

Not ideal, but the easiest option is to fit a different ring and pinion that brings the final drive ratio from the stock 3.44 to 4:





Edited by Dammit on Sunday 24th March 21:56


Edited by Dammit on Sunday 24th March 22:00

ATM

18,300 posts

220 months

Monday 25th March 2019
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Fast Bug said:
I went with pagid blue pads and braided hoses. Stops really well now, little bit of squeal when cold though. I had EBC yellow pads and cooked them after 2 laps at Bedford, awful pads
How long ago did you get the yellows?

I thought ebc had a bad reputation a few years ago but were threw that now and out the other side?

I've recently put ebc yellows on my family van and they feel fine but I'm not taking that on track .... well never say no.

My 996 has performance friction pads according to the paperwork file. They can be a bit grumbly when cold. If the car has not been driven for over a week or more it sounds like I'm descaling the hub of the qe2.

Fast Bug

11,725 posts

162 months

Monday 25th March 2019
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They were fairly fresh on there when I bought it 3 years ago

edh

3,498 posts

270 months

Monday 25th March 2019
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I read regular complaints about 996 and boxster brakes, usually that they are ineffective or "wooden" in feel.

I have found that myself on my 986S. In that case it was corroded inner disc faces. I also replaced the dampers. After that it was great. Properly maintained OE brakes are more than capable for road use, and pretty good on track. Obviously a harder track pad makes sense.

The other issue is the relative lack of assistance. I travelled to classic le mans last year with a friend who is a jag engineer. He scared himself the first time he applied the brakes from speed, before he realised he needed to press the pedal. All in all he was very impressed with a 20 year old 996...

nebpor

3,753 posts

236 months

Monday 25th March 2019
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Indeed and this has always been my problem with them, I expected them to be better, from reading road tests of the car - my Integra TypeR was praised by evo etc. for having a brake feel that was as good as a 911, which was always the benchmark. Over many years of track days, I tried all kinds of different pad and disk combos to find one that lasted over repeated track days and also worked well on road - think I settled on Endless eventually.

For context, my other Integra R (an ex-racecar) had AP Racing callipers (without dust shields etc) and I ran the topline Pagids on it - squealed like a train in town but utterly fantastic with a bit of heat in them and on the track, so I'm used to brakes and assessing performance and the trade-offs you have to make on a road car.

The reality for me with the 911 has never been as good as that. When I bought the car, it had almost new OEM all round, but the front suspension was due a refresh. Now I've got brakes with 10K on them but new suspension wink

I think I'll move to Brembo and see how I get on. I do appreciate the 911 hasn't got much assistance, but it should still have the ultimate stopping power that I don't feel mine ever has.

Good chat - cheers all!

ATM

18,300 posts

220 months

Monday 25th March 2019
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Free tip

If you want a firmer brake pedal remove the rubber pad

nebpor

3,753 posts

236 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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I wouldn’t do that unless replacing the brake pedal with one with a friction surface - you don’t want a slippy pedal wink

Bullet-Proof_Biscuit

1,058 posts

78 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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Grippy tip (lol) actually needed for UK MOT..

ATM

18,300 posts

220 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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My clutch pedal is now sans its rubber pad. I pulled it off when I had gearbox problems and since then I cant get it back on. My shoes don't slip and it is firmer. So no not a serious suggestion but it does work. I could go on about being a purist and connection to the car but .....

Chris Stott

13,409 posts

198 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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I can understand how someone coming from a typical modern car can think the 996 brakes lack initial bite... I nearly put myself through the windscreen when I got in our Touareg after only driving the 996 for a couple of months, such is the difference in servo levels.

But I struggle to understand comments on lack of pedal firmness. My car has always been on stock brakes (or pattern parts), the pedal travel is short, and then you're well in to the max braking zone. It's not quite as solid as an old Citroen GS/GSA/CX, but it's solid enough that you can properly lean on the pedal and H&T.

nebpor

3,753 posts

236 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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Chris Stott said:
I can understand how someone coming from a typical modern car can think the 996 brakes lack initial bite... I nearly put myself through the windscreen when I got in our Touareg after only driving the 996 for a couple of months, such is the difference in servo levels.

But I struggle to understand comments on lack of pedal firmness. My car has always been on stock brakes (or pattern parts), the pedal travel is short, and then you're well in to the max braking zone. It's not quite as solid as an old Citroen GS/GSA/CX, but it's solid enough that you can properly lean on the pedal and H&T.
Chris, I have context - I’m not comparing it to a typical modern car

My first Porsche was a 97 Boxster, that I had 2008-2009 before bunking off to the boring he’ll hole of Sydney - maybe my memory is letting me down, but I never found the brakes on it wanting

skinny

5,269 posts

236 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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They do need a good bleed sometimes. Mine had an unacceptable amount of initial movement before they started to firm up and the brakes were ultimately still slightly spongy.
Even after i got the OPC to flush and bleed it still wasn't good enough for me.

So I bled it myself a total of 4 times, 3 times including cycling the ABS, to finally get a good pedal. Throughout these various bleed, I also had the calipers completely refurbished, changed pads and front discs, master cylinder, and changed flexi hoses with braided, each of which may have given a very small gains but never a step change.

Chris Stott

13,409 posts

198 months

Friday 29th March 2019
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Just been and picked mine up from from my Indy - 1st time I've driven it for a month or so as it sprang a fairly major water leak.

It was in for a 24k service, MOT, the water leak and I finally bit the bullet and asked them to sort the AC out (which hasn't worked for around 7 years).

Water leak turned out to be the OS radiator, which was completely FUBAR. Had both replaced whilst the bumper was off - they were last done around 80k miles, so a pair lasted c.90k miles, which doesn't seem too bad.

AC required 2 condensers and a a drier. Compressor was fine. I was worried it might need the low pressure line from front to back, which could have added a few hundred to the job, but they cleaned it up and the system is holding pressure fine... the ice cold air coming out of the vents feels like a bit of a novelty!

Sailed through the MOT with no advisories.

The £2k bill didn't seem too bad.

After a month of mooching round in a 2,300kg, diesel powered, automatic, quiet, smooth riding & comfortable house on wheels, the 996 just feels so unrefined... but in a (very) good way biggrin

Also slipped my mind how low it is, and how difficult it is to get my old 6'3" lanky frame in and out of laugh

Looking forward to reacquainting myself with her properly over the weekend.

Fast Bug

11,725 posts

162 months

Friday 29th March 2019
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Won't be too many years before you'll need help in and out of it Chris laugh