Installed my X51 headers/AWE cats and mufflers
#16
03-06-2009, 12:28 PM
I already installed a GHL header, Gemballa exhaust and EVO Vflow intake. I want to modify my cats as well but worried that it may damage my oxygen sensor and cause a CEL or just cause CEL. Any thoughts?
#17
03-06-2009, 01:57 PM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Playa Del Rey, Ca
Posts: 1,725
Rep Power: 106 
I will say if I was to do it all over again I would run a 100 cell cat and go with these FVD O2 sensor extensions
They are a sponsor on this board...
Granted if a cat blows out you are on your own...if you go with an AWE cat setup I believe it's lifetime guarantee for the original owner. Check with Todd at AWE, maybe I am overstating the warranty on the cats.
You can save a ton of money by just having a custom set done.
Here is the link..a custom shop would be able to bend pipe quite cheap.
http://shop.fvd.de/us/en/Porsche-0/9...he_Tuning.html
#18
03-06-2009, 02:08 PM
I have a set of used to me AWE cats (first gen) and they were tripping the CEL, I bought the FVD O2 sensor extnsions and no problems so far. I am disappointed that AWE won't honour the warranty, however there conditions are clear and easy come easy go for me.
#19
03-06-2009, 02:24 PM
Thanks for the detailed response Dave. I haven't heard about sensor extensions but I can see how it will prevent a CEL.
#20
03-06-2009, 02:32 PM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Playa Del Rey, Ca
Posts: 1,725
Rep Power: 106 Come on guys..give me some lovin..hint hint.
Damm Van!!..over 3k posts and you joined after me...You the man..
#23
03-06-2009, 03:31 PM
All our warranties apply only to the original owner, which is pretty much industry standard, too. With a new part purchase, you get 100% tech and customer support for your money.
#24
03-06-2009, 03:37 PM
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Chained to my Laptop....
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Rep Power: 170 Last Fri. I installed my X51 headers and AWE cats (200 cpi) with my AWE mufflers. The install took about 3.5 hrs. that includes the removal of the OEM components. I did the install completely on ramps by myself without any help at all. My overall impressions:
1. Sound-the sound is fantastic, the beautiful burble along with the nice deep throatiness below 4k rpm is fantastic. I found no droning at all with the AWE mufflers at any rpm. I posted awhile back about how I felt the AWE mufflers were to tame for me with the rest of the exhaust system being OEM. While I do feel I want a more aggressive muffler (I love it loud, in fact thinking of going with muffler bypass) and will probably still go the Borla route (love the way they sound), the AWE's are actually a very good sounding muffler. From the 4-6k rpm they car absolutely screams, above this you can hear the difference but it's not so dramatic like it is from 4-6k rpm.
2. Power Increase-I waited for at least a 100 miles for adaption before I gave any impressions of how much of a power increase there was. I didn't get a chasssis dyno done before hand so of course this is all subjective. I am using my many years of drag racing experience and a very well calibrated butt dyno. There is definitely a power increase from the 4k rpm range up, I noticed no loss in low end tq. In fact my midrange power is so much better along with the throttle response I may forego software until I get the rest of my mods done to tie everything together. I do believe the exhaust by itself is probably only worth 10-15rwhp at the top end of the tach, while in the midrange it probably is worth a tad more. I plan on getting a X51 airbox, throttle body for my next set of mods and this should compliment the exhaust even more.
3. Fit- Well what can be said, it fit perfect. The X51 headers are OEM and the AWE cats fit perfectly with the X51 headers. One of the reasons I chose the X51 and didn't go with the AWE is cost and the X51 headers tucked in real nice and didn't hang real low like the AWE I have seen. If you compare a X51 header with a standard 997S header you will go "what the heck were they thinking". Now I know looks aren't everything when it comes to producing power, but the primary tubes really neck down with the non X51 headers while the X51 headers keep the primary sizes all the way to the tri-log collector they use. Also, there was some discussion if the primaries were going to be to big for the exhaust port, well they are exactly the same size.
Anyway, off to work...any questions post away..
Dave
1. Sound-the sound is fantastic, the beautiful burble along with the nice deep throatiness below 4k rpm is fantastic. I found no droning at all with the AWE mufflers at any rpm. I posted awhile back about how I felt the AWE mufflers were to tame for me with the rest of the exhaust system being OEM. While I do feel I want a more aggressive muffler (I love it loud, in fact thinking of going with muffler bypass) and will probably still go the Borla route (love the way they sound), the AWE's are actually a very good sounding muffler. From the 4-6k rpm they car absolutely screams, above this you can hear the difference but it's not so dramatic like it is from 4-6k rpm.
2. Power Increase-I waited for at least a 100 miles for adaption before I gave any impressions of how much of a power increase there was. I didn't get a chasssis dyno done before hand so of course this is all subjective. I am using my many years of drag racing experience and a very well calibrated butt dyno. There is definitely a power increase from the 4k rpm range up, I noticed no loss in low end tq. In fact my midrange power is so much better along with the throttle response I may forego software until I get the rest of my mods done to tie everything together. I do believe the exhaust by itself is probably only worth 10-15rwhp at the top end of the tach, while in the midrange it probably is worth a tad more. I plan on getting a X51 airbox, throttle body for my next set of mods and this should compliment the exhaust even more.
3. Fit- Well what can be said, it fit perfect. The X51 headers are OEM and the AWE cats fit perfectly with the X51 headers. One of the reasons I chose the X51 and didn't go with the AWE is cost and the X51 headers tucked in real nice and didn't hang real low like the AWE I have seen. If you compare a X51 header with a standard 997S header you will go "what the heck were they thinking". Now I know looks aren't everything when it comes to producing power, but the primary tubes really neck down with the non X51 headers while the X51 headers keep the primary sizes all the way to the tri-log collector they use. Also, there was some discussion if the primaries were going to be to big for the exhaust port, well they are exactly the same size.
Anyway, off to work...any questions post away..
Dave
Nice write-up, I love it when members take time to share their mods with such nice detail. Good call on the X51 headers because they fit correctly. I've seen a few "aftermarket" headers block the mounting bolt for the mufflers- Basically you end up having to pull the headers if you want to change your mufflers because the manifold tubes extend out over the head of the forward muffler bracket bolt. That blows!
Would be real interested in knowing dyno numbers before / after. Good to know what the average performance benefit will be for your upgrades.
I ended up with +26 whp HP / +28 whp TQ gain with combo of KN intake, RSS and AfterHours sport pipes. No software or anything else modified.
dyno charts / info: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...o-results.html
I don't know if that is good or average since there does not seem to be much comparative data around for other combo upgrades.
If you are going to try bypass pipes, make sure you buy a set cheap ($100 or so). They will be fun for about a week but you'll probably want to resell them soon due to too much noise inside car, and you may also notice a bit of a TQ loss. The best liveable loud pipes I have found are the AfterHours pipes, plus they are light weight.
Do you notice any added vibration inside the car after swapping headers / cats?
Last edited by p0rsch3; 03-06-2009 at 03:41 PM.
#25
03-06-2009, 04:59 PM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Playa Del Rey, Ca
Posts: 1,725
Rep Power: 106
#26
03-06-2009, 06:50 PM
Our cat warranty is 1 year, which is industry standard I am pretty sure. Cats are not a lifetime item and do wear with mileage. Since you can't check a mail order client's mileage, it is standard just to put a time limit on wear item warranties like that.
All our warranties apply only to the original owner, which is pretty much industry standard, too. With a new part purchase, you get 100% tech and customer support for your money.
All our warranties apply only to the original owner, which is pretty much industry standard, too. With a new part purchase, you get 100% tech and customer support for your money.
#27
03-06-2009, 07:17 PM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Playa Del Rey, Ca
Posts: 1,725
Rep Power: 106 Also, with the aftermarket cats and the car running to lean or rich can affect a cats life, something the aftermarket company has no control over.
That being known I can tell you right now that if my AWE cats fail, I'm welding in some 100cpi units from FVD.
Dave
#29
03-06-2009, 11:51 PM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Playa Del Rey, Ca
Posts: 1,725
Rep Power: 106 Main reason though is you can get the 100cpi cat from FVD and weld them in. I wouldn't do it until my 200cpi cats burned out, which could be never during the life of the vehicle that I have owned it.
Dave
#30
03-07-2009, 07:22 AM
They did gain though...granted maybe a couple of hp. Also I thought there was a sound difference between a 200cpi cat vs. a 100cpi cat.
Main reason though is you can get the 100cpi cat from FVD and weld them in. I wouldn't do it until my 200cpi cats burned out, which could be never during the life of the vehicle that I have owned it.
Dave
Main reason though is you can get the 100cpi cat from FVD and weld them in. I wouldn't do it until my 200cpi cats burned out, which could be never during the life of the vehicle that I have owned it.
Dave