Retro Fit X51 Power Kit

Z80 · Nov 20, 2006

ORIGINAL: YvesD

Greg,

The difference is noticable everywhere and I'm not talking fine degrees............

Marvellous.

Yves

Great stuff. I knew it was good.

Greg

Alex L · Nov 20, 2006

ORIGINAL: YvesD

Greg,

The difference is noticable everywhere and I'm not talking fine degrees, it really feels like a bigger engine with operatic lungs.

There is much more torque right off tickover which makes the car easier to launch, the feeling contines through low revs up untill 3000rpm or so where a turbocharging effect comes in and she really starts to motor. The PSE is now on full song and as we breach 5000rpm the car is showing a very clean pair of heals to the 'standard' motor.

Therafter she just piles on the power and revs in a manic surge.

Think 996 GT3 and you have a good idea, albeit with a lustier delivery low down.

Marvellous.

Yves

...I'm so depressed [

]

Just have to keep telling myself: "998 Turbo, 998 Turbo..."

YvesD · Nov 20, 2006

ORIGINAL: Alex L

ORIGINAL: YvesD

Greg,

The difference is noticable everywhere and I'm not talking fine degrees, it really feels like a bigger engine with operatic lungs.

There is much more torque right off tickover which makes the car easier to launch, the feeling contines through low revs up untill 3000rpm or so where a turbocharging effect comes in and she really starts to motor. The PSE is now on full song and as we breach 5000rpm the car is showing a very clean pair of heals to the 'standard' motor.

Therafter she just piles on the power and revs in a manic surge.

Think 996 GT3 and you have a good idea, albeit with a lustier delivery low down.

Marvellous.

Yves

Click to expand...

...I'm so depressed []

Just have to keep telling myself: "998 Turbo, 998 Turbo..."

Alex,

Dont be depressed, save yourself a shed load of money and swap into a powerkitted Cab identical to your own !.

Guarantee you will see the light and cross the turbo off your shopping list at that point !

Yves

Alex L · Nov 20, 2006

ORIGINAL: YvesD
Alex,

Dont be depressed, save yourself a shed load of money and swap into a powerkitted Cab identical to your own !.

Guarantee you will see the light and cross the turbo off your shopping list at that point !

Yves

Hmmm, by the time I do that then it's going to cost me practically as much as a new Turbo. Trade-ins are killer, especially when involving a large options list like I have now. I will just take deep breaths and count my pennies until I can get a facelifted Turbo with PDK and 500bhp. Now that will be worth the wait!

There's a rumour that the reason Porsche havent released the PDK yet is that VW bought the rights to DSG technology off them 13 years ago and there is only 2 more years before those rights expire. Hence the rumour that PDK will be released in 2008. Mind you, that will probably change if Porsche buys out VW soon!

YvesD · Nov 20, 2006

Alex, You have definately set your heart on a turbo I think.

Be sure to tick the box marked X50 power upgrade wont you !

Regards

Yves

Alex L · Nov 20, 2006

ORIGINAL: YvesD

Alex, You have definately set your heart on a turbo I think.

Be sure to tick the box marked X50 power upgrade wont you !

Regards

Yves

If it's out by then I surely will [

]

richardgilbert · Nov 20, 2006

Yves,

Sounds like Mid - Sussex were good, did you ask them to take photos during the process? How big is the difference? Where do you really feel it?

Sorry for all the questions its just I am booked in next week and I want to make sure its worth it!! Getting them to change the gear stick and handbrake to the new aluminium ones as well.

YvesD · Nov 20, 2006

Richard,

In answer to your questions.

OPC Sussex were fantastic, no issues whatsover and accommodated my every whim and fancy without quibble. Nothing was too much trouble for them. The guy who will be doing your work is a true artist at the top of his game and pays great attention to detail ( he is also a concourse judge for PCGB which should tell you something ). Have a good chat to him if you can. Also, if you have any warranty niggles you want sorting, ask them to do those too.

I have about 80 photos of the entire process ! Excellent.

Difference in delivery is very significant and everywhere all of the time. Really quite astonishing and cannot be judged from the paper figures. Made me chuckle quite a bit on my 200 mile drive home.

Do you have the short shifter already, I didnt but had this added. It really completes the package.

I am chuffed to bits, sure you will be too.

Regards

Yves

richardgilbert · Nov 21, 2006

Yves,

Thanks for the answers I am really excited now car gets picked up on Monday. I had the short shifter fitted the same time as my PSE and think it makes a big difference, my wife has a boxster and every time i drive it the gears feel horrible compared to the short shifter.

I will give you a lowdown on my experience next week

Thanks again for your help

Regards

Richard

Z80 · Nov 21, 2006

ORIGINAL: YvesD

Difference in delivery is very significant and everywhere all of the time.... Made me chuckle quite a bit on my 200 mile drive home....

I am chuffed to bits, sure you will be too.

Regards

Yves

Fantastic again and again.

I specified the short shifter from new too. It's a nice combination.

Greg

YvesD · Nov 30, 2006

Richard,

When is your car due back to you ?

Regards

Yves

richardgilbert · Dec 1, 2006

Yves,

Pick the car up tomorrow, cant wait!!!

Will let you know next week

Regards

Richard

YvesD · Dec 1, 2006

Richard,

Hope the weathers nice for you tomorrow so you can have a nice little play. Did you ask Sussex to do a photo record for you like I did ?

I will be at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff tomorrow to see the GB Rally stage there and wont be home till Sunday PM. Look forward to your first impresions upon my return.

Had a chat to Gron today who did the work on both our cars and he was very keen for our feedback and full of enthusiasm for the product as usual. Top Fella.

Yves

Z80 · Dec 2, 2006

ORIGINAL: richardgilbert

Yves,

Pick the car up tomorrow, cant wait!!!

Will let you know next week

Regards

Richard

Good luck Richard.

Looking forward to hearing your views.

Mileage in mine is now 1,088. Getting there!

Greg

Chris5150 · Dec 4, 2006

I just picked up a 997 C4S March 06 car with the Powerkit factory fitted. I cannot really compare to a non X51 car as I havent driven one!, I did however have a 996 Turbo X50, and I must say that I am really impressed with the power of the 997, it really doesnt feel any slower than the Turbo did, and the sound ( sports Chrono pack etc ) of the car is loads better than the turbo was.
Love the car, maybe one day when the 997 Turbos are down to 80k I might have one, but it will certainly have to be good & sound good to make me want to swap from this car, love it!

YvesD · Dec 4, 2006

Chris,

Glad you like the car, the X51 kit really does wind the performance up another notch and as you say, makes the car feel comparable to the higher power turbo's ( even if it isnt in actual fact ) and for that reason alone is well worth the extra money.

Wonder how Richard is finding his freshly tuned one ?

Regards

Yves

YvesD · Dec 4, 2006

Come on Richard, break your silence !

Yves

Chris5150 · Dec 4, 2006

You know I seem to have purchased the only second hand 997 C4S with powerkit...I have not come across another one for sale anywhere, glad I lept on this one, rarer than rocking horse s*it at the moment in the used car market

okellyt · Dec 4, 2006

ORIGINAL: Alex L

Courtesy of Flash from the Rennteam board:

Got my car back at lunchtime today. First the bad news... there's a Porsche instruction sheet provided with the kit, and it instructs you not to exceed 5000rpm for the first 300 miles. Therefore all I can tell you thus far is restrcited to sub 5000 revs, and I have yet to experience the extra 25 horsepower.

But read on...

I was expecting a barely discernable difference. Wondered if after a week in a courtesy Cayenne whether I'd be able to detect anything. WRONG. Immediately on pulling away from the forecourt the extra torque was obvious. Don't be embaressed if you've ever stalled a 997S, reckon I managed this at least twice a month, of not more often. Well it's the car's fault! The X51 adds LOTS more bottom end torque. The car pulls away cleanly without any clutch from tickover. The only thing harder to stall would come with an automatic gearbox. Sorted!

Out on the open road the kit was a total revelation. There are masses more midrange torque. Previously i found that the 997 only really delivered useful overtaking urge above 5000rpm. Mid-range in gear overtakes were sluggish for a car of this power, and lesser vehicles could prove difficult to catch without dropping down a cog. Not so any more! The car now pulls cleanly from 2000rpm. Yes TWO THOUSAND RPM! There is a VERY noticable step in power at 3000RPM and for the first time you feel yourself being pushed back into the seat like a turbo would. Then at 4000RPM there is an even more noticable step and now you're reall starting to fly. Then just as it touches 5000RPM you hear the beginnings of something more vocal... to be continued...

I already had the PSE fitted, and agree that it does get louder after 6000 miles. The new induction kit seems to add a noticably harder edged sound.

Based on my experience so far, if all the kit did was deliver extra torque, and no extra power then it would STILL be worth it. That feeling of being pushed back into the seat from 3000rpm is addictive. Where the midrange used to be weak, it's now reminisent of a turbo charged car. Anything without a turbocharger would struggle to live with the new midrange urge. I reckon it's midrange is as strong as my TVR Tuscan S was.

Everyone knows that the 996 was a great car, but people here will doubtless remember the shock the first time they experienced the 997, the thought of "WOW this is REALLY sorted". Well the X51 kit delivers something akin to that. It takes an already great car and makes it noticably faster. Going through my head was "WOW this has REALLY sorted out that engine".

The retro fit cost me £10,202.31. And I already had the PSE. Now it's possible to get a GT3 for that kind of spend... but my car is a C4S. So if you want the fastest and best 4WD NON-turbo car that Porsche currently makes, then this kit does fill a niche. IMO the Turbo has too much torque, enough to get it's chasis in a twist. After the X51 my C4S feels absolutely bang on. The perfect balance.

So to me the kit was worth every penny. i would not consider ordering a C4S without one. It would be really interesting to compare the midrange urge of a GT3 to the X51.

The 0-60, 0-100, and top speed figures do not tell the whole story. I would like to see some in gear 30-50, 40-60, 50-70, 60-80 etc times. And perhaps a G-meter to record the difference in accelerative forces through the midrange.

I should have completed the 300 mile running in period by Wednesday. Will report back then as to what happens above 5000rpm.

Did you get any information on basic performance and in gear figures for the X51 upgrade?

I have an X51 upgraded C2S on order with short shift gear box (March 07), I am curious to know a bit more about how it actually perfoms. As a current Boxster S owner I was faily blown away by the basic C2S

Any further views on what it feels like to drive from those that have run theirs in

So while I eagerly wait for the next three motnhs - if any one did get perfromance fiugres could they let me know waht they are.

Regards

Tom

YvesD · Dec 5, 2006

The Rennteam write up pretty much covers it.

Porsches performance figures are no doubt conservative I think we can safely say ( that goes for the standard engine too ).

By the seat of the pants I would say the difference in performance feels similar to that between the 'cooking' C2 and the S model, if not a little bit more marked.

I wouldnt get too hung up on the facts and figures however, the cars 'feels' very fast and thats all you need to know.

Yves