Great video. My GTS is from Harbour too. Had the same issue, same great service. Autotechnics replaced my full PSE last month. Looking to Ceramic coat the system before it gets dirty 👍

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks Matt. Seems we’re in the same boat! I need to get some suitable grease or product on mine too.

Great report, very nice to watch thank you.

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks folks - and thanks for all your help! 😀

Excellent and informative video, thank you!

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Glad you found it useful. 👍

I’m in the same boat with mine. Got my 981 only 7 days ago and thought the offside valve was a bit sticky ( but still sounded fab while driving) so I coated mines with Molyslip high temp copper grease to try and make sure they were going to be ok. Gave the actuator piston a good bit of encouragement to move in and out and the little actuator arm snapped in my fingers!! So I’m away to call my local OPC to get it booked in for repair. ( Porsche approved warranty 👌🤞🤞)

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

A not uncommon scenario, I believe. 🙄 Good news on the warranty; it’s not a part that really should be breaking, is it? Will be getting both sides of mine protected pronto, for that reason.

@hughrobertson7242

4 ай бұрын

All too common from what I read on the forums. I can scarcely believe that given Porsche’s design engineering excellence and experience that some bright boffin in Zuffenhausen hasn’t come up with a better design. Could have saved the company a lot of money from replacing faulty actuators with cats-back replacements. The best solution would be to make the valve assembly a consumable part requiring replacement every 40,000 miles and design it accordingly so it can be unbolted from the pipes and swapped out. I’m no design engineer ,but it’s got me thinking of ways to try and protect that valve assembly and actuator piston/arm from the worst of the elements. Again, it doesn’t need to be as exposed as it is. Frustrating and unnecessary really.

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

@@hughrobertson7242 A good summary. Either engineer the system to be ‘lifetime’ or acknowledge it will fail and make it far easier to replace. As you suggest.

The PSE valves on my 981 Cayman GTS started sticking at just over 30k miles. Porsche couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t happen again with a new exhaust. So rather than pay for a new exhaust for it only to happen again, Cameron Sports cars did a great job and stuck the valves open and sealed off the vacuum with a silicon plug so they remain open all the time. I can still control the volume inside the cabin by switching the sound imposer valve on/off through the PSE button.

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Sounds like a sensible option, if you’re happy with always-on option. Mine could yet fail again though I’m obviously hoping that won’t be for a while!

Been looking forward to this, don't currently have a boxster but giving it some serious consideration.

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for commenting. Do you need any more encouragement to get a Boxster? 😃

@oddballbender

4 ай бұрын

Get one. They are wonderful

@hughrobertson7242

4 ай бұрын

Drive one-drive it like you stole it and you will put a deposit down immediately 😜👍

Great video thanks. I am about to replace my PSE on my Cayman for the same reason. I'll be lubricating the spindles of the valves with Gleitmo spray grease (approved by Porsche for turbo linkage lubrication on the 997TT). Also some Gleitmo grease on the bolts and nuts. Stainless seems sensible way to go too. Enjoy the flat 6 symphony!

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Useful to know about Gleitmo - thank you. Sound great don’t they!

Great video. Mines from Harbour cars too 👍

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment. Lots of love for Harbour Cars.

Great video. Mines from Harbour cars also

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thank you. Harbour have a few customers round these parts!

You are right about changing the exhaust bolts where they join the manifold for stainless as they deteriorate quite quickly & if not changed they will eventually rot and the exhaust will come away I have put double nuts on mine The factory fitted bolts are a real pain to get out I had mine done at an Indi

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks Stephen. Yes, I’ve been caught out before (on another car) by Porsche’s poor choice of material for their fasteners. Knowing they’ve now been replaced is very reassuring.

Great info! Checked ours and the passenger side (US) same side as yours was sticky. Interesting that it was the same side.

@christianpratt

2 ай бұрын

Interesting! Hope you’re able to resolve it without spending too many $$$ 😳

Perfect walk-through of PSE and its operation-kind of an ‘idiots’ guide sir! 👍 Get the valve actuators coated with high temp copper grease to extend the life expectancy.

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks Hugh - glad you found it useful. Grease - yup! 😀

Amazing timing - I just had mine replaced too. Got mine from Design 911, as one side seized and one actuator snapped. All good and back to normal now, with the right noises happening. Great video walk through - I was wondering if you'd have a go yourself at fitting it. (I didn't) Loving this series..

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks Allan. Glad you’re enjoying the series; hearing that really does make my day. As I understand it, fitting the PSE isn’t difficult, but it’s best done on a ramp, which is where my home resources fall short. Some jobs are best done by the right people with the right tools! It’s good to get everything back to working order isn’t it? Happy PSE-ing!

excellent thks

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

My pleasure!

Nice video I like the pse sound and what you fixed. I fitted the FVD exhaust and it’s been great though like you mentioned it initially had some drone at around 2000 rpm but I got rid of it by fitting some sound deadening at the rear of the boot in my Cayman.I believe that the cats are same part number as GT4 at least on my Cayman 981,not sure about the Boxster. This is really good as you get quality track tested parts.

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

FVD make decent kit don’t they? I have my eye on their 200-cell headers. Glad you solved the drone. I’m not sure about the GT part numbers, but the standard PSE is the same item for both Boxster and Cayman, which makes life a little easier.

@981_pdk3

4 ай бұрын

@@christianpratt yes the kit through FVD is made by M&M in Germany who make the 911 Cup Car exhausts.

Hi Chris, great informative video… thank you. Can you please share were did you ordered the new sport exhaust system. I like to do the same job on my Boxster 981S and can’t fine a system in stock anywhere… Thanks in advance 👍

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Hello Yosi. Glad you enjoyed the video. The dealership I bought the car from - Harbour Cars - sourced the exhaust. I don’t know where from, however. I’ve bought various other parts from Design911 before; they’re well worth asking… www.design911.com/p/sports-exhaust-system-pse-porsche-981-boxster---981c-cayman-cars-with-sports-tail-pipes/

Interesting, so what did the exhaust sound like when PSE was off with the sticky valve compared to how it sounds now ? My PSE, probably the original, is a bit boomy/droney in the 2/2500 rev range compared to some. Valves appear to be working OK. It's in a Cayman which I feel is a more resonant environment compared to the Boxster. I also noticed an image of the road on the Orwell Bridge looking west at sundown 🙂

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comments Hardy. When the sticky valve was sticking, it meant that PSE was effectively off on that side of the system. So running with the PSE switched off (on the centre panel) made no practical difference to the sound. With PSE switched on, but the valve still sticking, I'd get the full-fat sound but less intensity, compared with the now fully-working PSE. All-in, with PSE off - no change. With PSE on an full load - similar, only better! The greatest improvement is with PSE on but at light load and low engine and road speeds, when you can finally hear the engine burbling and rumbling nicely. And then there's the sound symposer too, which kicks in variously depending on mode and speed... (And yes, the Boxster is a little more tolerant of drone, I suspect.) Orwell Bridge - good spot!

I have a similar system by eisenamm which is a single box with control valves each side. I always thought that the valves needed to be pushed back against the spring for maximum sound but you say its the other way around ie. noisier in the natural resting position? I have wired mine up to hold them against the spring action so do I need to unwire them?

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Hi Roger. Thanks for commenting. Unless I’ve totally got the wrong end of the stick, the Porsche system is louder/sportier when the rod is fully extended out of the actuator body. (This the resting state when the engine is switched off.) The vacuum pulls the rod into the body (which you can hear, if you know what you’re listening for, just after you start the engine); which is then the default PSE ‘off’ position once the engine is running. However - your system may work differently. I’m not familiar with Eisenamm, and their valves and actuators may work the other way around. Best check with somebody who knows that specific system before you get the wire cutters out!

@rogernorman2621

4 ай бұрын

@@christianpratt Thanks for your prompt reply Christian. My Boxster is a 986 . I can not find a switch anywhere so I assume the valves work purely on the vacuum produced. Silly question but might help answer the in or out argument. Is the most vacuum produced on tick over rather than flat out? In other words does the rod go in on tick over or the other way round?

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

@@rogernorman2621 On the OEM 981 PSE exhaust, the application of vacuum appears to be binary, ie. there is only two positions for the rod - in and out - irrespective of engine speed (idle or higher rpm). So the rod is >in Switching PSE on - at any engine speed - will interrupt the vacuum, allowing the rod to extend. If you don’t seem to have a switch it does beg the question: what is mechanically activating the valving, and what triggers that activation?

You read my mind. Mine doesn’t seem that loud when button is pushed. Many thanks sir.👏👏👏 I have a 981S so the plunger cannot simply be replaced?

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

In my conversations with more knowledgeable folk, it turns out that it’s hard to diagnose what actually goes wrong with the PSE. Yes, the actuator itself can fail and they can indeed be replaced. But it’s also clear that the small lever and pivot point are vulnerable to corrosion, and that the valve inside the exhaust simply gets sticky and won’t easily open. It’s tempting to think the actuator is stuck when actually it’s the valve it’s attached to that is. In truth, all a bit frustrating. But that’s cars!

@WFORacer

4 ай бұрын

@@christianpratt thank you for the cognizant reply. May I trouble you with another question, what is the part number for replacement?

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

@@WFORacer My pleasure. The PSE >without You can buy the same with exhaust tips included too (there’s a different part number for that.) In both cases that number equates to the full cat-back system, ie. the left AND right silencers together. The PSE is still listed on the Tequipment part of the Porsche website, as an aftermarket accessory.

@WFORacer

4 ай бұрын

@@christianpratt again thank you sir, the tips on mine are in good shape. Mine are currently chrome but having them black chromed.

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

@@WFORacer Nice!

Hi Chris, great video and I have got a new one on my new car too. Get some lubricant on that straight away I have gone for a high temp ceramic lubricant and I see from another post Porsche do Thier own version. I plan on coating that area to keep it fully protected. Would like to have a personal chat with you how can I make contact?

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comments. Definitely need to protect my new actuators! Will get on that…

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

Look me up on Twitter - @PrattStuff - or LinkedIn - and send me a message. We can go from there.

@allynwithington7209

4 ай бұрын

@@christianpratt I was thinking of Lanoguard as an option here... but just not sure

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

@@allynwithington7209 I understand that, whatever the product, it needs to be tolerant of / designed to work at high temperatures.

They always go wrong, like the electronic engine mounts. At this age would suggest non chrono, no PSE...problem solved. On non GTS models.

@christianpratt

4 ай бұрын

True enough. Complication doesn’t always mean improvement. 😕

@Jay-xr3sb

3 ай бұрын

The mounts can be replaced with passive ones, mine is under warranty so I'm covered for now. I don't think I'll owner the 981 without an extended warranty, but if I do I'll go for an ecu tune, gt3 steering software, passive mounts, specialist service and save the warranty money towards a new pse of it ever fails. The only real worry is pdk, but they seem solid.

@christianpratt

3 ай бұрын

@@Jay-xr3sb That sounds like a sensible forward plan. PDK needs a (twin) oil change at the scheduled intervals, as I understand it. Otherwise seems strong. If my active mounts fail, I will likely go passive, it's true. It's hard to discern their 'active' effect, which kinda seals the replacement deal.