Top 10 Mods for the 996 Turbo

The least loved generation of the 911’s the 996’s have become one of the greatest performance bargains out there with the Turbo being the apex predator. With one of the greatest engines in Porsche production car history and AWD the right modifications can make one of these into a supercar killer for a fraction of the price.

10) Diverter valves

The stock diverter valves are “acceptable” at best. As you turn up the boost the delicate diaphragm will tear resulting in a loss of boost pressure going up and poor reaction time in the blow off back into the intake system not to mention your car will start to honk like a flock of geese when you come off boost.

Companies such as Forge and Evolution Motorsport have come up with billet systems that are virtually unbreakable and are not overly expensive. You can also replace the original Bosch 710A units with the newer 710N which are apparently more robust but will still eventually fail.

Approximate cost $295

9) Billet Turbos

Typically the problem with turbo charging a car is the amount of work that goes into the plumbing of the system. When you buy a car with turbos from the manufacturer you skip the hardest part, the next question is how much air those stockers can move. The 996 came with a pair of K16’s as standard and K24’s in the X50 or S packages producing 415 and 450 horsepower respectively. We know the manufacturer left plenty on the table but boost is addicting and you will eventually want to go higher than what a tune can get you.

While there are a number of bolt-on options out there that can take you to 1000bhp (with an appropriate engine build of course) and beyond the most cost effective approach is to go with replacement billet compressor wheels. A set of K16’s can be had for less than two grand after the core refund and will net you with enough boost to push near 600bhp on stock internals!

Approximate cost $1495

8) Weight Reduction

When it comes to the 911 the extra horses of a Turbo come with a weight penalty. The 996 Turbo tips the scales at 3400 pounds where the base Carrera 2 tips in at just 2900. Compared with the 2016 991 Turbo the 996 is still fairly light but cutting weight is the cheapest way to increase all round performance.

Replacing the spare tire with a goo kit and yanking out the back seats can be done in an hour will cost you zero dollars will save you about 80 pounds. The best part is it can be reversed just as easily.

Approximate cost $0

7) Light Weight Wheels

I won’t go into the whole sprung weight versus unsprung weight as that horse has long since died. Instead let’s focus on the numbers. The 996 Turbo came with two different types of wheels that look almost identical but have very different weights. The solid Turbo Twist wheels circa 2001 weigh in at a portly 26.2 lbs a piece in the front and 31.5 in the back (115.4 pounds total) the newer and more coveted hollow spokes weigh in at “just” 22.2 in the front and 26.5 in the back (97.4 pounds).

If you like the stock look and you have the solid wheels you’ll want to chase down a set of the hollows, but expect to pay a hefty price for them. If you don’t need that EDM look, then going with something like a Victor Equipment (TSW sub brand marketed at Porsche owners) rotary forged Innusbruck you’ll be down to just 18.8 in the front and 21.5 in the back (80.6 pounds). That can be up to 34.8 pounds off the wheels alone! Add that to the previous weight reduction and you’re up to ~114.8 pounds, and your ride looks better.

Approximate cost $1450

6) Coilover / Suspension

The 996 Turbo doesn’t have bad suspension, but it is rather tall (read massive wheel gap) and there’s a lot of rubber components. As the suspension ages this rubber allows more and more play which means the car won’t track as well. With a high end modern coilover like those from JRZ, KW, Bilstein, Ohlins etc. you’ll be able to reduce the ride height, sharpen your steering response and with the right settings you won’t need to give up the GT ride.

To do it properly you’ll want to hit up a company like RSS, Renlinne or Tarret for drop links, camber plates and so on.

Approximate cost $1850-$8250

5) Engine Mounts

So… much… rubber. The Turbo is the GT car and while it is designed to have incredible power it was positioned to the everyday supercar. Overtime the rubber in the mounts will sag and tear. The softer it gets the more inclined the motor is to spin you during high speed slalom maneuver.
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Companies such as RSS, Rennline and Wevo make excellent solutions for engine mounts ranging from adjustable semi solids all the way to full solid. A set of engine mounts will increase the feeling of “oneness” with the engine and chassis. While these are a fantastic way to improve handling they come at the cost of Noise Harshness Vibration (NHV) so if you’re looking to maintain a GT ride you’ll want to steer clear of these and stay OEM.

Approximate cost $250-$350

4) Intercoolers

If there is an area of huge competition in the aftermarket for 996 Turbo performance parts it’s intercoolers. It’s not surprising seeing as the 996 intercoolers are basically trash hindered by poor flow dynamics and low cooling of the charged air.
There are so many good solutions out there that there really isn’t anyone that is definitively the best. However, if you’re looking for bang for your buck you’ll want to go with the OEM 997.2 Turbo / GT2RS intercoolers.

These updated OEM units are a relatively easy install requiring some modification to the ducts that the units mount into but after that they just work… and work well. Crazy as it might sound they’re also the cheapest of the high quality options out there coming in at hundreds or even thousands of dollars cheaper than the custom units from the various tuning companies.

Approximate cost $1600

3) Exhaust

The bane of turbo cars is back pressure. Unlike a naturally aspirated engine that requires some back pressure to help maintain torque at the low end a boosted car just needs better flow.

By swapping out the OEM unit with higher flowing cats and exhaust you can see upward of 35 horse power and a cut of 25 pounds (remembering back to the wheels and weight reduction we’ve now cut out 139.8 pounds).

This should be one of the first performance upgrades done and ideally done with our next upgrade.

Approximate cost $4550

2) ECU Tune

When the 996 Turbo first rolled off the line back in 2000 it produced 415 horsepower at the crank. But, with a quick call to your local tuner will land you closer to 460; add in an exhaust and you’re upwards of 490-500!

Approximate cost $1200

1) Driving Lessons

The most underappreciated mod is you. The unfortunate reality is that most of us are nowhere near as good of drivers as we think we are. And, if you’re currently getting ready to angrily write comment a about how that might be true for most people but you’re truly awesome then you’re even further away from being as good as you think you are than most people.

Taking a car that to fast for you stock and adding more performance will actually make you slower and can be dangerous. Learning proper car control will quickly reduce your lap times and make you a more confident, comfortable and safer driver.

Clubs like the Porsche Club of America (PCA) offer drivers’ education courses learning the limit of your car and yourself by spending time on a skid pad, going through slaloms, testing braking distances and even some track time for very reasonable prices.

Approximate cost the sky’s the limit because you should never stop practicing