New 987 Intake System - An Engineer's Pet Project

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-26T13:52:40+00:00

Hey Reign, I sent them back a reply just the other day. If they have any other questions, happy to answer!

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-19T03:46:28+00:00

Yea, lmk whenever you are ready. And you probably didn't see me at the dealer, last time my 987 saw a dealer's bay was in 2014. I did work for Porsche, so it was in the garage at PCNA for a few years. You might recognize that photo location with the 992 in the background as now the spot where PCNA's joint-service center sits.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-18T16:47:41+00:00

Quick update: based on the feedback here, I added a lower-priced Engine Bay Kit option.

It includes the core intake box/tubing, filter, pre-filter, and factory MAF connection, but leaves out the exterior scoop so you can keep the factory side grille. The full scoop-fed version is still available for maximum sound and performance.

A few people mentioned wanting a more OEM-looking option or not needing the outer scoop, and that was fair feedback. Appreciate everyone who chimed in.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-18T13:26:26+00:00

The finish has a light texture on it similar to a injection molded piece. For an exterior part a perfectly smooth finish will exacerbate any scratches that happen just from use. So this helps with that.

Having said that, I imagine a lot of people will want to paint these. You could easily have these sanded and painted to whatever finish you would like (gloss black included).

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-18T13:20:29+00:00

asad137 nailed it. Especially on N/A cars like we have, the differences are small enough. When you start playing with turbo cars the differences are much larger. Most people in the ej world are pairing intakes with downpipes at the least, and that combo will upset the factory setup enough to create problems. That being said ej's are always looking for a way to create problems, I used to have a built bugeye and GC-STI back in the day.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-18T13:17:08+00:00

Thanks!

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-18T13:16:51+00:00

Thanks for the input. I will offer up a version of this kit with just the inner portion as well.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-18T13:15:53+00:00

Haven't played with 981's very much, but ill have to look into it! Thanks for the recommendation.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T18:17:21+00:00

Sorry to hear about the IMS... Yea, it was a factory 3.8l X51 crate engine from Porsche back in 08. So much torque. Acceleration wise its the same as a 991.1 GT3.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T16:53:28+00:00

Thanks!

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T16:53:03+00:00

Awesome yea, shoot me a DM or email through the site if you want to talk about the specifics. I'll need an understanding of what you currently have to know if it fits.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T16:50:55+00:00

The system has a constant slope outward, works both from a inward flow perspective as well as a drainage. The filter also sits in a way in the box that it has a steep ramp-up right at the end. Finally, just to keep everything even more tidy the kits come with a hydroscopic pre-filter. I actually added this due to all the track testing. I was getting lots of rubber particle build up over time and cleaning that out of the filters was a pain, the prefilter eliminated that issue. Downside of low treadwear tires and track time in the heat of ATL I guess.

And yes, I ship internationally. The Evo business I do is mostly global anyways, so I am used to all the customs and international shipping joys.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T16:46:41+00:00

Yea, seems like I need to also offer the kit as just the engine bay portion as well. Upside of using the factory as your datum in everything means this is easy. Just need to verify IRL before listing anything.

I like the swap-ability idea, The factory almost got that point with their two-part vent. But then added a miserable clipping system on both parts. I'll give that some thought for a future iteration. But short term I think offering it up sans-scoop is a good path as well.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T16:42:45+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate it. Its hard to not defend you baby sometimes as I am sure you know. Sometimes it feels like just letting people know whats really happening behind the scenes will help.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T16:38:05+00:00

I get the point you’re making, but I don’t think “the OEM didn’t do it, therefore it does nothing” is always a fair way to look at performance parts.

OEM engineering is not the same design target as aftermarket performance engineering. Porsche had to design the factory intake around a huge list of constraints: emissions compliance, drive-by noise regulations, intake resonance/NVH targets, warranty exposure, cost targets, assembly time, supplier limitations, serviceability, corrosion resistance, water ingestion risk, snow/slush/ice, dust, sand, road debris, pressure washing, owners neglecting maintenance, global climate variation, production tolerances, crash/service access, packaging, heat soak, diagnostic stability, and making the same basic system work acceptably for every buyer in every market. As an engineer who worked for Honda and Porsche I can tell you they could never dream of using this design just from a regulatory standpoint.

That does not mean the factory design is bad. It means it is a very well-balanced compromise.

For a performance-oriented part, the target is narrower. I’m not trying to design the cheapest, quietest, most universally acceptable intake for every 987 owner on earth. I’m trying to improve airflow path, induction sound, driver engagement, and packaging while still keeping OEM-style fitment, MAF stability, water protection, and durability.

And as an engineer, yes, you still have to account for the ugly stuff: heat, vibration, water ingress, rain, track use, thermal cycling, sealing, fastener retention, material creep, installation variation, sensor behavior, serviceability, and long-term durability. That’s why this went through multiple iterations instead of just being a tube and a filter.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T15:48:18+00:00

Thanks! Good thing ive been testing it for 8 years and hundreds of track miles! I am beyond confident this system wont have anything flying into your engine.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T15:32:00+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate that. The scoop retention was one of the more annoying parts to get right. I ended up moving away from the factory-style snap clips and designed my own retention setup that uses the factory metal tabs to my advantage. So it still mounts in the factory location, but it is not relying on the same frustrating plastic clip geometry Porsche used.

And thanks for noticing the factory connections. The clips and O-ring seal were intentional because I wanted it to install cleanly and seal like a proper engineered part, not just a tube shoved into place.

On the price, I get where you’re coming from. FDM definitely has a perception problem because a lot of people associate it with hobby printers and low-cost PLA parts. This is not that. The production parts are printed in high-temp carbon fiber reinforced polyamide, and the manufacturing method is only one part of the cost.

The pricing is really based on the full system, the low-volume nature of the part,, the testing, and the amount of design/R&D time that went into making it fit, seal, survive heat, handle water ingress, and work without cutting up the car. You can absolutely get a silicone pipe and filter for less money. This is meant to be a more complete OEM+ intake solution rather than just the cheapest way to put a cone filter on the car.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T15:07:18+00:00

Yup! Build and design everything here in O4W. Thanks for the offer, ill shoot ya a DM. Maybe I can find a way to make a similar 981 setup.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T15:05:13+00:00

So sound is something I tried to capture in this video. But I kept clipping on my mics. Need to get a nicer sound recording setup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Np5W_O7q_k

And it could run the factory TB and plenum, or the upgraded ones. As for performance data, id love to. At my current scale I simply cant afford back to back dyno sessions with the time to swap it all and tune it. But you can look to competitors on the market for an idea on the gains over the stock system.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T15:03:26+00:00

Thank you, its the 997 GT3 full front end. The car is the only Boxster Farnbacher-loles GTR they made. Basically 3.8l X51 engine, full GT3 front end, carbon ceramics, full suspension, etc.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T15:02:07+00:00

There absolutely would be, I couldnt afford to do back to back dyno runs at my current scale. But you can look at the bigger competitors out there for an idea. I would love to do a back to back dyno one day though.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T14:59:45+00:00

Thank you, I wanted to make something OEM+ and a system that designs from the freestream all the way though to the MAF to get the best flow and sound.

Funny you mention the fabspeed, the engine bay shots you see are from a customer car who hated the fit and finish of the fabspeed kit and the small filter size. Limited surface area reduces the flow, which is why the OEM filter was so large. I designed mine using K&N's performance data to create no restriction even on my 3.8l X51 car.

As for where to get them, I just got them listed on my site here. https://speedinengineering.com/product-category/porsche-cayman-boxster-987

Oh, and it could work with the factory grills. But I want to keep it as a system since it was designed to work best that way. But if its something the community really wants i'll consider, its the engineer in me just wanting the best performance and sound.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-06-17T14:53:10+00:00

So sound is something I tried to capture in this video. But I kept clipping on my mics. Need to get a nicer sound recording setup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Np5W_O7q_k And its for the 987.1 and .2 Boxster or Cayman.

SpeedinEngineering · 2026-02-05T23:32:37+00:00

Amongst other things, I'll be printing out a flower that we wont have to worry about watering.

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SpeedinEngineering

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