Switch to shut-off PSE....

[blueline]

A few summers ago, my high-schooler nephew showed up at my house asking for help with a 'mod' that was making the rounds via Instaface-tok or whatever. Basically, they unbolt the muffler and pull the flanges apart, then slide big nuts between the flanges and use longer bolts to hold the muffler to the exhaust with a big gap in between. He drove off happy as could be with the car sounding very much as you'd expect -- basically an open exhaust but for the catalytic converter. Kids these days...

Of course, some things never change. Free mods and high-schoolers go hand in hand. I drilled holes in the muffler of my $450 Firebird back in 1978.

I attached playing cards using wooden clothes hangers on my bicycle forks so that I'd get sound from the spokes. (That was a really long, long time ago.) Does that count in this conversation?

showing your age.....

That's a fact!

[makeadeel]

@Tom if you do build these, would there be enough wire to:

1) route from the plug to the sound symposer

2) pass through the sound symposer port in the firewall,

3) route along the removable bulkhead and then down under the carpet

4) to exit from the carpet flap under the drivers seat?

This way it is hidden and tucked out of the way until needed.

[Arne2]

Back on Topic (sort of)—My 2018 Base Cayman predates when PSE was made standard, and it was not ordered with it. So my question is this: If I were to pick up a used factory PSE system to add to my car, what would I need to do to add a very simple switch like this to operate it? Nothing as complex as factory, just a simple "Always Open" or "Always Closed"?

Any thoughts on this?

[Tom]

Sorry I missed these questions!

@makeadeel -- I can make the harness as long or as short as you'd like. Most people use a different route into the cabin when installing the Track Nanny though. See install instruction for that here:

viewtopic.php?t=1405


@Arne2 -- I'm not an expert in the whole system, but you'd need at least the exhaust with vacuum operated PSE flaps and the electronic solenoid that controls them, plus the vacuum hoses. Normally, an ECU controls the solenoid based (mostly) on the position of the switch inside, but a simple switch similar (but not identical) to the one in this thread could/would substitute for the ECU. Always Loud is super easy because the flaps open when power is cut to the solenoid. To get an always quiet mode, you'd need to wire in a 12v source (e.g., from a fuse tap like the Track Nanny uses). You'd just need to be careful with the always quiet mode, as there is some persistent folklore about catalytic converters overheating on the track, etc. when people leave their flaps shut for an entire track event. The ECU normally opens the flaps when you floor it, no matter how the factory button is set inside, presumably for that reason.

[Arne2]

OK, I may look into this after I sell the C10 project. (Which may be soon, BaT has accepted the truck.)

Used PSE systems with flap are not hard to come by, and high temp silicone hoses are simple. It'd be nice if I could find a non-Porsche (aka less expensive) solenoid, but if I had to buy that new it wouldn't be the end of the world.

And it sounds like the wiring would be uber-simple. I'm not too concerned about the always closed bit, since I don't track my Cayman. This may work.

Or... I can buy the whole retrofit kit from Suncoast for about $2300 shipped. I might still want one of these switches, though.

[Tom]

Congrats on BaT! Will watch for it.

Keep in mind, without the factory switch or an "always closed" mode with my switch, there'd be no way to shut the flaps...

[Arne2]

Yup, I get that. Looks like the factory solenoid is less than $50 from Sunset or other online parts departments. I haven't looked at the cost of the button yet, and I don't know if any wiring is needed, or if it is already present. And if I add the factory button and solenoid, I'll probably want to do the coding to activate the normal factory modes first.

Going to need to do some research.

[Arne2]

After some digging, I found that there is also a separate PSE control module. I hadn't expected that, I figured it would be controlled by the main DME. So piecing together a roll-your-own kit is looking to be more expensive than I expected.

[marin]

I didn't know the OPF also has valves. But I saw this hardware kit to keep them open.
https://jcr-developments.com/products/9 ... delete-kit

[Arne2]

I didn't know the OPF also has valves. But I saw this hardware kit to keep them open.
https://jcr-developments.com/products/9 ... delete-kit

Interesting! Luckily, my 2018 does not have OPF.