987 exhaust system on 986 - anybody tried it?

[Blue-S]

I just purchased a 2006 Boxster S exhaust system at a very reasonable price, and my intent is to adapt it to my 2000 Boxster S. I know that "tholyoak" has used some Cayman-spec exhaust components in his 3.6L / 3.8L swaps into 986 Boxsters, but has anyone tried swapping a complete (headers to exhaust tip) stock 987 system into a 986? My car has cracks in the stock header/cat assemblies, so this seemed like an interesting solution that should pass a California smog check with no troubles. My hope is that with the addition of stock 987 mounting hardware (at the back of the transmission) it will bolt up. I hope the muffler isn't too tall for my 986...

[tholyoak]

You can't use the stock mounting plate on the trans for the 987, it doesn't mount to the 986 box, at least the one I have didn't. I can't remember if it was for a 5-speed or the 6-speed. Therefore you would have to fab up your own mounting scheme to use the 987 muffler or modify the aluminum mounting plate that bolts to the trans. You also have to modify the rear of the plastic fender liners and if your car came with factory litronics, the suspension angle sensor has to be removed. The stamped steel piece that holds the wiring loom for the ABS wheel sensor and the brake wear light has to be cut off and the wires secured in a different fashion to the shock body.

-Todd

[Tool Pants]

I am starting to forget more than I remember. Shortly after the 987 came out I was at the local dealer talking to 2 mechanics I know. I asked if the 987 exhaust system could bolt to a 986 without any modifications. 1 mechanic said he thought so, then Peter Smith came over and said no.

There was a 987 and 986 on the lifts so we started looking at it. All I remember is the pipes on the 987 were routed a bit differently then a 986 - closer to the engine where the spark plug are. Don't remember any other details, other than you could not just simply bolt the 987 exhaust system into a 986.

[Blue-S]

I found this pic of a stock 987 exhaust on the website where the "maxflo" exhaust is sold. It sure does illustrate the difference in the routing of the pipes from the headers to the muffler/cat assemblies. I think I can see the situation with the WSS & brake wear sensor wiring here, too. This picture also has me concerned about the distance to the rear bumper in the horizontal plane. This could get interesting...