Since the 991 Generation, most Porsche 911s require bumper removal to service the air filters. You can't necessarily see what condition they're in as they're tucked behind the bumper/taillights but in our experience, any tracked GT3RS or 981/718 should have the intake filter serviced annually. This is because the air intakes on the side of the vehicle feed debris like tire rubber and rocks directly into the intake air ducts, particularly on RS models. As the intake wraps around the engine, Porsche figured out an effective way to feed lots of air into a rear or mid-engined vehicle, but that also means feeding in a lot of the junk you don't want.
Not only that but most of these vehicles don't even offer any real sort of intake grille perhaps to reduce restriction. These air filters get dirty very quickly and within 3000-5000km of track driving they're filled with gravel. On track the hot front tires fling anything and everything straight towards the side intakes. Clogged air filters restrict air flow and reduces the performance of the vehicle so to ensure optimal performance, replacement or cleaning is recommended.
While we do stock the BMC washing kit, if serviced regularly we find a good blowout with compressed air and vacuum goes a long way. On centerlock vehicles, this involves removing the rear wheels, taillights, and bumper. It's not a difficult job but is time consuming and does require a shop familiar with centerlock wheel removal. Porsche only includes the centerlock nut socket but does not include a breaker bar or torque tool to remove your own wheels.
See the pictures below to see what a typical air filter looks like in one of these vehicles. Contact us today if you are looking for maintenance, alignment, and other performance upgrades for your GT Porsche!
