Hey Guys! I'm a proud new owner a black/black 996 turbo and absolutely love it. I'm hoping to have a little fun with it and am stuck on software at the moment, here is my back story and hoping the 6speed community can help me out.

I purchased the car from a dealer a few weeks ago with intake, exhaust, and software. I was told the software was EVOms, and drove off a happy camper. 500 miles later, I threw a p0420 code (probably from exhaust) and quickly cleared it. A day or so later when I drove the car again, it felt a bit slower. I couldn't tell if it was me getting used to the car, or actually dropped in boost ( i have a few other fast cars as well ).

I called EVO they said they didn't have the VIN on file. They said it's possibly an older tune (before they kept vin's) which COULD happen, but there's really no way to tell. I check the boost gauge and it's hitting .6Bar and holding constant, to which I find out is stock boost (unfortunately i didn't check the gauge when I bought this car or before this started).

So...after talking with EVO (my experience has been great so far!) they said to pull the ecu and send it in, it would have improved software either way, and would be a much better feeling car. I pull the ECU and it has the EVO sticker on it...hmm...I take the ECU apart and send pictures in to EVO and they said it looks like the OEM hardware.

I decide to go for it, and send the ECU in to EVO, but to my surprise the USPS messed up and sends it back my house (facepalm or blessing in disguise?). Now i'm second guessing myself, wondering if there was a boost leak or some other issue and that's why it's not hitting 1Bar OR it could possibly be the stock ecu. I'm nervous about sending the ECU off WONDERING if it's going to come back night and day faster or not at all faster. Another part of me is thinking about doing the k16 billet upgrade which includes software, which would mean my money to EVO would be a waste.

My question is this : is it possible for the car to go into limp mode and revert down to .6Bar? The car still feels strong at .6Bar though... Is it possible for the software to revert back to stock? Or is it possible that the ecu IS in fact chipped, but there's something else reverting it down to .6Bar? I'm hoping you guys can help me out.

For reference, here are some pictures of the ECU when I pulled it out. Thanks to anyone / everyone in advance for the help / suggestions!

 

can you lift the board off of it and take a pic of the other side? or is it glewed?
older ecus form them had giac software and they often had custom chips soldered onto the eprom chip or it was actually removed...


good luck
markski

 

I tried to lift it up, but it feels attached. I could try harder, but afraid it would snap something. Is it glued from the factory, or does giac do that?

 

Factory glues it. Leave it alone.

 

Does that mean is factory? Why would it have a random evo sticker on it?

 

I was in same boat, EVOMS 'stage 2' added in 2007, at that time was tuned by GIAC...
Switching brands....

 

Get a new tune from Markski 911tuning, you wont regret it. I just bought my car that had some old 2003 tune. Markski reworked it and it is night and day. Not just power, but overall smoothness, and power delivery. I also have just exhaust and air intake. Ohhh diverters as well.
Come on up and drive mine.


P.S. Could have been flashed back to stock by a dealer somewhere along the way.

 

If the car was in limp mode, it wouldn't feel strong, nor would it hit .6 bar. In limp mode the car will feel very slow, only hit .2 bar max, and will not rev above about 4k rpm.

There's no way to know what software is on it without sending it off to someone or reading it yourself with a laptop with tuning software (which you obviously don't have). Opinions on software are like pieholes, everybody has one and they all say something different. You first need to decide if you want to do a turbo upgrade or not. If so, there's a lot of other mods you'll need to do. Click on the link in my signature to see a partial list, then add fuel system changes too, plus some better intercoolers. You're looking at roughly $20k to do the build properly. It's a slippery slope and you can dump a lot of money into these cars pretty easily! But you can also end up with a car that'll eat just about anything on the road.

At that power level, you'll definitely want to upgrade the suspension and brakes. Actually you'll want to upgrade them period. Sway bars are the first must-have change to the suspension, and again there are lots of different opinions on them. I run Eibachs which are great, but H&R and several other companies make good ones, so just find a good deal somewhere and buy those. The sway bars alone make a HUGE improvement in the handling of the car, plus you'll be able to change the car from understeering to oversteering, which I'm guessing you'll like a lot better since you already have some fast cars.

Then throw in some good brake pads to replace the stock ones (which are actually very good), but realize you're going to introduce brake squeal with any pad that's going to improve the braking. Personally I ran stock pads and rotors for a couple of years before switching, including running a lot of track days, and they work great. Definitely upgrade to stainless lines and some Motul, ATE or Castrol racing brake fluid regardless of whether you stick with stock pads or not.

 

It means evoms tuned it.

 

If it does have the old GIAC software in it, why would it only be hitting .6-.7 Bar?

 

if the diverter valves were failing or there was a boost leak, wouldn't there be an obvious sign? I just don't wanna send off the ecu, pay a ton of money only to find out I already had the software and something else was wrong.

 

Then do a boost leak test or pressure test and rule it out.

 

Haaa, whats up Dan. I just realized who you were when I saw your pics. of Timmayfest and the Euroecharged E55. Its Marcus, we met at timmayfest. When did you pick the tt up?

 

Hey Marcus!! I picked it up a few weeks ago, still trying to work out the kinks. The M5 sold a few days later (sold it on the forums, was up for sale for 4 hours!).

Any idea on this ECU deal? I suppose nobody has a picture of a STOCK ECU they could post up? Not even sure if that would help me in the first place...

ps go bucks!

 

Call me. Had same issue. I will explain.


P.S. Looks same as mine.