Hello people.

I bought a 2001 Turbo last April and I just took it in for a chip tune, which the shop suggested I could get another 100hp from. They just reported to me that someone had already put a GIAC chip in and to have their specialist do his Softronic tune, they'd have to order/install a stock chip. But since this is a GIAC, should I assume that all of this has already been done before me? This shop doesn't deal with GIAC. There is s/n on the chip but it's hard to make out some of the digits.

I am a mechanical engineer but totally new to this so I'm not sure where to go. Is one of these tune packages superior to the other? Have there been improvements in the past few years? If so I may want to switch but I need to research more.

Thanks,
Kevin in Austin

 

You don't need a chip to tune the car, its a software update? Except for the transmission if you have a tiptronic. Maybe back in the way back people used a chip, I dunno. But even then I would assume you could reflash it with a modern tune or even to a stock tune. I would not use giac or softronic myself. I would use bydesign or markski. I would also call them to see if they have an idea whats up with the "giac chip", and if thats even real. You aren't gonna get 100hp out of a tune without some supporting mods either, exhaust, intercoolers at minimum.

 

Thanks. I have seen the board and chip. So it's real and may be soldered in. I sent the s/n to GIAC and they said it was managed by a company named EVO, which may be out of business. But I don't think this one can be modified via the OBD2 port.

But are you saying that even though it has the GIAC label with s/n that it's not what it is?

I had asked the shop about increasing HP with hardware mods and they seem to have experience with this. It's a family shop and they're involved with racing. They said that stock settings are very conservative and they've done it before. Now of course, unless I get it put on a dyno I won't be able to prove anything.

So what do you recommend hardware-wise? It's not an x-50.

Thanks for your info!
Kevin

 

I would contact Markski Tuning. When I purchased my 996TT, it had a GIAC tune in it. The first thing Marek asked if my ECU had that soldered chip in it which I didn't (perhaps it's only on the earlier versions?). I did have to send the ECU to him so he can bench flash it back to stock then he remote tuned it later when I received it back. He is familiar with your tune w/ that chip though and he can remove that and have a clean base starting point before getting a more aggressive tune.

Good luck,
Alex

 

Call bydesign or markski, don't do anything else until you've done that, except maybe research. As for what to bolt on to actually get that 100hp+ extra, your tuner will help select once you talk to them.

 

Call GIAC and give them the VIN and they can tell you what you have and what they can likely do to return your ECU

 

His car has the usual EVC aftermarket chip that was installed and unless changed back to an original cannot be flashed by a dealer or any other tuner.......They installed them as they couldn't flash by the port and had been to protect the tuned file. This though was not as much use now as you can read out the file yet not program it again. Basically all these cars need to have the orig 29F800 chip installed to fix.

Best,
Scott