I just finished the installation of FVD Stage 1 and went out for a long, faster drive. First, let me say I have no affiliation with FVD what so ever. I looked at many different flash's, and picked FVD based on performance, ease of installation, flexibility, and cost, and three days later I am loaded.
On my test drive I am seeing 1.0 bar all day long. I expect when it cools down a bit outside I will be seeing more like 1.1 bar. The horsepower gain is instantly noticeable, especially WOT at 4500 rpm and up. The customer service in my installation was exceptional (thanx Flo). My installation took about 15 minutes yesterday, and 10 minutes today, from installing the CD to turning the key. Everything was perfect, well explained, and thorough. I like owning the "code files" and having the flexibility of easily going back to the factory settings with a simple download. This is everything I hoped for, and more. The car just performs better throughout all power bands. In the upcoming weeks I hope to get some numbers from a dyno, which I will post at that time. Thanks also to Mark, who I found to be exceptionally knowledgable and forthright about all aspects of the FVD product. Great product, great customer service, and so easy even a caveman could be pulling 1.0 bar in less than a half hour's time.

 

As i said in my previous reply I love Fvd product, I am so convinced of the quality I am going to the leval 4 with the 3.8 kit with the Carillo Rod. I have spoke with many MFGs and I can honestly say Mark from FVD had all the anwsers. I have nothing to do with FVD but if your thinking of doing something like this....DO IT NOW, you wont regret it.
Paul

 

Hi Turbohead

Where did you get the Hybrids from?

 

Thanks for the kind words guys. The response to this has been huge with 6 Speed members and we have gotten extremly positve feed back and results. Keep postin em guys THANK YOU!!! We hope more and more 996TT owners, take our programming "pepsi challange" and see for themselves what we are all about.

Mark Hatfield
FVD Technical Support

 

Just so I am clear, are you saying that rather than have different timing maps optimized for different octane ratings, you have only one base map and then rely on the knock sensor to retard timing as needed if one runs lower octane fuel...assuming your base map is optimized for 100 octane?? And you are OK with that??

dave w

 

Hi Rafiki,
I got the hybrids and the fVD ecu from a fellow 6 speeder John D II they came off his car as he went furthur.
He is a great guy and if you Email him he can give you all the details
thanks

 

Elliot,

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you like the set-up. I thought it was great.

You know - those are the fastest k16/24's on 6-speed...or maybe it was the driver j/k

 

Well Dave, I guess I am ok with that. Pehaps you misread my extremly long winded explaination . It doesnt matter what map program you "program" into the ECU, once the vast network of engine sensors begin to send information to the ECU, the ECU is pretty much gonna do whatever it wants to adjust timing for proper combustion. This includes overwritting the "custom tuned 100 octane map for your 996TT", and replacing it with one already predetermined for that specific intake air temperature, throttle position, engine load, ambient temperature, exhaust temperature, boost pressure, lunar cycle, tidal condition, etc.,etc.,etc.. The knock sensor is only one in very long chain of ECU inputs to determine your fuel map. SO if the max timing adjustment, purely as an example, is 15 degreees before or after TDC, no matter what type of fuel you run, whether it is 82 or 150 octane, all the engine can safely compensate for within its electrical and mechanical limitations, is still 15 degrees before or after TDC.
I am avail for questions or further explaination M-F from 9-6 EST, or I would be more than happy to but you in touch with a software programmer, who is far better at expaining the inner workings of that funny looking little box on your rear shelf. Thanks!
Mark Hatfield
Porsche Certified Master Technician

 

Mark, thanks for the response. I'm pretty familiar with the inner working of the little box, its the strategy of optimizing for 100 octane (or whatever rating you choose) that I am trying to understand. Your not the only company doing this and I'm just trying to understand the basis for the decision.

I understand what you are saying about adaptive timing (dynamic advance)and correction tables, etc...there are corrections for just about every scenario. But they are all based on hitting a targeted goal which is to push the knock threshold for a specifed octane rating in order to maximize power. Certainly one can adjust both base tables and correction tables to move toward this goal. Porsche themselves state:

The engine has been designed to provide optimum performance and fuel consumption with unleaded fuel with 98 RON/88 MON. If unleaded fuel with
an octane rating of at least 95 RON/85 MON is used, an adjustment is made
through the knock control, whereby the ignition point is retarded and the engine power consequently reduced.

So assumably if one is to bump the target up to 100 AKI 105 RON fuel, when running anthing less you would be running in a state of retardation...all puns aside...and constantly relying on the knock sensor (not the most accurate sensor on the planet) to tune your car in a reactive mode, until its sick of reacting and just dials down to low octane fuel maps and timing values, which unless also tuned will not maximize performance in any way given how conservative they are.

I'm not trying to challenge your stategy or the soundness of your product in any way. The dyno #'s speak for themselves...I'm just trying to understand this appoach and what about it I'm missing that makes it work.

Thanks
Dave

 

Mark,

I have to admit the discussion you are having with Dave is over my head (although it is teaching me a thing or two).

The only thing I am wondering is whether all this means that there is no advantage to using higher octane fuels at the track?

Stanley

 

What horsepower will this give you?

 

Well said, however, I am not knocking the performance ability of higher octane fuels used with heavly modified vehicles running lots of cylinder pressure. Full blown race, dragsters or seriously modified streetcars, cars with more than just a program and an air filter fall into this catagory. Most 996TT with serious mods would benefit from running a higher octane. This becomes necessary due to the the increased cylinder demands as the race fuel has less chance preigniting. But, to write a program for one specific octane due to the increadible amount of other variables encountered on a street car, isn't exactly realistic. Once again, the knock sensor is not the only sensor used in determing ign timing as it was to sound in your above statement, and it isn't so simple as to mearly increase tolerances on other sensors or bumping up setpoints elsewhere in the ECU. Marketing in the ECU tunner world is a big thing, and it makes it real easy to sell a program to someone when you say it is optimized for a specific fuel rating, even if the truth is those 2,3 ,10 or even 100 different tuner programmed maps, only come into the ECU's fuel map scenario for a split second during a drive cycle before being overwritten. I would tell you exactly how we program, but then you wouldnt need to buy a program from us . However, if I knew that all you wanted was a program for 108 octane, to run on a 1/4 mile drag strip in Denver during the month of June, and you were to run nothing but 108 octane from there on out in the car, it would be possible. But to sell programming based on optimal tuning for 100 octane fuel, which is only slightly higher than pump grade gas and what Porsche recomends you run all the time, depending on what part of the world you are in, is silly. Germany does not use a MON # to calculate octane rating. Their 98 octane is only calculated using a research octane, and is equivelant to our 93. Also so everyones on the same page, a little math is required to interpet Porsches above statement: 98RON /88 MON as (R+M)/2 is the equation= 93 octane fuel. I am avail for further questions @ 1800-274-2220. Thanks!
Mark @ FVD

 

mark - i have a uk 03tt and have read all the posts but am still confused to if this would work on my car or not? You said that the software is different for each region but surely if fvd are then making custom maps and sending them to you is it only a matter of them selecting the right modded map for your region? cheers sc.

 

Very well said Mark.... Say hi to ***** from me

Markski

 

sorry is that to the ground or at the crank? Also what type of power output can i expect with a k16 hybrid w/exhaust? (sorry if you already answered this!)
Thank you

-paul