To see what being Sharon Stone'ed feels like.
Was just joking around Argo - sorry I forgot a smiley. I am not getting rid of the GIAC program in my car, no chance at all.

 

I was able to double check on GIAC's work by doing my own Durametric street datalog run recently. The runs were limited because of limited time & I didn't want to go to jail for speeding, but...

Even for my humble stage 2 tune (GIAC + Cargraphic exhaust), the improvement is considerable: peak engine load/torque in Sport mode before was 172 at 3470 rpm, after was 222 at 3343 rpm. Subjectively, with the tune there's an "interesting" :-) explosion of power when 222 kicks in, and as important, near elimination of lag. Sharon Stone'ed indeed :-).

Last but not least, almost forgot: 4 year ANNIVERSARY 6/22/2009 !!!
On this day, my baby went to the GIAC operating room for its dyno tune (cheers Thomas, Austin, Garrett, and test driver) Fortunately no problem to report, no CEL, etc. Well there is one issue - the stock clutch slips because of the high engine load/torque mentioned above, but only if driver drives like a bank robbery, which I almost never do.

 

Repost: Thanks to Mod Extraordinaire bbywu's fantastic help, and TTdude's explanation, I was able to run the following tests and graph the result. As always, any expert please feel free to correct as needed.

This particular post is not about power level per se (although that is exactly what I am measuring), but more about testing how well average Joe's Durametric street datalogging approximates pro tuner's dyno torque curve. Why is it important to me? If the match is close, it is evidence that this simple test could be used not only to double check on your tuner's alteration to the program, but also to check any components (header, plenum, exhaust, etc.) you add to see if someone is blowing smoke up the a** (supposedly an actual attempted treatment for drowning in 18th century Europe :-)).

There were several limitations: the 2 test were done 4 years apart in vastly different conditions, this was my first time with Durametric and the number of runs were limited and were done in 3rd gear, not 4th gear, as I don't want to go to jail :-), etc.
Dyno: done in 6/2009, fan cooling with car stationary, 4th gear WOT on dyno, cooler ambient temp.
Durametric datalog: done in 5/2013, real world cooling with car moving, 3rd gear WOT on non-leveled road, hot desert day. I tried to emulate the dyno run by starting at 2000 rpm, then bam, pedal to floor all the way, until red line (dyno was done same way, except in 4th gear).
I did a total of 5 runs or so, a mixture of stock program and GIAC program. In one of the runs, GIAC in Sport mode, the clutch slipped.

Given the vastly difference conditions, I was impressed by the result and how consistent Durametric engine load value is. In both runs, the peak engine load hit 220. The graph of engine load versus torque are very close on up stroke and the maximum values of torque and engine load hit at near identical rpm around 3500 rpm. The shapes don't match perfectly but I am certain with more runs, I would be able to produce more consistent results, enough to test components and tuners.
(PS Error in picture below, the stock torque curve is the one in blue with dash, not the red one.)

 

Some thoughts from this Durametric rookie:

1. Obviously this is a powerful tool, but I didn't know it was so much fun, and graphing the data makes it much easier for amateurs like me to see. IMHO, it is important to graph your engine load curve; this is the bottom line!!

2. For those who are doing OBDII tuning, actually, for anyone with an ECU tune period, if you are the OCD type and want perfection and want to know what the tuners are doing to your car, I think it would be a great idea to overlay your AFR curve, boost curve, and timing angle on top of this curve. I think it's important to graph and watch at least the AFR curve.
I didn't have time to do the following but I would do at least 4-5 runs the same way: 2000 rpm, then WOT to red line, 3rd or 4th gear. There *are* variations among the runs and to be sure, I think you need to do a few runs to see a pattern and to be certain result is valid.

3. It's important to do before and after curves as always. The GIAC tune in my car has a button that returns the car to stock ECU program so it is easy to do, but if your tune doesn't do this, I think it's a good idea to do Durametric curve *before* loading the tune so you could compare before and after.

4. I've frequently mentioned unless you wear a skirt (kidding and don't mean to be a chauvinistic p., Sabine could kick my derriere 24/7 with one hand, and maybe even one foot LOL, with PDK car of course), our Turbo is meant to be driven above 3000 rpm as the car has serious lag problem below. Now you see direct evidence why. Even with a WOT, starting at 2000 rpm, the boost and torque do not rise to serious level until 3000 and peak torque doesn't arrive even later, at 3350 rpm in my case with GIAC Sport.

 

Dyno result and my confirmation by Durametric testing (clutch did slip during Durametric and possibly Dyno):

Note significant build-up of torque early on at 3300 rpm which is same as stock (important for street driving), and nice wide torque plateau . The car is a "humble" stage 2: simple tune + exhaust + lousy 91 California fuel, and yet you could clearly see what a HUGE difference this simple change makes.

The Durametric testing is done by myself so there is no mucking around with the data. What a powerful and fun tool.

 

Looking at the red and green curves above, I hope that those on the fence about whether to add a stage 2 ECU tune would now jump in head first. These are curves run by me, not any vendor's shenanigans, and the difference between stock and tuned is no joke.

Unlike a lot of my car's mods, where there are trade-offs between sporty and comfort, I could honestly say that with a GIAC stage 2 ECU mod, there is NO trade-off involved. You don't need to change the spark plugs. There is no CEL. Reliability at this low level mod is 100% and plenty of evidence by now that it is so. The car just plain and simple feels so much faster and more agile. Even ferocious with Sport mode on.

Ok I lied, there is one little trade-off, a minor one and it's only noticeable because I am such a nutty audiophile :-): the sound. Exhaust sound in tuned mode is a touch louder and has a touch less low frequency rumbling. Basically a bit more high strung and not as smooth and deep and throaty :-) as pure stock. I suspect this is true for all ECU tunes (the change in my previous tune was much much worse and caused me to switch to GIAC, which is a lot more subtle). In addition, in case of GIAC, returning to stock mode is just one button away using the switcher if you miss the old sound or are giving someone a demo of your precious exhaust sound.
With GIAC, the change is so subtle that if I didn't tell you, you probably wouldn't even notice.

Up next, boost curve on top of the above curves, when I am less lazy. This should be very interesting because the boost curve dictates the shape of the torque curve. I won't post GIAC boost curve though, assuming that it's proprietary, just the stock curve.

 

Boost curve, finally. Now we are looking at the "home-made version" (Durametric based, not dyno based) of the charts that tuners look at when they tune the car. If you have questions about your tune (I don't - just doing this out of curiosity), I would graph AFR curve on top of these also.

Graphing gives fantastic visual clues as to what is going with your tune. Don't just look at the number, graph them!

 

I have been on the fence about this kind on mod because of the "need" to change the clutch.
Are you still on your original clutch after 4 years on this tune?

 

This was my concern 4 years ago as well. My "funny" (in retrospect) request to GIAC engineers was, really, "I want power but not so much that I have to replace the clutch." Well the car went on to have dyno tune at GIAC facility and one thing leading to another, essentially, I learned you can't tell "powerheads" to limit power, as evidenced from the red and green curves above. They did go all out to squeeze all possible power out of my humble stage 2 car (Cargraphic exhaust only, everything else stock).

However, yes, I am still on my original clutch. The clutch does slip, but only under very abusive driving, for example simulated dyno runs where I go all out WOT pedal to metal at 2000 rpm. 99.9% of the times, I drive the way I want, for example on desolate desert and canyon Southern Cal roads, and never feel a slip.

As you are from Calilfornia, I would recommend to consider hooking up to a Southern Cal GIAC dealer such as GMG, drive the car down here and have it tuned at the GIAC facility. This is true dyno-based custom tune and if GIAC agrees to do it, it is a steal and an absolute bargain for you.
The power gain is considerable, easily recognizeable, and transforms the feel of the car; it is ferocious in GIAC sport mode. With GIAC, you also have the option to go back to true stock at the push of a button with the flash loader; and you compare stock vs. tuned mode to your heart's content. Do it; you'll thank me later :-).

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I am seriously considering it.

 

Please feel free to PM me if I can help you out at all.

 

Good luck and have fun. I am so bold with my recommendation for the GIAC tune because, unlike a lot of mods in our car whether exhaust, suspension, etc., IMHO and based on observation of this forum, a stage 2 ECU mod from a reputable company is near or equal 100% trouble free. By stage 2, I mean exhaust and ECU only, NO other hardware addition.

Another plus with the GIAC tune is that there is no need to change spark plugs (not a small cost) - my car was happy and healthy on original spark plugs after the tune.
No CEL, no new spark plug, no clutch = happy camper ;-). Nothing to lose with everything to gain: a Turbo that is so much less laggy, less ponderous and feels like a completely different car.

BTW, one thing in common with both ECU and suspension mod is the shortening of response time. By stiffening springs, and by reducing turbo lag, what we are doing is reducing the response time of the car to our inputs (gas pedal, steering change, etc.). IMHO, this fast response time is a primary parameter that defines what a "sports" car is and what makes me love my Turbo baby LOL.

 

I have made the claim repeatedly about a good ECU tune in general, and the GIAC tune in particular: faster, near complete elimination of lag, especially in the Sport mode.
But... the million dollar question is, how do I prove this and just exactly how much time improvement are we talking about.

Among the several parameters that Durametric records, is time elapsed, to the hundredths of second. I have this idea if I set an arbitrary rpm interval, say from 2500 rpm to 6000 rpm, then calculate time elapsed, it would give me an idea of lag. So without further ado, here it is, first "home" measurement of lag of 997 Turbo in the world.

Time elapse from 2500 to 6000 rpm (38.5 mph to 92.5 mph)
Stock Normal 6.07 seconds
Stock Sport 5.88 secs
GIAC Normal 5.73 secs
GIAC Sport 5.38 secs'

 

New picture bump - testing Nikon camera (I've used Canon exclusively up until now, just playing around with an old Nikon D80 here.):