Engine Limits vs Power -- Sharing Some Knowledge
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Yes still GT2 intake. Flirted with the idea of changing back to stock plastic tt one but the GT2 intake makes very good power and response in my car and keeps IATs low at high rpm. Additional power surge from 6-7.8k is the added benefit together with low rpm boost (mid range sensitivity in tuning is the compromise).
With the the GT2 expansion intake you can run 26+ degrees ignition angle so i think you have to use completely different strategy in tuning the car.
With the the GT2 expansion intake you can run 26+ degrees ignition angle so i think you have to use completely different strategy in tuning the car.
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Yes still GT2 intake. Flirted with the idea of changing back to stock plastic tt one but the GT2 intake makes very good power and response in my car and keeps IATs low at high rpm. Additional power surge from 6-7.8k is the added benefit together with low rpm boost (mid range sensitivity in tuning is the compromise).
With the the GT2 expansion intake you can run 26+ degrees ignition angle so i think you have to use completely different strategy in tuning the car.
With the the GT2 expansion intake you can run 26+ degrees ignition angle so i think you have to use completely different strategy in tuning the car.
Todd K also got same results...horrible midrange and excellent top end with gt2 manifold
He went from gt2 manifold to 997TT manifold and pick up 150ft/lbs of torque in the midrange but the hp/tq dropped after 6500-6600rpm..Those results with 997 GT2 w/A3076
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I wonder how many of you actually tune cars... like actually take cars apart and put them back together, get on a laptop to write and modify fuel/timing/boost maps. Good drivers are rarely good tuners, and are usually even worse mechanics. So if you say you're good at one, chances are you're not so good at any of the others. I'm lucky- I'm not really that good at any of that. 
I don't know crap about Porsches, but I do know enough about cars to make me dangerous when it comes to tuning and expectations. I suspect most of us are in the same boat.
Simple facts-
Torque is what moves a car. Torque is what everyone wants.
Horsepower is a mathematical value derived from torque and rate (RPM in this case). So those who say "horsepower doesn't hurt the motor, torque does" or some derivative of that, really don't know what they are writing at all.
If you don't want torque down low, where do you want it? If you are daily driving the car, torque in the lower rpms aids smooth driving. If you are racing the car, you want torque up in the higher rpms to take advantage of gearing. But there are penalties (or no free lunch as they say) for both schools of thought- too much power down low and you have some rod and piston/wristpin problems, too much power up high and you'll hurt the valvetrain, and the higher you rev, the higher the parasitic friction cost. Pick your poison.
The more power you make, the quicker things wear out. Things like bearings. Like valve springs. Even rods. Engine block become brittle with age and constant heat stress. Pistons get pitted from use and change compression values.
Rods bend from torque. They can bend whether or not the torque was applied at the right time (everything working within the design spec) or wrong (bad fuel, detonation, failing parts etc). Things happen. Engines are built by humans, designed by humans, used by humans. Parts are made using manufacturing processes developed by humans. There is error tolerance in everything. To put the blame of "mapping" or "bad fuel" or "torque down low instead of horsepower higher up" or whatever it may be is simple speculation.
I don't know anyone who reuses pistons. That's like reusing spark plugs (if sparkies were located in the most inconvenient place in the motor which they aren't). If you're cracking the cases open you might as well put new stuff in it.
Knock sensors are microphones. They listen for specific engine noises that the engineers are looking for and designate as being knock- but at the same time they also hear everything else going on- so if you have a weird sound from your suspension or brakes, whatever or wherever it may be, if that knock sensor hears and assumes knock because it is within those engineered parameters, you will get timing retard and whatever the engineers want to dial back for engine safety. And knock sensors can go bad too, in some cars they can go bad without throwing codes. I've worked on cars that have had that problem- gearlash noise causing knock retard. And be scared if there are a multitude of noises causing the knock sensor problem...
Its difficult to compare fuels from different countries- different requirements. Heck, in the US we have a problem comparing fuels from different regions and at different elevations! So that's a dead end discussion.
Those of you who are driving 700+whp on a stock block need to fact facts- like those 1000whp+ Supras you are on borrowed time. You will always hear about those Supras and their Stupendous power, but you never hear about how they blew up after a few weeks of actual hard use, with their owners scurrying to find another stock block from a wrecker or boneyard. Hype is in huge HP numbers, but the reality is those numbers cost, and those numbers lie. And those who are realistic about power output will probably never want, use, or need 700whp.
I don't know crap about Porsches, but I do know enough about cars to make me dangerous when it comes to tuning and expectations. I suspect most of us are in the same boat.
Simple facts-
Torque is what moves a car. Torque is what everyone wants.
Horsepower is a mathematical value derived from torque and rate (RPM in this case). So those who say "horsepower doesn't hurt the motor, torque does" or some derivative of that, really don't know what they are writing at all.
If you don't want torque down low, where do you want it? If you are daily driving the car, torque in the lower rpms aids smooth driving. If you are racing the car, you want torque up in the higher rpms to take advantage of gearing. But there are penalties (or no free lunch as they say) for both schools of thought- too much power down low and you have some rod and piston/wristpin problems, too much power up high and you'll hurt the valvetrain, and the higher you rev, the higher the parasitic friction cost. Pick your poison.
The more power you make, the quicker things wear out. Things like bearings. Like valve springs. Even rods. Engine block become brittle with age and constant heat stress. Pistons get pitted from use and change compression values.
Rods bend from torque. They can bend whether or not the torque was applied at the right time (everything working within the design spec) or wrong (bad fuel, detonation, failing parts etc). Things happen. Engines are built by humans, designed by humans, used by humans. Parts are made using manufacturing processes developed by humans. There is error tolerance in everything. To put the blame of "mapping" or "bad fuel" or "torque down low instead of horsepower higher up" or whatever it may be is simple speculation.
I don't know anyone who reuses pistons. That's like reusing spark plugs (if sparkies were located in the most inconvenient place in the motor which they aren't). If you're cracking the cases open you might as well put new stuff in it.
Knock sensors are microphones. They listen for specific engine noises that the engineers are looking for and designate as being knock- but at the same time they also hear everything else going on- so if you have a weird sound from your suspension or brakes, whatever or wherever it may be, if that knock sensor hears and assumes knock because it is within those engineered parameters, you will get timing retard and whatever the engineers want to dial back for engine safety. And knock sensors can go bad too, in some cars they can go bad without throwing codes. I've worked on cars that have had that problem- gearlash noise causing knock retard. And be scared if there are a multitude of noises causing the knock sensor problem...
Its difficult to compare fuels from different countries- different requirements. Heck, in the US we have a problem comparing fuels from different regions and at different elevations! So that's a dead end discussion.
Those of you who are driving 700+whp on a stock block need to fact facts- like those 1000whp+ Supras you are on borrowed time. You will always hear about those Supras and their Stupendous power, but you never hear about how they blew up after a few weeks of actual hard use, with their owners scurrying to find another stock block from a wrecker or boneyard. Hype is in huge HP numbers, but the reality is those numbers cost, and those numbers lie. And those who are realistic about power output will probably never want, use, or need 700whp.
I agree 100% - it's a crap shot. I would see dozens of vettes (c6's) running 650+ on stock intenals for months or years but all of a sudden their engines explode and wonder why. It could be because of bad gas or mis-shift but most likely it was because they simply exceeded the 600 "safe" level of an LS2, 3, 7 and it took its toll...and I agree with the engine being built on a Friday or by a disgruntled employee. Champion builds dozens in not hundreds of cars per year w/o fail. I commend them on their R&D initiative. When you are on the top everyone is there to try to knock you off....its human nature.
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Did ur car make hp/tq after 7200rpm?
Todd K also got same results...horrible midrange and excellent top end with gt2 manifold
He went from gt2 manifold to 997TT manifold and pick up 150ft/lbs of torque in the midrange but the hp/tq dropped after 6500-6600rpm..Those results with 997 GT2 w/A3076
Todd K also got same results...horrible midrange and excellent top end with gt2 manifold
He went from gt2 manifold to 997TT manifold and pick up 150ft/lbs of torque in the midrange but the hp/tq dropped after 6500-6600rpm..Those results with 997 GT2 w/A3076
We have dialled out the midrange slump by 95% and with my new better cooling system we will probably take out the rest 5%. (skandalis threads shows logs etc of ignition timing with those gt2s coolers)
The result is a very drivable and reliable 730/740hp/950nm crank (with cams, rods, ported head, exhaust flaps) with almost 5k rpm usable power..
http://www.youtube.com/user/TSAKG1?feature=mhum
Very sensitive to bad fuel (tuned for 98 octane euro fuel) and took 100 hours on the dyno to make perfect. Not the most $$ efficient solution for big power but i wanted as much as possible factory setup/ power delivery and safety.
Having said that I am extremely interested in what is mentioned above about knock sensors in the GT1 engine. These engines are notoriously prone to detonation around 4.5-5k rpm and some engines have this issue more than others. I changed engine mounts mainly to exclude the probability of vibration triggering those factory knock sensors. Most tuners stay away from those limits for that reason (reduce torque at low/mid range), mine is exactly the opposite..
I am staying out of this thread after this post for respect to CMS.
The Sledgehammer has made over 900whp on the stock internals. Stock. Internals.
4.25 seconds 60-130, stock internals.
R911 package has recorded 850awhp and 850awtq (foot pounds)...
There is another Porsche tuner here in the United states that used the same tuning software as another Porsche tuner here in the states, and the engine reliability for each of them is right around the same power level, and the same statements about reinforcing your engine at XXXhp has occurred. This makes me believe even more that these engine failures are due to tuning. Also, the first Porsche tuner mentioned above, no longer uses the same tuning software as the second Porsche tuner.
I ran this thread past Tym Switzer, our chief tuner here at Switzer, who tuned Sledgehammer as well. His thoughts? It is all in the tuning... While the engine internals have their limitations, we have not witnessed them, and believe me we have put the 997TT engine through hell and back, with no signs of power loss or changes in reliability.
No BS here, I am simply calling as I see it. Perhaps Sledgehammer was the strongest 997TT engine that came out of Porsche, perhaps by sheer luck that engine kept itself together and luck allowed us to set and hold the 60-130 record for quite some time, as well as the 1/4 mile record, which still stand IIRC, for stock-internals in a 997TT...
JMHO, $.02 deposited above...
The Sledgehammer has made over 900whp on the stock internals. Stock. Internals.
4.25 seconds 60-130, stock internals.
R911 package has recorded 850awhp and 850awtq (foot pounds)...
There is another Porsche tuner here in the United states that used the same tuning software as another Porsche tuner here in the states, and the engine reliability for each of them is right around the same power level, and the same statements about reinforcing your engine at XXXhp has occurred. This makes me believe even more that these engine failures are due to tuning. Also, the first Porsche tuner mentioned above, no longer uses the same tuning software as the second Porsche tuner.
I ran this thread past Tym Switzer, our chief tuner here at Switzer, who tuned Sledgehammer as well. His thoughts? It is all in the tuning... While the engine internals have their limitations, we have not witnessed them, and believe me we have put the 997TT engine through hell and back, with no signs of power loss or changes in reliability.
No BS here, I am simply calling as I see it. Perhaps Sledgehammer was the strongest 997TT engine that came out of Porsche, perhaps by sheer luck that engine kept itself together and luck allowed us to set and hold the 60-130 record for quite some time, as well as the 1/4 mile record, which still stand IIRC, for stock-internals in a 997TT...
JMHO, $.02 deposited above...
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First off, Champion is not on top (nor are they on bottom). Second, no one is trying to knock them down. Points are simply being brought to light that contradict the OPs speculative, absolute, generalized comments.
Do you expect people who disagree to simply not respond? That's not going to happen. Get over it.
The insecurity in this thread is strong...
Last edited by Divexxtreme; Apr 25, 2011 at 11:06 AM.
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Great thread. I doubt I'll ever get to the power level where I need to consider an engine build, but just out of curiosity how much does it cost approx to "build" a 997tt engine with stronger rods, pistons, head studs etc...?
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In the movies there is something called "the suspension of disbelief" which is the viewer's need to immerse themselves into the story and imagery in order to enjoy it and relate to it.
In this case, my suspension of disbelief was irrevocably shattered when I actually figured out some numbers. Stock Porsche 997 Turbo is 480PS, stock 997 GT2 is 530PS, many Turbos have about 450-460whp. What some of you are saying is that Porsche has built in 100+% headroom in their engine design...
And that's where you lost me.
In this case, my suspension of disbelief was irrevocably shattered when I actually figured out some numbers. Stock Porsche 997 Turbo is 480PS, stock 997 GT2 is 530PS, many Turbos have about 450-460whp. What some of you are saying is that Porsche has built in 100+% headroom in their engine design...
And that's where you lost me.
However,real internal limits may vary based upon many factors...But for sure programming is awlays the key factor to destroy an engine...
for years now i admire the work protomotive and Todd K did for Scott...They really showed us what a properly tuned 996TT stock internals engine can do...
Engine design of 996/997,1TT has the capability to handle way over 420/480hp...do a search about metzger engine to find internal structure in order to be able to participate at Le mans...rated at around 650hp for 24hr race...
However,real internal limits may vary based upon many factors...But for sure programming is awlays the key factor to destroy an engine...
for years now i admire the work protomotive and Todd K did for Scott...They really showed us what a properly tuned 996TT stock internals engine can do...
However,real internal limits may vary based upon many factors...But for sure programming is awlays the key factor to destroy an engine...
for years now i admire the work protomotive and Todd K did for Scott...They really showed us what a properly tuned 996TT stock internals engine can do...
) prototype from 1998, the GT1-98, and the Champion Lola. In 1998 when Porsche pulled the plug on the GT1 project, Champion bought ALL of the remaining GT1-98 engines, and ALL of the remaining inventory of parts. The point here is that there are very few people in the world that have as much experience with the GT1-98 engine as the ones engineering and testing our aftermarket parts in this building.For starters, there are very few pieces from the actual GT1-98 engine that are the same as the 'metzger' production car engine. For example, the GT198 engine has Pankl titanium connecting rods, which the production version obviously does not. Those rods were lifed-out at 6000km, precisely the distance traveled during one race at LeMans. Pistons, cylinder studs, valvetrain, camshafts, the list goes on....none of these parts are the same as what's in the 996TT or the 997TT that you drive. Even something as simply as the engine block, which looked identical, was cast from a completely different material and included 100's of machining details which, again, are not present in the production engine. We could talk about the internal oiling system, but that would then require an entirely new thread.
The point? Many people think that we (Champion) are new to the game, simply because we didn't make consumer performance parts for the 997TT until only about 2 years ago. The reality is that we have been at the forefront of development on the GT-198 motor right up to the point that Porsche stopped developing it themselves.
So as you read on in this thread, or refer back to earlier posts, you can either continue to doubt the knowledge base that we have, or you can give some credit where credit's due. Choice is yours...but again, for the ump-teenth time....this post was only put up to SHARE info. If there's more info you want....ask and I'll do my best to gather it.
I am staying out of this thread after this post for respect to CMS.
The Sledgehammer has made over 900whp on the stock internals. Stock. Internals.
4.25 seconds 60-130, stock internals.
R911 package has recorded 850awhp and 850awtq (foot pounds)...
There is another Porsche tuner here in the United states that used the same tuning software as another Porsche tuner here in the states, and the engine reliability for each of them is right around the same power level, and the same statements about reinforcing your engine at XXXhp has occurred. This makes me believe even more that these engine failures are due to tuning. Also, the first Porsche tuner mentioned above, no longer uses the same tuning software as the second Porsche tuner.
I ran this thread past Tym Switzer, our chief tuner here at Switzer, who tuned Sledgehammer as well. His thoughts? It is all in the tuning... While the engine internals have their limitations, we have not witnessed them, and believe me we have put the 997TT engine through hell and back, with no signs of power loss or changes in reliability.
No BS here, I am simply calling as I see it. Perhaps Sledgehammer was the strongest 997TT engine that came out of Porsche, perhaps by sheer luck that engine kept itself together and luck allowed us to set and hold the 60-130 record for quite some time, as well as the 1/4 mile record, which still stand IIRC, for stock-internals in a 997TT...
JMHO, $.02 deposited above...
The Sledgehammer has made over 900whp on the stock internals. Stock. Internals.
4.25 seconds 60-130, stock internals.
R911 package has recorded 850awhp and 850awtq (foot pounds)...
There is another Porsche tuner here in the United states that used the same tuning software as another Porsche tuner here in the states, and the engine reliability for each of them is right around the same power level, and the same statements about reinforcing your engine at XXXhp has occurred. This makes me believe even more that these engine failures are due to tuning. Also, the first Porsche tuner mentioned above, no longer uses the same tuning software as the second Porsche tuner.
I ran this thread past Tym Switzer, our chief tuner here at Switzer, who tuned Sledgehammer as well. His thoughts? It is all in the tuning... While the engine internals have their limitations, we have not witnessed them, and believe me we have put the 997TT engine through hell and back, with no signs of power loss or changes in reliability.
No BS here, I am simply calling as I see it. Perhaps Sledgehammer was the strongest 997TT engine that came out of Porsche, perhaps by sheer luck that engine kept itself together and luck allowed us to set and hold the 60-130 record for quite some time, as well as the 1/4 mile record, which still stand IIRC, for stock-internals in a 997TT...
JMHO, $.02 deposited above...
That being said, I wanted to talk a little more about the issue of knock that keeps coming up. I also wanted to make a distinction between how knock control functions on an ECU-controlled boost setup (VTG turbos) versus non ECU-controlled boost (GT turbos) on the 997 Turbo. With GIAC's software, knock control remains fully intact, as I mentioned before. So let's say you get a batch of bad gas and the sensors begin to detect knock. Several things start to happen immediately. First, boost is reduced, which obviously cuts power output. Next, the software will pull timing and add fuel. Lastly, the ECU will actually close the throttle plate. All of these measures are left at factory levels for the specific reason of protecting the engine. Once you replace the VTG turbocharger with a non-VTG (GT, Alpha, etc), the ECU no longer controls boost. So in the same scenario (you get a bad batch of gas), you'll pull timing, add fuel....but the ECU will not have the ability to reduce boost because it's being externally controlled. In this scenario, if the driver doesn't notice something is wrong and pull back off the throttle, cylinder pressure will soar because of the constant boost pressure, and the consequences could be dangerous.
Some have asked to see pictures of the pistons that came out of this car. Here's a few. Pardon the size, I wanted to post them as large as possible so you could see the detail. As you can see, no signs of detonation.
Believe me when I say that between the experience of GIAC and our engineers here, every tune we run is carefully written and as safe as humanly possible. After all, we offer a full warranty on any car equipped with one of our power kits, so they are built to be safe, and to last. So back to the original topic of how these rods bent. We still hold firm that the engine should not be pushed beyond that level on stock internals. Obviously, based on the post by Neil above, it CAN be done. But we still firmly believe that it shouldn't.
This is just the opinion of our engineers here at Champion. For those who don't trust or believe the information we provide, there are other options out there. That's what makes the Porsche aftermarket so exciting....choices.
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I actually like that you created this thread, and I give you a lot of credit for sharing your information. But this is a car forum, one that happens to have a lot of very smart, experienced members in it...and healthy disagreements/debates are not only to be expected, but are encouraged.
It's not. It's directed at the people who feel they need to come to your defense, simply because there are some other members that either disagree with your assertions, or want to provide differing points of view.
I actually like that you created this thread, and I give you a lot of credit for sharing your information. But this is a car forum, one that happens to have a lot of very smart, experienced members in it...and healthy disagreements/debates are not only to be expected, but are encouraged.
I actually like that you created this thread, and I give you a lot of credit for sharing your information. But this is a car forum, one that happens to have a lot of very smart, experienced members in it...and healthy disagreements/debates are not only to be expected, but are encouraged.
Believe me, I'm not that naive...I knew that posting a thread like this would generate all sorts of responses, and was prepared to dodge bullets from every angle.
If one person somewhere benefits from the information I provided, then it was worth it in my opinion
im making over 900 with my GT35 no issues no knocking nothing every thing is going smooth i see no barriers and limits as mentioned before
it also 100% depend on type of octane and the map !
i run 10K KM on my car and i boost up to 1,9BAR
thanks , and you guys have been always very helpful and i consider my self one of your fans but u should consider Garrett turbos 
it also 100% depend on type of octane and the map !
i run 10K KM on my car and i boost up to 1,9BAR
Believe me, I'm not that naive...I knew that posting a thread like this would generate all sorts of responses, and was prepared to dodge bullets from every angle. If one person somewhere benefits from the information I provided, then it was worth it in my opinion
Last edited by yalmutawa; Apr 25, 2011 at 01:55 PM.
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I wonder how many of you actually tune cars... like actually take cars apart and put them back together, get on a laptop to write and modify fuel/timing/boost maps. Good drivers are rarely good tuners, and are usually even worse mechanics. So if you say you're good at one, chances are you're not so good at any of the others. I'm lucky- I'm not really that good at any of that.
I don't know crap about Porsches, but I do know enough about cars to make me dangerous when it comes to tuning and expectations. I suspect most of us are in the same boat.
Simple facts-
Torque is what moves a car. Torque is what everyone wants.
Horsepower is a mathematical value derived from torque and rate (RPM in this case). So those who say "horsepower doesn't hurt the motor, torque does" or some derivative of that, really don't know what they are writing at all.
If you don't want torque down low, where do you want it? If you are daily driving the car, torque in the lower rpms aids smooth driving. If you are racing the car, you want torque up in the higher rpms to take advantage of gearing. But there are penalties (or no free lunch as they say) for both schools of thought- too much power down low and you have some rod and piston/wristpin problems, too much power up high and you'll hurt the valvetrain, and the higher you rev, the higher the parasitic friction cost. Pick your poison.
The more power you make, the quicker things wear out. Things like bearings. Like valve springs. Even rods. Engine block become brittle with age and constant heat stress. Pistons get pitted from use and change compression values.
Rods bend from torque. They can bend whether or not the torque was applied at the right time (everything working within the design spec) or wrong (bad fuel, detonation, failing parts etc). Things happen. Engines are built by humans, designed by humans, used by humans. Parts are made using manufacturing processes developed by humans. There is error tolerance in everything. To put the blame of "mapping" or "bad fuel" or "torque down low instead of horsepower higher up" or whatever it may be is simple speculation.
I don't know anyone who reuses pistons. That's like reusing spark plugs (if sparkies were located in the most inconvenient place in the motor which they aren't). If you're cracking the cases open you might as well put new stuff in it.
Knock sensors are microphones. They listen for specific engine noises that the engineers are looking for and designate as being knock- but at the same time they also hear everything else going on- so if you have a weird sound from your suspension or brakes, whatever or wherever it may be, if that knock sensor hears and assumes knock because it is within those engineered parameters, you will get timing retard and whatever the engineers want to dial back for engine safety. And knock sensors can go bad too, in some cars they can go bad without throwing codes. I've worked on cars that have had that problem- gearlash noise causing knock retard. And be scared if there are a multitude of noises causing the knock sensor problem...
Its difficult to compare fuels from different countries- different requirements. Heck, in the US we have a problem comparing fuels from different regions and at different elevations! So that's a dead end discussion.
Those of you who are driving 700+whp on a stock block need to fact facts- like those 1000whp+ Supras you are on borrowed time. You will always hear about those Supras and their Stupendous power, but you never hear about how they blew up after a few weeks of actual hard use, with their owners scurrying to find another stock block from a wrecker or boneyard. Hype is in huge HP numbers, but the reality is those numbers cost, and those numbers lie. And those who are realistic about power output will probably never want, use, or need 700whp.
I don't know crap about Porsches, but I do know enough about cars to make me dangerous when it comes to tuning and expectations. I suspect most of us are in the same boat.
Simple facts-
Torque is what moves a car. Torque is what everyone wants.
Horsepower is a mathematical value derived from torque and rate (RPM in this case). So those who say "horsepower doesn't hurt the motor, torque does" or some derivative of that, really don't know what they are writing at all.
If you don't want torque down low, where do you want it? If you are daily driving the car, torque in the lower rpms aids smooth driving. If you are racing the car, you want torque up in the higher rpms to take advantage of gearing. But there are penalties (or no free lunch as they say) for both schools of thought- too much power down low and you have some rod and piston/wristpin problems, too much power up high and you'll hurt the valvetrain, and the higher you rev, the higher the parasitic friction cost. Pick your poison.
The more power you make, the quicker things wear out. Things like bearings. Like valve springs. Even rods. Engine block become brittle with age and constant heat stress. Pistons get pitted from use and change compression values.
Rods bend from torque. They can bend whether or not the torque was applied at the right time (everything working within the design spec) or wrong (bad fuel, detonation, failing parts etc). Things happen. Engines are built by humans, designed by humans, used by humans. Parts are made using manufacturing processes developed by humans. There is error tolerance in everything. To put the blame of "mapping" or "bad fuel" or "torque down low instead of horsepower higher up" or whatever it may be is simple speculation.
I don't know anyone who reuses pistons. That's like reusing spark plugs (if sparkies were located in the most inconvenient place in the motor which they aren't). If you're cracking the cases open you might as well put new stuff in it.
Knock sensors are microphones. They listen for specific engine noises that the engineers are looking for and designate as being knock- but at the same time they also hear everything else going on- so if you have a weird sound from your suspension or brakes, whatever or wherever it may be, if that knock sensor hears and assumes knock because it is within those engineered parameters, you will get timing retard and whatever the engineers want to dial back for engine safety. And knock sensors can go bad too, in some cars they can go bad without throwing codes. I've worked on cars that have had that problem- gearlash noise causing knock retard. And be scared if there are a multitude of noises causing the knock sensor problem...
Its difficult to compare fuels from different countries- different requirements. Heck, in the US we have a problem comparing fuels from different regions and at different elevations! So that's a dead end discussion.
Those of you who are driving 700+whp on a stock block need to fact facts- like those 1000whp+ Supras you are on borrowed time. You will always hear about those Supras and their Stupendous power, but you never hear about how they blew up after a few weeks of actual hard use, with their owners scurrying to find another stock block from a wrecker or boneyard. Hype is in huge HP numbers, but the reality is those numbers cost, and those numbers lie. And those who are realistic about power output will probably never want, use, or need 700whp.
I can 100% put the blame on the 4 things i stated in relation to the 4g63 engine.. I cannot say the same as my experience with Porsche engines is limited.. Along with experience in tuning..
#1 killer is 93 octane fuel on aggressive tunes.. We have a gas station on the corner by our shop that puts out horrible 93.. We get knock from that fuel til no end.. I had a car stuck at 430hp that couldnt take any more timing or boost.. I drained fuel went across the street to the mobil and changed fuel and made 460hp.. Now if we tune the car on that mobil fuel and the customer ends up at a station that has junk 93 chances are he could hurt the motor.. In this case on stock ecu and not going aggressive it probably wont hurt the engine.. However i have guys who come here looking for 600+ on pump gas on a 122ci engine and one bad tank of gas at the level could kiss it goodbye..
Low end TQ is the other killer and YES i can attribute lost engines 100% to it.. We have several " Flavors " of turbos we offer for the evo and i can tell you which sends rods out of the block and which doesnt.. 1 creates a ton more low end Tq then the other.. YES, TQ is what moves you however a QUICK SPIKE in TQ like a hit on the nitrous bottle DOES NO GOOD vs the turbo that feeds it in more gradual and maintains it.. This is the same reason nitrous claims more engine lives that turbos.. Hence the reason for progressive nitrous kits just like a Progressive turbo.. Lag can be your engines friend..