I just got back from the Detroit Auto Show (superb BTW) to find a magical box from UPS on my doorstep. Inside the box lay a mystery - a promise of excitement, a promise of fun that may or may not be realized.

Now at 2200 miles, the hope of factory boost restriction ending has passed. There was no boost limit being unleashed at 2000 miles. Porsche lied. There is no boost and torque plateau starting at 1950 rpm. There is no 18psi boost to be found, ever! Boost never hit until 3k rpms, no matter what gear. Why would they promise us that and deliver nothing even close?

I opened the box to find my ECU. Well packaged, and re-install was a snap. The weather outside was dreadful - 35F and freezing rain. I started up the car half expecting error messages. There were none. The startup idle was smooth, no burps, no hiccups, no surges. I let it run for 10 minutes at idle, blipping the throttle from time to time. No changes. No hint of any difference. Did I just waste $3500?

Next day it is still cold, but dry. Time to check things out. Warm up the car and head for the highway. Car is as placid as usual. No change in driveability whatsoever. Did I get the correct box back?

Started up the entrance ramp to the freeway. Let the motor rev up a little. Boost gauge showing activity way earlier than before - bar graph starts shooting up at about 2700 rpms. Boost stays pegged at 1 bar - not just a poke at 1 bar anymore, it just stays there.

Open lane, hit the sport button, and accelerate up an overpass staying in 6th. Car pulls exceptionally hard. I'm at 135 coming close to turn in on a 50mph sweeper. Boost gauge is pegged at 18. I have never seen 18 before! Are my eyes lying?

Exit the freeway and do a U-turn. Go thru the toll booth at about 10mph and firmly mash the pedal. Holy ^$%$!!! All 4 tires spin and the car fires off like a catapult. My neck has just lost 30% of its disc height from jerking. Tachmeter swings wildly like the VU meters of old tape decks. Redline hits much earlier than expected. Time to snap off shifts and stop trying to look at the boost gauge. Keep the nose straight.

Slow down, breathe. Let the car saunter home. Pulse is still high. Brain is wild with activity. The promise has been realized. My 997TT is now like the Tin Man with a new heart-soul! Forget about the X50, the Turbo S, the GT2. This is all you need. For now at least....

 

Haha awesome man, love the visuals of your story, glad you are happy I cannot wait to drive an ECU tuned 997TT, waiting for my friend to get back from vacation so i can do so.

Enjoy it

 

eclou-

We are glad you like it! Thanks again for your business.

For those that would like more info, please click the link below.

http://www.awe-tuning.com/pages/shar...s&IL=997TTgiac

 

Congratulations.. That's totally awesome!!!

So did you get the 93 octane file? Did you also keep the stock rev limit or did you opt for the 7k redline?

That's really strange you didn't get any error messages regarding PSM failure and PASM failure like I did. It took 2 miles of regular driving and the failures cleared themselves out. Also, every time I disconnect the battery to reset the computer I get a PSM & PASM failure. Though, they do go away asap.

One thing I noticed is that the more you just tool around town like a granny the car re-learns for fuel efficiency and pulls fuel and timing for economy. When you disconnect & re-connect the battery the car immediately pulls again like a raped ape.

 

I did 93 octane, stock rev limit. I also asked for the super-secret error-free extra-power flash that they begrudgingly agreed to.... j/k. Not sure why you had the errors, as I saw none. I also never disconnected the battery for the R&R. Did you? If that is the case, it may be a standard error message with the battery disconnect.

 

Yep, I disconnectced the battery for the install. Wasn't sure if it would fry something out when plugging it back in with the battery hooked up so I was precautious and disconnected it.

I see the errors each time I re-set the ECU too.

After driving around town leisurely a bit you might notice the real power fades a bit. A 15-20 min disconnect of the negative terminal on the battery resets the ECU and you are back in business.

 

18 psi is real impressive too!!! I have the Fabspeed exhaust sitting in the box in the garage. I'm still waiting for the headers and the intercoolers so I can do em all at once.

I'm seeing 17 psi with just the ECU. In 4'th it hold 17 psi for about 3-4 seconds. In 5'th it hold 17 psi for about 5-6 seconds.

How long in each gear are you seeing the 18 psi??

 

Hah - your experience sounds just like mine when I first installed the Protomotive ECU. The car is literally *transformed*, from decently quick to world-beater in a single electronic switch. 4 wheel burnouts in 2nd gear on a cold day? no problem! Torque steer in **3rd** ?? you got it!

Glad you're having fun! I hear it gets even better when you add an exhaust & headers

 

Nice write up-give us more. I was on the edge of my seat man! Congrats.

 

Sure. On my way home, I stopped at the gas station to fill up on some 93. A van pulled up next to me loaded with a group of local college cheerleaders. They immediately sashayed to the car and stroked the fenders lightly purring out "oooh, nice car.... Can I sit in it? I'll do ANYTHING..". As they climbed inside, one squealed out - "Oh my leg! I think I pulled it" and her friend then started comforting her and massaging her upper thigh with one hand while stroking her hair. At that point the water bottle that I was holding just fell to the ground and I started choking.....

 

You almost had me... But please, tell us more. (That visual was hot) Were they blonde, brunett, red, all of the above?

Keep me awake.

 

Hahahahahahhaha!! I love his stories, subscribed :P

 

Awesome write up! I'm feeling a familiar pain in the Wallet

 

Great write up totally awesome 18psi !!

 

Settle down will you! You'll have some kinky car stories of your own soon...

I have to agree though, Twin Turbo cars are literally transformed with an ECU flash Sucks to be NA!