Fellas, got my ECM back from ETG out in CA. reinstalled it back into the car last night and went for a drive. WOW!!!! OK, at lower RPMs between 1st-2nd gears to me not much difference. Where the money is, at 3rd-4th gear between 3800-4600 RPMs it just starts to pull HARD!!! It dont seem to level out as much at upper RPM range like before.....I actually ran out of road as i went tearing down the PKWY. I also the cars tone sounds more solid, beefer especailly during start up. It's hard to expline but if you know your car you'll know what iI mean. Yes it also feels a bit smoother as you get on it not that Porsches need any help nwith that!! Bottom line well spent money, I'm happy with it and I'm a picky MF'er...

 

Gotta say it..... TOLD YA SO!!! your description was said almost word for word as to what i was thinking it did for mine!

 

Congrats turbomik1. I'm very happy with this tune as well. Since this was a successful mod, I'm trying to figure out if I should do any other mods like an intake (and if so K&N or a drop in like BMC), and/or the plenum. I've read many threads and some people say you can add all of these items and get 10-20HP max, while other people say they are worthwhile. Since the ecu flash made a solid difference, I'm starting to consider these again. I do have an afterhours exhaust which makes some nice noise, so an intake and plenum would appear to be the few remaining options for more HP, based on researching this site. Hmmmm...

 

Yea the guys at ETG said adding a K&N filter would be good but not the whole cold air intake system. The engine is just a air pump the more air you cram in and get out the more power right? I'm sure a plenum would be benefical, any idea on the cost of such upgrade? As far as 10-20HP goes aren't we at those numbers already with just tune? I would love to know cause I had dyno my car last year before the ecm tune and my number were nice, or maybe the dyno mechine was just generous. Eventually I would like to get a VF supercharger for my ride.....now we're talk'n..

 

It looks like the plunum is about $900 unless there is a special. I feel the 20-25hp from the ECU tune no question. I'm curious if all the mods are cumulative, so:
320HP = my starting point (02 cab)
+10HP = Afterhours exhaust (per their web site) - Have it, think I felt it, hear it yes
+25HP = ETG flash (dyno per their site for a 3.6 996) - Have it, Yes I feel it
+23HP = K&N intake per the ad in 996 vendor classifieds - Don't currently have
+25HP = IPD Plenum per their site - Don't currently have
-------
403HP = Damn, I would almost have the HP of a 2002 Turbo (415HP). Correct?

 

The plenum will surely improve all your other upgrades! You will really see the improvement on the dyno and feel it !

 

That's good to hear on the plenum. I will look at this more closely as my possible next mod!

 

I hate to be a party pooper, but you will never get those "claimed" HP gains from any of those aftermarket upgrades on an aspirated engine. These engines are pretty maxed out from Porsche. What you can do is change some of the performance characteristics from low to mid to high RPM range meaning that if you gain some performance at the higher RPM range chances are you will lose at the lower RPM range.

Adding all the above will not create a X + X + X = XX in HP, so save your money.

The only way to bring up HP gains on these engines is by adding forced induction (turbo or supercharger) or just upgrade to a Turbo car. IMHO..

 

Hi pmkazz,
Thanks for the input. I will say I do feel something from the ecu flash, and I already have the exhaust (which sounds good and at least saved weight - I can't say I felt much of a power boost as I did this first w/out ECU flash), so I do feel like I'm getting some value for my money thus far. Since cost is a consideration for me, the price of an add on turbo or supercharger seems to be exponentially more expensive ($7K or so plus labor). So I guess my question is, will adding the plenum and/or air filter to my current muffler/ECU flash give me a noticable bump in performance? Even if I won't be at a total of 400+HP I'm curious if it would be a good "value for performance" modification. BTW, I noticed you're in Dana Point and I'm not too far away in Ladara Ranch so maybe we could meet up for a ride sometime. I often ride with a buddy and we either start in Dana Point or come down Crown Valley and then ride south to Newport for Coffee. I'm from the midwest and it's like I'm on permanent vacation!!

 

I believe that you do notice some performance changes by an ECU flash. I am not sure if or what HP gains were made but generally the flash will move the power curve in the RPM range around so that you may have more pull in the 4K to 6K range and less somewhere else. I do not know too much about the particular product you purchased although they seem to state some interesting data on their site, etc.

No matter what you add-on to these engines you will never get the HP gains that you think or wish you will as they designed for maximum balanced performance from the factory. You can gain a few HP here and there and change the torque curve around a little but the money it would cost would not equal what you would get.

You stated you had “Afterhours exhaust”. Is that just the mufflers or the entire system (headers, cats and mufflers)?

Yes, we can meet up sometime. PM me and we can set a time. Also I would be more open to answering some of your question in a PM

 

Hi pmkazz,
As for exhaust, I have just the mufflers (no headers or cats) which is probably why I didn't feel too much more than the sound. I understand doing everything may cause a problem with CA smog testing. I will PM you.
Cheers.

 

I agree, I don't believe there is much more outside of a ECM tune you can do to get truely big numbers from a c2. The plan for the next couple of years is either I get the VF kit for my ride or get a tt or maybe a gt3.......one way or another I do something.

 

Port your heads..... there is big power to find there... I paid big cash for 20 hours of work on mine...

 

The x51 package is like $13k and nets a whole 25hp.
Go you really think if there was 83 HP with those minor mods Porsche would not have made them to the car in the first place?

 

You could have just taken it to Topspeed in Alpharetta and had Doug tune it on the dyno.

It does make a big difference if You have made some intake/exhaust mods.