benoitroussel

Update: they are unable to flash the ECU. Am I left with only one option: replace the ECU with a stock/used one?

John@Fabspeed

Why couldn't they flash it back?

88mmm

Edit- I see you tried stock and are still failing. I haven't gotten that far yet.

benoitroussel

I'm not sure what software they are using to try to flash, but what I was told is that after entering the car codes, they were prompted to enter a key/password, as if the ECU was protected. They apparently never encountered that before and don't know what to do to get passed that.
Note: the ECU hardware is confirmed to be stock (it hasn't been replaced).

benoitroussel

They have been using 2 different Porsche Testers and had the same issue. After talking with the person who tried to flash the car, he told me that he thinks that the boot program of the ECU is corrupted, and that it is why he can't flash the ECU.
If that is true, is there a way to "reset" the boot program of the ECU?

Kevin

If your mechanic is having these issues with a corrupted ECU.

Take the car into your local Porsche dealer and spend the 1 hour to reflash the ECU.

If the ECU is beyond repair, you will need to purchase a ECU.

You can't swap ECU's from one car to another without doing a lot of work.. Which requires dollar bills.

I received your PM.. Replied.

benoitroussel

Thanks a lot for your replies!

benoitroussel

Final update: I did follow the advice of Kevin (thanks a lot!!!) and went to Rusnak/Porsche and they managed to flash the ECU back to factory settings (yes I lost my tune, but I didn't care for it anyway) and set the readiness.
Tomorrow, I'll go pass the smog and be back to happy and worry free

The morale of the story is that you don't want just any person to play with your ECU. Ask a true expert before you let anyone touch it.

88mmm

Sounds like we had the same issue. I'm glad I was able to find out what tune was on my car. I'll be flashing back soon. I've driven 600 miles since I was flashed back to stock and have not had any cel issues. The car does feel a lot different though.

benoitroussel

Alright, here is a summary of what happened:
1- I tried to smog the car a few weeks ago and couldn't because the car wasn't "ready". The cat conv failed to register.
2- At first, I thought I had a bad exhaust and replaced it with a stock known to work. Same issue.
3- I then tried to get someone to flash my ECU back to factory default, hoping that it would allow me to fix the readiness, but he didn't manage to flash it back and told me my ECU was likely fried and needed to be replaced
4- I spoke with Kevin who recommended to have Porsche do it. They have equipment that very few others have due to its prohibitive price. Most people who claim they can flash your car use copies of the software used by Porsche, but they simply don't have the same capabilities, nor the latest updates.
5- I took my car to Rusnak Porsche Pasadena (CA) and asked them to flash the ECU back to factory default and set the readiness. I paid about $350 and got it done quickly.
6- I since went back to the smog shop and passed the smog

Be extremely cautious before you let anyone touch your ECU. Kevin provided a lot of insight and helped me get through this for a fraction of what I would have had to pay if I had to replace the ECU. Every case is different, but if you have a similar issue, make sure you talk to an expert before you take any action. It can save you a lot of trouble and $$.

TeCKis300

I'm in a similar situation but I can't simply go back to a stock tune as I have an early gen "GT650" kit of unknown origin/tune, with 5bar FPR and GT2860rs turbo's.

I recently failed smog with my catalyst monitor not being ready. Everything else shows as ready/pass with no active or pending codes. I passed 2 years ago with flying colors with the sniff test, but likely had that single monitor not ready then either. That single catalyst monitor not being ready is a no go under the new OBD-II only CA test.

Question is...is this a matter of the tune disabling the catalyst monitor? Is there a definitive way to know? Or is it my Fabspeed v3 exhaust that are good enough to not trip a catalyst code, yet won't allow the catalyst monitor to be fully ready?

I do daily drive the car with no batt issues or resets for at least the last 10k miles. I have done 2x drive cycles with no success.

SMOG reports catalyst as Not Ready. Durametric reports catalytic converter efficiency as Fail.

Should I swap my stock exhaust back in? Or is there a way to know the tune won't support the catalyst being ready?

Kevin

You have a few options..

Yes, you can fit the stock exhaust and see if you'll pass.. BUT if you are not getting a CEL on the dash, the code byte has been turned off. This is what the new OBD2 Emission testing is checking. So you will need to reflash the code to stock or work with a tuner to get your tune compliant.

And with the working ECU (Emissions monitoring), it could trip the CEL, if your cats are not working..

"02996ttx50

all you guys that show obd "not ready" need to RESET the readiness monitors. if you have NO cats they will never register as "ready". if you do, then the reset is necessary to reset all the obd monitors and it goes like this:

Start engine, let idle for approx. 2 min, 10 secs.

Accelerate to 20-30 MPH, Maintain steady speed for approx 3 min, 15 secs.

Accelerate to 40-60 MPH, Maintain steady speed for approx 15 mins.

Decelerate and come to a stop. Then:

Idle in Neutral for 5 mins. (manual trans.)

During the drive cycle, do not exceed 3,000 rpm or 60 mph.

this is the factory readiness monitor reset protocol as used by porsche and bmw. it works for me.

try it at 4 am where no traffic will impede your forward progress and do not deviate from the speeds or time recommendations and you should be "all ready" once completed. have a code reader in the car, and hook it up to the obd port after so you can see that it did/didn't work. if it didn't? rinse and repeat. if you continue to try this without readiness codes being reset, then the first place to look is bad 02 sensors, pre cat. possibly post as well.

88mmm

Do you really think none of us have tried this? It's purely a matter of the tune not allowing the monitors to reset. It has nothing to do with the drive cycle or not having cat converters. The only fix is to either go back to a stock tune or get a new tune that allows the monitors to set.

"02996ttx50

yes, and not necessarily so.