4ocious

I've decided to reflash my ECU and my first choice is Softronic for $2,195. There is a local authorized Softronic indie who'll reflash it for me at no cost. Softronic claims their reflash increases the hp from 480 to 615 and the tq from 457 to 615 too. Frankly, I'm skeptical of claims like this although I know a reflash really does turn a 997.1 into a monster. Should I be skeptical? What is your expererience with an ECU reflash and is it worth it? Thanks.

aa909

I recently did the softronic flash and its worth it. It changes the characteristics of the car for the better. In normal mode it is still very easy to drive around town without being twitchy. Click on sports mode and the car is a monster. Boost comes on harder and the low end responsiveness is greatly improved. The over boost stays on as long as you can stand it vs the stock chrono function which cuts the over boost IIRC in the mid 4k rpm range

And you don't need an indie to flash it for you. Takes 15 minutes with a laptop and the durametric cable they provide

No with all that said, I'm also not convinced it makes 615 crank hp on pump gas. But regardless of the actually hp claims, the power gains are real and probably north of 550+hp. It is a real improvement in power, feel and performance vs stock

Finally, I don't know if you have one but if you're going to do the tune, I highly recommend an exhaust. The tune will not achieve full power and responsiveness with the stock exhaust

Hope this was helpful
Art

phillipj

The most you will get out of a tune and an exhaust on pump gas is around 540-550hp. The only way you will get more hp is if the file increases your boost. This can be detrimental for your engine without other modifications .

You can achieve 600 hp on race gas but that is a separate tune file. I have the race gas tune (Protomotive) in my TT. It runs okay on pump gas but really flies on the race gas. A HUGE difference.

You can't expect to put race gas in on a pump gas file and expect more performance.

Any good tune will transform your TT. The good thing about the Softronic and the Protomotive tune is that you install them yourself with a flash cable and you keep your stock file on your laptop.

If you are uncomfortable installing yourself you can have it done.. Just make sure you keep your stock file in case you ever need it.

IMHO a tune makes the car run like it should. So yes.. To me it's worth it. I put my stock file back in for some warranty work last year. It was really disappointing driving the car like that.

Like Art said.. You should really get a good free flow exhaust as well.

A lot of the dyno numbers the tuners put out are actually on race gas. But they neglect to mention that.

Kevin

The question that should be asked is.. What does the ECU see for inputs and how does it react to make more power. Phillip is spot on.. This platform with a good non restrictive exhaust and tune will make up to 550HP. The reason why it won't make more power is due to knock retard. The engine is sensing detonation and is pulling timing. The stock tune shows knock retard. This engine will pull up to 15 degrees without engine damage. At 16 degree you have damage. Running a race gas file with pump gas is a quick way to knock your rod bearings out and toss a rod out the engine case.

Certain parts of the country will yield better results. Folk in Texas will have more power vs other places.

I will post a datalog showing what the engine is doing and how it reacts under boost.

For those that are interested in a flash please email me for details..

4ocious

This is GREAT info. Thank you Art, phillipj and Kevin, you've provided the answers I was hoping for. In VA we have 93 octane pump gas. I was also going to change my plugs which are overdue and was thinking of doing a Europipe or an (OMG!) Akrapovic exhaust ($8,500. plus $920. install) at the same time since the bumper will be off. The Softronic website recommends a colder plug (recommendations) to reduce the potential for pre-detonation. My indie also recommends an IPD Plenum ($995 plus $460 install) that he says will increase the bhp +30.

Added up this is a lot of money! Which route would you take?

eurotom

4ocious- the 615hp numbers according to Softronic are based on a 93 oct tune and an exhaust. I still think the numbers are exaggerated but.... I'm running OEM plugs and I'm at 9k miles with a 93 tune, no issues yet, knock on wood. 30 hp gains with the IPD plenum is b.s Save the 1500 bucks and put it towards something else.

aa909

^^^^^^ To tom's point I'm running OEM plugs as well. I replaced mine with stock plugs ~1K miles ago before the tune so no plans to pay another big fee for the job until I notice a change in performance

BTW even with the bumper off, the plugs are a big job and will cost some serious coin in terms of the labor cost. The actual charge for R&R the bumper is only 90 minutes of labor so that shouldn't be the reason to change plugs. but given that your stock plugs are over due then you are doing the right thing since old plugs with a tune will give you issues

You should also get the exhaust before the tune or at the same time. otherwise you'll be running very hot with the tune and the restrictive stock exhaust and the ECU will compensate and you'll lose peak power after a couple of hard pulls... at least that's what I was told by the gurus here who talked me into spending all this money on mods

phillipj

Thanks Kevin for the Info.. And 4ocious.. As Tom said DO NOT waste your time and money on a plenum, It;s total BS.. I had the plenum and GT3 throttle body. I went back to stock and wasted a bunch of money.

The best bang for your buck is the tune and an exhaust. Then learn to drive your car. Even if you have 800 hp a good driver in a Cayman will kick your butt. I you really feel you need to have an titanium exhaust then by all means buy one.. But it is not going to perform or sound any better than a Europipe.

2 Years ago I would have argued with Kevin about mods. But not anymore. We had a Lambo club here at the facility last Sunday. One of their friends had put a twin turbo set on a Gallardo. 1000hp.

It wasn't more than a week before he stuck it in a fence and destroyed the car.

550 hp is plenty. Especially if you know how to use it.

Good luck with whatever you decide but you have been warned. Stay away from bogus mods..

phillipj

615 on 93 octane is total hooey. Softronic has been peddling that BS for years.... The aftermarket is based on lies and exaggerations. Crappy parts that don't fit.. Poorly engineered parts. Bad ECU maps.. And we fall for it every time.. And as soon as we learn there is someone else waiting to fall for it..

At least Todd at Protomotive was honest with me when he told me "don't expect too much out our pump gas tune". That's honest.

If you have ever been a 600 + hp Turbo you would notice a huge difference over your car now..

I personally sometimes think my car is kind of a dog.. Then someone drives with me and are scared to death. I think we will get used to whatever HP we have.. If we had 700 we would want 800....

atcbi5

Just hear me out for minute guys and don't laugh. Ok here it goes, I own a 2010 Prius which has three settings for power. ECO mode, Regular mode and Power mode. All three, are software enhancements to the electronic gas pedal. They all work using an exponential curve applied to each respective power setting. ECO mode applies a negative exponential rate so as to "soften" sudden acceleration inputs by you. In other words, it takes much foot pedal travel to force the engine to accelerate. Saves fuel. Power mode, does the opposite, it applies a positive exponential rate. In other words a "slight" pedal input feels like the car explodes off the line. I bet you that some of this is going on here to some extent. I personally, don't believe any of it Dyno or not(software). And I never will. I would never spend any money on any of that(software) nonsense and most likely never will. Hardware, different story Just my opinion.

phillipj

I'mm not laughing and I hear you. But.. There is good software out there. You just have to be realistic. I love my tune.. Besides lowering the car is's the best mod I have done..

aa909

what you are referring to is throttle mapping, and in fact part of the "sports" button function on stock TT is exactly that, a more aggressive throttle map. But even the stock sports mode changes the boost level from 14 to 17 psi so you get real performance gains vs just a more aggressive throttle feel

Now if all the tunes did was adjust the throttle map then the "feel" of the car would not change at 100% full throttle. I can confirm that with a tune the 17 psi over boost is pinned all the way to red line vs in the stock program the over boost is cut off at 4500-5000 rpm

Additionally, my understanding is that all the well known tunes make adjustments to the boost level, timing and air fuel ratio which translate to real power gains. We can debate how much more "power" but my car feels much more aggressive at both the low end and at WOT.

All you need to do is drive a tuned car with a free flow exhaust for 20 minutes at both city and highway speeds and do some pulls in 2nd - 4th gears and you will have no doubt you're in the 550 hp zone vs the stock 480 hp. and the power is more accessible and smoother. I was skeptical as well, but exhaust + tune is the best mod for the car (and I was going to do wheels first LOL!)

jhbrennan

Porsche has the same thing - it's called Sport mode and it changes the throttle mapping - no change in power, just how the throttle reacts to foot pressure.

C2 Turbo

Kevin,

Knowing how strong of a following you have on 993/996 TT boards, I would say your tune is probably one of the safest tunes out there.

Now just like 996 TT, why don't you give us, the 997 TT guys a group buy of your tune at a low introductory price of $1000 and you will see a long line starting right here

I am repeating after your words, 997 TT is pretty much the same car as a 996 TT but with a different skin

dianic

I would really love to hear opinions about APR.
My fellow Greeks here are raving about it, and have raced the heck out of it to prove it. No dynos just 0-100, 100-200 and 400m etc. Lots of threads on this on the 6. It seems that its very strong. And boost does go up a lot. I think overboost is 1.5 bar. Thoughts? Datalogs?