996ttalot

As above. 1996 model car that I understand can only be flashed once on bench. So is it possible to retro fit 1997+ ECU, which would then enable the ECU to be flashed more than once and remotely through cable?

hal m

That is exactly what I did and it is a straight up exchange

Felix

The ECUs are interchangeable but I wasn't aware that they could be flashed via cable - it's more like remove the ECU from the car and swap the chip. Or so I thought?

And if the target car is UK spec with the UK unique alarm it'll need to be an ECU that isn't Porsche Drive Block enabled else the car won't start or run.

996ttalot

From Wiki

This was one of the first production cars in the world to have OBDII diagnostics[citation needed] (the 3.8 liter and track versions didn't have it, and the normally aspirated 993s didn't get it until 1996).

From FVD website (not that I would ever get a tune from them).

Please Note:
We strongly recommend purchasing a model year 1997 and up ECU for 1996 model year Porsches. 1996 model year ECU EPROM’s could only be flash loaded with software one time. To program these units requires the use of a coding socket. A late model ECU (1997 and up) can be flashed without the use of a socket and ensures reliable, long lasting operation of the engine management system.



That is why I wanted to check whether could just purchase a 1997+ ECU and then it would be available for flashing multipe times for example.

Can you tell me more about the Porsche Drive Block?

911PERVY

If you buy new they will be superceeded to the later one

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

The '97 ECU's can be flashed multiple times, however not through any cable.

The chip (EPROM) most be unsoldered each time and given their SMD design, I would not do this many times to avoid a problem with the circuit board. these are multi-layer boards and no conducive to repeated replacements.

Felix

Basically most non-UK 993 turbos came with the Porsche Drive Block System, option code M530. Upon a signal from the remote the drive block computer would send a message to the ECU allowing the engine to start/run. The Drive Block System is a pretty good immobiliser but the included alarm is very simple. To gain insurance approval UK cars were built without the Drive Block system and had ECUs that did not require the Drive Block's approval to allow the car to start/run. Instead a system made by Hamiliton and Palmer was fitted which immobilised various circuits.

Thus, if you put an ECU from a non-UK car into a UK car there's no way for a UK car to provide the signal the ECU needs and the car will not run.

So....

• if the car has C16 on the option code sticker it almost certainly does not have the drive block system
• if it has M530 it almost certainly does
• if the ECU part number on the paper sticker on the ECU that also bears the car's VIN is 993 618 665 00 or 10 then it's almost certainly from a UK non-Drive Block car
• if it's 993 618 666 00 or 10 then it's almost certainly from a Drive Block car.

People with the correct knowledge can add or remove the Drive Block function from the ECU when they update the chip but I'm not aware of any way to do it using any sort of diagnostic tools such as the Bosch Hammer, Porsche System Tester or PWIIS (sp?).

Will crawl back into my cave now.