4carl

Took the car in to reflash the DME first they nuke the memory them load the new software. Everything goes according to plan except one little thing. The car won't start!! So the tech ( who's pretty sharp) repeats the process. This time the car starts after cranking the crap out of it. It runs awful idles @ 4-500rpm he tells me to take it out and come back to see if it relearns the settings. I don't make it around the block no power and it wants to die. Well we go through the drill a third time. This the car fires up (like it used to) and idles @750-800 power seems normal but the throttle response seems more liner. Before in first gear it seemed to almost accelerate in steps. It will be interesting to see if anybody has trouble with this. My SN is 321 oct 03 prod.

rockitman

So now that it is done, are you saying you like the acceleration performance better???

I don't consider my tech to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, so if and when I have it done, I will need to find an experienced dealer who has done it successfully for other GT3's...

Karl S

When I had my fuel map redone, the programmer noted there was a big non-linearity in the mid-rpm range. He corrected this and I did perceive a noticeable difference in the mid-range throttle response on the car (we did before and after road tests, as well as many dyno pulls). It's possible that in the process of making the altitude fix, Bosch also noted this non-linear behavior and snuck in a fix for it. It wouldn't be the first time that a programmer snuck in an unidentified bug fix along with a fix for a known problem (think Microsoft).

It will be interesting to see what others think when they have this TSB done. Particularly pay attention to the throttle response from 3000-5000 rpm in 3rd gear and report back your before and after experience.

Karl

4carl

Karl, thats interesting i don't have any hard data but it doe's seen to pull smoother in that range. For me it was more noticeable in first gear almost jerky. Have you timed your car for 3-5k in 3rd??

Rockitman, the computer walks the tech through the process mine just didn't take the first 2 times. You'll know if it runs bad because it's almost undriveable. carl

Philip in AL

I had that TSB done about 3 weeks ago (don't know if it matters, but I live at 644ft ASL). My car seems stronger than it used to; however, I just assumed that the engine was starting to loosen up (had about 1,300 miles on it).

fc-racer

Something to think about. Weren't the first GT3's held up because of some emissions related ECU change? Perhaps Porsche had to lean out the mixture to pass some test that has no basis in reality. Now that the cars are out in use, Porsche sends out a TSB to correct an altitude problem and also uses that chance to "correct" the lean mixture???

I did note my friend's GT3 torque curve goes up in steps, but I thought it was the various vario-systems kicking in and out of the various phases making it that way. Would be cool if a richer mixture makes it smoother.

4carl

Thats what I originally thought also

JMcD

Has anyone experienced the idle surge from 800 to 1200+rpm, then back down to 800, while stopped, after W414? Could this be a fix?
Thanks

4carl

Mine did it before, I just had the reprogram last week haven't noticed it yet, but it's too soon to tell.

skl

Should I be worried taking my car to the local dealer (who only sold one GT3- not mine) and isn't a very busy Porsche dealer to have the upgrade done. If it's just plugging in the OBD2 port and pushing some buttons can't anyone do it, or should I drive 3 hours to Kansas City and have an more experienced dealer do it. Someone above mentioned the service guy noticed something and changed it as well- does that show up in some codes that are kept in memory? I do some screwing around with a VAG-COM computer program with my Audis and wish I could do that with the Porsche! Don't want the local dealer screwing something simple up on my car!!!

rockitman

Ditto!!! With you there...Let us know if you can do it and how... :-)

skl

Rockit, I know I unfortunately can't manipulate the Porsche system with the Audi software though I wish I could. I just hope the dealer can do it with the PST2 tool!!!

enthusiast

skl

Some of the Porsche Dealer mechanics are pretty reasonable. How about he talks on the telephone to another mechanic that has done a couple of these fixes while he does your car. A good mechanic should be willing to do this. Why look stupid in front of the customer when the factory fix is not guaranteed on first or second attempt?

4carl

I watched the procedure all three times and each time the screen said " download successful" . It's just it didn't work the first two!!

JMcD

I called three dealers regarding W414. None knew about the fix. The first dealer said they would do it, but they had no experience with GT3's. I never got through to the second Porsche Service Department, since after repeated calls all I got was a recorded Rose in VW Service. The last dealer, asked me, "Is that the one with the big wing." I think I'am going to wait, or perhaps move!