Drive Box bypass

[Topless]

Originally Posted by Sumflow

I had a neighbor racing at LeMans, and while he was waiting for his car to come in, a chain of events led to 83 speculators deaths. Is that what you mean by an arena for gladiators?The only way you can be sure your grandmother and kid will be safe is to have them watch the race on TV. These events happen because track owners are only concerned with making money. Any thing track owners do for safety is because they are forced to do it, and they drag on and delay as long as they can.

Yes, that was a tragic accident. What year was that accident at Le Mans? 1955? Has anything as terrible as that happened since? In 1955 they still ran a foot race to their cars for the start and many didn't even wear seatbelts. Those spectators knew there was a race going on and volunteered (paid tickets) to be there. They weren't just out walking their dog on a country road at night.

Yes, safety has come a long long way in 1/2 a century and race track owners have made it much safer for both drivers and spectators. It is an excellent place to hold a speed contest unlike public roads where you cannot control who else is on it. Is it still a dangerous sport? Racing is always dangerous. Don't get it twisted Sumflow. Race tracks are about controlling who is on the track and containing the mayhem. It's not about corporations at a local level at all. When Penske or McLaren calls you up to race for them... THEN it is about the money.

I still have hope for you yet. It took me the loss of two friends and one in a permanent wheelchair to figure out how truly :chicken: street racing is. Perhaps you will figure it out before your own sister or daughter is killed by someone you know who is just out doing a little "real" racing in your neighborhood.

[Sumflow]

Porsche does not have anything called an Immo Box or an Ecu in the technical literature, so don't stay up all night trying to find it. I don't know what this picture shows. The computer under the seat of a Boxster is called a Drive box by Porsche. The Drive box chip contains one control module for the immobilizer, central locking, and alarm units. My Drive box was wrapped in plastic over a year ago to protect it from water, it has not been wet. It did not show signs of corrosion or rust. It was not broken or dirty. In the boot secured by a few easy to reach bolts, and the wire plug in harness, is what Porsche calls a DME (digital motor electronics), or a ECM (engine control module). Both showed clear codes when tested by the Ecu Doctors equipment. Which tells me that just because its shows clear at your dealer, does not mean it is clear. In my case I saved a hassle, by not have the car towed all the way to a dealer to find that out, before we sent the parts to the Specialist. What they are doing is giving permission to the DME to start the car.

My Drive box, DME, and Transponder in the key, after a week long trip with UPS arrived in Florida on Friday. They started work Monday morning, opening at 9:00 am, they fixed it and were preparing it for shipment back to me by 10:00 am when they called. It is taking ten days for UPS to bring it back. In a week I will see if it is plug and drive.

I want to thank Jitts for linking me up with Ecu (whatever that is) repair, in the second reply in this thread. And not sending me on some Wild Goose chase with no links.

[Jittsl]

Anytime. Hope it all works out for you.

In my case (for my race car) they built me a replacement DME that had no dependence on the Drive Box at all. My ECU does not wait for a signal so I was ale to remove the drive Box and the key. Works great for a race car and saves a bunch of weight.

[Kroggers]

Originally Posted by Jittsl

In my case (for my race car) they built me a replacement DME that had no dependence on the Drive Box at all. My ECU does not wait for a signal so I was ale to remove the drive Box and the key. Works great for a race car and saves a bunch of weight.

Do you have more details on this, as I want to do the same in my race car.
Did they just alter your stock box or supply you with a new one? Can you still push custom programs to it like the Softronic to go with other engine upgrades etc? And can I ask what it cost?

[Jittsl]

Contact ECU specialists for pricing (I provided a link in my first post on this subject) I honestly cant remember. It wasn't cheap.

In my case they provided me with a replacement DMI and I sent them mine once it was installed. I think I paid some sort of deposit.

I know that the ECU in my case is absolutely stock (as it has to be for my class) but I believe that there is no physical/programming change made to the ECU component. I would therefore believe that you should be able to make any changes to the new box that you made to the old box. You can probably send them your current box (if it is already modified) and ask them not to alter it. The alarm system and the engine control functions are in a shared box but do not actually share componentry or programming.

[Sumflow]

Originally Posted by Kroggers

Did they just alter your stock box or supply you with a new one?

See the the second reply in this thread from Jitts. They put an emitter under the DME that tells it it is OK to start. It costs about $675.00

It does not matter if it is your DME

or if you do an exchange.

[Sumflow]

Plug and drive. Car starts and runs with key transponder removed and left at home. Nothing else has been removed. Drive box is still vulnerable to rain but will not effect starting when it gets flooded.

Result

Ecu asked to know what I HATED or LOVED about the service.

My reply to Jorge's questions:

I don't believe in hate. But the most annoying thing is hundreds of drivers who respond like empty-headed cheerleaders, “Hooray my car runs.” And do not give any useful information to the people who waste there time reading this dribble, who want there cars back on the road pronto!.

My April 20th online request form to Ecu Doc was not answered. I filled out the form requesting Ecu repair two weeks later on May 4th 2012. The UPS clown squad did not actually pick it up until May 10th. It would have already been in Florida if it was sent priority US mail on that Friday May 4th. If it had arrived in Florida on that Thursday May 10th, when they picked it up. And they fixed it the next day as they did later. It could have been back here in paradise before it was actually delivered to Oakland Park on May 17th. UPS # 1Z50FR219049805824. The DME did not get back here until May 31st UPS # 1Z50FR210351523029. Two weeks later than any competent firm could have delivered it.

After fixing my part, Ecu deliberately handed my DME over to UPS knowing it was going to take an additional ten days, when probably for less money, they could have USPS priority mailed it to me in four. Maybe I did not make it clear that my car was down. Let me rephrase. My car is not running and I want it back on the road as soon as possible!

Boxster Owners
Porsche does not have anything called an Immo Box, or an Ecu, in the technical literature, so unless you do a lot of guessing you will not find it. Porsche calls the computer under the seat a Drive box. It contains one control module for the immobilizer, central locking, and alarm units. In the boot is what Porsche calls a DME (digital motor electronics), or a ECM (engine control module). What Ecu Doc can do is bypass the need for your DME to get permission from the drive box and key, to start your car, by deactivating the key transponder’s function. The transponder signal is intercepted in the trunk, without permanently removing or disconnecting the Drive box. The transponder can be removed from the car. For street use you still must leave the Drive box vulnerable to rain water, under the seat. The ECM stays connected to the starter, fuel injection and the ignition but is no longer connected to the drive box if it ever was, or transponder. You have to wonder if Ecu knows what they are doing using a picture on there web site that shows them all connected together after the conversion?

After finding out about Ecu Doc from Laurie over at 986forum Drive Box bypass I still could not find this company on the Web. Pelican did not have it or Google, unless I specifically used the Ecu name. I did not know there name before, and Porsches do not have a Ecu, so how could I have found them?

It is a good thing that Jorge Morales can be reached through this forum. Upon completion Ecu gave a Repair Summary with a link for additional tech comments that goes nowhere. It does not summarize what we discussed on the phone about the procedure or contain any useful information. Repair was plug & drive, key transponder no longer active.

Donation: John Fitch “The Friends of Fitch Homestead Fund”

Vintage Sports Car Club of America has graciously offered to help with legal expenses, and this week a fund was established make checks payable to “The Friends of Fitch Homestead Fund” may be sent to the Salisbury Bank and Trust Company, P.O. Box 1868, Lakeville, CT 06039.