It all actually started back in May 2017 when I lost my crank position sensor due to one of the three flyweel bolts that hold on the starter ring backing out. Turns out the 911 motor should have a 6 bolt ring - so I had the flywheel machined and 3 more bolts added.
At this point - I found out that my Motec system data logging function had been password protected so I couldn't download any logs. When I purchased the car I was told the Motec protection had been removed. So I replaced the sensor and at my next few events I had problems with the car starting either during a session or right after the session. After it cooled down it was fine. I also wanted to see about re-tuning the car for 91 octane and the previous owner used 93 or 100.
So in November 2017 I contacted JWE in Campbell to see if they could take a look at the car - since they were Motec tuners and Porsche guys. I was told that the earliest I could get in would be March of 2018. Not sure what my options were I said that was fine. I contacted them about once a month to see if they had any openings but no luck. Finally in March they basically blew me off and said they didn't have time to work on my car.
So I started to look for some options - and got on the Motec site and got a contact and sent them an email. I also wanted to find out about the password protection on my ECU. They said that logging could be protected, but there are separate protections depending on the function. So I turned out that the logging was protected, but that was it. So I was able to access the tune which was critical because in order to remove the password protection - they have the wipe the ECU clean.
I was also lucky enough to find a tuner listed on the Motec site. Guy named Frank Siharath, who owns his own tuning company "Racetune Engineering" specializing in Motec. I sent him an email and he said he could come over and check out the car and review the tune. He showed up a week later and spent about 2 hours going over the tune and see what issues might be there. He did a number of things to modify the almost 10 year old tune. He then downloaded his new file and was going Motec in LA the next day and was going to have the ECU wiped and then install his program back.
Once that was done we scheduled some dyno time on a Dynapak hub dyno, which Frank prefers. We were able to get time at Driving Ambition in Rancho Cordova. We went up together and spent the morning re-tuning the car. I had drained the tank and filled it with 91 octane. Car wound up putting down 270+ whp on what Frank said was a pretty conservative tune. The last part of this is to get on track and do some logs and finalize the tune.
Once that was completed, I decided to get my Motons refreshed, as I tend not to do many track days in June or July due to the heat at Thunderhill. I'm lucky to have Performance Shock at Sears Point about 45 minutes from my house. So I pulled the shocks and brought them over. There were a number of issues with the shocks and springs. We mapped out a plan to change the springs (keeping the same rates) and get everything serviced. What should have been a couple weeks turned into nearly five weeks before I got them home.
When I disassembled the suspension, I noted that all my sway bar links heim joints were toast, so I ordered replacements. I also ordered new brake discs, as well as Elephant Racing adjustable front control arms and adjustable rear toe links so I wouldn't have any issue getting the alignment settings I wanted.
As with everything - it took a bit longer to get everything together. One of the things the previous owner had done was to use the Motons which retain the stock bell shaped rear mount. Due to the long shock - this limits how low you can set the car in the back. However, they used limiting straps in the rear so that the shock could drop farther down allowing the spring to separate from the perch. I had no idea why they were on until I was trying to set the ride height. In order to get it as low as it was, the spring would have to be lowered more on the shock even with the shock as far as it could go down in the wheel hub carrier. The limiting straps kept the spring in place. Since they were in poor condition, I opted to eliminate them. This resulted in the car now being 1 cm higher than previously. I could live with that.
Finally got the car aligned. Hit all the measurements I wanted to try based upon tire temp data and wear patterns. Finished it off with -3.5 degrees in the front and -2.9 in the rear. 1/16" total toe out in front and 1/8" toe in at the rear. I also have a new set of wheels as I found a crack in one of them back in May.
I really can't wait to get out there in this thing as it would be almost like a new car. Going to go out on October 5th at Thunderhill.
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