ECU tuning via laptop program and obd2 port?

[readysetgo]

Now before I get a boat load of OMG-you-are-going-to-do-what Nazis, I'm a mechanical engineer and have turbo'd a couple of cars in my time.

I'm new to the boxster and P-car world and am looking to get a boxster in the near future. I really want to turbo a boxster but before I do I wanted to see if there are any ways to tune the ecu without having to get a new eprom, or chip from a tuner?

I recently came from the audi world with a twin turbo S4 that I could do trim level tweaks on the fuel, spark (lemmiwinks program) and even data log using a VAG com (audi diagnostic cable). Also I've done similar on Subarus via Cobb tuning tools. Are there such tools for p-cars?

A quick google search says turbo'ng a 986 boxster isn't new. TPC has an astronomically priced turbo kit, that I'm sure has a lot of r&d put into it. I'm sure I could put together a kit for a quarter of the price.

thanks in advance
Omar

[edc]

I am having my car remapped next week but I doubt the existing set up will cope with the bolt on of a Turbo.

[readysetgo]

Who is doing the remap and do you know how?

[edc]

I'm in the UK. The company is called Motorsport Developments. Its an all day on the dyno affair rather than a reflash.

[The Radium King]

last time I looked there wasn't a lot out there for the 7.2 dme. for 7.8 there's a bit more (money is in the later model cars). there's guys that have dumped the dme but really not been able to interpret the data (you can search this forum for several threads). those that have put the time in are all selling their work (softronic, giac, etc.). tpc buy from softronic. most others run piggyback and/or 7th injector.

[readysetgo]

ok ok... getting closer. I used an additional injector driver before on one of my projects. It was a controller from split second.

I'll have to look into softronic and those other threads.

[The Radium King]

if you've got a 7.8 dme you can get one of these:

Maestro Tuning Suite for Porsche 996 - Eurodyne

what year is your car?

[readysetgo]

oooo that looks like what I'm looking for but for $1500 it's on the high end.

Googling around I found durametric for less than $300. Sounds like it can data log, but needs a program to modify fuel or spark trims.

Getting even closer.

Radium...I don't have a box yet. Just trying to gather more info before pulling the trigger on one. Most likely it will be an early production model, as they are going for super cheap now, <$7k.

[The Radium King]

that's the thing - the durametric or knockoff can log data (no wideband, however) but there's nothing out there that i'm aware of to modify fuel/timing on the 7.2 dme (nothing cheap, anyway) except piggybacks. on the cars with the more recent 7.8 dme you get options like the eurodyne. the 7.8 dme wasn't introduced on the boxster until 2003, and you'll have a hard time finding anything 2003+ with an engine for $7k.

boxsters may be cheap right now, but you still pay Porsche prices to modify and maintain them.

[AndyA6]

Omar, coming from the VW and Audi "scene" and having had an A4 heavily modded (1.8T) I found that in general Porsche people are less adventurous in terms of tuning and mods etc. this forum here and to a certain extend renntech.org is almost the best for tips on modding. Good luck my man!

Later,
Andy

PS. My A4 was up to 340 on the dyno. Still runs today in San Francisco, my daughter got my car for graduation, 10 years old now!

[The Radium King]

search posts on this forum by fooksm.

[readysetgo]

From what it looks like, piggybacking looks like the easier route this 5 seconds. The additional injector controller works decent, but it only gives you control of fuel.

I'm not too concerned about datalogging as I think there is an app for that, lol. Torque pro on android.

I hear you on the porsche prices to modify and maintain them. Even used parts on car-part are up there in price.

Thanks for the headsup Andy. Trolling the forums it seems to be on the light modding side, to say the least.

[Jinster]

Have you had a look at a Apexi S-AFC Select? It's a cheapish voltage/amplitude/frequency/whatever modifier, I suppose. It has a wiring diagram for the Boxster in it.