Drive Box bypass

[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.