996 hp update via porsche software ???

I dropped my newly acquired 03 at the dealer tonight for a baseline service and tire balancing on their Hunter machine... I asked about pricing on ROW 030 and side skirts for grins, and he mentioned to me that they had a new porsche software upgrade that could liberate some HP for me on the 3.6, and they could sell me that, and keep my warranty since its a porsche software update ! I had never heard of such a thing, I doubt he meant the free variocam updates because those are free, right? Have you heard anything? is the guy on crack or is this something new that stayed below my radar ? If so, is it any good ?

Bump... Apparently nobody's heard of it either. Not surprising. I figure with all the porsche stuff I read, if that had gone under my radar I'd have been surprised ! I'll ask him again when I pick up the car !

Interesting but I have never heard of it.

Interesting.... so how many HP and how many $$$???

The details would be interesting. I've owned 996s since 99 and have been hanging around this board for a long time and I've never heard of a power enhancing software upgrade from Porsche. Let us know what you find.

i know you can change the country code in the ECU & Cluster with the Porsche Software.

Sounds like they are flashing your DME with an aftermarket program and backing it up. Suncoast does it. $1095 DME Flash

You can ad more than 10 hp by leaving for work early in the morning. And, you might get a raise for working harder.

not 100 % true, its not as simple as coding a dme to a country code. dme coding is limitd to with or without cruise control you would actually need to reflash the car, theres no counrty coding for the reflash only the model year the trans type and the emissions standards eu2 eu? or lev You could however flash the car as an x51 car and might pick up some power I have heard that some one tried it on a non x51 car and was very satisfied with the results on occasion porsche releasses updated software for every car wit hthe latest lil tweaks, I dont know how much hp you would gain if any but im sure theres newer software for your o3 then what it left the factory with

You didn't get the secret code that releases 50 hp via PCM?

Actually, you will most likely lose power from this. Keep in mind that the X51 is more than just extra breathing on the intake and exhaust. The intake cams are different, but this isn't the problem. The problem is that on an X51 the intake and exhaust cams are degreed different from regular 3.6l. As a result, the variable timing and Variocam programming is different. Basically, you will be taking your ignition and cam timing out of phase with the engine.

I have heard that it was worthwhile to do, i havent tried it myself. BUt really you wont be taking anything out of phase spark still occers at the same place and cam timing isnt effecte either

Like most coil-on-plug systems, the ECU controls spark in reference to the crank angle on these vehicles. The cams are indexed different on an X51. The Variocam Plus will advance or retard the physical cams based on sensor inputs. Since the cams are set at a different angle, the programming for the variocam is different on an X51. Likewise, the timing curves are also different to compensate. If you were to do this on a regular 3.6l, the variocam and ignition timing will always be out of phase with the actual cam phasing.

On the question of "flash," friends of mine who have tried this say that other than the fact that you can start your engine without having to depress the clutch, it does very little except that it will cost you about $1000 to do it and then reverse it to bring it back to stock. Also, I'm told that ROW settings are more than 10 or 12 which means that it's an experiment to determine which code works best. If somebody has a different experience, I'd certainly like to hear it.

get it in writing what will be done..... how is it going to free up the hp?

I just called a friend of mine at a dealer and he said they would have to be flashing with an aftermarket software. He said it couldn't be anything Porsche.

Really?

hmmmmmm.....so do we know which aftermarket software they are flashing it with?

I recall something with the 996 mk I's (99-01) and them being flashed with the Euro Powerkit software. The Mk I powerkit was much less involved and it was supposed to be worth like 5 hp but the car would likely fail emissions. Not bad if it were a freebie, but not for $1000.00