Moser:
Hey Can,
What do you think of ECU upgrades on 997.2 TT's, I've got about 11,000 kms on mine and with all theseTurbo S's coming out to play I'm thinking about a little extra power :) I already have the Cargraphic sports exhaust , i think i ordered that the day the car arrived hehe and I'm loving it, they also offer an ECU upgrade, what are your thoughts?
Hi Moser,
Power junkie, aren't you? The most critical issue about upgrading power of 997.2 TT is IMO not the engine per se, but the gear box. Whether your car has PDK will determine what you could do.
1. If your car has PDK, be very careful about upgrading the power to higher level. I do not follow European tuners, but in the US the one I would trust with respect to PDK work is Champion Motorsport, and this is their work so far: http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/997-turbo-gt2/212137-pdk-clutch-upgrade-champion-motorsport-updated-3.html .
If you upgrade the ECU and damage the PDK, you are talking $$$ + $$$ + .
2. If your car has manual, then yes Cargraphic would be a good choice, assuming the work is still done by RS Tuning (I don't know and don't follow this.) Among US tuners, a number of tuners do good work. I like my GIAC tune quite a bit and would recommend it very very highly and without hesitation. Champion Motorsport which I mentioned above also use GIAC for the software part.
Very important to have local support when you start playing with the engine. Whoever has the highest local presence, that's whom I would go with.
3. One thing you might want to think about is upgrade the suspension to make it firmer, and use R compound tires like Pirelli Corsa when it's not raining. 997.2 Turbo suspension is an improvement over 997.1 Turbo, but in my opinion is still a very soft car and could benefit from stiffer suspension/spring, a la Bilstein.
A firmer suspension WILL make your car feel faster and lighter. Guarantee.
The R compound tires stick like crazy glue and will be an eye opening experience. Guarantee.
Congrats on the Cargraphic exhaust. Best "investment" I've made. When I drove the 997.2 Turbo, I felt that its exhaust is better than 997.1 (warmer and slightly louder), but not as good as Cargraphic with respect to loudness and sound quality. Matter of personal preference of course.
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Regards,
Can
997 Turbo + Bilstein Damptronic "Stage 2" ( Review ) + GIAC ECU Tune ( Fast as a torpedo & reversible to stock - Review ) + Cargraphic Exhaust ( Oh heavenly noise! )