storii

Prologue

As the CPO warranty on my 2015 Boxster S was nearing to its end, I started thinking about performance mods. I had added PSE and OEM leather dash and a few more esthetical minor mods, but stayed clear from aftermarket performance mods thus far. Now that the time has come, I researched about aftermarket headers, intake and software tune. I do not track or autocross this car, it’s just a weekend toy for spirited driving on the back roads. So, I am not trying to squeeze every ounce of power from the engine, just want to make it a little more fun to drive.

I read that the 981 S was given the same engine as the 991.1 Base Carrera but it was somewhat detuned in order not to step on the Carrera’s toe. As the result, 981 S is making 315 bhp/266 lb-ft while the Base Carrera makes 350/287. The idea to release the engine from these restrictions was intriguing to me and it led me to focus more on the software tune. I didn’t want the trouble of a dyno tune (been there and done that), thought just an ECU flash should be sufficient to bring it up to at least the GTS level (330/273).

There are quite a few companies who offer software upgrades on the 981 S, but I like the facts that FVD has been doing software tune on Porsches since 1983, they have a strong tie with Porsche and actually write software for the factory racecars like the RSR, and that their only focus is software for Porsche. If they have spent so many years to develop engine management software just for Porsche, I can believe that they have perfected the craft by now. I also like that they put as much emphasis on the reliability and drivability as the power gains. Last but not least, their progressive tuning program where you can get free software upgrades if and when you add further mods to your car (i.e. headers, intake, etc. note that you will have to buy the parts from FVD to qualify) helped, too. So I picked the FVD software upgrade for 981 S over the competition.

Result

The installation was straightforward if you know what to expect (more on this later). Immediately upon installation, I took the car out for a spin. The very first thing I noticed was the much improved throttle response. The slight hesitation it had in the stock form which sometimes frustrated me was all but gone now. The engine revs up noticeably quicker. It climbs up to the redline much faster than before and this is more noticeable at WOT. I read somewhere that one of the limitations Porsche put on the 981 S was not to allow the throttle body to open up fully. It felt like more air was rushing into the engine at WOT. I need to be careful not to hit the rev limiter too often lol!

The car pulls noticeably harder at every RPM range but more so at WOT. FVD told me that as the car adapts to the new file I would feel even more power. Now that I have put over 100 miles on the car with the tune, I think the adaptation period is pretty much done. Do I think the claimed 37 hp gain was realized? I don’t know and I don’t care. All I know is that the car seems a lot happier with some of the restrictions removed and I am happy because the car is more fun to drive.

As an added bonus (to me at least), the tune made the car a tad louder. It didn’t change the tone of the PSE just made it a little louder. The wail at WOT, along with the G that pushes you back to the seat, is intoxicating and addictive.

Overall, this software flash has met or exceeded my expectations. It was money well spent.

Installation Process

This is where FVD can improve. The installation itself is straightforward and not difficult in any stretch of imagination. However, the instructions currently available are neither thorough nor accurate. Precise, thorough instructions could have saved many emails. They told me that every Porsche model requires a slightly different procedure and they are in the process of creating several more instruction videos to accommodate each variation. However, until the specific instructions for 981 becomes available, some who attempts the installation of this software flash for the first time may be faced with a few surprises here and there during the process. I share my experience in the following for those who will install the FVD software upgrade to their 981 S. Note that process may be slightly different if your car is 2.7 or 3.8. I recommend that you skip the following section for now and come back when you are about to install the software flash:

Installation Tips

• The first thing you need to do after you receive your MyGenius handheld tool is to download the MyGenius Client Software to your computer and download the available updates through the client software to your MyGenius tool. When you download the updates to your tool, the firewall/antivirus software on your computer must be disabled.
• When you successfully download the upgrades to your MyGenius tool, the “upload to MyGenius” and “download to MyGenius” buttons in the client software are not activated. This is normal. Once you read your car’s ECU into the MyGenius tool and connect the tool to the client software, both buttons will be activated.
• The instruction video shows the ECU readout file you are to send to FVD is 816 KB and the tuned file you receive back from FVD is also 816 KB. My readout was only 6.2 KB and the file I received back from FVD was 3.2 MB. This is normal because you can only read the ID file from 981’s ECU and this is all the programmer needs to write the software for your 981. Also, the ID file is all you need to flash the car back to the stock file. It is also normal that the modified software for 981 is such a large file.
• If you try to make sure that the stock file (ID) is properly stored in your MyGenius tool before you install the tune to your car for the first time, you will not see it there and this may bother you. This is because the car still has the stock file so the only selection it has is the modified file that you see on the tool’s screen. After you install the flash, the tool will show the original (stock) and modified files so you can flash it back to stock.
• Sometimes you may have difficulty to communicate with their German programmers because English is not their first language. That’s where Rhonda comes in and she is great. She leaves no questions unanswered and gives you whys in addition to whats. She knows her products very well and is eager to help.

Hope this will help someone down the line.

Chrismalberts

Thanks. I've got Softronic on order and got an email with instructions over the weekend. They seem similarly out of date / non-specific, and as softronic uses a My Genius tool also, my guess is that some of the things you mention above will be useful hints for that too.

storii

You are welcome. I'm sure Softronic mentioned this in their instructions that you would need a stable battery charger whose charging current is 25-40 amps. I asked FVD if my CTEC trickle charger (4.3 amp) would do the job, I was told it would be better if I had a charger with larger charging current. It's not so much for reading the ECU, but when you write the modified file onto it, Porsche has a set of protocol where the lights, fans, etc. go on and off for several times and the whole process can take up to 30 minutes (mine took about 10 mins) and this can draw 25-40 amps from the battery. I was told if the battery went down lower than 5 amps during the installation, the ECU could lock up. If this happens, you'll have to remove the ECU and send it to them. I invested $60 for a 25-amp charger to be safe.

Chrismalberts

Thank you, again. I had assumed that an old (BMW branded) trickle charger that I have would be fine. In fact, I bought it to flash the ECU on my 2002 M Coupe with the JimC Shark Injector that was the hot sh*t at the time. Interestingly the Softronic instructions don't even mention the use of a trickle charger, let alone a 25A charger, though they do mention that the vehicle fans will come on.

EDIT: I was basing this off some generic preliminary instructions I received, but I now understand that once I get the actual file back, I'll be advised to use a charger. It's not in the generic instructions because not all cars require a charger.

st981

Timely topic, thanks for the tips.

andy7777

I did the FVD flash on my 987.1 Boxster and the resulting feel of the car is exactly as the Op describes for his 981. Highly recommended for cars that don't have the Sports Chrono "tune" that Porsche bakes on. Maybe even for those that do. It makes the Boxster feel more lovely (I did couple it with the FVD exhaust and airbox insert, the TUV version, and maybe the feel is partially the effect of that).

My install was straightforward, but then again my car is older and they've had a lot of time to work it out. Their turnaround was less than a day.

storii

In another thread, st981 quantified the difference in the actual throttle body opening between the stock and FVD tuned files. It's real and the difference is huge! Read posts #113, 116 and 120:

https://rennlist.com/forums/987-981-...estions-3.html

Rhonda@FVD

Storii,

I really appreciate your detailed post and most importantly the improvements that we need to make on the installation process. We will be finalizing the new video specifically for the cars that have the same protocol in the next few weeks and I will post it here when finished.

Thanks,
Rhonda

storii

You are welcome! I very much appreciated your support throughout the process but there is no doubt a new video will make your job a little easier. I look forward to seeing it.

I am loving the tune. This is the greatest thing I’ve done to the car so far hands down. I only wish the tune made the car just a little bit more louder. I guess I will just wait for a holiday sale of some sort for the FVD Sport Headers.

michaelscain

yep, Ive added these to my car and posted a thread. The FVD Sports headers and the FVD tune are an excellent upgrade, also gives the car better mid range punch, removes all flat spots in the mid range, sounds meaner, harder, louder, basically race tuned above 4 rpm. FVD upgrades are excellent mods you can do to a 981S. Also asks the question, any point buying/upgrading to 981 GTS.

Just wondered if adding the FVD IPD plenum and GT3 throttle body on top of the FVD headers and FVD TUNE would show any additional benefit. is it worth it?

CarAholic

Everything I have read says it's not worth it. At most you gain a peak 5 hp (which you will never feel) but may loose some hp down low. Even if it gained a known 10hp it wouldn't be worth the cost for both.

Currently looking at tunes and FVD has peaked my interest. Any PDK enhancements that can be had with the tune?

storii

Hi Michael, your thread about the FVD Sport Headers and Tune was one of the biggest influencers when I was making decisions. I am curious why you decided to add the sport headers after you had had just the FVD tune for some time? How long did you have just the tune before you decided to add the headers? Did the extra power that the tune gave you grow old and you started wanting more? Or you simply wanted to improve the exhaust sound?

My training in my autocross days taught me that, when you do breathing mods to a car, you would have to open up both ends the intake and the exhaust. Opening just one end and to neglect the other would limit the effects of the mods. However, on this board, I noticed many are happy with just the exhaust mods (headers and high-flow mufflers) and a tune. I don't know if it is because the 981's intake system is quite efficient to begin with and the vast majority of restrictions reside on the exhaust side. The only way to find out is to add the intake mods and compare.

michaelscain

Hi and thanks for reading my prev thread and taking advantage of the FVD Tune. Good questions. I installed the FVD tune in the 981S about a year ago, actually just before heading on a big road trip down to the South of France, Monaco, Italy and back up thru Switzerland with a friend in his Cayman 987S. That was a great adventure and another story. Tobe honest i was please with the power of the FVD tune alone, i just started reading threads about the sports headers, and was not expecting a huge amount of difference, but now ive installed them, its the probably the best mod ive done, the engine pulls from 3 rpm in any gear which is fantastic. The engine sounds better and has deeper hollow sound at low rpm developing into this scream at high rpm. Im not sure what your 981S car is like to drive, but in mine before the sports headers were installed, the car did not pull straight away from low rpm, there seamed to be a lazy delay, only a moment thou but just noticable. Well now thats all gone. Also FVD sent me a new free tune which takes advantage of the Sports Headers, that was the deciding factor when choosing FVD. I did look at other brands, SOUL, FAB SPEED, Top Gear and read tons of stuff. The FVD Sport Headers are also made of higher grade T316 steal which apparently lasts longer than other brands. The Sports headers arrived from Germany in about 4/5 days after i made the order. I paid a local independent Porsche specialist (CavendishPorcha) in Long Eaton 270 quid to do the install. Overall im very happy with the power now, my next upgrade probably next year before heading to Le Mans 24 Hours will be changing the tyres from Pzero's to MPS 4S. Hope that helps. Michael

storii

Did you drive the car from the installer to home with the new Sport Headers installed but without the new tune? Or you installed the new tune at the installer as well? Just wondering if driving the car with the headers but without the accommodating tune will throw CEL.

Michelin PS4s are excellent tires. Huge improvement from the Pzeros in my personal experience. You will love them!

michaelscain

Interesting, yeah i here alot of people say they are better than P-Zero's, just wondered if i would actually notice the difference on the road or you need to be on the track and drive the car hard to really tell the difference. Anyway the MPS tyres are my next upgrade.

As for the install. I had the Sports Headers fitted first, drove the car home about 20 miles, and then installed the new FVD tune file the next day. Cavendish Porscha did say they would clear any fault codes if required. But i did not get any.