Visits to Sportec AG of Switzerland

If you are an owner of a Porsche GT-2 (or 996TT) and you want the ultimate king of the road Dream Machine download or open the brochure on the Sportec SP650 (approx. 4Mb). 

    Sportec engine upgrade to my 911 (964) Carrera 4.

Model year 1989. Engine type M64/01 without head gasket and with Aluminium intake manifold. DME was stock standard ( a virgin, never opened) Porsche part number 911 618 124 02.

Okay we are here, where is everybody else? Actually they were already very busy. There was a VW Golf on the dyno and the process was being eagerly watched by its owner.

The first step is to drive the 964 onto the dyno so it can be prepared for its initial power run and diagnostics check.

Getting set up for the initial power and diagnostics run.

The Sportec designed and manufactured air flow assembly used for the modification. It consists of a new air box with revised internal air flow design, is a mass air flow sensor and a separate high speed air temperature sensor. The air filter is by K&N and the air box cover is specially drilled. A special Sportec harness adapter connects everything into the car wiring.

Left is the new air box and air flow sensor assembly and on the right is the old unit with the vane type air flow sensor installed. The replacement assembly is significantly lighter than the old assembly.

Part of the stage 3 upgrade is the replacement of the existing catalytic converter core with a specially designed by Sportec version. The catalytic converter is removed from the car, cut open and the old core is removed (image). A new core is inserted and the catalytic converter is then welded up. Once it's all back together it's reinstalled.

The catalytic converter may need additional repairs, mine did. Time, heat and rust wait for no man.

This image shows my modified and repaired catalytic converter installed. The O2 sensor is not installed at this time. A Sportec test unit part of the remapping process is installed instead.

Sportec air flow assembly installed.

Another view of the air flow installation as the mounting bolts are being tightened up.

The next step is to remove the DME, open it up and remove the original chip. The data is removed and the chip blanked. A power supply modification for the new mass air flow sensor must be carried out at this time. A replacement standard chip is then installed so the 964 can be driven to the dyno.

Once the 964 has been driven back to the dyno the standard chip is removed and the blanked chip reinstalled. It will be programmed on the dyno. The DME stays in a state of disassembly throughout the whole process and is not reinstalled until after the test drive.

The DME is temporarily put back together and then hooked up to the Sportec remapping system which substitutes for the chip. The recorded data from this device is permanently burned into the blanked chip at the end of the process.

Set up for remapping. This is a Porsche PS2 tester.

Bosch 9288 tester or Hammer.

The O2 sensor harness being installed for the remapping process.

The founder and genius behind Sportec; Herr Ulrich Hodel. What he does not know about Porsche engines and remapping DME chips is not worth knowing. You have to see this man in action to believe your eyes. I thought I knew about Porsche engines until I under went a re-education by Ulrich. I learned more in day from him than in years from anybody else.

Rocking and rolling, remapping underway.

Another view of the 964 on the dyno.

6500 rpm power run. 4th gear and over 200 kph (120 mph).

Final results.

The Driving Experience

The changes that have been made, make it hard to describe. One has to drive the C4 to truly understand how the not so good things about the 964 engine response have been done away with for good. Feel it for yourself. I know I can but these things are hard to express properly in words.
Driving home from Hoeri last night was like driving a new car. The driveability has changed so much that it is a really new and far superior product. The power can be felt coming on evenly and effectively. The torque improvement is awesome especially for me because I do a lot of hill climbing. No more fluctuating idle either. During remapping the idle area is carefully dealt with and the throttle quadrant micro switches adjusted to match the mapping. Idle at start up with a stone cold engine is lower than it used to be. This will be partially rectified when I start filling up with 98 RON fuel instead of the current 95 RON. This is not far away seeing as I used half a tank yesterday. 

 
Note: Use of 98 RON fuel is only recommended for summer. Lesson I have learnt is that in winter this modification makes the throttle very aggressive especially when the engine is cold. Using 95 RON fuel in winter makes the 964 easier to drive.  

Gail (my wife) took out the C4 with my son (Jeremy) as passenger this morning (16th July). Jeremy is very experienced with the feel of the C4. He is often a passenger during school time because I go and pick him up. When he got back he could not wipe the smile off his face. Nor could Gail for that matter. Both gave the new modifications an enthusiastic thumbs up.

19 inch Sportec designed wheels have been fitted. So minor rubbing was detected  on the front left during the strenuous official Swiss testing, but it was easily rectified.