Porsche 997 Turbo

Like all before it, the 997 Turbo is an animal out of the box. With 480 horsepower to the crank and Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) turbochargers, this car is one to be scared of. But as with any other turbocharged car, there is more hidden inside it. With some adjustments to the boost level, timing, and air fuel ratio, VRTuned can create a monster out of the stock 3.6L 997 Turbo.  This ECU flash is for the 2007+ 997 Turbo.

Stock Power – 480HP
Tuned Power – 615HP

VRTuned is now one of the only companies in the world that can do OBDII ecu flashing of the 997 Turbo. With their Flasher Client software, they are reading a full 1mb of the file to completely tune the ECU. Other companies claim to be able to do this, but are only read 128kb and making global changes. The ECU flash retains your factory SPORT mode function, but also increases your boost under normal use. For those worried about check engine lights, there are none! For those running a high flow cat exhaust system, VRTuned raises the O2 levels which will remove the possibility of having a CEL from this type of exhaust. Once the car is flashed, the turbos will come on much quicker and the car will pull harder to the 500rpm increase of the redline. The overall improvement of drivability makes the 997 Turbo even more fun then it was originally. Since warranty is always a concern, VRTuned also provides you with your original file. With this original file you can flash your car back to stock at any point. If you go to the dealer, there will be nothing visible through the Porsche PIWIS system. VRTuned can program your vehicle no matter what country you are from or what octane you use. We have different maps for those running 91 octane or 93 octane and higher.

Here is some data showing the VRTuned ECU flash in action:

Scan10481aView 1st Dyno Sheet Here – The first dyno graph shows a comparison of what the VRTuned ECU Flash added for power. The car was first tested with the stock ECU and exhaust then tested with the flash ECU and exhaust.
Scan10483aView 2nd Dyno Sheet Here – The 2nd dyno compares the VRTuned Flash with an exhaust installed to the Stock 997TT. This was a gain of 104HP and 83ft/lbs of torque. Now this is a hard one to compare to other products and companies because of 2 variables. Exhaust brand and temperature. The 997TT is very finicky in sport mode with different exhausts. Most aftermarket exhausts are running 200cell cats. So you have to have the ECU flash done to turn off the CEL caused by the cat inefficiency code. This exhaust as tested uses 80mm piping and is much more free flowing then other systems, so it adds alot of power.
Scan10482aView 3rd Dyno Sheet Here – The 3rd and final dyno compares the VRTuned with and without Sport Mode turned on. Watching the boost gauge on the dash, in sport mode, the car held a constant 17psi to 6800rpm. Without sport mode, the car ran 15psi. These runs were done back to back. What was interesting is that without sport mode, the car made more peak at redline power. But if you look at the curve the initial boost from Sport Mode gave the car a TON more torque and mid range. It could be possible that the Sport Mode which caused the EGT to rise on a back to back run cut out at the high RPM. The inital torque and midrange is good as that is one thing you can TRULY feel.
What are the benefits/functions of going with VRTuned compared to the competition?

  • VRTuned does not require the removal of your ECU from the car. There is no down time at all.
  • Your car can be flashed at your convenience from the comfort of your own garage.
  • VRTuned reflashing is done via a Client Cable that is connected to the OBDII port. The customer simply plugs the cable into the car and reads the file with a laptop per the instructions with the cable. Once the file is downloaded, it is emailed to the VRTuned secure server where the file is tuned and then emailed back to the client. The client simply uploads the file and they are done. Total process is about 1 hour.
  • Reflashing is done according to the vehicles octane level of pump gas and modifications are taken into account (Intake, Headers, Exhaust) to enhance power gains.
If you have any questions about the Porsche 997 Turbo ECU Flash, please contact us using our Support Page.

About The Author

Dan Mermelstein - Co-Owner, Blogger, Porsche Enthusiast, VRTuned Marketing and Technical Support. Available to make your car faster!

17 Responses

  1. Tim

    Dan,
    The ecu tune for my 997 TT was better than I could imagine. Now being able to tune my 997 TT through the obd port myself is worth the price of admission and having the power to change back to original condition at my command is huge and gives me an added dimension no other tuner can offer. Thanks again for the superior service during my experience. If you guys were only closer you would get in my pocket quite often. By the way not to forget about the fun part, the power difference is insane. I thought I would have trouble noticing anything but boy was I wrong. If anyone is on the fence have them send me an email and I will be glad to get them off.
    Thanks.

  2. fwaz

    thanks dan
    … VRTuned is amazing flash ,, you can not imagin how the car will be after the flash ..
    its too much fast .. when you drive the car you will feel that a huge power came to the car
    anyway thanks dan .. real thanks to you for what you did to me

  3. Bobby

    I have a 07 997TT that I ordered my Flash from Dan. I have had several high HP cars taht I have modded in the past. Dan was very quick to answer all my questions. Flash arrived in about 5 days and was very easy to do. It took about 40 min to pull the original file and less than 10 min to load it. I am very very happy with it. Some prior cars I had, (Audi A4, Audi S4, 993 TT, 996TT) all had to send the ECU in to do the flash.

  4. Showking

    2007 997 turbo…. INSANE after flash!! Car runs awesome!! Dan, thanks again for the tech support. The VRTuned tune was worth every penny. The install took 5 minutes to load and it’ll take months to peel the smile off my face. I really like the fact that you can switch tunes back and forth (although I don’t see a need to) and the car retains all driveability without being twitchy or quirky. Again.. BIG props to Jon G. and Dan at Vivid. I’ve been buying there for a few months now and they are extremely helpful and easy to deal with. Thanks again guys. -Pete “Showking” Maurro

  5. Tom

    Also tuned a 997TT with VRTuned. It is a definite WOW … I could not believe the difference the first time I floored it! It is an animal even in non-sport mode when you get into the boost — but doesn’t seem to have lost any driveability around town. I’m now considering if the brakes are up to the task, no kidding. The tuning process itself was pretty user friendly, as described. I received the tune file withing 24 hrs of uploading, and then got my original file back the following day. The fact that I have the control and could switch back to original at any time is an absolutely great feature. Kudos to VRTuned and the team at Vivid, who provided excellent service throughout — thanks!

  6. Ryan

    I am very happy with my VRTuned ECU tune for my 997 TT. The process is very easy and Dan from Vivid Racing offered exceptional customer service and walked me through the steps over the phone. I am amazed with the gains my car now has, its amazing. The car is very smooth and the car pulls really hard on the top end. I wish I would have purchased this tune earlier.

  7. ed997tt

    VRTuned flash on my 2008 997tt made a huge difference! very noticeable power gain and still very smooth as my DD. Process is simple and instructions very easy to follow. Takes 20 minutes to send copy of original flash, was returned 1 1/2 days later and took only a few minutes to download the new file.

  8. Charles

    Flashing the ECU was something I had never considered seriously. I was however, interested in the banter about it on forums. The previous car was a 4CS, and that would not have made much of a difference to justify me to going through the long winded exercise to flash the ECU. With the current car being a 997.1 Turbo, I now felt it to be more justified. The prices and the long process involved were still too high for me, but …………..the SOFTRONIC ECU tune from Dan at Vivid Racing was much more reasonable, in both price and the convenience. So, I ordered one from Dan, and received the cable 2 days ago. Yesterday (Tuesday), I hooked up my laptop, VRTuned cable, battery charger, downloaded the programme; and my ECU file was uploaded and automatically within 25 minutes.

    I just wanted you to know that the process was very easy, and in fact, quite satisfying. Today (Wednesday) both the tuned file and the original file were emailed to me.

    The car is easier and more pleasurable to drive. This must be because the power seems more linear and starts being available lower down the rev range. On heavy acceleration, there is much more urgency and quite a rush! Cornering in more acute corners, I am getting more tyre squirm upon applying the power. (I wonder if I can reduce these squirms with Bridgestones instead of my pilot sports). In short, I am enjoying the change so far.

  9. Christian Machado

    I promised Dan from Vividracing I would give him follow up on my VRTuned experience so here it is: Purchase and support was fantastic, Install was easy even for a non windows person like me,then I had to wait for 6 weeks until weather turned warmer, I test drove the car both regular and sport mode ;I think the difference is obvious :quicker,more head-banging with each shift(torque),higher rpm achieved abruptly and shifting requires quicker moves,the turbo appears to engage at 1K rpm in every gear. Now, I am not and engineer , mechanic or professional car driver ,therefore I dont have any HP/Torque/rpm curves to show, my evaluation is totally subjective and feel. I drive to feel the connection between the road and machine as it interfaces through my senses.

  10. Abdulla

    Flash process was super easy, I followed the instructions to the letter, the upload process took no more than 3 minutes …. Idling and normal (off-boost) driving is normal and still smooth to use even in traffic … Aggressive driving however is another story … The car seems to have a different personality after this flash, first time out I buried the go fast pedal in second gear and as soon as boost came on the car broke traction in all 4 wheels with psm on!!! I LOVE IT … It really should come with a warning …. More power is on tap earlier, all the way up to the new 7K rpm redline, another detail I loved ….. Thanks to Dan@Vivid and the tuners at VRTuned for this wonderful product … More to come after testing with race fuel …

  11. David

    Yesterday took the Black Series n 997 out just to see what’s up.The 997 pulled very hard n took off after 145mph…..Big smile in my face.Today on the way home from work a red F430 pulled in front of me n guess what???? he down shift n wait!!!!! I saw flame from his exhaust pipes , a bit scary,pull side by side with him, he took off.At 150mph he was 2 car behind me…..Bigger smile in my face.Thanks

  12. Porsche 997 Tuning – GT2, GT3, GT3RS, Turbo, Carrera S, Carrera « VRTuned Porsche ECU Flash Tuning – 996, 997, Cayman/Boxster

    […] Like all before it, the 997 Turbo is an animal out of the box. With 480 horsepower to the crank and Variable Vein Turbos, this car is one to be scared of. But as with any other turbocharged car, there is more hidden inside it. With some adjustments to the boost level, timing, and air fuel ratio, VRTuned can create a monster out of the stock 3.6L 997 Turbo. Our tests revealed a gain of almost 60hp and 55ft/lbs of torque… Read More […]

  13. Willie T

    I just uploaded my tuned file to my 2007 99tTT yesterday. It took me less than 5 minutes to load the tuned file to my 997’s ECU.. Instead of using wi-fi, I wired my laptop to my internet for a faster connection. After the upload, I clicked the “finished” button and switch on the ignition. The idling went up a bit to 1,000 rpm, but when I revved the car, I could hear and feel the beast in the car. Took it for a drive, and wow and OMG, the 997 took off like a rocket. I guess the additional expected 80 gain made the 997 a 560hp supercar. Thanks to Dan and to Billy of Vividracing. More power to you.

  15. dennis balassone

    If you have a 997 Turbo, get this tune. The difference is amazing, the acceleration pushes you flat into your seat! No issues whatsoever in regular driving, the car even seems to run smoother. Purchase and installation smooth and easy, cable sent right away, read took 15 min, uploaded file, received tuned file next day. Actual flash took 2 minutes and car was up and running. Real happy!

  16. Richard French

    Loaded the software in less than 5 mins and took the car out to see how it would perform. Went to the nearest highway, accelerated up the on-ramp and quick moved over a few lanes – with so much torque, responsiveness of the throttle and elimination of most of the turbo lag, I was pushed quickly into the back of the seat and reached 120mph without even realizing it. So much smoother!

  17. kelly

    Hi,

    Currently my 997 turbo tiptronic with these mod done:-
    1) GT2RS turbine
    2) GT2RS intercooler
    3) Miltek 200 cell
    4) Fabspeed header
    5) BMC drop in

    The weather here is like everyday summer. Fuel is ron 93 and 95
    Do you have custom tune software for my setup? (not off the selve type) Do you need my dyno info first for precise and accurate custom tune?

    Thanks for your feedback in advoance.

    Regards,Kelly

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