Sport Chrono Package

[robertb1972]

I bought a 2008 Cayman S, yellow on black leather, 19-inch turbo rims, without navigation. Does anybody know if is possible to install the Sport Chrono Package on it?? If yes, do you have part numbers and price??

Thanks, Robert

[RFM]

Not anyone will start with this, too much money and time. Just my opinion.

[KS-CS]

If you are talking about adding the whole package, including the dash top clock, I don't think it is possible (or at least it would be prohibitively expensive).

However, you can get the Sport mode functionality with the Snap-Flash DME reprogramming by Softronic and some people are adding a Sport mode button with that as well (plus you get a few extra HP to boot :) ).

[White987S]

Get in the weight room, and start building your calf muscles. Hire a personal trainer if you must. This will help you excellerate 25% faster...just like Sport Chrono. Then buy a Rolex Dayton for the timing function. This will be less money too. Good luck finding a Daytona! :)

[wolverine]

Get in the weight room, and start building your calf muscles. Hire a personal trainer if you must. This will help you excellerate 25% faster...just like Sport Chrono. Then buy a Rolex Dayton for the timing function. This will be less money too. Good luck finding a Daytona! :)

The Sport Chrono function does one important thing that most people don't realize. Without the Sport Chrono there is a 'soft' cutout at 6800 rpm or so, where the power is gradually decreased up until redline. The bottom line is that you don't get full power for the last 500 rpm, but you get a smoother cutout when you hit the rev limiter. With the Sport Chrono you have full power right up to redline, and then nothing. Very abrupt, hard on the tranny, not smooth, but if you're a good driver it allows you to extract more hp and acceleration from the car. That's why a Sport Chrono car shows quicker acelleration numbers than a non-SC car.

[berty987]

Another budding race car driver looking for those all important tenths off their 0-60 time ? Personally I think these questions on improving an already great car are in the main , pointless. Better to really learn how to drive these cars properly and enjoy the standard handling and performance rather than getting hung up on 10ths of a second to sixty that make no real world difference. Unless you are up to serious competition driving standards and running a stripped out racer these soft tweaks have no effect. If you are lookng for a sharper throttle response you can get the same effect by having the ECU remapped though the driving in traffic becomes more jerky.

[wolverine]

Another budding race car driver looking for those all important tenths off their 0-60 time ? Personally I think these questions on improving an already great car are in the main , pointless. Better to really learn how to drive these cars properly and enjoy the standard handling and performance rather than getting hung up on 10ths of a second to sixty that make no real world difference. Unless you are up to serious competition driving standards and running a stripped out racer these soft tweaks have no effect. If you are lookng for a sharper throttle response you can get the same effect by having the ECU remapped though the driving in traffic becomes more jerky.

Another budding 'know-it-all'. Anyone who says that modifications to an "already great car are in the main, pointless." really doesn't understand performance cars or people. If you've been on the track at all, you'd know what I'm talking about.

[Loren]

Another budding race car driver looking for those all important tenths off their 0-60 time ? Personally I think these questions on improving an already great car are in the main , pointless. Better to really learn how to drive these cars properly and enjoy the standard handling and performance rather than getting hung up on 10ths of a second to sixty that make no real world difference. Unless you are up to serious competition driving standards and running a stripped out racer these soft tweaks have no effect. If you are lookng for a sharper throttle response you can get the same effect by having the ECU remapped though the driving in traffic becomes more jerky.

Another budding 'know-it-all'. Anyone who says that modifications to an "already great car are in the main, pointless." really doesn't understand performance cars or people. If you've been on the track at all, you'd know what I'm talking about.

PLEASE re-read the board Guideline/Rules (that you agreed to when you registered here).

"Name calling or harassment of any kind directed towards another member or members will not be tolerated."

Please keep your comments on topic and not personal.

[berty987]

Forgetting the name calling and so on , the Cayman S generates maximum power at 6250 rpm , thereafter the power drops off. The maximum torque is generated between 4300 and 6000 rpm. A higher rev cut out will indeed allow you to stay in gear longer , but if the ratios are properly set , changing at below the rev limiter will still allow the engine to generate maximum torque and be on the gradient of increasing horsepower. Porsche do not comment on the sport chrono function giving any increased performance in terms of available horsepower , they stipulate the function increases the sensitivity of the throttle response. Obviously if a press release stating that the variocam can be adjusted in sport mode releasing more horsepower , than I stand to be corrected. I have a vehicle equipped with this function and have not found any noticeable increase in performance in terms of maximum speed or 0-60 time. It is possible that this system may benefit in cases where the response of the throttle may allow a quicker overtaking manouver and this is where I use the function if required. The PSM also cuts in later when the SPORT mode is selected, since PSM activates braking and adjusts power to prevent skidding this may be of benefit on track in the hands of an experienced driver. There is however also the option on every 987 to turn OFF the PSM completely.

In reply to the original post , the benefits of retro fitting this system in terms of true Hp are marginal , if non existent. Good tuition on a track of how to drive the car better will yield quicker and better results. If the car is driven on the road , having the ECU rempaped is probably the quickest and cheapest route to a true performance gain. If you are interested in significant performance gains that can genuinely translate into repeatable 0-60 improvments and top speed , then the costs are significant and the gains diminish as the cost increases.

As a guide , the Exhaust and manifolds are a few thousand dollars releasing between 15 and 25 hp , the ECU remap can add another 10 hp. Throttle body mods and cams come next and require the previous mods to to the exhuast and ECU to be in place to get the benefits. Alternatives of superchargers such as the RUF 3400K exist , though these require extensive reworking of the cooling system as well as engine. Engine transplants and rebores to increase cubic capacity are another option , 9FF have a number of tuning programs based on this method. You can spend between a few hundred dollars for an ECU remap giving 10 -20 hp up to tens of thousands for an engine rebuild or supercharger/ turbo conversion giving 400 hp.

Having recently attended a track day where all generations of boxsters were present 986S, 987S (3.2) 987S (3.4) and RS60 , with 260 , 280 , 295 303 horsepower it was interesting to see that the quicker cars were always driven by those that had recieved tuition or had more track experience , often the 986S models lapping faster than the 987S , so I stand by my original comment that ability will always outshine power.

Edited January 23, 2009 by berty987

[wolverine]

Forgetting the name calling and so on , the Cayman S generates maximum power at 6250 rpm , thereafter the power drops off. The maximum torque is generated between 4300 and 6000 rpm. A higher rev cut out will indeed allow you to stay in gear longer , but if the ratios are properly set , changing at below the rev limiter will still allow the engine to generate maximum torque and be on the gradient of increasing horsepower. Porsche do not comment on the sport chrono function giving any increased performance in terms of available horsepower , they stipulate the function increases the sensitivity of the throttle response. Obviously if a press release stating that the variocam can be adjusted in sport mode releasing more horsepower , than I stand to be corrected. I have a vehicle equipped with this function and have not found any noticeable increase in performance in terms of maximum speed or 0-60 time. It is possible that this system may benefit in cases where the response of the throttle may allow a quicker overtaking manouver and this is where I use the function if required. The PSM also cuts in later when the SPORT mode is selected, since PSM activates braking and adjusts power to prevent skidding this may be of benefit on track in the hands of an experienced driver. There is however also the option on every 987 to turn OFF the PSM completely.

In reply to the original post , the benefits of retro fitting this system in terms of true Hp are marginal , if non existent. Good tuition on a track of how to drive the car better will yield quicker and better results. If the car is driven on the road , having the ECU rempaped is probably the quickest and cheapest route to a true performance gain. If you are interested in significant performance gains that can genuinely translate into repeatable 0-60 improvments and top speed , then the costs are significant and the gains diminish as the cost increases.

As a guide , the Exhaust and manifolds are a few thousand dollars releasing between 15 and 25 hp , the ECU remap can add another 10 hp. Throttle body mods and cams come next and require the previous mods to to the exhuast and ECU to be in place to get the benefits. Alternatives of superchargers such as the RUF 3400K exist , though these require extensive reworking of the cooling system as well as engine. Engine transplants and rebores to increase cubic capacity are another option , 9FF have a number of tuning programs based on this method. You can spend between a few hundred dollars for an ECU remap giving 10 -20 hp up to tens of thousands for an engine rebuild or supercharger/ turbo conversion giving 400 hp.

Having recently attended a track day where all generations of boxsters were present 986S, 987S (3.2) 987S (3.4) and RS60 , with 260 , 280 , 295 303 horsepower it was interesting to see that the quicker cars were always driven by those that had recieved tuition or had more track experience , often the 986S models lapping faster than the 987S , so I stand by my original comment that ability will always outshine power.

Yes, I agree let's forget the name calling and stick to the issues. I'm an engineer that's done some consulting work for the major car companies. Once you'll read the description of Sport Chrono, you'll understand what it really does. I'm not sure what 'the gradient of increasing horsepower' is, but allowing full power all the way to redline will give you better acceleration on pretty much any high performance car, the Cayman S included. There are some basic technical reasons why - it's not a point of argument or opinion, just basic engineering. You can calculate the optimum shift points from horsepower vs rpm curve. In general, horsepower not torque determines acceleration.

Here is a pretty good summary of what Sport Chrono does:

Benefits of Sport Chrono:

Most benefits are self explanatory, except for the Hard Rev Limiter. To fully understand the benefit of the Hard Rev Limiter, we first need to define some terms.

What is a Rev Limiter? - A rev limiter is a safety device that cuts fuel, ignition or both at a specified RPM to prevent an engine from continuing to rev beyond its mechanical safety limit.

Hard Rev Limiter - The most basic of rev limiters, a Hard Rev Limiter does nothing until the engine reaches the predefined engine speed at which point fuel and ignition are shut off. This can be very abrupt and hard on the power train as the engine cycles on and off between full power and no power. The very first rev limiters installed were all hard rev limiters.

Soft Rev Limiter - Because hitting a hard rev limiter can be uncomfortable for the driver and hard on the car, manufacturers created the 'Soft Rev Limiter'. A Soft Rev Limiter reduces power output by retarding ignition timing as the engine approaches its limit. This usually begins about 500 RPMs before the hard cut off point. As the ignition timing is retarded and power drops off, the resulting feeling of power loss signals the driver that it's time to shift. If a driver ignores this, ignition timing is retarded further until the rev limit is reached at which point the resulting cut off is much 'softer' because the engine is not being cycled on and off between full power and no power. All Caymans come with a Soft Rev Limiter.

How does Sport Chrono affect the Rev Limiter? - Sport Chrono does not change the cut off RPM, which remains at 7,300 RPMs on cars with or without Sport Chrono Package. It simply removes the 'Soft' cut off that begins at 6,800 RPMs and allows the engine to produce full power from 6,800 - 7,300 RPMs. A car without Sport Chrono will start losing power at 6,800 RPMs and continue loosing power progressively until 7,300 RPMs where the hard cut off will finally be reached. Sport Chrono Package will replace the Cayman's Soft Rev Limiter with a Hard Rev Llimiter during Sport Mode.

No one has ever quantified the difference in horsepower in the 6,800 - 7,300 RPM range, but it is there by design and undisputable. Anyone with Sport Chrono can attest that the engine will rush to the hard cut off in Sport mode, where in normal mode they can obviously feel the flat spot.

Most owners who have Sport Chrono say they love the way it makes the car feel and that they use it quite often. This feature works nicely in conjunction with many of the other options like PASM, TipTronic S and Sport Exhaust to give the Cayman a 'Jeckel & Hyde' personality. At one moment ready for a night on the town, and the next moment ready to be a track day star. Features like this help make this incredibly capable car more forgiving when also used as a daily driver.

Yes, Sport Chrono does come with an analog/digital stop watch which is useful when tracking lap times. Sport Chrono Plus with PCM interface also stores lap times and history data in the PCM interface. These features are really best appreciated on the track when lap times are of interest to you, but all of the other features are just as much fun on the street.

Research this option here and you will come to the conclusion that most people who did not buy it wish they had. Start with the suggested reading below and try using the search option.

Drawbacks of Sport Chrono:

Some people don't like the idea of having two throttle control maps. I has been argued that practicing in one map will make your reflexes less familiar with the other map.

Edited January 25, 2009 by wolverine

[berty987]

I understand the points you are making , but this assumes that the engine does not reach the limit of breathing capacity caused by restrictions in cam lift , intake diameter and fuelling at high rpms. Regardless of the electronic rev limiter , most engines reach their maximum output in Hp below the maximum rev range. Your comments on the sport chrono and published horsepower curves assume that the horsepower would continue to increase right up to the red line , were the electronic throttle control not to reduce the throttle input . I can only assume that you are privvy to either DYNO plots or some other technical resource to substantiate this. From the technical data I have seen , it looks to me like the softening of the throttle occurs after the horsepower curve has started to flatten and decrease. Surely if the horsepower and torque are tailing off beyond a certain point , it is better to change up and make use of the taller gearing of the next ratio to achieve continued acceleration. I may not be a consultant but I do have an engineering background so understand the concepts you refer to. There are a few technical documents in other places of the forum designed for the more technical explanations. I have read all of these in relation to sport chrono function and can find no mention of the maximum horsepower or torque being increased as a result of the system being active. The only vehicles that do benefit from faster 0-60 times as a result of sport chrono are i beleive the 997 gen 2 when fitted in conjunction with PDK. The benefit in 0-60 time being achieved by launch control. I am interested to hear your opinion , and any info you may have relating to the "open loop" potential of the M96 engine.

As a new member to the forum you may not be aware of the Porsche technical information available for contributing members. The link below details a more technical explanation of the sport chrono and engine function from the manufacturer. Whilst it is evident you already understand the basis of this technology from your above post , this document may be of interest to you , both on this subject and as reference.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?a...p;showfile=1364

I believe the key comment in this document is -

"The sport chrono function facilitates additional acceleration potential through the use of an abrupt engine speed cut -off by switching off individual cylinders (injection and ignition) in a rotating fashion just shortly before the engine speed limit. The perceptible limit of acceleration lets the driver know if an upshift is executed too late. This allows the driver to learn how to identify the optimum shift point with more accuracy and to make better use of the engines full potential for acceleration"

I read this as no additional performance , but a different characteristic that in certain circumstances , such as the track , may be of increased benefit.

Coming back to the original post and question of retro fitting the system , I beleive there are many other options open to the owner to improve driving enjoyment, performance or track lap times before going to this costly option.

As to performance tweaks , yes these are always going to be of interest to all of us , but I do not see this as particularly cost effective or worth while for the vast majority. Track junkies and budding race car drivers may however see this as worthwhile when other avenues to improvment have been exhausted.

In relation to the subject of acceleration and 0-60 times , the sport chrono would only benefit the actual time if the e gas or throttle softening were to be active in second gear with the speed below 60 mph. There will still be a need to change between 1st and second gears. Personally i dont have access to the kind of accurate timing gear needed to substantiate the difference, but to be honest i think the benefits would be within the realms of statistical and driver variability.

Please do not take my posts as condecending or being a "know all" , this is not my intention. I am merely expressing an opinion and representing the facts and knowledge that I have researched as an interested individual. After all , that's the point of great forums such as these.

Edited January 26, 2009 by berty987

[White987S]

Great discussion Berty987 and Wolverine. You guys are very knowledgable. I have learned a lot form this post.

I love my Sport Chrono.

Don't love the dash wart.

This was the single hardest option to select during the "build phase" of my custom order. Very hard to see the value of this option during a test drive when shopping for the car. I decided to "just get it" because the option was not too expensive (in Por$che terms! About $920 IIRC) and did not want to have buyers remorse. Plus, it can't be added later through Tequipment, like sport exhause for example.

[wolverine]

I understand the points you are making , but this assumes that the engine does not reach the limit of breathing capacity caused by restrictions in cam lift , intake diameter and fuelling at high rpms. Regardless of the electronic rev limiter , most engines reach their maximum output in Hp below the maximum rev range. Your comments on the sport chrono and published horsepower curves assume that the horsepower would continue to increase right up to the red line , were the electronic throttle control not to reduce the throttle input . I can only assume that you are privvy to either DYNO plots or some other technical resource to substantiate this. From the technical data I have seen , it looks to me like the softening of the throttle occurs after the horsepower curve has started to flatten and decrease. Surely if the horsepower and torque are tailing off beyond a certain point , it is better to change up and make use of the taller gearing of the next ratio to achieve continued acceleration. I may not be a consultant but I do have an engineering background so understand the concepts you refer to. There are a few technical documents in other places of the forum designed for the more technical explanations. I have read all of these in relation to sport chrono function and can find no mention of the maximum horsepower or torque being increased as a result of the system being active. The only vehicles that do benefit from faster 0-60 times as a result of sport chrono are i beleive the 997 gen 2 when fitted in conjunction with PDK. The benefit in 0-60 time being achieved by launch control. I am interested to hear your opinion , and any info you may have relating to the "open loop" potential of the M96 engine.

As a new member to the forum you may not be aware of the Porsche technical information available for contributing members. The link below details a more technical explanation of the sport chrono and engine function from the manufacturer. Whilst it is evident you already understand the basis of this technology from your above post , this document may be of interest to you , both on this subject and as reference.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?a...p;showfile=1364

I believe the key comment in this document is -

"The sport chrono function facilitates additional acceleration potential through the use of an abrupt engine speed cut -off by switching off individual cylinders (injection and ignition) in a rotating fashion just shortly before the engine speed limit. The perceptible limit of acceleration lets the driver know if an upshift is executed too late. This allows the driver to learn how to identify the optimum shift point with more accuracy and to make better use of the engines full potential for acceleration"

I read this as no additional performance , but a different characteristic that in certain circumstances , such as the track , may be of increased benefit.

Coming back to the original post and question of retro fitting the system , I beleive there are many other options open to the owner to improve driving enjoyment, performance or track lap times before going to this costly option.

As to performance tweaks , yes these are always going to be of interest to all of us , but I do not see this as particularly cost effective or worth while for the vast majority. Track junkies and budding race car drivers may however see this as worthwhile when other avenues to improvment have been exhausted.

In relation to the subject of acceleration and 0-60 times , the sport chrono would only benefit the actual time if the e gas or throttle softening were to be active in second gear with the speed below 60 mph. There will still be a need to change between 1st and second gears. Personally i dont have access to the kind of accurate timing gear needed to substantiate the difference, but to be honest i think the benefits would be within the realms of statistical and driver variability.

Please do not take my posts as condecending or being a "know all" , this is not my intention. I am merely expressing an opinion and representing the facts and knowledge that I have researched as an interested individual. After all , that's the point of great forums such as these.

Good to hear from a fellow engineer. Here's the simplest way to think about the shift points when looking at a horsepower curve. At any time, you want the engine to be developing maximum horsepower. You NEVER want to shift AT the horsepower peak. Here's why:

Almost all high performance cars achieve their maximum horsepower before redline. From the horsepower peak, there will be some dropoff until you reach maximum rpm. Look at the horsepower level at maximum rpm, and compare that to the horsepower you'll be at if you shift into the next higher gear, at a lower rpm. In virtually every high performance car, you'll be better off staying in the lower gear all the way to redline, since the horsepower there will be higher than the horsepower in the next higher gear, at a much lower rpm. Shifting early not only deprives you of that last few hundred rpm at high horsepower, it also drops you to a much lower horsepower at the start of the next gear.

There is no horsepower increase with Sport Chrono, only the ability to extract full power from the last 500 rpm or so. That's why the Sport Chrono car will acellerate faster than the non Sport Chrono car.

Edited January 26, 2009 by wolverine

[berty987]

Ok, with you so far , I understand you logic. Keep the car in the lower gear , use the gearing and the higher horsepower to allow you to continue to accelerate at the maximum potential of the engine. So how long much longer will the car be able to keep in the lower gear until the rev limiter is reached in first gear with sport chrono? I have done some calculations based on rolling radius, gear ratios and delivered speed versus calculated , I estimate a Cayman S with 18" wheels , the 60 mph speed is reached in second gear at approximately 6050 rpm. The benefits of the e gas being switched off only become apparent at rpms above 6250 from what i can see of the data , so with a red line limiter at 7200 you are getting a progressive improvment for the last 1000 rpm assuming you change right on the cut off point. So this means that if you were able to judge the timing of the gear change from first to second within the last 1000 rpm of range (whilst accelerating at maximum throttle) you may be able to get an improvment in shift point for horsepower in the second ratio. The actual shift point in terms of RPM and therefore horsepower will be determined by the additional speed you achieved by staying in first gear those last 1000 rpm.

I've done some rough calculations admittedly based on constant rather than accelerating speed, but sufficient I think to draw a comparison and test the theory.

So , assuming the following :

The rear rolling radius of the wheel is 2102.35mm for every revolution

The combined gear ratio (with losses) for first gear is 3.308 x 3.875 x 1.03 = 13.203055

@ 6250 rpm = 6250revs/min = 6250x 60 revs per hour = 375000 revs total

375000 revs of the engine equates to 375000 / 13.203055 = 28402.5 revs of the rear axle

28402 revs of the rear axle equates to 28402 x 2.10235 = 59712.03255 metres 59 kmph about 36mph

@7200 rpm = 7200 x 60 = 432000

432000 / 13.203055 = 32719.7001

32719.7001 x 2.10235 =68788.2615 metres 68 kmph about 42 mph

The gearing in 2nd gear is 1.95 x 3.875 x 1.04 = 7.8585

Taking the figure above 68788.2615 / 2.10235 = 32719.7001 revs

32719.7001 x 7.8585 = 257127.7632

257127.7632 / 60 = 4285.6 rpm (assuming no loss of speed during change )

If we changed at 6250 the figure would be

28402.5 x 7.8585 = 223201.0463

223201.0463 / 60 = 3720 rpm (again assuming no loss of speed during change)

Taking these RPM figures to the cayman S engine curve the difference is approximately 30 kW or 40 Hp.

So it seems that if you CAN accuratley change up within a few hunderd rpm of the red line , a figure approaching 40 HP advantage is feasable with the sport chrono , though this does assume that if the RPM at which the non chrono car changes gear is 1000 rpm below the chrono option. In reality I think the difference in RPM would be less between the two (therefore speed and HP differential in 2nd gear) , as the losses of the non sport chrono e gas control are gradual above 6250 rpm , so it makes no sense to change at 6250 as an exact point. I also think it unlikely that anyone could change on full throttle at 7200 rpm on a regular basis , it will invariably be before that point. Certainly this relies on lightning quick reflexes or a shift light to get the advantages of this system. If we split the difference and say 20 Hp is regularly achievable then we have a better number to work with.

All of this also depends on whether the backing off of the throttle input in normal mode would make a significant reduction in either top speed in 1st gear or time to reach max rpm. Running up to the rev limiter at 7200 is possible with or without sport chrono , the only difference being how long it takes to get there.

What this would translate into in terms of repeatable performance gain for a 0-60 dash is still arguable in my opinion. Certainly food for thought and it would be interesting to see a back to back comparison.

In summary I agree that holding the gear longer , closer to the red line should yield an accelerative advantage over changing sooner at lower rpms. As to actual 0-60 time improvments of a sport chrono equipped car over standard , this depends on the amount of throttling that takes place in e gas or standard mode as you approach the last 1000 rpm. From what I can see this may make for a more significant difference in the higher gears.

Another interesting fact I uncovered whilst doing this research , the 3.2 987S boxster has a longer 1st and 2nd gear than the equivalent 3.4 S cayman , (these two cars have about 15 hp difference) though the rear drive and wheel diameters are the same. Does this suggest that the 0-60 time improvment of the cayman over boxster is a result of gearing rather than the added power ? Perhaps a subject for another discussion....another time.

Edited January 27, 2009 by berty987

[HOTG8R]

Very good information here !! Thanks guys.

I just have one comment on turning PSM off.. you can't really turn it off completely, as it will still work under certain condition even if you switch it off

When PSM is off, the vehicle is stabilized as soon as one the two front wheels enters the ABS control range.

When PSM is off and sport mode is on, the vehicle is stabilized as soon as both front wheels enter the ABS control range.

One sided spinning of the wheels is reduced even with PSM switched off, to enable optimum traction on all drive wheels.

"taken directly from the manual"

I personally love my sport chrono, I turn it on as soon as get in the car, and I wish there was a way to keep it on all the time.

The car accelerates much faster and I feel that I have satisfying power to overtake anyone... not the case with it off .. or it will take a little longer to do the same.

when I had the car new and I had the sports chrono on, I got a little scare when I felt the car did not adjust fast enough on an exit ramp. Then reading the manual I understood what happened, the PSM reacted later that with sport chrono off.

I was still learning the car's capabilities by pushing it to the limit to see how far I can go. So I have to say, it is very true that you will get used to 2 different cars, one with sport chrono off and another with it on.. unless you try to drive it with it on all the time.

turn OFF the PSM completely.

[Snakehips]

You engineers! The question is "How can I add Sport Chrono?" So you go off for pages on the benefits of various aspects of it.

The short and to the point answer is that Softronic and others have software "Flash" packages you can buy that not only enhance performance but give you the Sport setting of Sport Chrono all the time without any other mod to your car. No dash switch to add or anything else, just the great fuel/throttle map that makes the car feel about 600 lbs lighter.

I have SC on my CS. I love it. I don't care if it doesn't add a single HP or Ft Lb. I don't care if my 0-60 times are the same. It's more fun to drive the car with it in Sport Mode. The clock on the dash is pretty worthless, but I like the way it looks on my black interior. Anyone using that clock-timer at the track ought to be paying more attention to his driving instead of trying to get lap times that are destined to be not very accurate.

The Softronic flash with Sport option will not affect the Tiptronic or the Sport Exhaust or the PASM if you have any of these, just the throttle mapping, but that's the important part. This is a good way to go.

[deschodt]

The Softronic flash with Sport option will not affect the Tiptronic or the Sport Exhaust or the PASM if you have any of these, just the throttle mapping, but that's the important part. This is a good way to go.

Yes, that is option #2... It's $900 and it also tunes your ECU differently so you take your chances with warranty too...

Option #1 for a quick throttle feel, totally risk free is : sprint booster That's a dongle, removable, goes on your gas pedal and supposedly gives it the sports chrono feel, for something like $250.

I've ordered one, will report results... I always try the cheaper approach first ;-)

Edited May 12, 2010 by deschodt

[Snakehips]

The Softronic flash with Sport option will not affect the Tiptronic or the Sport Exhaust or the PASM if you have any of these, just the throttle mapping, but that's the important part. This is a good way to go.

Yes, that is option #2... It's $900 and it also tunes your ECU differently so you take your chances with warranty too...

Option #1 for a quick throttle feel, totally risk free is : sprint booster That's a dongle, removable, goes on your gas pedal and supposedly gives it the sports chrono feel, for something like $250.

I've ordered one, will report results... I always try the cheaper approach first ;-)

FWIW: My '06 Cayman S came with Sport Chrono. Like others, I like it a lot. I don't use the timer on the dash, but I like the way it looks on my particular car.

With stock engine, the car seems to loose about 500 lbs of weight just driving around when you use the Sport mode. Normal mode with the stock engine feels just anemic at normal driving speeds to me.

I've since got a plenum and flash package from Softronics. With the plenum and flash, Normal mode is less wimpy and I find that I use it more.

Modified engine or not, the engine has a different note in Normal vs Sport...In Sport, it's more edgy sounding, in Normal, exhaust note is rounder and smoother.

It's a little more challenging to make smooth starts from a dead stop in Sport mode. Aside from that, it's all good. I did a little trick to help with this. There's a mushroom shaped button up under the dash that is actuated by the clutch arm. The arm pushes it down when your foot is off the pedal. When the clutch is pressed, a very light spring moves the button out and closes a circuit that changes the engine response in some way. I just put some strong tape on the button to keep it in the down position. Engine response seems more linear in that critical time when you're first engaging the clutch. For me, it's a little easier to not kill the motor.

I've now also added a SpeedART TUV approved cat-back exhaust system. This weighs a bit less than stock and lessens back pressure as it does away with the second pair of cats (There are 4 on the stock system). With the SpeedART combined with the plenum and flash and Sport mode, the car feels a lot more lively and really pulls hard above 4000. It's more willing at lower engine speeds and the difference in exhaust tone is subtle but it's there. The plenum takes that wheezy midrange torque valley away. It doesn't have the second flapper valve in the plenum, which is, I think the cause of that.

You engineers can argue that Sport Chrono doesn't make a difference on paper, but when you are on a track with a 1/8th mile spread between accelerating out of one turn and braking for the next, that extra few hundred RPMs means the difference between an extra shift and no extra shift. There are many other track situations where this rev limiter difference is real. It's not strictly about lap times, it's about the fun factor. You don't drive bar-graphs, you drive the actual car. My car is just more fun in Sport mode. If feel and fun didn't mean anything, we could all save a lot of money by buying some other less dear brand of car. Many cars are better on paper than a Porsche.

Sport Chrono's Sport mode increases pedal response and may affect the timing advance or fuel curve or both... I wouldn't swear to that, but the difference in sound points to at least a small goose in the advance curve. The only time I find the Normal mode useful is when the car is warming up or when I'm literally crawling in parking lots or using the clutch a lot in stop-go situations. The rest of the time, it's Sport mode for me.

Don't know what year your car is or if it still has warranty or how you plan to use it. My warranty ran out early this year. The Softronic package without the plenum is reversable with a laptop computer. It's a nice addition to a Cayman. It changes fuel curve and ignition advance. If you specify the Sport mode option, they include a routine that permanently turns on the throttle response of Sport Chrono's Sport Mode. You can also specify either type of rev limiter for your flash. Once your software is ordered, you get the Stock program and the Flash program with the features you've asked for. You cannot change them after you order the software.

You just add the program you want, Stock or Flash, with a Windows PC and the included cord that plugs into your car. It over-writes the program that's in there currently. The Flash program is undetectable by the Porsche diagnostic system standard tests anyway. If they really have cause to look, they can find it, but they are too busy for that during a routine service... but if you wish, the option is there to just put the stock software back in before a dealer visit to be safe. The cord and downloadable Durametric software allows you to reset service lights and change some things on your car that only the dealer could do previously. That may be a world you don't want to enter or it may be something that interests you.

It's your car, your warranty etc. I bought my car used at a good price and knew right off what I wanted it for and that I'd be modifying it. I don't think I'm fooling anyone when I pull in with a roll bar installed.

It's as much a mechanical curiosity for me as much as a means of transport or fun machine. I'm still looking for a Porsche dealer that I like. Most of them just try to scare you out of getting anything done to your car that isn't stock...Makes it easier for them because they can just look in the cookbook and charge full rate for apprentices working on your car. They also look at you like you have a target on your shirt. I'm willing to put a little extra time and effort into making my car MY CAR. Not too much...just enough.

The Sprint Booster is very simple. It just turns on the zippy throttle response mode of the Sport Chrono. It does not change the rev limiter or change the amount of stability control intervention like Sport Chrono does.

I like the Sport Mode's reduced PSM setting for a new track or for a cold or wet track etc. I turn PSM off once I get my confidence up with my tire & track conditions and my driving.

On the street, I just leave PSM on. It almost never activates but you never know. It can be a great help in a sudden emergency or if you over-do an exit ramp or something. I would think even more so with a rear engined car than a Cayman.

[deschodt]

That's a pretty good summary right there ;-)