small mods question

[grankin]

I test-drove a couple of C2s today. One seller has a '93 Cup chip, a K&N filter, and a B&B exhaust in it, and it had a very nice punch at 4K rpm. The other is stock and has less of a punch. The punch is nice. Very nice.

Much of what I've read on this board about chips suggests that they just advance the ignition curve, have no real effect horsepower-wise, and risk pre-ignition - but that's for aftermarket chips, not Official Porsche Chips. Anyone know about the Cup chip & its effect on a garden-variety C2? Or am I seeing a synergy between chip, intake, and exhaust?

[kang]

One of the main things chips can do is boost mid-range torque. This gives much better throttle response. Typically the max HP you’ll get, at peak, is +15 or so from stock.

[Bill Verburg]

The 964 RS engine is essentially identical to a normal 964. There are differences like flywheel, and accessories but the extra 10hp and 15nm comes from the chip.

max rpm was raised by 20 rpm, spark timing and fuel map were optimized for 98RON fuel instead of 95RON in the normal versions.

If you have access to good gas, US 93 pump or better, then you can take advantage of these features.

The B&B will also flow more efficiently than the stock exhaust.

[grankin]

Originally posted by Bill Verburg
The 964 RS engine is essentially identical to a normal 964. There are differences like flywheel, and accessories but the extra 10hp and 15nm comes from the chip.

max rpm was raised by 20 rpm, spark timing and fuel map were optimized for 98RON fuel instead of 95RON in the normal versions.

If you have access to good gas, US 93 pump or better, then you can take advantage of these features.

The B&B will also flow more efficiently than the stock exhaust.

My local Shell station has the right octane, and no ethanol (it is where I gas-up my Eyetalian motorcycles), so I've got that part nailed. I've been googling "964 RS chip" and variants of those words, but only find commentary or alternatives. Where does one acquire the Genuine Artcle ... and how much do they usually cost? Is this something an owner with reasonably decent wrenching skills can pop in, or does it need a white-coated surgeon to install?

[kang]

Hmmmm, I don’t think Porsche made and sold chips as individual items. I don’t think there is an official Porsche “964 RS chip” sold to put into regular 964’s. I could believe that the 964 RS had its own map, different from a stock 964. Perhaps that is what they mean, e.g. someone got a hold of a 964 RS ECU. They either kept the entire ECU or cannibalized the chip from it. If this was the case, you wouldn’t get all the benefits from the “964 RS Chip” unless you had all the other 964 RS goodies as well, plus the higher octane. It all works together as a system. You would also not be able to get any info on it, beyond what Bill gave you, just like you cannot get info on the stock factory chip. All the data on the chip is proprietary.

It’s also possible that this is an aftermarket chip, made by one of the standard chip makers, that someone attached the label “964 RS Chip” to. In that case, the best thing to find out is who the manufacturer is.

Yes, chips can be easily popped in or removed. Simply remove the ECU, open it up, then carefully remove and replace the chip. The biggest risk is bending the pins on the chip to the point that they break off. If you are real careful, keep it straight, don’t rock it, etc, you’ll be fine.