ECU upgrade for 456M GTA

Morning all,

I'm thinking of going for the DMS Automotive ECU upgrade which promises about 35-40bhp with a similar increase in torque, so almost 550 engine performance for less than £1,000.

Apologies I can't find previous threads covering this topic but do you have any advice or alternative suggestions. My car is 2000 with 36k miles. The dreaded valve guides have been done already thankfully! Image Unavailable, Please Login

Thanks. Colin

 

Hi, Colin. I'd never heard of the ECU upgrade. BTW, How much did your guides cost to be redone. (I had Manley valve blanks custom ground at the same time as the new guides were put in. $10,000 US).

 

Colin- I would take all those ECU claims with a grain of salt. Many times they were accompanied by other mods to make that kind of hp.

 

Isn't the standard 450 hp enough for you? Do you track?

 

I think the Tubi exhaust was probably good for only around 8 more hp, right, Taz?

 

Allan- I do not really know. Getting rid of the center muffler/resonator probably has more of an effect on hp than a Tubi. Tons of changes on the 575M, but they never claimed more hp from any of them.

 

Thanks for the feedback all. So answering the questions thus far:

1. Fortunately I didn't have to pay for the valve guide work as it had been done by the time I bought the car. The receipts and history folder shows a massive £10k invoice though for that and other work.

2. DMS have a great rep, I've used them before on my other cars. On the turbo's for sure I felt it, 911, and on my RS4 it was probably more a placebo effect but the dyno report showed a real improvement. Google them.

3 I'm getting a Magnaflow X-pipe, leaving the standard pipes, K&N filters fitted at the same time and then the whole set-up rolling road dyno'd for fine tuning and proof. I'll post pre and post graphs online

4. Std BHP is 442 allegedly but through the auto box it feels woefully slow in my opinion. Even my Cayenne Diesel feels quicker in the mid ranges but that's probably more to do with modern 8-speed auto boxes. Sorry 😞

5. The car won't be tracked but I like the idea of it being closer to a 550 with 4 seats. Going to leave the wheels/ tyres standard too but just add some spacers to the rear. I prefer the stock look.

6. Taz, lovely 575 pal

 

I've had a quiet a few F-cars done by DMS and there are improvements. Never seen it done on a 456, but i've known Rob at DMS for a few years, he really knows his stuff.

 

Colin- Straight pipes to replace the center muffler/resonator will give more hp and torque than an X-pipe. With all those exhaust pulses (two inline sixes on the same crank), an X-pipe is unnecessary for exhaust gas extraction, unless you just like the sound better. Late 575Ms went to straight pipes from the factory.

Have not heard of DMS, but will check them out. The big difference between the 550 and 456 engines, besides the hydraulic lifters, is the dual length intake tract, which breathes much better at high rpm and stretches redline.

 

Taz, that's great advice re: straight pipes, I'll start looking. How loud will it get with straight pipes? I don't want it sounding like a crazy 4-pot Jap special.

Who would you recommend that would ship to the UK too? Larini don't make straight pipes so sounds like a custom build?

 

Colin- Any competent exhaust shop can replace the center muffler on a 456M with straight pipes because it just requires two straight pieces of stainless pipe. With stock rear mufflers, she should not be too loud. Could be too loud with an aftermarket exhaust.
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