I noticed that almost all posts on exhaust sytems and ECU upgrades had the ECU modified and then the exhaust done. I recently had a Milltek full exhaust (headers & cat back) and EVO intake done at ICS Performance in Stamford, CT (www.icsperformance.com).

I was looking for an increase in performance but did not want a major increase in sound level during routine driving. The Milltek system, if anything, seems quieter during routine daily driving (lower pitch (lower hz)) than stock, but has an agressive sound when the rpm are above 4,500.

The pre-exhaust dyno (dynojet) showed 261/229 hp and torque respectively. This works out to about an 11.5% loss at the rear wheels compared to the reported stock 295 hp at the flywheel. After the full exhaust and intack the dyno showed 284 / 244 or a jump of 23 hp and 15 ft.lbs. This was right in the upper range that most people were reporting 20-25 with the better exhausts (and which I was skeptical about). (SEE IMAGE)

The Milltek shows excellent workmanship and the headers/cat back blend well with the car (SEE IMAGE FROM BELOW). There is a respectable increase in performance and the sound is agressive when you want it to be but very liveable day in and day out.

After the install and testing, we then did a GIAC ECU upgrade and did not notice any change in the dyno numbers. This was after multiple runs, fans blowing into the intacke, etc. After a number of days and no change, the original programming was returned. The change of 23 hp / 15 ft lbs seems as good as most are getting with the ECU/exhaust/intake. Why we did not get any change with the ECU modication is not known, except that ECU modes in a normally aspirated car running stock premium fuels is usually very limited.

For any one looking for a reasonable increase in prerformance without any bothersome drone during normal driving the Milltek seems like a excellent choice.

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Congrats on the new Milltek system. Those results are right in the range of what other members have seen from their systems I believe. Good numbers.

After much deliberation I am going to pair the Milltek headers with the AWE Catback Two great products that have produced excellent returns when combined, and the AWE sound is more to my liking over the Milltek sound...just a little louder and more aggressive.

Your report on the GIAC flash was interesting, and reconfirms my decision not to get the engine flashed due to poor results from the NA motor.

Thanks for the post MWB! This is exactly what I'll be ordering next month, and in Stamford, CT as well, but at Performance. Nice to get a heads up on what to expect.

I have an EVO intake and Miltek headres ans catback. In K-man S' article he gains maybe 4 to 5hp at high RPM. My thought has been I like some of the gain to be at the lower range and $1,000 for 1 to 1.5% gain did not impress me.

I have never gone ahead with the chip flash, because I thought I would gain very little.

You just confirmed that suspicion, and validated my decision.

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I also just had the Milltek installed and agree that it has made a major difference. It seems to me to be quieter in the lower ranges as well, but above 4000 RPMs it get's very throaty and sounds awesome. Even my wife likes it!

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Alias
2007 Cayman S
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By the way, I paired the Milltek with the GIAC Chip and the EVO V-Flow. It is an awesome combination.

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Alias
2007 Cayman S
Basalt Black

Mike thanks for the informative and objective post....

two things I would like to add are:

1) comparing peak HP gains for a chipped NA vs chipped FI application is apples and oranges. You cannot conclude that because a chip in a turbo app makes 40hp and one in a NA app makes 10 peak hp that the later is not worth it. It is two completely different applications that do entirely different things. You have to compare one chip on a NA vs another, or no chip vs chip...which I guess was the final point made in the orignal post, but was glossed over by some of the replies.

2) peak HP is only one small part of the equasion to consider. Much more important is total area under the curve. Maybe the GIAC after exhaust didn't show significant peak gains, but did it show any gains in more usable regions of the graph. I'd take a loss in peak hp for a gain in midrange in most street cars...

do you have both graphs for us to look at. One with just the boltons and one wth boltons abd chip??

dw

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Atlas Gray Cayman S

I concur with DaveW that the GIAC program (it isn't a chip it is a new program for your existing chip) may only produce nominal peak gains 5-7hp in my instance, but that it does produce more gains in torque and hp under the curve for a broader range of power. Unless you compare the entire graphs it is hard to understand the differences. I think CaymanW posted some nice comparison graphs awhile back. I'm not saying should do the chip flash, just stating that looking at peak hp gains only is selling it a bit short...

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K-Man S

I will be upgrading to a fabspeed header (no cats) + tubi catback + revo tecknic stage 2 remap + EVOM + de-snork in next 10 days. I will of course share my results with you. I considered GIAC but it sounded like a waste of money based on the reward v outlay. Revo are looking at around 25bhp for the remap alone. Theoretically I hope to be +50 bhp on OEM. Will keep you posted...

To K Man S and Dave W

I did not keep the chip v. unchip graphs but I was not looking at just peak HP and actually had little interest in just peak numbers (you can gain peak HP just by increasing the rev limiter, which is pretty useless). I posted the before and after dynos becuase the Milltek / Evo shows impressive gains in the useful RPM range.

When all the intake and exhaust was done, the graphs with and without the GIAC programming were almost superimposed over the entire RPM range.

I just thought that it was curious. I realize this is not what most are reporting. I would have been happy with no change in peak numbers if the overall curves put more usable power in the lower range. That did not occur.

The other point I was tyring to make was that the gains with the full Milltek system were very impressive and I, for one, appreciate the more restrained sound during routine use and the agressive exhaust note when pused.