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Lots of discussions in various threads on NAM about tune boxes for Gen 3 cars.
NM Engineering, Dinan, JB, and other plug 'n play power mods are being discussed and tested.
Love to read here on our F54 forum from one and all with an F54 who have been using one of these devices on their Clubman.
I just ordered the Dinan D440-0012 Sport Performance Tuner and look forward to reporting my experience. Hoping to hear from others as well.
So, Dinan is saying that the Clubman makes 210hp (est. at the crank) stock? I find that hard to believe. It certainly doesn't feel as strong at the top end as the dyno chart says it should.
It certainly doesn't feel as strong at the top end as the dyno chart says it should.
This is a wide-spread complaint about the B48 in non-JCW MINI's. The punch isn't there much above 4,500 RPM.
Clearly the factory tune is trying to balance economy with useful grunt. Thus peak TQ comes on below 2,000 RPM.
It will be interesting to learn how the new JCW Clubman S does in the higher rev range. Especially for those who add a power module.
What my butt dyno is seeking is a little thrill between 2,000 and 3,500 RPM, where I live most of the time. It's that extra boost between 10 MPH and 60 MPH in everyday driving that will be nice to have. Plus a touch more passing oomph at freeway speeds will be welcome.
As for dyno numbers -- so many variables/so much hype. What is credible is that there is a documented useful HP/TQ increase in the mid-RPM range.
Can't wait to install and report back how it feels, regardless of what the numbers are.
Now trying to make the iPhone app work -- my phone found the Dinan but it cuts in and out and the gauge on the app gives sporadic, and clearly incorrect readings. I spoke with Dinan once and have a second call in.
Spouse and I went out for a nice romp today, including stop&go as well as freeway. This Clubman with the Dinan added is not the same car I drove off the dealer's lot a month ago. Waaaay better, especially in Sport mode when the adaptive suspension tightens things up and the throttle mapping becomes a wee bit more responsive. With the Dinan its a wee bit more than a wee bit more. And Mid mode remains very civilized, except with more grunt. Wife approved. Truly makes the Clubman S All4 a MINI worth tossing around.
The new iPhone app is an improvement, once you get it working. Dan at Dinan walked me through the steps. After I deleted the old app and downloaded the new version 1.1 into my phone, Dan had me shut down my phone, reboot my phone, then, making sure my MINI was fully asleep and the red light on the Dinan box under the hood was not lit, I turned on the ignition (but did not start the car) and, upon opening the DinanS app, my phone found the Sport Tuner within seconds and I think the calibration was successful.
The bottom row of buttons on the phone screen for the various power settings now has white (instead of grayed out) buttons, the little blue down arrow is now a blue circle with a O instead of the down arrow, and connectivity seems to have improved.
According to the Dinan iPhone blue tooth iPhone app, at 3,500 RPM with my Clubman S in Sport mode and the Dinan set to Race, as the little red marker arrow shows, which indicates the highest boost level hit on the run, I was pulling a bit over 13 PSI of boost. Nominal boost without the Dinantronics would be 8-9 PSI I would imagine.
To be very unscientific in extrapolating the meaning of 13 PSI of boost, if:
8-9 PSI is stock and
13 PSI @ 3,500 RPM was attainted with the Dinan set to Race and car in Sport Mode and
8 ftlb of TQ is added per extra pound of boost, then
the Dinan was adding about 32 ftlb of TQ.
Been running my Dinan for a month now. Started out with +3PSI (Sport+ Mode). Last 2 weeks kept at +4PSI (Race Mode). Using only top tier 91 octane pump gas, no extra additives/octane boosters.
Running the car in normal (mid) mode and sport mode. In normal the car is a bit punchy and shifts are more pronounced with moderately aggressive acceleration from a dead stop. In sport mode the idle is much more pronounced, the car is more punchy than normal mode, the shifts are more aggressive, and there is a little exhaust pop and burble. But I have the 8-speed sport automatic with paddles -- not the same overrun dynamics as a stick.
The car ticks over and runs as smoothly as the day we drove it off the lot. No warning lights, no codes, not the slightest hint of a hiccup of any kind thus far.
Overall, the Dinan has made the car more entertaining to drive and the extra boost seems to suit the heavier Clubman S All4 nicely.
Only complaint is I can't get reliable boost readings from the Dinan iPhone app 1.1. So I really don't know how many PSI I've hit at the peak. But the car feels good, so I suppose it doesn't matter.
I plan to keep the Dinan in place and will probably continue to run it in race mode most, if not all of the time.
2017All4, thanx for the update as you get more miles under your belt. Shame you only have 91 octane in your area, here we have 87/89/93 for our selections. Of course, I could always visit the 100 unleaded pump if need be, but $7.30/gal would be a bit cost prohibitive. I use that for my weekend toy to prevent things from going 'boom' when I put my foot into the firewall.
I have noticed on my Clubby that there is a LOT of sooting on the tailpipe tips, despite being completely stock. Now I know the single digit temps lately likely have a bit to do with that, but have you noticed any additional sooting on your tips with the Dinan module? I know it bumps up the boost, but not sure if the ECU is tossing in any extra fuel to compensate for a specific A/F target.
2017All4, thanx for the update as you get more miles under your belt. Shame you only have 91 octane in your area, here we have 87/89/93 for our selections. Of course, I could always visit the 100 unleaded pump if need be, but $7.30/gal would be a bit cost prohibitive. I use that for my weekend toy to prevent things from going 'boom' when I put my foot into the firewall.
I have noticed on my Clubby that there is a LOT of sooting on the tailpipe tips, despite being completely stock. Now I know the single digit temps lately likely have a bit to do with that, but have you noticed any additional sooting on your tips with the Dinan module? I know it bumps up the boost, but not sure if the ECU is tossing in any extra fuel to compensate for a specific A/F target.
Tail pipes are clean so far. Don't know if our California winter blend fuel is different than what they produce in the heartland. Also don't know how ambient temp impacts things. For us, if the temp drops below 50 degrees F we wonder what we've done to anger the gods, so I think you folks are living a little different reality than we are out here on the Left Coast.
But if you're all stock, I'd show the soot to your dealer just to make sure everything's 'groovy.'
Temps and specific winter blends certainly toss a corkscrew into things. All my cars usually drop ~3-4mpg when the winter blend hits, it is very easy to spot as I track all my fill-ups. Around here E10 is common place and one particular chain started selling E15 this past fall next to the E10 for a whopping $0.03/gal discount. I know our cars today can handle that blend, but anything previous to the past handful of years will have nothing but issues with it. The lower price will attract folks to run it in cars that shouldn't and I see that as simply creating all kinds of unnecessary issues.
I am running top tier 93 octane in my car, with no plans on cheaping out to mid-grade any time soon. I plan on bringing it up the sooting to my dealer when I get back there for my second date appt in the next couple of weeks. Need to snap a pic before I wash it again, so I have some proof of what it looks like in full effect.
50 deg's...hmm what is that?? This pic is a few years old, but we have hit that temp already this winter and will likely see it yet again...
Just ordered my Clubman All4. Even though the car is leased anyone think it's a BAD idea to install the Dinan?
Still early days with less than 1,000 miles clocked with the Dinan on my Clubman S All4. So far not a hiccup with 4psi added boost. It's registered as high as 18.5PSI on the Dinan iPhone blue tooth app. So, if that's accurate, this speaks well for what the Dinan box can do. And it makes pulling the extra heft of the Clubman All4 much, much more entertaining.
Next question - the dealer is a certified installer but I know I can do this myself. Regardless of who does the work, have people been removing the Dinan prior to having the car serviced?
Next question - the dealer is a certified installer but I know I can do this myself. Regardless of who does the work, have people been removing the Dinan prior to having the car serviced?
There is a range of views regarding this issue. If your dealer installs the Dinan I would imagine that they will stand behind it. I would certainly get clarification from your dealer, in writing.
The unit is easily owner-installed and owner-removed in a matter of minutes.
The claim is that, once removed, the prior presence of the unit cannot be easily detected, if at all. Many with add-on tuning boxes recommend removal prior to visiting the dealer for any service, if for no other reason than to avoid any possibility of the dealer's avoidance of warranty responsibility.
Others have reported leaving their's installed without any dealer issues at all.
Mine is installed on a leased car. Unless I develop a drivability issue requiring dealership attention, I'll probably leave my Dinan installed if I'm simply getting a scheduled service, which is basically an oil change.
I don't intend to abuse the car, but the Dinan does make it more fun to press down on the gas pedal...hard.
11-25-2016, 03:28 PM
Nominal boost without the Dinantronics would be 8-9 PSI I would imagine.
