The ECU tunes seem to be pretty popular. I see lots of dyno numbers/charts posted.

I've read how happy people are with their ECU-tuned cars (mine certainly feels different). Everyone seems pretty happy. And, people seem more happy with the non-canned ECU-tunes.

But...has anyone done dyno runs (on the same day) using the same car with different non-stock ECU-tunes (Jan/RMW, MTH, Emil/VitessePro, et al.) to get some sort of performance comparison?

I'm thinking remotely standardized comparison test.

Thoughts...?

 

I gained 14whp over GIAC with Jan's Tune.

 

Gain of 27whp @ 6,100 rpm and 21 whp @ peak over JCW Flash with Dimsport custom tune.

 

I thought I would share but I'm not the best example for comparison purposes.

I went from GIAC to an LDG tune and gained 8 HP but was having belt slippage issues. THEN LDG came to Miami and we put the car back on the dyno and on that day got 8.2 over the first LDG tune.

So it was a step process w/ numerous variable changes (different dynos, temps, altitude the overall gain "summed" to 16.2 HP over the GIAC.

Custom tune is the way to go, period.

 

I only came up with an increase of 49.9 HP as a result of a RMW Jan tune.
Oh well, maybe better next time.

 

That was a "hard tune", right?

 

and Jan got me about 6 HP peak... But about 10 ft lbs of torque over a large range. I don't think the tune limited the peak gains, but a crappy weld job on a one ball exhaust limited flow out the engine. Anyway, I got a lot of "area under the curve" with the custom tune, and got rid of a lean code I've always had since the MTH went on....

For those that are curious, check on the next issue of MC Squared.

Matt

 

Was there a crack/dislocation of piping Matt screwing with your flow? How did you fix her up-re cut and paste?

Jeremy

 

I've used the stock cat from my original exhause manifold. When I did a home brew 2.5" exhaust, it was too effin loud so I went back to my one ball. The shop that did the work got a bit creative and I wasn't really aware of that till I changed an exhaust gasket once. They did some stuff to get the flange at the right postition that I'll be charitable and just call "expedient" but not optimal.

It's really my own effin fault. I've been sitting on a 3" system that I never put on that I suspected was just too large. Now Gnatsters data shows me my guess was right. It will probably never go on the car. It might improve my peak HP, but I honestly dojn't know if it will make the mid range better or worse....

Matt

 

The RMW increased my TQ, HP, area under the TQ and HP curve and most importantly smoothed out the throttle response over the entire rev range. Also, it got rid of that annoying 3,000 RPM flat spot. RMW - FTW!

 

49 HP from a tune would be essentially impossible, according to people I respect, unless you finally installed that missing fourth spark plug at the same time.

 

there is more to the story of why this car made so much but to avoid further embarrassment to the vendor that had done the tune which lost over 20whp we will keep quiet about it

 

I also find it hard to believe that there is basically 25% more horsepower laying around in the ECU... 49.9 HP gain from the ECU on a Mini would be like gaining 125 HP on a Corvette just from an ECU tune.... Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

There's only 49.9 HP if the car has been penalized by a bad tune (i.e. worse than stock!).

Here is the thread about the tune: https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123614

 

Gotcha.

 

I don’t think your question is really getting answered. Ultimately Jan would prevail in a back to back comparison anyway. He simply could out tune any of the other ECU tunes. Most predictably because unlike his competition which are done on a set of common performance upgrades perimeters Jan’s is a custom ECU tune and done at the moment achieving a better total gain pretty much regardless of the conditions or previous ECU tune. From what I keep reading and seeing with the Dyno results. For that matter any good gear head could really go from Jan’s best ECU tune and dial in everything carefully on their MINI and even beat Jan’s ECU tune figures. And then Jan could come back to that same MINI and do another ECU tune and beat it and then etc etc etc…………see where this is going. The bottom line is that currently no one is going to be able to beat Jan’s customs one on one MINI ECU tune. Even if there were such a comparison done.

In my opinion .