With all of this talk lately of amazing ECU upgrades for the MCS, and of course with the litany of JCW bashing and/or cheering--I can't help but wonder what a difference one of Randy's (or whoever's) souped-up ECUs could do for a JCW package.

Just wondering: I'm assuming that Randy et al. are working on JCW tuning software. If so, are there any numbers back yet?

Cheers!

 

This thread died hard...so, was there something really stupid in what I asked or just nobody interested at the moment?

 

its a question I had too, that is still unanswered, let all just eat a block of cheese and drink some tea while we wait.

 

Me too. Randy, have a response?

Charlie

 

RANDY.........WHERE ARE YOU?!!!!!!! ..We need some help here!

 

I think someone here in Colorado said he just had a baby...so he might be a little tied up. I personally don't know him, but the other mini5280.com folks I met on the drive mentioned that he was a new daddy...so hang in there, I am sure he will chime in soon.

 

>>With all of this talk lately of amazing ECU upgrades for the MCS, and of course with the litany of JCW bashing and/or cheering--I can't help but wonder what a difference one of Randy's (or whoever's) souped-up ECUs could do for a JCW package.
>>
>>Just wondering: I'm assuming that Randy et al. are working on JCW tuning software. If so, are there any numbers back yet?
There is a bit of a problem with what you are proposing. Goes like this.
You pay extra (maybe an extra $3000 over the aftermarket equals) for the JCW kit that KEEPS your warranty for your MINI. Then you turn around and add the Powerchip ECU upgrade for $700 that voids your warranty for your engine since the ECU controls everything about your engine. I bet that is how the dealer sees the aftermarket upgrades.

People that are interested in the JCW kit are not likely to do anything that will void their engine warranty. Afterall they have paid a premium for the right to have one of the few kits installed. The Powerchip ECU upgrade would be "helpful" but if you were going to add it then why not do the minimal other upgrades (pulley and exhaust/intake) since you would void the warranty just the same.

 

Minihume.......
Think about after the warranty is over...................lightyears away, but still

 

I stopped by Helix last week and they were dyno testing various ECU setups for Eric's monster MCS. One of them was the JCW file (don't ask me how he got it). While I was there, they tested the JCW, Evotech, and several different GIAC files. The JCW was the weakest of the bunch. I didn't get to see any comparison to stock, but one of the GIAC files was by far the best for both HP and Torque. Eric said that the real trick with the GIAC is its flexibility: you can set it up for specific upgrades, like pulley, exhaust, intake, cam, etc. That makes me feel that if JCW owners want to add the GIAC software, they can.

 

Another consideration may be that the JCW kit retains the stock ECU, but has it re-flashed with new software that is optimized for the new cylinder head and 15% pulley, maybe in a very similar manner to Randy's.
I would think that ECU changes are optimized for the respective 'sets' of changes (pulley, head - if changed, exhaust, headers, etc..), and would think twice about any mix and match. This of course on top of the warranty issues.
However, JCW probably had different criteria for their changes to the ECU software, since in addition to long term reliability they tried to maintain standard MCS emissions ratings and fuel economy. They did maintain standard MCS emissions values, and improved fuel economy under conservative driving. You would probably lose that with a non-JCW ECU unit or software.

 

>>I stopped by Helix last week and they were dyno testing various ECU setups for Eric's monster MCS. One of them was the JCW file (don't ask me how he got it). While I was there, they tested the JCW, Evotech, and several different GIAC files. The JCW was the weakest of the bunch. I didn't get to see any comparison to stock, but one of the GIAC files was by far the best for both HP and Torque. Eric said that the real trick with the GIAC is its flexibility: you can set it up for specific upgrades, like pulley, exhaust, intake, cam, etc. That makes me feel that if JCW owners want to add the GIAC software, they can.

If the JCW wasn't being tested on a JCW car, then it's scarcely a fair analysis since it wouldn't have the engine characteristics it was optimized for. I think, it is fair to say that the JCW ecu isn't optimized to promote raw power the way the aftermarket ecu's seem to be. The simple math doesn't add up when you consider that you are adding the pulley, a nicely designed if not maxed out exhaust and a ported head unit. Obviously, those add-ons with a nice ecu would generate well over 200 crank hp. The pulley is going to produce sheer power based on the boost and the head is going to produce horsepower. I think you could possibly make a case the JCW ECU is holding the overall package back.

 

Teldon hit the nail on the head. Especially torque-wise, The JCW kit seems to make almost all of its power from the pulley reduction. The exhaust probably counts for a few horses and the same with the head - a few high end horses. I think an aftermarket pulley, powerchip or GIAC ECU and an intake and/or exhaust will beat a JCW torque-wise hands down. Therefore it should drive better and accelerate much better as well. Especially the GIAC which will be an entire chip rewrite, that should totally change the way the S drives. I don't think the JCW ECU does anything even close to that. Just a few tweaks maybe.

Minihune is also right. Why spend $6k on the JCW kit and get the GIAC or powerchip ECU? Doesn't make any sense. If you have engine trouble and you messed with the engine's ECU, forget it. SO why spend all that dough on the JCW and then add an aftermarket ECU? Then you are essentially spending $6k on the pulley and the exhaust. Get the pulley and exhaust aftermarket and save $5k and if someone like Eric from Helix or Randy from mini-motorsport or Randy Webb motorsport (or whatever name he changes to:D) to do the installation, you'll be better off. Some of these MINI mechanics have never done a pulley before. I'd rather have Eric or Randy do them - they could change one in their sleep.