When you say 'remote' ...Lenny would be the 'remote' part coming from FL to S.D. ? We'd use HG's dyno and Lenny would pull the ECU and keep making bench adjustments to the ECU based on our individual mods or is it sort of a one map fits all version, which is what I'd assume we'd get if we shipped our ECU to FL

Have you discussed any pricing with either HG for the dyno and shop or with Lenny for his part?

I would definitely be interested, but the timing for me would be later in the summer since I'd want all my mods in place beforehand.

 

Cool! I'll let you know what I hear. It could be as early as today before I figure it out. It would definitely be any easy drive for you.

Good questions. Not exactly sure, to be honest. HG Motorsports has their own RennTech approved tuner. My assumption was that HG would do the dyno runs and send the information back to Lenny. Lenny would then send the tune map to HG's tuner to upload. Rinse and repeat until the tune is set. (I imagine it would take a few dyno-adjust-upload cycles to get it right.)

But I will definitely ask and get back to you guys, assuming HG and RennTech can even make this happen.

 

I see that Bytetronik has a full suite of tuning solutions for the R53...lots of info here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0-r52-r53.html

How many of you out there would be interested in a similar solution for the R56-60 with N18 engines?

 

+1 right here!

 

Bytetronik is garbage.

If someone came out with a ViPec standalone for the R56 you would be set to do various upgrades.

Granted that motor cant take all the much power added to it any way.

 

WOW. How did you come to this conclusion?

 

I will leave it at there are much better tuning solutions out there. And a lot of guys on bytetronik have had issues with the tuning, tunes, etc.

With that said, if you want a standalone ECU wait for a better one to become available.

And giving people with 0 tuning experience full access to the ECU is asking to blow up the engine. Tuning should be left to those with experience and proof to stand behind.

 

Not sure if someone mentioned this already but it seems Jan will be at MOTD this year doing tunes

 

Hmm... So here is basically what you're saying:
1) giving "someone" full access to the Stock ECU = BAD Idea and irresponsible (on Bytetronik's part).
2) giving "someone" a standalone ECU (even great access to their ECU) = Great Idea (but 'responsible') => "Non-Bytetronik" Product?

Bytetronik is a tool, similiar to any other tuning tool on the market. If you don't know what you're doing, then it is YOUR responsibility to seek professional advice.

When you buy a bike, does the bike mfg make sure you know how to ride a bike? If you fall and hurt yourself, you can't go back and blame the bike maker for making a transportation tool.

 

You just gave someone a great idea to hire a lawyer because their training wheels fell off.

 

No what I am saying is the stock ECU sucks and doesnt take well to being messed with.

I would chose a non-bytetronik part over your tuning solution, that from other threads doesnt seem to be much of a solution for people. Which is why competitors went with Vipec or other standalones.
There are other forums and threads filled with information about how bytetronik couldnt do what people wanted done. The limitation is the stock ecu, hence why people run stock turbos and have had issues with aftermarket ones.

Simple searches among many mini forums will provide much information from credible people about their woes with bytetronik tuning.



So to stop this here.

Simply put it is not a solution for the N18 engine that I would trust or explore or recommend.

 

The Siemens stock ECU are very capable; it's mappings and methodoligy are more complex than the Japanese ECUs and has a steeper learning curve. A lot of misgivings are coming from users (and even some Import tuners) who do not fully understand the working of the ECU and adjusting maps incorrectly.

FA53 is only a tool that translates the mappings inside a stock ECU. And probably 99% of the Tuned R53s in the world are still running the stock ECU... and your MINI is running on a Tuned Stock ECU, no?

Once the tune/flash is set, it doesn't change... what does change is the hardware components on the car. So for someone to say "my car was running fine for almost two year, but after x-amount of miles, it started having this issue with this and that..."... but people usually take the easy way out and "blame the tune" or the tuner instead of trouble-shooting to find the root cause of the problem. And that's why we make sure all our Custom Remote Mapping (CRM) customers fill out a Parts Checklist and to make sure their car is in good mechanical condition BEFORE we start the CRM session. It's an evolving processing and we are constantly working on ways to improving this process.

It's a free country and nobody is forcing anybody to buy our product. We are all entitled to our opinions, and there is more than one side to each story...

If FA56-Lite doesn't appeal to you, then don't buy it... but that's not going to stop us from posting the results of our development and posting the results when that time come.

Thanks for your time and feedback. We will make sure that the FA56 (Full Version) is available to Dealers ONLY

 

 

Wow...that seems kinda harsh.

So are you saying the ECU sucks because at this point it has to be cracked open on a bench; which for a lot of us also means shipping it off somewhere in order to get a tune?

So what would you trust or explore or recommend...besides what you have, because I assume that's a given.

 

Is there a hidden agenda?

 

According to the news, yes the government is full of them.

As far as this, I have no dog in this fight. But it would be disappointing to see a bunch of cars blown up at the owners expense because of lack of research and understanding.

So I will go back to

 

Could you please post some of these horror stories? Can you post links to where you came to this conclusion? Inquiring minds want to know before they spend their hard earned money. Back to

 

Jeremy not to argue with you, but you seem to have a problem on most of your posts as seen here.

You called Alta out here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-dp-gains.html

One of your comments here Etg here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...bo-swap-2.html

And the hidden agenda pops out here
All this and you are selling your MINI. I will say I am looking forward to Jan tuning my MINI. He may or may not be the best and that is subject to everyones opinion and we all them them. You sir seem to have issues with almost everything people post about any tuners other then JAN. Thats ok, but to bash other tuners is not IMO. But now I will sit back like you and enjoy my popcorn waiting for more of your negative postings.

 

Yep everything I say is completely crazy. Pulled straight from another forum.

Cheers.

Here is why I have problems with various tuners from my own experiences:

ETG: Did not log or dyno the car just flashed the car. When the car had issues he blamed the customer instead of again logging the car and helping him out. (Supposedly this was offered after a few months of problems.)

Alta: Tunes are generally not very powerful, and I have read of people having idle issues among others things. (If you wanted a dyno tune with the AP it was arounbd $1300-1500 Locally)

Renntech: After talking with Renntech and knowing people with Mercedes tuned by them I would recommend them.

Things that make other tuners stand out:

1. Logging of the car before and after
2. Continued support for when I make changes or have issues
3. Dyno before and after - (sure this was a choice but a nice option to have)
4. Car has not had a single tune related problem in over 50k miles

With that said people can make their own decisions. What I am trying to tell people is that just because someone can tune or thinks they can tune doesnt mean the tune is any good. By offering a full suite to people who have no experience is going to lead to failures, sure you can blame the owner for it but at some point they shouldnt even have that access. Next I see some tuner shop getting this suite thinking tuning a MINI is like tuning an EVO.. its not it requires skills and practice.

All I say is that people should do their research. I would really like to see a tuned N18 post logs of how their car is running cause I have to this day not seen a single set.

These engines already have enough problems on stock engines, no need to go make it worse with a **** poor tune. (I say that after seeing a shop with 6 R56s in there with blown engines on stock tunes, all for various reasons at the same time.)

 

Evolve is good too, you forgot them. They are getting a dealer here in the U.S. so they're still game.

 

Jaremy you wrote a long post claiming everything we've heard about Jan is untrue and that we shouldn't listen to Internet rumors yet you attack alta with innuendo and insinuations every chance you get. It's your opinion and that's fine but it comes off as an agenda.

 

I have no experience with any tuner other than NM, but I will say that after having their Stage 1 I was very pleased with the results. I went ahead and installed an Evolve catless DP and a Helix FMIC and then had NM tune to stage 2 a week ago.

I drive a ton, the car is 10 months old and has almost 18k on it already. I put 6k while on Stage 1 and about 300 miles since Stage 2. I never had and don't have any issues at idle, part throttle, full throttle, or with my fuel mileage.

My commute is 56 miles mostly highway, 60mph, round trip. I took this picture after having done one round trip to and from work. Needless to say, I'm thrilled.

NOTE: My trip computer's estimation of MPG is accurate to within 0.2mpg ever since I adjusted the consumption value to 1045 via the instructions found on this forum. Usually by the end of a tank of fuel, I have driven on the street and spiritedly enough to drop that average to around 32-33 for the tank overall.

 

I can get behind comments like these much more so than that first one of: “garbage” Although some direct links to negative claims would be well appreciated. On the other hand if by "my own experiences" you mean you've had all these tunes...then I'm on board.

I TOTALLY agree with 1 thru 3. #4 on the other hand might mean over a year before anyone could follow in someone’s footsteps...but it would be a kudo to brag about for those tuners that could, although it would mean more hearing it directly from the car's owner.


I agree with the first half, not so much the second half. So yes just calling yourself a tuner is far from being one (use 1 thru 4 above to prove it). But beyond that; in the case of Bytetronik I got the impression from ALL that I read, from their experience they saw that in the hands of the wrong individual you could cause more harm than good. My take from them is that they have closed their system so that anyone getting tunes with their existing software will get a locked version the is untamperable. That in itself prevents anyone from having that access that leads to issues. It also is married to that ECU and that one alone so it is based on all the data collected from that car.

Sure it would be great if we all could go to a tuner right down the street and get a "dyno monitored custom to all our car’s conditions best possible tune" (DMCBPT). But not everyone in the country has that option. Some may even like the ability to load it and then reset to factory at will. So if there was a solution of that nature I for one would be interested in at least seeing it and then I’d make my decision based on any and all info I could gather. So I’d certainly never dismiss something summarily when it’s not even in the marketplace.

I thought I had; I’d seen others throw options out here for various products or services that existed but need to move to this platform and thought I’d investigate the same. I came across Bytetronik and read just about everything they had to say about their existing product and saw some very positive third party reviews. Then another thing that struck me was that Detroit Tuned and Way Motor Works were authorized dealers. They are often mentioned throughout these forums and the comments show how well respected they are. So I figured they wouldn’t be involved with a product they didn’t think was worthy.

No sh*t on this one...for as many tuned N18s there are said to be out there why can't someone produce some tangible data. Hello, please

Nobody wants a **** poor tune and those whom have gotten one should step up and warn us all big time...that’s probably one of the greatest services the forum could serve. Help your fellow Mini owner. But let’s do it first hand, not this: a friend of a friend heard that maybe there’s sort of a problem with... And add to that, if we want to point out something that is less than positive give everyone a link to go check it out themselves so they can see the context and investigate further if they desire.

I for one would like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt...don’t judge until all the facts are in. Of course I’m like most when it comes down to it, I’d like those facts by 8AM tomorrow.

 

I don't think anyone with an N18 has actually gotten a dyno tune to actually show logs of before and after.


As far as I know, every option right now is a OTS tune.

Renn does offer the dyno pulls as an option, I don't think anyone has done so though.

 

I need some extra butter. Anybody have some?