Drivetrain The Always Up-to-Date Thread on Tuning 2011+ (N18) MINIs
If anybody took my post the wrong way, I just meant to inform, not specifically bash.
Most people know by now that chips are bad news, but for newer people here looking for a cure-all, a chip isn't it...
Most people know by now that chips are bad news, but for newer people here looking for a cure-all, a chip isn't it...
It would be great if those owners that have experience with any of the various tune options could share their experiences and
thoughts about any of the following options that I understand exist...there may be others and we’d welcome hearing about
those too. Some of what is below comes from what has been post throughout NAM other info comes from the entities website.
For a Post Feb 2012 ECU in R56 – R57 – R58 – R60
(in no particular order)
Option A:
RennTech
Contact: Lenny or George
http://www.renntechmercedes.com/www/catalog/335
Can be done in conjunction with a dyno in Florida
Others must ship ECU
Gains: Up to 40HP & 40TQ
Pricing: $945 plus shipping or dyno
Option B:
ETG – ECU Tuning Group
Contact: Jags Gill
http://ecutuninggroup.com/company-profile
Can be done in conjunction with a dyno in Los Angeles
Others must ship ECU
Gains: ?
Pricing: ?
Option C:
RMW - Revolution Motor Works
Contact: Jan Brueggemann
http://www.revolutionmotorworks.com/...=75&category=4
Could tune but chooses not to until OBD access exists
Gains: ?
Pricing: ?
Option D:
NM Engineering
Contact: Jerry T
http://www.nm-eng.com/288/11/0/2875/...cu-tuning.html
Has not figured out ECU yet...prognosis: unknown
Gains: ?
Pricing: ?
Option E:
Bytetronik
Contact: Website & Vendor on NAM
http://www.bytetronik.com/products.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0-r52-r53.html
Based on comments here on NAM looks like they are trying to create a similar solution to their existing R50-R52-R53 products with OBD access
Option F:
MINI Dynamics
Contact: Website & email
http://www.minidynamics.com/ECU-Tuni...ems-s/1514.htm
Announcement due April 15th
Current Claims:
NO ECU removal and shipping
NO ECU disassembly resulting in voided warranties
NO waiting for maps to be emailed
Traceless removal for regularly scheduled service appointments
I may have missed a few and if anyone has additional info I can edit this page to include them. I will also update it with any info for the above options.
Let’s get the most info we can...especially facts (actual out the door on the road total cost, required mods, methodology & actual gains...dynos would be a major plus).
This will go a long way in helping any of us decide what is best for our own set of criteria and save others time in the future from having to gather it all piece meal from hundreds of posts.
For now I’m trying to keep this only to the Post February ECU; which due to encryption has kept access limited to pulling it and doing a bench tune.
thoughts about any of the following options that I understand exist...there may be others and we’d welcome hearing about
those too. Some of what is below comes from what has been post throughout NAM other info comes from the entities website.
For a Post Feb 2012 ECU in R56 – R57 – R58 – R60
(in no particular order)
Option A:
RennTech
Contact: Lenny or George
http://www.renntechmercedes.com/www/catalog/335
Can be done in conjunction with a dyno in Florida
Others must ship ECU
Gains: Up to 40HP & 40TQ
Pricing: $945 plus shipping or dyno
Option B:
ETG – ECU Tuning Group
Contact: Jags Gill
http://ecutuninggroup.com/company-profile
Can be done in conjunction with a dyno in Los Angeles
Others must ship ECU
Gains: ?
Pricing: ?
Option C:
RMW - Revolution Motor Works
Contact: Jan Brueggemann
http://www.revolutionmotorworks.com/...=75&category=4
Could tune but chooses not to until OBD access exists
Gains: ?
Pricing: ?
Option D:
NM Engineering
Contact: Jerry T
http://www.nm-eng.com/288/11/0/2875/...cu-tuning.html
Has not figured out ECU yet...prognosis: unknown
Gains: ?
Pricing: ?
Option E:
Bytetronik
Contact: Website & Vendor on NAM
http://www.bytetronik.com/products.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0-r52-r53.html
Based on comments here on NAM looks like they are trying to create a similar solution to their existing R50-R52-R53 products with OBD access
Option F:
MINI Dynamics
Contact: Website & email
http://www.minidynamics.com/ECU-Tuni...ems-s/1514.htm
Announcement due April 15th
Current Claims:
NO ECU removal and shipping
NO ECU disassembly resulting in voided warranties
NO waiting for maps to be emailed
Traceless removal for regularly scheduled service appointments
I may have missed a few and if anyone has additional info I can edit this page to include them. I will also update it with any info for the above options.
Let’s get the most info we can...especially facts (actual out the door on the road total cost, required mods, methodology & actual gains...dynos would be a major plus).
This will go a long way in helping any of us decide what is best for our own set of criteria and save others time in the future from having to gather it all piece meal from hundreds of posts.
For now I’m trying to keep this only to the Post February ECU; which due to encryption has kept access limited to pulling it and doing a bench tune.
Mini Dynamics is simply importing an old product that some of us have already played with by buying from overseas/eBay.
Racechips is just getting a US MINI dealer it seems... Nothing new, nothing worthwhile.
Racechips is just getting a US MINI dealer it seems... Nothing new, nothing worthwhile.
Oh! And to prove my point, here they are all over eBay guys:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trks...at=0&_from=R40
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trks...at=0&_from=R40
Well looks like the only people I want tuning my car without surging issues is RennTech, BrenTuning, and RMW(if he ever comes to Michigan in August).
I've said it many times, screw chip tuning, asking for trouble. That sucks for those who got excited as I did, thinking it was going to be a OBDII tool device. Oh well, good luck to the rest of you.
I've said it many times, screw chip tuning, asking for trouble. That sucks for those who got excited as I did, thinking it was going to be a OBDII tool device. Oh well, good luck to the rest of you.
Sadly, I think everybody is realizing (or finally understanding) that there truly will be no OBD tuner for these - just can't happen, and there's no workaround. It's just a (deliberate) hardware limitation.
Yeah, I was just having that 15% hope...oh well.
Also, forgot to mention Evolve, I am going to give them a ring to find out more specifics about them and their tune Monday, for those who can't get other tunes pre-Feb/2012. I see Shane talks about them all the time, and I'm curious if they can produce a good, NOT canned tune.
Also, forgot to mention Evolve, I am going to give them a ring to find out more specifics about them and their tune Monday, for those who can't get other tunes pre-Feb/2012. I see Shane talks about them all the time, and I'm curious if they can produce a good, NOT canned tune.
Fingers still crossed that RennTech will be able to do a remote dyno tune through HG Motorsports here in San Diego. Otherwise, might have to convince my fiancé that we should honeymoon in Florida instead of Hawaii.
It's pretty obvious that they were trying to curb the rampant use of handhelds. There is a huge percentage of 2nd gens that use the AccessPort or similar.
This eliminates the easy option, which cuts down on repairs covered under warranty.
This eliminates the easy option, which cuts down on repairs covered under warranty.
Yeah, I was just having that 15% hope...oh well.
Also, forgot to mention Evolve, I am going to give them a ring to find out more specifics about them and their tune Monday, for those who can't get other tunes pre-Feb/2012. I see Shane talks about them all the time, and I'm curious if they can produce a good, NOT canned tune.
Also, forgot to mention Evolve, I am going to give them a ring to find out more specifics about them and their tune Monday, for those who can't get other tunes pre-Feb/2012. I see Shane talks about them all the time, and I'm curious if they can produce a good, NOT canned tune.
Last edited by Hujan; Apr 12, 2013 at 09:36 PM.
BrenTuning Addition
Using this info I'll bring the 'options post' up to date and add a comment about everyone's opinion.
Updated here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3717427
Last edited by RoyalCooper; Apr 13, 2013 at 08:09 AM.
Seems like our next option may well be with Bytetronik. They have an OBD version now; for up to R53 and based on a few comments on this thread it looks like they are working toward a version for R56. So maybe by year's end we'll have some good news on this front after all.
Here are part of those comments:
Here are part of those comments:
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. ...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 toward improving this process.
FA56-Lite: ...posting the results of our development and posting the results when that time comes.
We will make sure that the FA56 (Full Version) is available to Dealers ONLY
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. ...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 toward improving this process.
FA56-Lite: ...posting the results of our development and posting the results when that time comes.
We will make sure that the FA56 (Full Version) is available to Dealers ONLY
I thought from their comments that they were working towards one...do have some specific info from them that states otherwise?
As I have been professing throughout these pages (and please, those of you who have read all of the posts, forgive me for illustrating this again)... There is NO physical way to write to the ECU/DME via the OBD port on the N18. That includes both pre- and post-Feb 2012.
The difference between those two is another physical removal of a JTAG power point, making things even worse.
Again, there is NO physical way, and NO workaround to program the ECU/DME via the OBD on the N18. That's all there is to it.
The difference between those two is another physical removal of a JTAG power point, making things even worse.
Again, there is NO physical way, and NO workaround to program the ECU/DME via the OBD on the N18. That's all there is to it.