Drivetrain The Always Up-to-Date Thread on Tuning 2011+ (N18) MINIs
Former Vendor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 519
Likes: 3
From: terry@burgertuning.com
If the Stage1 does well then we would start development on a Stage2 upgrade kit which would feature CAN access. Which then opens up a whole new world of features. In dash map switching, gauge hijacking, shift light, torque limiting in lower gears, autotuning, E85/meth support, downpipe light disable, and whatever other tricks we can come up with. The items above would definitely fall in to the Stage2 category.
Hey guys,
Bit of good news. Had a chance to hit the dyno this morning and early testing is very promising. The car did ~180whp stock and ~210whp tuned. I tried a couple approaches and one gave more torque while the other gave more power, so I'm going to see if I can blend the approaches together in the lab. I think gains will wind up being in the 30whp & 40wtq range.
Attached is a copy of a stock run and two alpha tuned runs. The car is 100% bone stock with 1000 miles on the ODO, manual trans, using ~93 octane fuel. I noticed a little miss on a couple of the tuned runs at higher boost levels. Perhaps the plug gapping is a bit too loose. Will check in to that as well.
Up next I'll get the car back in the hands of its owner for a week or two of solid road testing and then will borrow it back to continue software development. Also need to get our vendor status resubscribed.
Bit of good news. Had a chance to hit the dyno this morning and early testing is very promising. The car did ~180whp stock and ~210whp tuned. I tried a couple approaches and one gave more torque while the other gave more power, so I'm going to see if I can blend the approaches together in the lab. I think gains will wind up being in the 30whp & 40wtq range.
Attached is a copy of a stock run and two alpha tuned runs. The car is 100% bone stock with 1000 miles on the ODO, manual trans, using ~93 octane fuel. I noticed a little miss on a couple of the tuned runs at higher boost levels. Perhaps the plug gapping is a bit too loose. Will check in to that as well.
Up next I'll get the car back in the hands of its owner for a week or two of solid road testing and then will borrow it back to continue software development. Also need to get our vendor status resubscribed.
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
From: Keller, TX
Is it even possible to do a rear wheel bias on the all4? O thought it was more of a mechanical system.
Former Vendor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 519
Likes: 3
From: terry@burgertuning.com
With Stage1 you'll be stuck with whatever AFR curve we program but with Stage2 we generally make that a user adjustable so you can go super-fat down low if you don't want to take our advice on tuning.
We're using AFR targets similar to other BMW turbo direct injection motors we've tuned. For Stage1 that is around 14:1 in the mid and 11.5:1 up top. During the midrange there are multiple fuel injections per stroke. A big difference from traditional injection motors.
With Stage1 you'll be stuck with whatever AFR curve we program but with Stage2 we generally make that a user adjustable so you can go super-fat down low if you don't want to take our advice on tuning.
With Stage1 you'll be stuck with whatever AFR curve we program but with Stage2 we generally make that a user adjustable so you can go super-fat down low if you don't want to take our advice on tuning.
I really hope you guys get this nailed down. Especially for the N14
Former Vendor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 519
Likes: 3
From: terry@burgertuning.com
Or main goal is to get the N18 tuning down as we already have all the tools in place we need to do that. N14 may come down the road if it makes sense. I'm still shocked Cobb won't just continue to sell the already working tuning solution for it. I asked for a bit of clarification from my contact over there but didn't get much specifics other than Alta is the only authorized N14 "pro tuner" in existence.
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 462
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA
Or main goal is to get the N18 tuning down as we already have all the tools in place we need to do that. N14 may come down the road if it makes sense. I'm still shocked Cobb won't just continue to sell the already working tuning solution for it. I asked for a bit of clarification from my contact over there but didn't get much specifics other than Alta is the only authorized N14 "pro tuner" in existence.
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 394
Likes: 1
From: Northshore, MA
Terry, kudos to you. I'm glad someone has stepped up to the plate with a real deal piggyback and negates the need for opening the ecu. I think 20-30whp is exactly what a stock N18 needs to be a *real* fun car(barring traction).
Terry do you think these gains will apply to the autos also? Not sure why the autos are causing problems for tuners?? Will the stage 2 yield any additional power gains or just additional features? I am all over the ability to disable the CEL for the P0420 downpipe code considering I currently get the code due to my downpipe despite having the delete R from Akrapovic which is supposed to block the code from hitting the dash.
Former Vendor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 519
Likes: 3
From: terry@burgertuning.com
Former Vendor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 519
Likes: 3
From: terry@burgertuning.com
Terry do you think these gains will apply to the autos also? Not sure why the autos are causing problems for tuners?? Will the stage 2 yield any additional power gains or just additional features? I am all over the ability to disable the CEL for the P0420 downpipe code considering I currently get the code due to my downpipe despite having the delete R from Akrapovic which is supposed to block the code from hitting the dash.
On the downpipe code, do most flash tunes turn that off for you guys, or would there also be some demand for a stand alone type device for it for those who are already tuned?
Or main goal is to get the N18 tuning down as we already have all the tools in place we need to do that. N14 may come down the road if it makes sense. I'm still shocked Cobb won't just continue to sell the already working tuning solution for it. I asked for a bit of clarification from my contact over there but didn't get much specifics other than Alta is the only authorized N14 "pro tuner" in existence.
I will gladly give anyone else m business, especially if they have the reputation that BMS has.
So sure, get the N18 going first, but please don't forget the N14 as I guarantee you that there is a market out there. Especially those like me who will shortly have an unsupported Accessport.
Hell, I'll be a guinea pig for you if you need an N14 with DP and FMIC installed.
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 394
Likes: 1
From: Northshore, MA
The Cobb/Alta solution isnt the best though. The tunes are very picky, lots of idle issues and other quirks. I know my tune doesnt run the smoothest because my ECU software version is "old", as Jeff Perrin put it. On top of that, they became unresponsive to my emails.
I will gladly give anyone else m business, especially if they have the reputation that BMS has.
So sure, get the N18 going first, but please don't forget the N14 as I guarantee you that there is a market out there. Especially those like me who will shortly have an unsupported Accessport.
Hell, I'll be a guinea pig for you if you need an N14 with DP and FMIC installed.
I will gladly give anyone else m business, especially if they have the reputation that BMS has.
So sure, get the N18 going first, but please don't forget the N14 as I guarantee you that there is a market out there. Especially those like me who will shortly have an unsupported Accessport.
Hell, I'll be a guinea pig for you if you need an N14 with DP and FMIC installed.
Have you been protuned or are just running the OTS maps? If you're not protuned then that's the first step. The AP is a great communcation flashing tool, Accesstuner pro is a decent program that can be used to its full advantage if in the hands of a competent tuner. It's not the accessports fault that you're having these issues, its probably a tuning issue. If the device is acting up or you cant flash then of course the device is at fault.
5th Gear
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles
N18 folks never had the option, the only support the N18 ever really got was from NM---Nuespeed in the Audi/VW scene. Even then they wouldn't turn off the CEL because they are based in this state.
Renntech is also another option for us, but im not sure anyone ever got a CEL turned off by them.
I might be forgetting other tuners that do N18's but the 2 mentioned are probably the main ones, due to process of elimination thanks to sir RobMuntean.
There are some folks, like myself, who run this thing called the akrapovic delete-R.
It plugs into the OBD port and eliminates the CEL due to the lack of Cats. Every now and again the P0420 will still pop up...but it turns off after about a mile.
Thanks. Right now I have the Akrapovic delete r which is a stand alone that piggybacks the interior OBD2 port. It is supposed to block the P0420 from hitting the dash. I have been going back and forth with the place I got it and supposedly I am the only one that is having this problem... Not true as I have reached out to a few people and they are having the SMS issue. I was told I might want to try resetting the adaptations, but unfortunately the Bavarian Technic software if not fully up and running for the R60. The light comes and goes. No light for a few hundred miles, then it's back for a couple, gone for a few hundred and make for a mile and gone again. Very inconsistent.
5th Gear
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles
Thanks. Right now I have the Akrapovic delete r which is a stand alone that piggybacks the interior OBD2 port. It is supposed to block the P0420 from hitting the dash. I have been going back and forth with the place I got it and supposedly I am the only one that is having this problem... Not true as I have reached out to a few people and they are having the SMS issue. I was told I might want to try resetting the adaptations, but unfortunately the Bavarian Technic software if not fully up and running for the R60. The light comes and goes. No light for a few hundred miles, then it's back for a couple, gone for a few hundred and make for a mile and gone again. Very inconsistent.
I have an R58..same issue
Not to get off topic for the N18 tune but I use ScanXL on my laptop to read and clear trouble codes. I just checked as I got the CEL light today. When I scanned, I had 2 pending P0420 codes. I cleared them and only one went away? One of the P0420 codes stays as a pending code despite me clearing it. Why would only one go away and the other stayed pending? This was done with the delete r installed?