I have decided to make a new thread due to those who actually BOUGHT the RaceChip and for those truly interested in this product. I am by no means a supplier or any part of this company, I am simply doing it for those that want to understand this product or purchase it. This is for the N14 and N18 engines.

Also, please give out reviews for those that are interested, if you BOUGHT the RaceChip. I'm sure everyone is curious.

For more information please click the link below:

http://www.minidynamics.com/ECU-Tuni...ems-s/1514.htm


Any questions post them here, or email MINI Dynamics at sales@minidynamics.com, or call at (571) 344-3548

 

I posted this on the old thread, but I'll create a quick note here as well. I have a RaceChip Ultimate on the way for my 2011 MCS. I will be posting up a review as soon as it gets here.

 

I'm not getting this product but I'd love to see your results or hear about it! Good luck:-)

 

Thanks Rob. I'll be posting up results as soon as I can.

 

This is the one I want,but still worried about the warranty. The dealer claims they have a way of telling a chip has been added even after its been removed.we only have 2,000 miles on the car and I don't want to wait until 50,000 miles.

 

Looks to be a classic "PIGGYBACK"....

 

• The RaceChip® is connected between the engine control unit and the direct injection unit via two Y cable harnesses.You insert the harnesses perfect fit OEM connectors on the upper MAP Sensor (on the cold side charge pipe before the throttle body) and the lower MAP Sensor (after the throttle body and under the air intake).
  
• The engine control unit normally sends the data directly to the direct injection unit. Now, the RaceChip® Ultimate receives the data first and optimizes it tailored to the driving situation, in real time via the ARM Cortex III microprocessor.
  
• Furthermore, the RaceChip® is only active, when you need the performance. Thus your driving is engine-protective.
  
• We modify the injection values of the vehicle with the RaceChip®, i.e. the injection quantity; injection duration and the injection time are optimized.
  
• Additionally, the charging pressure is increased by max. 0.2 bars - 0.5 bars, engine timing values are optimized, as well as several other proprietary calculations and optimizations.
  
• The RaceChip Ultimate was designed for use with 91 to 93 octane fuel ONLY. The functionality of the RaceChip Ultimate with fuel octane levels below 91 cannot be verified or supported.
  
• The RaceChip Ultimate comes pre-loaded with software specific to your MINI engine, either the N14 or N18. A wiring harness specific to your N14 or N18 equipped MINI is also included in the box.
  
• The RaceChip Ultimate harness comes packaged with the "BLANK PLUG" inserted into the end of the harness. Once your harness is connected this*"BLANK PLUG"*can be removed and left in your glove compartment or some other convenient location. It is used to reset your system back to factory values prior to a service visit.
  
• To reset your ECU back to factory values, just remove the RaceChip module by pulling the purple lever on the FCI connector away from the black harness wire, the connector will seperate from the module, install the*"BLANK PLUG" in its place and push the purple lever shut. You may drive the vehicle with the blank plug inserted and allow the ECU to adapt back to normal operating conditions for any length of time needed. You should remove your wiring harness and RaceChip before any scheduled service visit. The removal of the RaceChip and harness should take no longer than 5 minutes!
  
• The rotary switch settings for each RaceChip Ultimate are preset and verified by MINI Dynamics to be at their optimum setting. The left rotary switch is labeled S2 and is preset at level 6. The right rotary switch is labeled S1 and is not used for gasoline powered engines (diesel only) but is preset at level 1.
  
• The*ONLY adjustment available for increasing the performance of the RaceChip Ultimate is to move rotary switch S2 up one (1) click to S2=7, this setting was not tested during our preliminary and road testing trials, but is documented by RaceChip LLC to increase the performance by an additional 1.5% - we highly recommend you leave the rotary switch settings as delivered.
  
• The rotary switch S2's LOWEST performance value STARTS at 8 and progresses around the dial to A,B,C,D,E,F,0,1,2,3,4,5,6 and stops at the HIGHEST performance value of 7. The use of a #10 Torx bit is required to open the RaceChip Ultimate case.

CLICK HERE FOR MINI INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

 

Im interested in this, a bit. Curious about what parts its compatible with. Are there different tunes available for what you have installed?

 

I believe rather than having separate "tunes" there are the 3 separate models, which each carry a separate program. Being as it's a "piggy back" style, the stock ECM learns/adapts to greater flow when you add new parts and then this module adapts to the new ECM data. If you're going to do it, you might as well do the Ultimate model. Get in touch with Mini Dynamics, the dude there seems like a great guy and provided me with lots of good info. Hopefully just a few days away from arrival now.

 

Looks like they posted some test results and observations in the last couple days. very interesting stuff


So How Did the RaceChip Ultimate Perform in Testing?

We started this project back in August of 2012 as soon as we heard rumors of the Alta AccessPort being discontinued. We were quickly impressed by the RaceChip Company, their unique design and the philosophy behind Chiptuning vs OBD tuning. We are convinced that most cars in the future will need to be tuned via an external Chip module or Piggyback module as more and more manufacturers implement what almost seems to be top secret level encryption on their ECU's. Now we just needed some MINI's for testing......and we found 7 of varying models and engine types.

Our 7 MINI's tested ALL posted great numbers in performance metrics, except the R60 in Auto only mode, in manual mode, it stood right in line with all the others we tested. The R58 JCW model posted the highest gains, most likely due to the hi performance exhaust that comes standard on all MINI JCW's.*

Specifics:

• All models were equipped with manual transmissions
  
• The R60 was equipped with a Steptronic w-Auto/Manual transmission
  
• All models were stock except for an NM Intake on each
  
• All were tested in sport mode only

These are the average results of 3 dyno runs for each model, from cold runs to hot runs, from published stock MINI performance numbers.*

• 2009 - R56 Hardtop (N14) - *+26hp *| * +34ft/lbs (ATW)
  
• 2010 - R56 Hardtop (N14) - *+25hp *| * +35ft/lbs (ATW)
  
• 2011 - R56 Hardtop (N18) - *+26hp *| * +34ft/lbs (ATW)
  
• 2012 - R56 Hardtop (N18) - *+27hp *| * +33ft/lbs (ATW)
  
• 2012 - R58 JCW Coupe (N14) - *+34hp *| * +41ft/lbs (ATW)
  
• 2012 - R60 Countryman ALL4 in Auto (N18) - *+20hp *| * +31ft/lbs (ATW)
  
• 2012 - R60 Countryman ALL4 in Manual (N18) - *+29hp *| * +38ft/lbs (ATW)

Observations

• The pop & burble sound that MINI built into the N18's and JCW's is MUCH more pronounced with the RaceChip Ultimate installed during deceleration, it's very cool sounding.
  
• The performance and acceleration characteristics are almost exactly like when we installed our first AccessPort Stage 1 tune on an MCS or JCW....the RaceChip Ultimate sits right in the middle of the AccessPort TPS map which was almost violent in acceleration and the AccessPort linear map which was just smooth all the way to 6500rpm.
  
• The raw HP and Torque increase creates a lot of wheel spin in 1st and 2nd gears for those that have a heavy throttle foot!

 

Those are some pretty impressive numbers. I wonder if those people with a FMIC, DP, exhaust, and intake would get.

 

Those number do look great.....but there is just bad history with piggy backs in the 1st gen department.

2nd gens are way more finicky.

I liked to see someone with hands on experience give us pros and cons.

There's a thread somewhere of a person with an R60 who tried it out awhile back. I'll try and look for that.

 

I only have 1000miles on my 2013 JCW and it is Racechipped--NM coldair--Alta hotside pipe

 

Noticeable difference?

Mess around with any settings?

 

My car is a automatic--it pulls hard--I've only had it up 2 100mph since adding the Race chip--but it defiantly pulls harder---waiting 2 get my employee with a M3 out on the interstate also it does pull harder in and out of sport modes

 

Sounds like it does what many of us want our cars to do.

I don't suppose there's a dyno run in the near future?

Do you feel it was worth what you paid?(the gains)

 

I don't think I'll do a dyno--I think it was worth the 700.00 4 a plug and play--with-out doing all the heavy upgrades 2 achieve performance--- I'm done-- the car goes fast enough 4 me and I'm 61--the SOB will kick ***---and I'm challenged all the time

 

Hahaha well I'm glad to hear you're happy with the chip.

Certainly is sounding like a reliable, viable option for many of us with locked ECU's.

 

So my chip arrived before the weekend. I have had the opportunity to do a quick road trip on it. Here are my initial thoughts:

I need to do a bit more driving as it warms up to see if this is replicable (we're still doing our spring melt) but the day I installed it, I couldn't get traction in first or second. Needless to say I was impressed. Now the other mods I did over the winter obviously help, but that was my goal (being able to break the tires loose part way through second).

The next day it was close to freezing again and while it certainly pulled harder I was getting more traction. Is it possible that the ECM dials things back for cold weather driving? More driving will tell.

Qualitative/practical impressions: Out on the highway, I noticed a definite gain while passing. And it's like the car wanted to travel at 85 instead of 60.

Why I chose this over other options
- Install is almost instant
- HP gain to cost ratio - best part I've bought
- Not voiding warranty

Personally, I wouldn't compare this to dyno tuning or having a really aggressive tune soldered onto your board. Of course dyno tuning will make more power. It comes down to what is more important to you. For the things that are important to me, this was a perfect fit.

 

That should help seeing as I typically cruise at 85 mph lol

Hope to hear more feedback when you put it through it's paces.

 

Did the tune take into account your mods? Did you tell Mini Dynamics what you had installed when buying? Or it is a single tune that just hopefully works with what you have?

 

Yeah I had a good chat with them before I ordered. Because it's a piggy back style, it comes with a single program. There is a setting on the side that they recommend you leave as they have pre-set it for you but it does control the output. Apparently the stock ECU has the ability to adapt to a certain degree as you add hard parts, but then this bumps things up so your car takes greater advantage of them by making that much more power. So with this style, if I install a downpipe or something I don't need to re-program or anything.

NewCooperFanatic: Set up correctly, these cars just like to move. I found myself up to 113 pretty quickly while passing. Doesn't take long to get there.

Went out driving again today, took my brother to ensure there was a measure of objectivity. He found the same thing I did... the car hauls ***. Warmed up a bit outside, and it lights the tires up like crazy.

 

Sounds pretty good so far. Thinking of getting one myself. Keep us posted on your thoughts and results on this.

 

Hmm, as much as that makes sense. Im not really sure if I feel comfortable with that methodology.

Are you able to take datalogs with it installed?

 

To the best of my knowledge, there is no data logging function.

Pros and cons to the different approaches I suppose. I kinda like the idea that all the OEM engine protections are still in place.