i'm confused with so many re-map gadgets to pick from...
prices range from $200-$1000, which one is best, easiest, cheapest and which one gives the best tune?

I'm doing the 15% pulley and air intake (no crank pulley)
would this here work well? Anyone try it?
What else do you recommend?


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...3Doff%26sa%3DN

 

cmon fellas, help out...
i'm confused, there's so much available, i don't know which way to swing.

15% pulley, OBX header, Alta exhaust, Alta air box
which ECU gadget am i best off with?

 

I went with CAI, Milltek Exhaust, Detroit Tuned Bypass Valve and 15% Helix Pully and couldn't be happier.

 

.

 

do i look like a mere mortal to you...?



that's the problem with having too many options...not knowing which one

 

I went with minipowerprog.com and am happy with it. Its cheaper than most and can be done at home with a laptop

 

I've found an MTH Tuner file to do a very good job. Don at Precision-Mini will help you.

 

That's the best answer to start, then, if you're willing to do the uplaod/downlaod yourself, it gets messy. Will you be doing more mods? Then free tunes (or reduced cost) will save a bunch over time.

FWIW, each and every tune product has some pluses and some minuses. Since none is perfect, the combo of stuff that is "best" depends on who is pondering the question. For me, I started with MTH when it was close to free, and have grown addicted to the traction control changes. It would be worth good money for that alone.

None are as good as a custom tune done on your car with either ECU hacking (by someone who is good) or an excellent aftermarket piggyback. Talk to some vendors and see what they have to say. Don (mentioned earlier) has experience with MTH and custom tune (not sure if it's piggy back or hacking the ECU) so he is a good guy to start with to learn about the pros and cons, and what you're really getting into. There are others who can help as well....

Matt

 

so none of you have this or know how it works...?

 

Lohen is just a retailer. Bluefin/Superchips is the ECU tuner. Both of them are mentioned often on MINI2 and seem to be well regarded in the UK. Here in the US they are almost unknown and have no presence. You'll get much more information asking on MINI2.

 

Bluefin has the tuning software built into the device. The device analyzes your ECU map and when finished it does the remap immediately. It sounds very fast and convenient. Two downsides I see: Once you use the Bluefin device it is registered to your MINI and cannot be used on another. Also, the HP gain seems limited to only one remap option per type of MINI (S or Cooper)

The others (like MTH and MINIPowerProg) require you to send an ECU dump to them so that they can create the remap. Seems like you'll get more of a custom tune that way. And MTH offers a standard file and a tuner file at different prices and different HP gain claims.

I have the MTH Standard file on my Cooper and it's great. I paid $190 and borrowed the cable from my local MINI club. I just wanted to smooth things out throughout the gears and the standard file accomplished that very nicely. My Cooper feels like it has more pull throughout the gears and my fuel economy improved. I have no dyno data (don't plan to do that) but on the butt dyno it made a big difference for me.

Other people I know who have a lot of peformance mods have said the MTH tuner file made very little to no impact on their HP gains when measured on the dyno. Based on all I've read I think a true 20HP gain from an ECU flash alone is pretty optimistic. Don Hollingshead can tell you what to expect from an MTH flash based on your current mods.

 

See, all this sounds Chinese to me, i'm not up and up on piggy back or ecu re-flashes as most of my modified cars have all ran an Electromotive Tec3 stand alone...

Who is Don Hollingsworth, where can he be found, what does he know about reflashing ECU's, where do i go for a MINIPowerProg to be performed on my 06 S in south east FL, if that's your opinion on the best program for my modifications and what should i expect to pay for it?

thanks.

 

so what you're saying basically...the Bluefin only maps my Mini ONCE, based on what it finds as it scans. Then it registers it and that's that...it can't tune another mini (not that i would need it to), it can't modify the tune or re-tune again with the same device, is that what you're saying? Cause once modified, i won't be doing much of anything else to it...(already have the header/exhaust/pulley/intake/IC diverter)

they do mention that you can go back to stock tune with it, so can't you map it again afterwards?

 

The piggy-back modules are actual devices that you install on your car. The most popular of these is Unichip. http://www.unichip.us/

For the ECU flashes (like MTH) you buy a cable and software and using a laptop you hook up to your MINI to download your current ECU map. Then you send that file to the tuning company and they send you a new mapped file which you then load into your ECU using the same software and cable.

Are you a member of Sunshine MINIs in Florida? I'm in Tampa and the club has an MTH cable you can borrow. That's what I did and it will save you the $80 for the cable.

You can reach Don Hollingshead at mthpower@dmhmotorsports.net. If you decide to go with MTH make sure you deal directly with him. Many people have had all kinds of problems when dealing with MTH directly. Don was a great help and got my files to me quickly.

Good luck!

 

No, you can use Bluefin to do multiple remaps on the same MINI. You just can't use it on another MINI. But if you make new modifications and want to flash it again, you can do that. Its seems pretty expensive though, and if you ever sell the MINI you probably would have to sell the Bluefin with it.

Fireballed is supposed to be coming out with a user-installable ECU flash soon for the Cooper and S. If I were you I would wait to see what they have to offer since everything they do is pretty incredible.

 

Here is the DMH Motorsports webpage for MINI tuning: http://www.dmhmotorsports.net/MiniTuning.html
Don is active on the forum, and DMH Motorsports is a NAM sponser.

 

MTH http://www.dmhmotorsports.net/ the link. This is not a piggy but you would store the OE parameters on your laptop - not hard to return to stock. Don is a very knoledgeable, no BS, old school hot rodder. Nuff said.

From the picture, wish I was there, I don't know if there is a GIAC tuner near by. I can't speak for this tune but there are some happy people with GIAC - the bad is you need to bring the car or send the ECU to the dealer... I think, not sure if you can just send the ECU.

The best of the Pigs, IMHO, is the new "Q" Unichip. You send the mod info you have on the car, pulley size, exhaust type, etc, they put 2 ( 91 & 93 octane ) maps in the unit, plug & play. If you neer to return to OE, simply unplug the unit. For some dealers the chip may be dynoed.

Hope this helps - Wish I was there,
Steve

 

Well rkw, you beat me with the link, good work.....

Hey, YOU WON!

NO MINI BEE WINS!

Man you guys are fast.....

 

Now you got me curious about Bluefin. Here are a few of the threads I found on MINI2:
http://www.mini2.com/forum/engine-dr...-cooper-s.html
http://www.mini2.com/forum/engine-dr...chips-mth.html
http://www.mini2.com/forum/engine-dr...th-remaps.html

 

so from the sound of it, it seems the MTH is the way to go...considering Don gets involved.

what is the typical cost of giving them my mod list, downloading my current tune and having them send me a specific map for it, including the OBD cable?

that or the "Q" Unichip...(where do i find or read about that one?)

 

I got my MTH Tuner file and cable from Don for $474.65. I think Don posted that prices will be going up sometime after the New Year.

 

I paid $190 for the Standard file and borowed the cable. The full Tuner file would have been $380. If I had bought the cable it would have been $80 plus shipping. So that adds up to about the same as the $474.65 you paid.

I have the option to upgrade to the full Tuner version later for $190 more.

 

Well this is the best deal I've seen on an ECU tuning product yet! Although, you get what you pay for.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BMW-MINI-ONE-COO...QQcmdZViewItem

 

i'm in contact with Don.
$499 is the cost.

When was Bluefin supposed to have come out with their tuning product?

 

Bluefin is out. It's from the UK and there are only a couple of dealers in the States. MTH is probably the most popular ECU solution for U.S. MINI owners and Don is the man for that.