I'm located in Northern VA just outside of Washington DC. Anyone know of a shop that can get me on a dyno for a custom tune?

My iPE exhaust is causing some turbo issues (bouncing boost at WOT) and the dealer told me to get an aftermarket tune. I had an Alta/Cobb Accessport but it was very peaky and no shops around me could get me a custom Dyno tune.

I'm open on what tune to get in order to have someone get me a custom Dyno tune (battletuning, AP, etc.) but just need to know if there is a shop in the area that can get me on a dyno for a custom tune and then what software/hardware to buy in order for them to be able to do it.

Thanks!

 

Never heard of turbo issues being caused by an exhaust. I have the iPE and haven't ran into any problems on my MINI.

 

Check out MachV Motorsports in Sterling VA, not too far from Dulles Town Center. Pretty fair guys, they have experience with Minis and a Dyno.
Not sure what time on the Dyno costs but it was around $150 an hour last time I checked, but that may have been a price for one of their Dyno nights.

I am sure they could assist you in getting it tuned up no matter who you chose for the hardware and actual tune, DNA/Battle, Evolve, whoever…

As I understand it with most of these tunes is you load the tune/software onto you car, give it a dyno run and log data, send that data to you favorite tuning company and they customize it based on the data.

Someone please correct me if I am mistaken. This is the internet I am sure someone will correct me if I right to…

Side note, check out DC Metro Minis dot org for the local mini club, friendly and helpful group. Plus they do fun runs to VA wineries, twisty roads mountain roads and good food is hard to beat.

 

There's a shop located in Centerville, VA around Manassas off the 66 freeway that does Manic tunes. See minidynamics.com

I'd like to check out the shop too but just spent major $$$ on my hotrod so I will be dreaming about Manic for now. And Battle DNA too!

Hope this helps...

 

I had a long chat with Dan from Mach V about tuning my MINI with the AP. He said, "The Cobb software is available to me, but there is no support or documentation. Combined with the reputation of these cars as being difficult to get right in terms of the tuning result, it's just not something that makes sense for us to pursue. I'm sorry." Doesn't sound like he wants to tune MINIs.

I met up with DC Metro MINIs for a tint day a few weeks ago, good people. They did mention a shop in Manassas when I was there, maybe its MINI dynamics mentioned below.

Thanks, I'll check 'em out!

 

I've heard that OxSpeed, somewhere on the East Coast, still works with the AP. I just finished a dyno run with Ziptie Dynowerks in Salt Lake City. They might be able to do a remote tune for you, if a local dyno tuner can't be found.

 

So I reached out to minidynamics.com and they do not have a dyno. They offer MANIC tunes but these are off the shelf maps, so a no go; I'd rather have an accessport.

I tried to contact OXSpeed at sales@oxspeed.com, but got a delivery failure message. Are they still in business?

Anyone have any other suggestions!? I really want a custom Dyno tune!

 

Where do you live?

 

Northern VA

 

Have you contacted Helix in Philly? I believe they are the most competitive shop closest to you - about a 3.5 hours north from you though. Check it out!

 

Got in contact with OxSpeed via text, but they dont have a dyno. He/She said they do remote tuning for the AP. Although he/she was responsive at first, now not responsive; asked for a price on the remote tune and haven't heard back in over a day.

 

There's Helix, Smokey's, BrenTuning, Renntech, and PAW/Group4 auto.

 

Doesn't seem like anything local can give me a dyno tune. Helix can but it is not that close and they use RMW (revolutionmini.com) flash tool not AP.

Battletuning said that he can give me a remote tune and then I can have my car dynoed and then I can provide him with the the dyno results and AFR values and he can modify the tune as needed. I guess that is the same thing as getting a dyno tune, just remotely. I can get a dyno run nearby, so this may be the best route. I'm worried about the resale value of the powergate 3 (battletuning) if/when I sell the car since there are no off the shelf maps that come with it like the AP, but I do like the responsiveness/customer service of battletuning so I'd like to support him. I wish the PG3 had the same feature list of the AP :/

 

Are you looking for reliable power or max gains?

 

Can't I have both!?

There is also a local shop that offers Manic tunes...

So my choices are:

Local Custom Manic Tune Stage 3 no dyno with torque app and bluetooth dongle - $699 +$6.99 (BT dongle) +$5 (torque app) optional +$200 (SPS switch)
Pros: Most power gains?
Cons: need BT dongle and app to get live data, less reliability b/c of max power, not a custom dyno tuned map, no resale value?!, you have to buy the SPS switch to change maps otherwise you have to drive to a MANIC dealer to have the map changed, all maps have the same linear throttle mapping, catless DP only

Remote Custom Battle Tune Stage 3 with dyno with torque app and bluetooth dongle - $799 +$135 (dyno run with AFR values) +$6.99 (BT dongle) +$5 (torque app)
Pros: Good/great power gains, great customer service, willing to update maps, custom dyno tune, custom maps with different throttle responses, support for catted and catless DPs
Cons: need BT dongle and app to get live data, not the most power but good reliability, resale value is based on value of Powergate 3 unit

Remote Custom AP Tune Stage 3 with dyno - ~$575 (used AP) + $200?? (custom tune) +$135 (dyno run with AFR values)
Pros: Good/great power gains, Data Logging, Displays live data, 0-60 times, good resale value for the AP, custom dyno tune, I am familiar with the AP from this and other cars, good resale value, support for catted and catless DPs?
Cons: stock/off the shelf maps are meh (peaky), custom tune/maps cost is an unknown at this time, very few support options

 

Side note question, if I have people have to go back to the stock DP for an inspection, why get an aftermarket catted DP? Why not just get catless?

 

Why would you need a "custom Dyno tune" for car with the basics? I would understand if you had something outside the norm, ie big turbo or ported head and cam. Not really sure what you think dyno tuning is going to get you. Tunes are mostly based around targets now days. IE target boost , target timing. The car does try to reach those targets but uses inputs to find its happy spot.

So if they set forth a timing curve it doesn't mean it is going to use that exact curve every single time. If it sees knock sensor input it changes it's curve.

They adapt quite well these days , to the point where "dyno tuned" cars actually make less power once they are driven in real world situations and it adjusts.

 

Good info, thanks!