Tunable or one time only
02-15-2012, 01:17 PM
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Tunable or one time only
This is a question about ecu tunes. Are they generally a one time kind of thing (no matter what you do to your car) or do reflashes allow multiple types of tuning depending on the mods you install?
02-15-2012, 04:48 PM
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Vehicle: 2010 gencoupe 2.0t
You change your tunes to help maximize the performance gains from your modifications.
Stock car, maybe intake, i/c, and cbe exhaust, canned tune's alright.
Intake, exhaust, i/c, injectors, get a stage 2 canned or custom tune.
Turbo, i/c, injectors, tbe, sri/cai, etc, get a custom tune, on the dyno is best.
** also**
I'm just copy and pasting from my post on another forum.
- Tunes are one of the most efficient modifications you can do to a turbo car. It's a mod that has high power/money invested, and can (for the most part) be easily reversed.
- Regarding warranty issues. If they find out about your tune they will try to hold it at fault. Service departments are starting to read how many times the software in your ecu has been "flashed". This meaning if they read this value to be different from what it says on your vehicle's service record, they will assume that your car has been reflashed.
Different companies have different methods of protecting you. Most of the tunes out there are undetectable by the technician, but then there is the amount of reflashes detected on your ecu.
Not naming names:
- Some companies may send you a completely separate ecu with the tune loaded on it, also available to reflash to a custom tune or do whatever. Simply swap your stock ecu back in for warranty work.
- Some companies will have the option of sending you a module loaded with the tunes (plural) of yoyr choice. Ex; 1. Stock 2. 93 3. 93 w/lower boost etc. etc.
- Some companies require you to send them your ecu in exchange for a tuned core and you'd have to exchange your tuned ecu back to return to stock.
There's plenty of ways to go about it. The best one to me sounds like having a company send you separate ecu with the tune loaded on it, a bit of a hassle changing them out innyour car, but it leaves your stock ecu untouched. Just remember that with the car completely stock, most canned tunes will yield around the same results. The power curves may differ slightly, and there might be a difference in drivability but they usually hover around the same power claims.
Every car is different in its own way. Not all cars will react the same way to a tune, numbers fluctuate, and not eberyone has the same mods. Custom tunes are expensive, that is usually because you are covering the cost of tuning, dyno time, and helping the tuner cover his expenses and still make a profit (reflashing software and equipment does not come cheap).
So keep those things in mind when you are choosing a tune. What you want, what you have, and what the market offers.
Stock car, maybe intake, i/c, and cbe exhaust, canned tune's alright.
Intake, exhaust, i/c, injectors, get a stage 2 canned or custom tune.
Turbo, i/c, injectors, tbe, sri/cai, etc, get a custom tune, on the dyno is best.
** also**
I'm just copy and pasting from my post on another forum.
- Tunes are one of the most efficient modifications you can do to a turbo car. It's a mod that has high power/money invested, and can (for the most part) be easily reversed.
- Regarding warranty issues. If they find out about your tune they will try to hold it at fault. Service departments are starting to read how many times the software in your ecu has been "flashed". This meaning if they read this value to be different from what it says on your vehicle's service record, they will assume that your car has been reflashed.
Different companies have different methods of protecting you. Most of the tunes out there are undetectable by the technician, but then there is the amount of reflashes detected on your ecu.
Not naming names:
- Some companies may send you a completely separate ecu with the tune loaded on it, also available to reflash to a custom tune or do whatever. Simply swap your stock ecu back in for warranty work.
- Some companies will have the option of sending you a module loaded with the tunes (plural) of yoyr choice. Ex; 1. Stock 2. 93 3. 93 w/lower boost etc. etc.
- Some companies require you to send them your ecu in exchange for a tuned core and you'd have to exchange your tuned ecu back to return to stock.
There's plenty of ways to go about it. The best one to me sounds like having a company send you separate ecu with the tune loaded on it, a bit of a hassle changing them out innyour car, but it leaves your stock ecu untouched. Just remember that with the car completely stock, most canned tunes will yield around the same results. The power curves may differ slightly, and there might be a difference in drivability but they usually hover around the same power claims.
Every car is different in its own way. Not all cars will react the same way to a tune, numbers fluctuate, and not eberyone has the same mods. Custom tunes are expensive, that is usually because you are covering the cost of tuning, dyno time, and helping the tuner cover his expenses and still make a profit (reflashing software and equipment does not come cheap).
So keep those things in mind when you are choosing a tune. What you want, what you have, and what the market offers.
02-21-2012, 07:33 AM
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Flashes can happen multiple times.
SFR requires you to send in your ECU and there is downtime involved. Some good experiences, some bad experiences. Personally, Ill never buy from him cause i have seen how he has treated people.
BTRcc will send you an ecu tuned with specifics you provide or they can tune your ECU.
PA(provided by Beyond Redline, PRW and PA themselves) is a module you flash on your own. You tell them what you have and they send you this module to have you flash it on your own.
I have a PA by PRW and its uber easy. Just keep forgetting to press the online button to turn it on. Havent had any issues yet with the dealership.....yet.
Other options are Haltech standalone. Expensive but worth it if you are doing a decent to big build. Completely customizable and tunable. You will need Dyno time and a good tuner for this. (Im making the assumption you wouldnt be able to do it as you are asking this question.)
Dyno Jet's CMD is the last option i can think of. Its a piggy back that intercepts the signals and modifies them(if i understand the basic concept correctly). There is an auto tune feature if you also purchase the WB, otherwise you will need a dyno and an experienced tuner.
I say dyno's as opposed to an open road as it is safer.
Now with any canned tune, a tune someone sends you and does not directly do to your car, you will get a variance from what they post and what you get. A lot of factors come into play and while a dyno is nothing more than a machine that crunches numbers and do math, some numbers can be ignored. The only way to get your actual whp is to take it to a track, weight yourself and get your time and do the math.
SFR requires you to send in your ECU and there is downtime involved. Some good experiences, some bad experiences. Personally, Ill never buy from him cause i have seen how he has treated people.
BTRcc will send you an ecu tuned with specifics you provide or they can tune your ECU.
PA(provided by Beyond Redline, PRW and PA themselves) is a module you flash on your own. You tell them what you have and they send you this module to have you flash it on your own.
I have a PA by PRW and its uber easy. Just keep forgetting to press the online button to turn it on. Havent had any issues yet with the dealership.....yet.
Other options are Haltech standalone. Expensive but worth it if you are doing a decent to big build. Completely customizable and tunable. You will need Dyno time and a good tuner for this. (Im making the assumption you wouldnt be able to do it as you are asking this question.)
Dyno Jet's CMD is the last option i can think of. Its a piggy back that intercepts the signals and modifies them(if i understand the basic concept correctly). There is an auto tune feature if you also purchase the WB, otherwise you will need a dyno and an experienced tuner.
I say dyno's as opposed to an open road as it is safer.
Now with any canned tune, a tune someone sends you and does not directly do to your car, you will get a variance from what they post and what you get. A lot of factors come into play and while a dyno is nothing more than a machine that crunches numbers and do math, some numbers can be ignored. The only way to get your actual whp is to take it to a track, weight yourself and get your time and do the math.