ECU mod

[esscolab]

There appear to be 2 options available:-

Superchip ECU mod at around £500 - invalidates warranty from BMW

Gain approx 355 BHP and 25% increase on torque



AC Schnitzer UK option - includes dedicated hardware. Sits between ECU and injectors. Costs £2000.00 - Invalidates BMW's warranty but they supply their own 3 yr warranty to cover this and engine, hence the cost.

Gain approx 360Bhp and 25% increase on torque.


Going to give it some thought for a while.

[UK135i]

Thanks for all the info. That is very interesting so nothing we do keeps the BMW but in America they have companies that will chips their cars and keep the BMW warranty....typical

By the sounds of what you get i dont think it is particularly worth it then for 2k

[mistermojorizin]

the following horsepower estimates are from tests on a 335i that dynos at aproximately 275whp stock.

there are lots of options. there's procede which probably gets the most hp (around 340whp, btw this is real hp not the 355 and 360 numbers that are surely at the crank not at the wheels and are probably optimistic) but has been known to induce limp mode in some cars. Btw, this one you can tune yourself and get it just right for your application.

There's the turbotuner which is very easy to install but only gets you around 300whp (again real horsepower at the wheels) except where it peaks momentarily to about 306whp. but the power curve is weak compared to the other options.

there's the juicebox, also gets you 306whp but with a nice and juicy power curve.

Dinan claims to give you 384hp at the crank (not real horsepower), don't know what this actually dynos at. They promise a warranty but we don't know if they'll honor it. They will cut your throttle response so you're car won't be as high strung. Reviews on this site say the car feels like "it definitely has more pep" which was not too convincing to me because I figure an extra 84 crank hp should feel more visceral.

Theres's also the helix attache which seems promising. I don't know what it dynos at but the reviews say the power curve is very good with a strong bottom and strong top end.

There's others too

[MattD]

http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=529

This is a thread from N54tech.com which lists a bunch of the available mods.

I have to say that I'm very tempted to get some work done, but not at the expense of possibly knackering my car or shortening it's life considerably.

A lot more research is needed first.

[mad chemist]

Originally Posted by esscolab

There appear to be 2 options available:-

Superchip ECU mod at around £500 - invalidates warranty from BMW

Gain approx 355 BHP and 25% increase on torque



AC Schnitzer UK option - includes dedicated hardware. Sits between ECU and injectors. Costs £2000.00 - Invalidates BMW's warranty but they supply their own 3 yr warranty to cover this and engine, hence the cost.

Gain approx 360Bhp and 25% increase on torque.


Going to give it some thought for a while.

Just fitted the SSTT to a friends car (he bought direct from Split Second, USA) Cost him $670 including packaging. Also fitted a K&N panel filter file the air box was out. We did not disconnect the battery, just followed SS's instructions (open bonnet, shut car, leave 20 min when warm and that's it). We took the car and ran against my standard 135i. Both cars using Tesco 99 octane.

First impressions - bloody hell! What a difference. I was unable to stay with him in any gear - he just ripped away. I can't imagine how fast his car will be when the ECU fully adapts.

I then drove his car and was frankly even more amazed. The acceleration in 3rd actually felt stronger than 2rd in my car. I should imagine that 0-100 mph would probably be dispatched in ~ 10 seconds.

I suspect the high octane and K&N helped things, but we did not notice any power dip around 5000 rpm, as reported my some of our American colleagues running lower octane fuel. The car has loads more torque and it actually feels like the torque actually builds from 2000-4500 rpm, instead of staying flat with the standard car. Also, above 4,500 rpm the car really kicks again and seemed to rev even more cleanly through to 7,000 rpm. I've been in an RS4 with 450 crank HP (old twin turbo model) and my friends car felt noticeably quicker.

Only down-side was the install: we went in via the air-box. It took ages and the TMAP sensor unit is very hard to get to as it sits on the intake manifold/air-box tubing right at the back. A note of caution here - there is a very similar MAF sensor unit on top of the intake manifold. This looks very much like the TMAP sensor but the male/female unions are shaped differently inside, and so won’t snap back in together, luckily.

I'm seriously thinking about buying the SSTT and have heard that some dealers in the USA actually sell then and fit them to customers’ cars. It's only the warranty thing that scares me.

Having said that, for approximately. £400 (SSTT & K&N filter) ~330 whp seems pretty good value to me.

Mad Chemist.

[moff]

Until DMS 'crack' the remap of the *35i engine I am not doing anything.

All the options except the AC Schnitzer are 'piggy back' chips which have caused a lot of problems in the US including putting the car into limp mode. This is then obvious to any BMW technician.

The AC Schnitzer option is a new ECU, but it's costly and I am not sure it's worth the hassle as BMW no longer recognise AC Schnitzer like they used to years ago.

DMS have been looking at a remap for the *35i engine for nearly 2 years with no success. That's quite telling really.

[clived]

Moff, it's quite telling of how good the encryption is, not of anything else.... I've spoken to Mike about this - my impression is that they really don't expect to have a solution anytime in the reasonable future. We had DMS maps on both our previous BMs (my 535d, other half's 118d) so I feel similarly to you, but I think there may be little choice but to look elsewhere. I'm hopeful that I've found something, and I'll report back once I know for sure

[esscolab]

In BMW Magazine there's an article that Superchips have officially released the .35i ECU mod for the 1 and 3 series.

I spoke to them today and they want to charge £600! For some reason it's gone up since I last phoned a month ago by £100.

I'm seriously considering getting it done, have to convince the wife that it needs it which is the tricky part....

[moff]

The Superchips mod is a 'piggy-back' though.

I think I am going to wait 6 months beforing doing anything, seems to me that the *35i mod is too new to risk just yet.

I would have no hesitation in buying the mod from Superchips if it were a Bluefin type mod as seen on the Focus ST that be can be easily changed via remote control from remap to stock, and one that does not piggy back but alters the mapping of the OEM ECU.

[esscolab]

From what the guys was telling me, it's just an ECU remap, no piggy backing involved. I may be wrong though as I haven't a clue about Superchips. My last one on the VXR was a simple remap.

[mad chemist]

Originally Posted by esscolab

From what the guys was telling me, it's just an ECU remap, no piggy backing involved. I may be wrong though as I haven't a clue about Superchips. My last one on the VXR was a simple remap.

Esscolab,

Also contacted Superchips and they said that it's a TMAP module. I wouldn't be surprised if it's actually just the SSTT from Split Second (or Eurobahn - same thing).

We found this out and bought our SSTT direct from Split Second. It arrived in 3 days fro the USA and apart from some VAT duty to pay (DHL pay initially when the unit comes in) the whole price including shipping came into around £400 - thats 50% cheaper than Superchips (I know they do offer a warranty though).

You take your pick.

With the K&N and the SSTT in my friends car, the performance is fantastic and a lot quicker than my standard car.

Well worth the small outlay and fiddly installation.

Mad Chemist.

[esscolab]

Moff you are correct, it is a "piggy back" chip, they just explained.

I've booked it in for 7/5/08 to get it installed. I will let you know the outcome once it's done.

They mentioned they would have to disconnect the battery, I guess I may lose the radio code but I guess the garage I bought it from can provide me with the details. Is there anything else I should be prepared when the battery is disconnected?

[esscolab]

Mad Chemist,

I will let you know once it's done. I'm getting it done in Chelmesford at Rallytec.

[MattD]

I'll be interested to see how this goes, and what codes, if any, show up when you take it back to the dealers.

Will the SSTT (if that is effectively what Superchips are using) even throw any codes though, as I thought it somehow worked with the stock ECU rather than fooling it with false readings etc?

Not sure if anyone else has been reading it, but there's an immensely long and quite interesting thread on the e90 forum, which started with a blown engine on a 335 and the impact of higher boost pressures etc.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137302

[esscolab]

That link makes some scary reading!

I'm not changing the cats, I won't be booting it for some time after it's chipped either. I'll be asking what pressure the turbo's will be put under when it's done and pose the questions about turbo lifespans...

I doubt a reputable company like Superchips would design a mod that puts the components under excess stress as mentioned on the forum. They even guarantee their work to a degree... I guess the proof here is in the pudding, I will give feedback once it's done.

[MattD]

Let me know what you think of the Rallytec bunch too, as if I get mine done they'll probably be the choice for me too.

Essex looks like the home of the 135 in the UK!

[0002s]

I've had the SSTT on my 135i for 500 miles now with no codes. Mad's review is spot on. The install is quick once you've done it once. The power in all gears is definitely increased.

[esscolab]

002's that's very promising, good to hear!

[moff]

Good luck with the install esscolab, will look forward to reading the reviews!

[esscolab]

Moff,

Thanks, will report back once it's been done.


Esscolab - The Guinea Pig:wink:

[esscolab]

Had the "Superchips" TMAP installed today.

Took car for a spin and the performance is very noticeable!

From 1st to 6th the car pulls much stronger in every gear, it's as if this is what the car should have been designed to do. You can definatly feel the bigger turbo kick in and you get a firm shove each time you hit the pedal.

Mike at Rallytec did an excellent job (just under 2 hours).

No battery disconnection needed so no error code issues.

Highly recommend this to anyone who wants more grunt from their 135i.

:biggrin:

[esscolab]

Sorry for the short write up, I am off out to get a better run in. Will report later...