Help Me ID My Tune!

e82fan8998 · 12-07-2014, 07:50 PM

New forum member here, and e82 owner as well. Here's my story: Purchased a 2009 135i from a non-BMW dealer in June, with 48k on the clock. The vehicle was your typical off-lease/warranty variety... brake rotors at the wear limit, original fluids in the diff, tranny, PS, etc. 100% stock right down to the valve stem caps, except for what follows below. I've been through the car extensively since purchase to refresh everything, making upgrades as I go. I always knew the car ran stronger than expected for a 300 hp rating, but with my only other test drive being a 2011 n55, I did not have much to go on.
Anyway, after installation of a P3 gauge with analog boost tap, I realized the car is hitting right at 15 psi boost under WOT, and stays at this level well up into the rev range. I also verified this with a separate analog gauge. Overall driveability is excellent, fuel mileage averages around 20 in mostly urban driving, no overheating or other issues, even during two days at RA under 90 degree temps in August. The only "complaint" is just that the car is easily able to overpower the soft bushings throughout the suspension, which i will be working to rectify.
I took the car in to the dealer to reflash the vehicle, as I was not comfortable running a tune I know nothing about, and have no control over, but they were unable to even access the DME to reprogram/overwrite it (locked)!
This is definitely a flash tune (nothing in the DME box), but the boost level does not seem to jive with what I see for Stage 1 tunes from the various offerings out there. Further, most flash tunes must be removed from the vehicle if the original purchaser wants to use it on another car or sell it.
So, to finally get to the question... do any of you have any idea what I've got here, and what my options are going forward? Will the purchase of another tuner allow me to overwrite what's on the car now, even though the dealer was unable to do so?
Any help/insight available would be really appreciated.

e82fan8998 · 12-08-2014, 09:15 AM

Help me out here with some insight and advice. My relatively limited ECU/DME tuning experience has not been very positive (VW 2.0T with APR tune - 3 years and ECU was shot due to moisture ingress due to inexperienced installer).
Now the E82, which I didn't even know was tuned when I bought it! Can it be overwritten? Is 15 psi boost excessive for an otherwise stock engine? Should I try another dealer? Help!

Grinchxvx · 12-08-2014, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e82fan8998

Help me out here with some insight and advice. My relatively limited ECU/DME tuning experience has not been very positive (VW 2.0T with APR tune - 3 years and ECU was shot due to moisture ingress due to inexperienced installer).
Now the E82, which I didn't even know was tuned when I bought it! Can it be overwritten? Is 15 psi boost excessive for an otherwise stock engine? Should I try another dealer? Help!

That is kind of a lot for a stock car, if you're running 93 then it should be good though. I run 91 and have jb4, dci, Downpipes, and exhaust, and on map 5 which auto tunes to what the various sensors determine is the safest likes to run around 14-15 psi. I'm surprised the dealer can't take you back to stock, Maybe try calling a different one and asking about it?
As far as which flash you have I'm
Betting it's one of the free bms flashes.

jturboawd · 12-08-2014, 09:38 AM

I have not heard of a tune running 15 across the board. Most tapper off. I was thinking about this the other day though, if you use say, ***********, to reflash a DME. Then sell a car without providing base code. How does new user return to stock?

I bet there is a source code file that you can use to flash to stock using BT cable and ***********. I would proceed with caution though, maybe even take it to a reputable tuner. You could also try to tune it yourself. Have you looked to see if there is a piggyback sitting in DME compartment? I am not sure if say a cobb would overwrite correctly I would recommend calling them to see. You could also use a JB4 or BT cable and monitor parameters to see where you, if it look safe continue using it. Or you could look for source code, flash to stock, and go from there. Any of these options are going to run the risk of bricking the DME.

Sorry for your situation, it sounds frustrating. I recommend moving over to the DME discussions on *********** for more info.

A_Squared · 12-08-2014, 09:51 AM

Could it be dinan tuned? Mine was when I bought it. I was able to email dinan and provide them with the vin and they were able to tell me if the software was ever purchased and installed on the car. You could give that a shot, they responded pretty quickly to me.

e82fan8998 · 12-08-2014, 11:43 AM

Appreciate the advice guys! Yes, it's a very frustrating situation. I mean, how many cars have a modded DME and still have the original valve stem caps! :-)
I was hoping to avoid replacing the DME unit, but that may end up being the most straightforward solution. In fact, I did this on the Passat with one from a wrecked vehicle of the same year and it worked out fine.

12-07-2014, 07:50 PM	#1
e82fan8998 New Member 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW 135i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (0)	Help Me ID My Tune! New forum member here, and e82 owner as well. Here's my story: Purchased a 2009 135i from a non-BMW dealer in June, with 48k on the clock. The vehicle was your typical off-lease/warranty variety... brake rotors at the wear limit, original fluids in the diff, tranny, PS, etc. 100% stock right down to the valve stem caps, except for what follows below. I've been through the car extensively since purchase to refresh everything, making upgrades as I go. I always knew the car ran stronger than expected for a 300 hp rating, but with my only other test drive being a 2011 n55, I did not have much to go on. Anyway, after installation of a P3 gauge with analog boost tap, I realized the car is hitting right at 15 psi boost under WOT, and stays at this level well up into the rev range. I also verified this with a separate analog gauge. Overall driveability is excellent, fuel mileage averages around 20 in mostly urban driving, no overheating or other issues, even during two days at RA under 90 degree temps in August. The only "complaint" is just that the car is easily able to overpower the soft bushings throughout the suspension, which i will be working to rectify. I took the car in to the dealer to reflash the vehicle, as I was not comfortable running a tune I know nothing about, and have no control over, but they were unable to even access the DME to reprogram/overwrite it (locked)! This is definitely a flash tune (nothing in the DME box), but the boost level does not seem to jive with what I see for Stage 1 tunes from the various offerings out there. Further, most flash tunes must be removed from the vehicle if the original purchaser wants to use it on another car or sell it. So, to finally get to the question... do any of you have any idea what I've got here, and what my options are going forward? Will the purchase of another tuner allow me to overwrite what's on the car now, even though the dealer was unable to do so? Any help/insight available would be really appreciated.
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12-08-2014, 09:15 AM	#2
e82fan8998 New Member 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW 135i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (0)	Come On... Someone Out There Must Have Some Ideas! Help me out here with some insight and advice. My relatively limited ECU/DME tuning experience has not been very positive (VW 2.0T with APR tune - 3 years and ECU was shot due to moisture ingress due to inexperienced installer). Now the E82, which I didn't even know was tuned when I bought it! Can it be overwritten? Is 15 psi boost excessive for an otherwise stock engine? Should I try another dealer? Help!
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12-08-2014, 09:38 AM	#4
jturboawd Private First Class 55 Rep 182 Posts Drives: e36, e46, 135i, m4, x4m Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: houston iTrader: (0)	I have not heard of a tune running 15 across the board. Most tapper off. I was thinking about this the other day though, if you use say, *********, to reflash a DME. Then sell a car without providing base code. How does new user return to stock? I bet there is a source code file that you can use to flash to stock using BT cable and *******. I would proceed with caution though, maybe even take it to a reputable tuner. You could also try to tune it yourself. Have you looked to see if there is a piggyback sitting in DME compartment? I am not sure if say a cobb would overwrite correctly I would recommend calling them to see. You could also use a JB4 or BT cable and monitor parameters to see where you, if it look safe continue using it. Or you could look for source code, flash to stock, and go from there. Any of these options are going to run the risk of bricking the DME. Sorry for your situation, it sounds frustrating. I recommend moving over to the DME discussions on ********* for more info.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-08-2014, 09:51 AM	#5
A_Squared Banned 46 Rep 363 Posts Drives: n54 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (2)	Could it be dinan tuned? Mine was when I bought it. I was able to email dinan and provide them with the vin and they were able to tell me if the software was ever purchased and installed on the car. You could give that a shot, they responded pretty quickly to me.
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12-08-2014, 11:43 AM	#6
e82fan8998 New Member 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW 135i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the Suggestions Appreciate the advice guys! Yes, it's a very frustrating situation. I mean, how many cars have a modded DME and still have the original valve stem caps! :-) I was hoping to avoid replacing the DME unit, but that may end up being the most straightforward solution. In fact, I did this on the Passat with one from a wrecked vehicle of the same year and it worked out fine.
	Appreciate 0 Quote