2013 128i n52 - Stage 1 Tune - My Experience

[mack128i]

Fellow 1ers,

This post covers - how I was able to open my trunk with a disconnected battery and how I had recover my Bimmer with self-inflicted issues I had with a tune install...

I wanted to share some pointers, and huge learning points on my experience with my Stage 1 tune. I am not going to share the vendor where I got the tune because in the end, the tune did its job. I on the other hand did have some challenges due to my own ignorance, or not paying attention.

1. My first advice is, know what you ARE doing and PAY attention. You are moding a significant component of your vehicle, that you CAN mess up.

2. I did just that, I messed up, big time. I imaged my OEM file just fine and sent it to the vendor to receive my Stage 1 file in return. No issues there...my problem began when I was installing my Stage 1 tune...the problem here is see #1. While I was imaging my OEM file for the vendor I was in my car and called them and they told me NOT to open the door, I would need to stay in the car, I was in there for 45 mins.

3. Make sure that you DO NOT have anything open on the vehicle, no doors, no trunk lid, no lights, NOTHING. As I was loading my Stage 1 tune file, I was a completed newb, dumbass, and was not paying attention and I had left my door open! I rushed and did not pay attention....

4. This interrupted the tune, and the software threw an ERROR! It wiped my ECU completely, at this point it had completely wiped the memory bank on ECU. At this point the ECU had nothing on it, and would not accept the file, nothing worked, the vendor did all they could to help but I had to take my ECU out and UPS it to them for a bench tune.

5. Hence my next issue I did not pay attention on, when I unhooked the battery, I closed my trunk with a detached battery, at this point I had not realized what I had done!

6. So today, I get my ECU back, take it out of the box, install the ECU, then go to open the trunk and NOTHING. No power, nothing nada, holy cow I had no battery!

7. You will see SO many posts about accessing the trunk with a dead battery, and can pop the trunk attaching a booster to the jump points under the hood. This simply did not work for me at all. I think it was because my battery was completely unhooked. I was freaking out, I had run out of options.

8. A buddy of mine runs a restoration shop and I had it towed there so he could remove the back seat to access the trunk. The tow almost could not happen because my tow point was in the trunk, so I had to go to a local import shop and use a point they let me borrow. He was able to get the car turned around and loaded. The wheels and tires were only 2 weeks on the car so I was freaking out about this, he did end up scrubbing the wheels a bit but he is paying to have those fixed.

9. The 1er got there, and he was able to access the trunk by supplying power to the push button in the cockpit down on the lower left of the drivers side door!

10. He re-installed the ECU and got her cranked up and ready to roll again.

So my points:

-Pay attention
-If you don't think you know what you are doing, take it to a Bimmer shop for the tune
-Have the doors shut and put the laptop on the hood, with the windows down.
-Do not close the trunk with the battery disconnected
-If you do, you can pop it by having a shop open it by putting power to the trunk lid actuator. If putting the booster on the jump points, that is.


Hope this helps anyone thinking of getting a tune, or have had issues trying to open the trunk with a disconnected or dead battery on a 128i e82.

Mack

[asbrr]

Yikes - that sounds stressful. Glad it worked out for you.
What tune did you get and what are your impressions?

[mack128i]

asbrr very stressful, for the most part I walked away with minimal issues to the car, ended up with smudges on the brand new Beyern wheels, which the tow truck guy could not help, quite honestly. My buddy who popped the trunk, does restoration, and he can make those smudges disappear for me He even had to turn my car using the tow point since it was setting awkward position in the drive way, turning on my brand new Extreme Contacts! He put wheel trucks on the front wheels for them to ride on.

I went with the Turner tune, I liked them because of their presence in the race circuit and that the guy that does the tune is the same one that tunes their race car. Anytime I can get an expert, I'll take it.

Their customer service guys were there every step to answer every, stress filled, question I had. Very patient...

They have now a customer for life, today I orderd 7l of Liqui Moly and a silicon intake boot. This weekend I will install the boot, drop the K&N and delete the CF.


I do not really know how to provide specific feedback on the tune, I am a newb in this area, and really just wanted to give her some more umph and response, this tune did just that for me.

[minirips2]

Is the Stage 1 tune for a vehicle with no other mods such as DISA manifold and/or exhaust mods? I'm curious about your opinion of the gains, since I assume it's "butt dyno" only.

[mack128i]

Originally Posted by minirips2

Is the Stage 1 tune for a vehicle with no other mods such as DISA manifold and/or exhaust mods? I'm curious about your opinion of the gains, since I assume it's "butt dyno" only.

@minirips2 yes, that is correct, my next Stage, 2, would be a intake manifold upgrade combined with another tune...the only mod I have is the new tune, and this weekend I'll install a silicon intake boot from TMS, with a K&N drop combined with a CF delete.

As far as gains go, I'm impressed. She accelerates effortlessly, and also responds when needed. So it seems the tune really gives you what demand you need at the moment. When I want a nice smooth and effortless acceleration I get it. When I need power and speed, it responds. It's a nice clean, and crisp experience. minirips2 read my edit here also.

[asbrr]

Originally Posted by minirips2

Is the Stage 1 tune for a vehicle with no other mods such as DISA manifold and/or exhaust mods? I'm curious about your opinion of the gains, since I assume it's "butt dyno" only.

Yep - stage 1 means just software and nothing else.

I have a stage 1 BPC tune, and you can feel the change in response and extra torque down low. Overall the car definitely feels more "muscular". So I'd say the advertised claims of 10-15hp and similar torque are not too far off. I need to get my ass in gear and find a 3 stage manifold now.

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by asbrr

Yep - stage 1 means just software and nothing else.

I have a stage 1 BPC tune, and you can feel the change in response and extra torque down low. Overall the car definitely feels more "muscular". So I'd say the advertised claims of 10-15hp and similar torque are not too far off. I need to get my ass in gear and find a 3 stage manifold now.

I did the BPC tune as well - I went through every stage - 1/2/Header/Alfa N/MILV and even the burble.

Next stop is a dyno tune.

[mack128i]

Originally Posted by Taskmaster

I did the BPC tune as well - I went through every stage - 1/2/Header/Alfa N/MILV and even the burble.

Next stop is a dyno tune.

Originally Posted by Taskmaster

I did the BPC tune as well - I went through every stage - 1/2/Header/Alfa N/MILV and even the burble.

Next stop is a dyno tune.

I'm pretty happy with where I am now, TMS claims up to 20hp and 19 on torque. I know that it isn't at the wheels, but there is definitely a noticeable difference, this damn thing is now FUN to drive.

With my issues I had with my Stage 1 I am rather fun shy to go above where I am, I would like to complete the intake install, but as much as I like to tinker, as my wife says, I would rather pay a shop to do it, and do the updated tune. However, that is down the road, likely next year.

[varoadking]

Sorry for your troubles...

I learned long ago that the about the only thing I trust myself to do is fill it with gas. I rely on the pros for everything else...

[mack128i]

Originally Posted by varoadking

Sorry for your troubles...

I learned long ago that the about the only thing I trust myself to do is fill it with gas. I rely on the pros for everything else...

@varoadking you are exactly correct

[chris82]

Originally Posted by varoadking

Sorry for your troubles...

I learned long ago that the about the only thing I trust myself to do is fill it with gas. I rely on the pros for everything else...

I try not to touch anything that affects how the car drives or functions. basically cosmetic stuff only