N55 - JB3 or Procede

[John135]

New to tuning. Looking for advise on which is the better tune for the N55?

JB3 @ $400, or the Procede @ $1000.

[oman135]

Procede!

[ChromoX]

I am wondering the same question.... Procede or JB3? Can anyone give their personal experiences with each? I have read the differences and understand that the procede is supposedly much better because its directly linked to the CANbus, but does it really matter?

[FORCED AIR]

It does matter to some extent...both tunes for the N55 are not nearly as fully developed as they are for the N54. Also, before the JB4 came out for the N54 the JB3 ran w/o CAN capability and still ran better times with less issues (i am not trying to start a war here just saying that based on what has been presented here and on other forums). So yes...CAN is "better" for speed and integration of control but that may not necessarily mean it is the better tune for you, for the money I wouldn't think you are getting a whole lot more this early in the development of the N55 tuning world. Meaning both will come out with much upgraded and higher performing versions. Burger is known for giving great upgrade prices for new equipment to previous customers. I don't know how Vishnu is with this...I have heard but I will refrain from hearsay.

In short...yes it is better to have CAN.

If it were me...I would look at the performance each is putting out currently...maybe their performance success with the N54 as well. And look into upgrade policy and development plans for the N55...then see if the extra cost now is worth the CAN bus integration. I haven't researched the N55 specifically much so I can't give you much more...and the fan boy answers are never very helpful. (you know who you are)

[Aries932]

Honestly another factor that plays in is how much work you want to go through to take your car in for dealership work. Now that I know how to connect up the JB3 it literally takes me about 15 minutes to plug everything in. I already have to take off the Injen Intake before I have to go in which is a good bit of work in itself.

Procede I know due to having to plug into the actual ECU box wiring takes quite a bit longer. I will say however that it seems like Procede has a bit more control over the engine at the moment. It is also putting out more whp. I am sure they will be on the same level once Terry comes out with the JB4 though.

[nsquared]

Originally Posted by John135

New to tuning. Looking for advise on which is the better tune for the N55?

JB3 @ $400, or the Procede @ $1000.

Probably should wait for Cobb Tuning. AccessPORT is easy to install and uninstall.

[M135]

I ordered the JB3 (don't have it in yet) on the basis that my buddy who has an e92 with an N54 has received a lot of good support from Terry. He is always prompt in answering messages and has helped him every time he has questions.

I sent Terry an email making sure about my build date for the maf sensor and he responded quickly.

[Z-8]

Originally Posted by ianf2002

I have had great support from JB.
Procede may be a more 'complete' tune though as monitors timing & fuel, where as JB3 doesn't

Me too.

The only thing I haven't liked about my JB3 thus far is the boost gauge hijack. If you hijack the fuel gauge for a psi display with a CAN tool, it clearly shows stock boost levels while running JB3. Terry emailed me back (very quickly) that the gauge would display stock boost with the JB3 installed. Makes me wonder a little.

The car feels strong, but not sooo much different then stock that you really know how exactly much boost your getting, so I would've liked to have seen it displayed. It also makes me wonder how the increased boost really works, i.e. where/how are the stock psi numbers still being generated.

[M135]

Did you get a USB cable to do logging? That will help.

[FDfranklin]

Great support with BMS... and from what ive heard not so great support with vishnu

[bogart]

I'm waiting for COBB.

[parky1215]

i am waiting for flash tune for n55. but if i had to decide between jb3/procede, i would probably go with procede. jb3 stage 1 is currently not as advanced as procede for n55.

[VALAS135i]

Originally Posted by FDfranklin

Great support with BMS... and from what ive heard not so great support with vishnu

That may be but the tune is bulletproof so not much support is needed.

[woner]

Originally Posted by VALAS135i

That may be but the tune is bulletproof so not much support is needed.

Not in my experience. I had the jb3 and then the procede and now I'm waiting for a flash..Out of those two I would pick the jb3 for price and ease of install.

[Murdered_One]

Originally Posted by Aries932

Honestly another factor that plays in is how much work you want to go through to take your car in for dealership work. Now that I know how to connect up the JB3 it literally takes me about 15 minutes to plug everything in. I already have to take off the Injen Intake before I have to go in which is a good bit of work in itself.

HAHA.. I went into dealership last 4 times with Injen Intake on.. All my modded car buds never take their intakes off everytime.. thats ridiculous. Also, I just leave the JB3 hooked up, and just turn it off.

[cmdboy]

You should compare JB4 to procede. To me Procede has more functionality but JB4 has been catching up lately.

[cmdboy]

Cobb would be another solution when they come out but the current price it's high.

[mra]

Originally Posted by ianf2002

I think Cob & Dinan are taking the piss with the N55 flash tunes. It has taken them so long I am starting to think that it isn't possible on the N55

There are tuning companies in the UK and Germany that have flash tunes available - apparently wasn't easy, lots of anti-tuner measures from BMW. I don't think any of them are loading through the OBD II port yet?

JB3 vs Procede is a tough one... JB4 sounds a like a big improvement over the JB3 but not out for the N55 so why bother until the JB4 is out for the N55? They way JB3 has been described by various people, it doesn't sound like much more than a boost controller (I'm probably wrong). Everyone raves about Terry's customer service however and that counts for something.

Procede is polarising, some accuse shiv of blowing engines, others say he's an incredibly gifted tuner. The tech certainly seems more impressive than JB3 - better integration with the car, more signals to read/process etc If it matters, people seem to be getting more power with procede going off the dyno results I've seen posted around here.

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Originally Posted by mra

There are tuning companies in the UK and Germany that have flash tunes available - apparently wasn't easy, lots of anti-tuner measures from BMW. I don't think any of them are loading through the OBD II port yet?

JB3 vs Procede is a tough one... JB4 sounds a like a big improvement over the JB3 but not out for the N55 so why bother until the JB4 is out for the N55? They way JB3 has been described by various people, it doesn't sound like much more than a boost controller (I'm probably wrong). Everyone raves about Terry's customer service however and that counts for something.

Procede is polarising, some accuse shiv of blowing engines, others say he's an incredibly gifted tuner. The tech certainly seems more impressive than JB3 - better integration with the car, more signals to read/process etc If it matters, people seem to be getting more power with procede going off the dyno results I've seen posted around here.

The JB Stage 1 is $379 and the PROcede version $945. Power has actually been very similar between them. 300-340whp depending on support mods, dyno, conditions, etc. Track performance has been similar also with a best of 12.38 w/ PROcede and 12.42 w/ JB Stage1. The JB Stage1 is meant to be a simple, fun, and easy to install tune. It's not fully integrated and feature packed like the JB4 is as that would add a a lot of complication to the install, cost, etc. In the future I'm sure they'll release a more feature packed tune for the N55 that Stage1 owners get 100% trade up credit towards but I don't expect power to change much. The Stage1 can already work at the limits of the small factory compressor.

Mike

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Originally Posted by ianf2002

Will the JB3 stage 2 incorporate CANBus integration?

Also Procede seems to measure fuel mix & have auto tune to prevent knocking?

I don't know what features BMS has planned for N55 Stage2. Their N54 Stage3 has autotuning, in dash gauges, CAN integration, etc. So I would presume the same for the N55 at some point. Lots of claims are made regarding safety, performance, fueling, etc, but you need to look no further than the various customer dynos and experiences posted. They have been very similar in terms of power, AFR curves, etc. User experiences in terms of reliability, check engine lights, etc, have also been similar. The JB Stage1 is regarded as easier to install by those who have installed both.

For example PROcede full bolt ons. Best of 320whp and 380wtq:



Same day a BMS Stage1 with downpipe was posted. Best of 326whp and 380wtq:



Then there are some posts from guys who have made only 300hp or less with both systems. No doubt settings or conditions related.

Mike

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Originally Posted by BimmerEngineer

John135, there's no JB upgrade past stg 1 for the N55 stg 1 beta in the near future >> (1-2 years) and by then the 2 series will be around the corner...... JB4 is N54 only.. My adage at this point is "You get what you pay for".....

My 2 cents after experiencing both, & (cobb neither has nor will... even make a N55 version of their tune in a year or more either):

Do the Procede hands down.... The JB3 will limit your power to about 330 rank hp and 330 crank tq... The wheel hp gains quoted by JB are rather over stated... by about 20-25 hp and same for tq........ The Procede is a self-tune>> (same for JB4) but unlike the JB4, the procede also is independantly tunable if you so choose, on a dyno... Seems to make the best bang for the $$ ... Just the tune alone from Procede makes 15+ more whl hp and tq than the competitors...

I've lived with the JB3 N55 for 8 months (my car is stock 7-spd dct 2011 with the JB) then drove a friends stock 7-spd dct 2011 135 with a Procede and was totally blown away\hooked!!! Sooo much more power every place.... Even ran the him with his procede and it's like he had a 500lb weight reduction, in terms of how much of a gap he pulled away from me from 0-80, 2 cars!!! just insane!!!..... Plus now with his new DP his car slightly spins\chirps the tires at 65 mph shifting from 2 to 3 gear (7-spd dct)... I'm ditching the ***ch and making the switch =)...

Procede has my vote...

Mike N54tuning is correct:
Density Altitude will have a HUGE effect on Hp on the dyno and on the performance of your car.... A self tune will correct and adjust for these conditions and give the same or similar power no matter where you are...

California where these tuners are seems to often have a Density altitude at or below sea level which will have the effect of adding 20-50 hp to your car depending on how low the DA is... Here in Az the Alt is 1100' above sea level and never gets below 700' above sea level and is often, year round near 1500-3000 above sea level.... so the BMS car dyno above would be more like 280-295 whl hp after said mods, not 312-316hp or even 320hp..

My 2011 135 N55 stock with a DA of 900' MSL that's above mean sea level, & air temp outside of 64*F, Dyno'd at a weak 239 whp and 245 whtq.... The weakest car I've had on a dyno of the 5 cars that I've owned in last 23 years... My last car stock was 475whp\441whtq: 2007 Z06

Sounds like you're still on the old DME firmware and default JB settings. The new firmware and JB settings changed everything. Power went up 20-30whp and JB Stage1 times went from 12.8s at the track to 12.4s. All with greatly improved drivability. Get the new DME update and test out the +5psi setting if you have access to good 93 octane.

Additional info here:
http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7992

Also, I think you have it mixed up on the self tuning. The JB4 is the only N54 tune out today that allows user RPM by RPM adjustment of boost, AFR, and CPS offset. None of the other tunes including the PROcede even offer RPM by RPM boost adjustment yet alone AFR and CPS.

Mike

[Biasasaja]

Originally Posted by ianf2002

JB3 on the N55 isn't as 'complete' a tune as the Procede. The autotune & CAN integration is a nice feature on the Procede. The Procede comes at a 200% premium though.

Personally I have just sold my JB3, and having a Procede fitted this weekend. Also Procede make a RHD harness for me, which JB don't.

The JB3 is a great product for the price though, I enjoyed mine.

let us know how the procede makes you feel.
faster or slower.