Hi all mod masters,
I need some reliable 3rd party advice to swing the vote for me which of the titled 3 options should i opt for my car.
Case background:
I drive an E46 330 PFL and have been upping the mods here and there over the past 2+ years i've had the car. I left ECU untouched till all physical mods have been completed to my satisfaction because it didn't make sense to alter the ECU while i was still in the modding phase. Alas, i seem to have come to the end of my modding project and the final step naturally would be the ECU.
My view is that ECU management is as much about optimising the performance of the combination of the after-market parts with the car, as it is about squeezing out more power. I can't help but feel that the car is not performing at its optimal, even though with the new parts, there is visible power increase & enhanced performance. This is due to my understanding that the ECU is still "thinking" that it's a stock car with stock parts. Even if ECU is able to adapt, it's still not optimal.
The 2 schools of ECU management would obviously be to either reflash or piggyback.
1. Reflash option is kinda out for me because 2 trips to Rhommel failed to have his PC communicate with my ECU. "Can't detect your ECU", he says. Disappointed yes, but on second thoughts, i don't know how long i would be keeping the car, and the moolah spent would naturally go down the drain - unlike other after market parts which can find a 2nd owner. The reflashed ECU would also be useless to the next owner if i choose to demod.
2. Unichip has been garnering rather good reviews, but i heard that there are perimeters that cannot be accessed/altered (compared to flashing), plus of course, it's a piggyback after all so there will certainly be limitations. Plus side is that it's portable, able to move to my next car, or even resellable. Good tuner is also not easy to come by, no?
3. The final option is to leave it alone. Deal with the loss of potential power (can't miss what you don't know!) and hope that ECU don't go crazy on me later on.
Mods that i've done that affects ECU management:
- Gruppe M
- Supersprint cat-back
- pulleys
- technik cams
mods that may or may not affect ECU management:
- Coil/Sprint booster/IVAC
- Volkers & Ignition Coil upgrade (?)
Since the reflashing option is kinda out, it's actually a tie between Unichipping or leaving it alone. Any suggestions from all modders are very welcome!
Thanks!
I need some reliable 3rd party advice to swing the vote for me which of the titled 3 options should i opt for my car.
Case background:
I drive an E46 330 PFL and have been upping the mods here and there over the past 2+ years i've had the car. I left ECU untouched till all physical mods have been completed to my satisfaction because it didn't make sense to alter the ECU while i was still in the modding phase. Alas, i seem to have come to the end of my modding project and the final step naturally would be the ECU.
My view is that ECU management is as much about optimising the performance of the combination of the after-market parts with the car, as it is about squeezing out more power. I can't help but feel that the car is not performing at its optimal, even though with the new parts, there is visible power increase & enhanced performance. This is due to my understanding that the ECU is still "thinking" that it's a stock car with stock parts. Even if ECU is able to adapt, it's still not optimal.
The 2 schools of ECU management would obviously be to either reflash or piggyback.
1. Reflash option is kinda out for me because 2 trips to Rhommel failed to have his PC communicate with my ECU. "Can't detect your ECU", he says. Disappointed yes, but on second thoughts, i don't know how long i would be keeping the car, and the moolah spent would naturally go down the drain - unlike other after market parts which can find a 2nd owner. The reflashed ECU would also be useless to the next owner if i choose to demod.
2. Unichip has been garnering rather good reviews, but i heard that there are perimeters that cannot be accessed/altered (compared to flashing), plus of course, it's a piggyback after all so there will certainly be limitations. Plus side is that it's portable, able to move to my next car, or even resellable. Good tuner is also not easy to come by, no?
3. The final option is to leave it alone. Deal with the loss of potential power (can't miss what you don't know!) and hope that ECU don't go crazy on me later on.
Mods that i've done that affects ECU management:
- Gruppe M
- Supersprint cat-back
- pulleys
- technik cams
mods that may or may not affect ECU management:
- Coil/Sprint booster/IVAC
- Volkers & Ignition Coil upgrade (?)
Since the reflashing option is kinda out, it's actually a tie between Unichipping or leaving it alone. Any suggestions from all modders are very welcome!
Thanks!
