Engine Drivetrain 1st Gen Cooper Most liked posts in thread: ECU tuning

I would pay to see this video.....Dave.O not able to get out of second gear ! !

 

What year MINI do you have ?

Look up RMW a.k.a. Revolution Mini Works. Jan is the owner / ECU tuner.

 

Since the car is busted this is kinda a moot point but I will put the information here in case someone else is interested.

Tuning Options, that I personally know exist and have had some interaction with:

First - (as Dave.0 loves to say Really Dave give it a rest) RMW/Jan custom tune. This can be done in person or via remote, it can also be done by purchasing the DimSport Programming module or not.

Here is the break down, In Person without the purchase of the programming box, this is the cheapest, but not always the easiest, as you will have to be where Jan is this might be an event, or at his shop. The down side, is that if you do not purchase the programming box, you do not have your original flash to re-install if you need to.

You can organize your own event (I did this here in Orlando) and Jan will fly out if you have enough full paying cars/tunes. I had 13 cars, I will write a How To Organize a Tune Event Soon.

You can purchase the RMW/DimSport Programming box and RMW/Jan can tune from remote, this is not a cheap endeavor, as the DimSport Box (a Slave that can only be used on your car once the original DME Flash is Read) is about 350.oo$, then the Tune itself (between 350 and 500$ last I heard), and of course you will have to book Dyno time to have the information read and sent to RMW/Jan and he will create a file that will be sent back and installed on the DimSport Box and Flashed to your ECU/DME and another Dyno run will have to be done to see the outcome.

I know that on sight tuning took about an hour each car on the Dyno (rough Estimate) Most Dyno's are about 100$ an hour.

When my car was tuned, Jan made me two separate maps, one for with the water / methanol (conservative) and one for without, I was on the dyno for more than an hour, and we made 11 pulls! I also gained 30WHP at the end result. (as they say your mileage may vary).

Way Motor Works - Way in my personal opinion is a good business man that stands behind everything he sells and every transaction. To his Tunes and Tuning Skill I personally can not say anything, about them. Yes he offers Canned Tunes. You Ship your ECU/DME to him and he flashes it to a tune that is has available. This could be a JCW tune or some other modified tune, that is something that you would have to go over with him.

Way will tune in person also at his shop or at events, he is usually at MotD and M&M as well as others I am sure.

Factory JCW Tune: You can get most dealerships now to flash the JCW tune on your car for about 1 hour of shop time. It might actually take more, as your ECU/DME has to be up to date with the latest firmware before the final JCW Flash is installed, but they usually only charge for the one hour total. I have seen this done on several cars and the bang for the buck is actually pretty good, average shop cost is 150$. If you are doing this on an R53 you really need at least the following; JCW injectors, CAI and a Smaller Pulley.

Dont call and ask about this on the phone as you will most likely just be told; no we do not do that, we only install the flash if you buy the entire kit from us and we install it. BUT if you go in person talk to the service adviser and explain the mods and what you want done, you can usually get it done.

Do not expect the world from the factory tune, it is only a marginally hot factory/safe tune, it is good, but can not even be in the same room as a completely custom tune.

Mynes Tuning / Bytetronic - (NOTE I have not used this) This seems like an amazing idea, you re-flash the ECU/DME and it basically becomes a quasi-standalone ECU. Everything I have read though says this can be VERY dangerous as you tune the car yourself, make a mistake and you have a very nice driveway ornament. What I can tell you from personal experience about the Mynes company- I was very interested in the system, I contacted them and asked about the system, I also found out that they have a forum for users of their system. I asked before I bought it (its almost a thousand dollars) if I could have access to the forum to see what real users said about the system, I was told NO! I ask about having read only access I was told NO!

I personally am not going to give anyone 1k$ for product that completely changes the way my ECU/DME works, having heard many negative statements about the system without some real world information. So in the end I did not go with them and personally based on the information and experience with the people that I spoke to at the company would not suggest them at all. I only put this here as it is an option, buyer beware.

Canned Tune / Injectors - There does not seem to be many of these around anymore, but they used to be a canned tune that was pretty aggressive and are not suggest by many people. Again I have no personal experience.

Stand Alone - This is for the person that is going to go all out. Its expensive BUT you can do any and all the mods you want, anyone that has a good understanding of tuning can tune the car. You also get logging and control of add-ons like Water/Meth and Nitrous Oxide. ViPEC is the suggest one for the MINI as it is basically a drop in replacement.

I am sure there are other people/places, I have heard that Precision Autoworks in Miami does tuning, but do not know for sure about this. If I missed something I am sure the other members here will post and let us know.

 

I would like to add to this make sure that your tire pressure is correct all the way around, I have actually seen a 20WHP drop for a tire that was 10lbs of pressure low!

Also scan the computer, if it has any codes have whatever the problem is FIXED, dont just clear it and hope the tune makes it better, IT WILL NOT, it will make it worse.

Also Never Never Run 87 Costco Gas - well run it if you hate your car!

Its like the people I meet that buy a really nice gun and spend Cubic Dollars on it, and then run the shittiest reload aluminum casing crap I have even seen through it. You bought a nice car and are paying to have it tuned, treat it nice.

 

Very nice. I've never met the guy...does he smoke cigars? Maybe he can check to see if my ecu tune is up to par....

 

Reading seems to be a problem here, lately. Opinions get blasted now and then, but one has to read between the lines as he examines the criticizers' comments.

Good luck with your MINI...you WILL find good help here.

 

We really DO try to be helpful here. It's just that we, at times, get all caught up in ourselves and our opinions. That said, we are MINI here, though... in all MINI/Mini shapes, sizes and years. Even with our differing opinions on many topics, our tolerances and occasional discords make us THE best.

 

When the car won't engage in gear it is almost always the slave cylinder.

They are not that expensive but can be a PITA to bleed as a DIY job.

 

Jan does remote tunes WORLD WIDE! Yes you will also have to buy the flash loader, which isnt cheap, but its doable and you can store a few tunes and change them out yourself when you want...

 

Might consider that as now my R50 has a Milltek header and catback and intake, which
might benefit more from a non-canned tune.

 

Nice write up and some good info above.

The number one thing anyone should do before thinking of getting any tune from anyone is make sure your motor is in great running shape.

Clean air filter
Fresh oil at the correct level
New plugs at proper heat range
Check your coil and plug wires (OEM)
New tensioner with the correct belt * if SC'ed
For all cars a solid Crank pulley
A full tank of fuel

*Fill the tank with the fuel you run daily do not use race fuel because you want a high one time number on a dyno or you will have issues later whey you fill up at Cosco with 87 octane.

All of these things need to be done and 100% before you get a tune from anyone.


For RMW:
*You only need the DimSport flashing tool if you plan on changing your tune and putting another one on.

OR

You are having him tune your car remotely

I do not have a flash tool and my car has been great for years (6+). Even when I added Meth to my system Jan updated the tune for me when he was in town.

 

Sounds like a custom tune would make you happy....
RMW did mine...
More power, smoother running than new, and more MPG....tough to beat...
Also had the DSC tweaked to make it less obnoxious..... And gas pedal made more sensetive....made the $$ I paid a great deal.

 

Jan at RMW is the way for you to go.

Revolution Mini Works

 

Ok when you say it is dead what do you mean?

Won't start "click" Or just keeps turning over and over?

Have you checked all the fuses including the ones under the hood?

Check plug wires and coil connections?

 

Truth or not, what Way offered me has been a great add to my R50 and my R53. I have nothing against Way. He has done great work for me when he was in Indianapolis and when he is at MOTD [Atlanta is just too far for me to go to his shop, now]. So, you can see that my problem is that of logistics. Jan is too far from me, unless you know of a place closer. Way is at MOTD...is Jan? Chad is at MOTD. too, and he has also done some work for me, too, but, does he do Jan's tunes? I don't know, so I'm staying with Way until I hear something else.

 

OK...what's your flavor...mild, medium or full? Make sure you are there..., ok? I'm bringing mediums and fulls, unless it's a problem. Camacho 10th Anniversarys and Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagnes. This IS our 10th year, ya know.

 

I smoke menthol cigarets but I have a cigar from time to time. I will gladly except whatever you think is best as I am not a true cigar guy like yourself. :smile5: