BMS 50i Tune (DIY)

[X5Jouster]

Originally Posted by Hamad Nasser

Would this mod affect the warranty?

i am drawn towards saying yes....

now understand i am unversed in this aspect of tunes, although ive tuned and brought into dealers without issue (2010 335i Cobb tune)

now if you have a tune and nothing transpires or breaks, who cares. if you have an issue that needs repaired, engine or transmission related, i feel they will find it.

whether a piggyback tune or a flash or ecu, these all allow the cars to pull much higher torque and horsepower numbers. these manufacturers have limit preset so our cars will never exceed those limits. if we have tunes and we do exceed those limits, it will be logged on the ECU.

i could be talking out my ass or i could be right.

with my new x5 50 i am hesitant under 300 miles to tough it other then air filter

[X5Jouster]

as well as the extreme boost PSI that comes along with higher numbers.....no way we would have extreme boost spikes that are stable without having a tune. if there was errant boost pressure, it would be a leak or turbo issue.

these boost pressures log on the ecu for sure. i just dont know what it looks like to the manufacturer

[Alan l.]

I have this same exact tune for my LCI 550 with the same N63TU motor and its been flawless. Takes 2mins to install and remove. The default setting is at 11'oclock position. I have mine at alittle past 12 now and the power is awesome. I can still get 26mpg on the long trips which isn't bad for a twin turbo V8!

Alan

[bluelodge400]

“Technically” YES, it does void the warranty on any engine related warranty issues. But it really comes down to the dealer.

Most dealers turn a blind eye to these type of mods. A good service advisor knows if they turn down your warranty claim, you will take it someplace else and the service department will not get paid for the work. I have been to a dealer that will find the littlest of things to not allow you to claim an issue under warranty(Peter Pan BMW). And I have been to other dealers that know 100% that it’s not a warranty issue but they will allow it anyway(Rector Porsche Audi). It all depends on how the SA wants to write up the warranty claim.
If it comes to a blown motor, that’s an entirely different beats! The dealer has to get the regional service tech involved. They send samples of ALL fluids to BMW NA for testing(They typically check to make use that you have not put ANY non oem BMW fluids, especially oil, in the vehicle).
Since replacing an engine is not an easy process or one dealers like to do, they usually fix what they can the easy way before they move to get BMW NA involved to do an engine replacement.


Alan I.
Do you have any other mods other than the tune? I’d like to turn mine up to the 12 position once the car is a little more broken in and someone comes out with an air intake.

[cy07]

Hey Blue, congrats on the tune! It's funny you mention PETER PAN BMW, I've had the worst experience there as well, but it's 5 mins away from my place so I still get tempted sometimes.

I am getting my car in 3 days, definitely interested in this tune as it runs so well on many other members with N63tu engine. I suppose you take your car to mountain view BMW instead?

[opasha]

Ok, so I talked to Paul at Race Chip. He explained to me that I should do what @42pilot said and drive the car with the dummy plug (not sure how many miles before the X5 corrects itself) until the CEL disappears. So, I just drove 10 miles; I'll put 20 more tomorrow or so to see if it goes away. He said if it doesn't go away, the harness is definitely the issue. So I assume I would need a new harness. If anyone including @r33 has suggestions for better harnesses, I'd appreciate any insight or Paul will have to send me a new set.

Also, I mixed my settings up earlier, but they were factory settings. S1=1 and S2=B. He then said, IF the CEL corrects itself, to leave S1=1 and set S2=A. He said some cars come out of the factory with a positive boost (I guess mine is faster than what's on paper - almost all BMW motors are underrated on paper but I didn't know each had a different amount of boost/whatever). If the car gets a boost that is too much (for me B might be too much), then CEL pops up despite the increased power. He said, setting it back a letter/notch, should alleviate the CEL. So, we'll see what happens.

Sorry for cluttering this thread...just wanted to give updates so people can compare and understand both chips . Any feedback/help is much appreciated!

[42pilot]

Sometimes, 5 miles reset the CEL and others it was nearly 25 miles, so be patient. The dummy plug simply loops or completes the circuit without the chip.

Every tune in each model car is from the factory is identical. BMW would not be able to keep up nor would they want to keep up with customized tunes for each of their cars. What is different are parameters such as temp, altitude, fuel quality, etc. By far, temp is the biggest issue and factor in producing power. Cold/dry = HP/torque.

Anyway, the tolerances of our model cars are unbelievably close because of the quality management at the factory and by suppliers - I know, because I am one of those suppliers. Engine tolerance is not the issue with RaceChip - it's environmental.

With all that being said, there are 89 maps to choose from. I have eliminated all but about 20 maps on my chip. And of the 20, maybe 6 are truly outstanding. If I would have posted each CEL my car experienced trying different tunes, it would have seemed like the chip was crap - but it's not. You have to be patient.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by 42pilot

Sometimes, 5 miles reset the CEL and others it was nearly 25 miles, so be patient. The dummy plug simply loops or completes the circuit without the chip.

Every tune in each model car is from the factory is identical. BMW would not be able to keep up nor would they want to keep up with customized tunes for each of their cars. What is different are parameters such as temp, altitude, fuel quality, etc. By far, temp is the biggest issue and factor in producing power. Cold/dry = HP/torque.

Anyway, the tolerances of our model cars are unbelievably close because of the quality management at the factory and by suppliers - I know, because I am one of those suppliers. Engine tolerance is not the issue with RaceChip - it's environmental.

With all that being said, there are 89 maps to choose from. I have eliminated all but about 20 maps on my chip. And of the 20, maybe 6 are truly outstanding. If I would have posted each CEL my car experienced trying different tunes, it would have seemed like the chip was crap - but it's not. You have to be patient.

I agree with you 100%. I'm trying to really understand how chips work this time and will be patient. You've been most helpful, so thank you for your advice/feedback. My car is garage kept (no ac/heating in garage). The temperature here lately is around 70-80 degrees F during the day and 60-70 at night depending on daily weather (rain/clouds/etc). I only put Supreme/Premium 93 (we don't have 91) in my vehicle - he did ask me about my fuel type. The car did go back to factory throttle/hp feel when I put in the dummy plug.

EDIT: Also, do I have to drive it for it to reset or can I reset it via ESYS "Clear All DTCs" with the dummy plug installed?

[42pilot]

Originally Posted by X5Jouster

as well as the extreme boost PSI that comes along with higher numbers.....no way we would have extreme boost spikes that are stable without having a tune. if there was errant boost pressure, it would be a leak or turbo issue.

these boost pressures log on the ecu for sure. i just dont know what it looks like to the manufacturer

The only "logging" the ECU does is a CEL. It provides all the sensor data (flash)at the time of the event. If your chip modifies a signal, like RaceChip, it will log the modified signal, but will not indicate a chip was installed. You can infer that something modified the signal, but there is no proof, but equally you could argue a sensor is at fault. Therefore, BMW cannot reject warranty work, although you might have to fight them because they know so many piggy-back tuners are out here.

The 4.6L twin turbo motor creates about .4 bar or about 5 1/2 PSI. That's nothing in "turbo world", especially on a water-cooled V8 with a remote water-to-air intercooler. The best tune out there (made by Dinan), increases the boost to about 7 psi which the non-M motor handles just fine. If the RaceChip just increased boost, that would be very scary and disappointing. I would bet they add a shit-load of fuel under boost to keep the engine from detonating - lots of fuel will keep the combustion temps lower, but less efficient. It's the poor man's way of increasing power without looking into ignition timing, valve timing, boost, intake temps, tranny strategy, etc.

[42pilot]

Originally Posted by opasha

I agree with you 100%. I'm trying to really understand how chips work this time and will be patient. You've been most helpful, so thank you for your advice/feedback. My car is garage kept (no ac/heating in garage). The temperature here lately is around 70-80 degrees F during the day and 60-70 at night depending on daily weather (rain/clouds/etc). I only put Supreme/Premium 93 (we don't have 91) in my vehicle - he did ask me about my fuel type. The car did go back to factory throttle/hp feel when I put in the dummy plug.

EDIT: Also, do I have to drive it for it to reset or can I reset it via ESYS "Clear All DTCs" with the dummy plug installed?

If your scanner truly clears BMW's DTC's thats the best as it will eliminate the log (or flash file) too. Not many people have that type of scanner (I am buying one this week so my chip is completely in stealth mode). And yes, the dummy plug can be installed when you clear the DTC.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by 42pilot

If your scanner truly clears BMW's DTC's thats the best as it will eliminate the log (or flash file) too. Not many people have that type of scanner (I am buying one this week so my chip is completely in stealth mode). And yes, the dummy plug can be installed when you clear the DTC.

I use ESYS External Applications>External Application>Trasmitter - this has a list of diagnostic features and the very last one clears all error codes. I don't know how different this method is from a scan tool that uses more in depth settings.

I'll try to clear this in a few minutes just to see if it gets cleared with the dummy plug. I did a fair amount of reading for RaceChip tunes on MANY vehicles and all members commented the way you did regarding the settings and check in light. It will come on any time we overtune the car with a higher setting and goes away when the car is stock after a few drives. Then we must put the chip back in with a lower setting. So yeah, I just need to get this cleared so I can try it with the S2=A setting. Thanks for the quick reply.

UPDATE: Awesome! With the Dummy Plug in, I used the ESYS method to Clear All DTCs and it worked! I did this with the car being in AC Power only. After clearing the code, I then started the engine and the CEL was completely gone. I will plug the RaceChip tune back in tomorrow with the new setting. Coding truly has its benefits!! . Thanks again @42pilot.

[Alan l.]

Originally Posted by bluelodge400

Alan I.
Do you have any other mods other than the tune? I’d like to turn mine up to the 12 position once the car is a little more broken in and someone comes out with an air intake.

Only other mod is my exhaust. I know several other 550 guys turning it up to 12 or 1 oclock position on bone stock cars without any issues. I run strictly 93 octane gas though.

Alan

[BKMK5]

Not sure I really need a tune. This is a run I did last night in Mexico...

The truck doesn't handle 'great' at speed with the stock (passive)suspension around corners and adding more power with the stock suspension and stock brakes is just asking for problems.

[X5Jouster]

Originally Posted by BKMK5

The truck doesn't handle 'great' at speed with the stock (passive)suspension around corners and adding more power with the stock suspension and stock brakes is just asking for problems.

i concur. the msport 50i is wicked fast for an SUV, very stable through corners and flat lines on banks. very happy with the fast paced agility of the SUV.

i have the full suspension checklist with every option able upgrade.

at speeds over 80, i am unimpressed. we have a strip of road here in south Florida (CLosed Course)(sure........) and its is straight but not flat. kind of undulating hills like little ripples on water. on a bike its a breeze, in my audi s6 it was just fine.
i know its an suv but this thing was all over the place, correction after correction, there was no head on with the steering wheel, very involved to keep it inline. way too much steering wheel input needed to stay on target

still would love a tune and expect on purchasing one lol

[opasha]

Originally Posted by BKMK5

Not sure I really need a tune. This is a run I did last night in Mexico...

The truck doesn't handle 'great' at speed with the stock (passive)suspension around corners and adding more power with the stock suspension and stock brakes is just asking for problems.

Originally Posted by X5Jouster

i concur. the msport 50i is wicked fast for an SUV, very stable through corners and flat lines on banks. very happy with the fast paced agility of the SUV.

i have the full suspension checklist with every option able upgrade.

at speeds over 80, i am unimpressed. we have a strip of road here in south Florida (CLosed Course)(sure........) and its is straight but not flat. kind of undulating hills like little ripples on water. on a bike its a breeze, in my audi s6 it was just fine.
i know its an suv but this thing was all over the place, correction after correction, there was no head on with the steering wheel, very involved to keep it inline. way too much steering wheel input needed to stay on target

still would love a tune and expect on purchasing one lol

What size wheels you guys running? I have stock suspension with 22's with 285/35r22 tires 38 psi front 44 psi rear, and the car handles pretty well. Sure, it's not as tight as my Infiniti FX35 (my preferred suspension tightness), but it still does really well in corners and similar situations that you described. I guess the larger wheels really make a big difference.

[X5Jouster]

Originally Posted by opasha

What size wheels you guys running? I have stock suspension with 22's with 285/35r22 tires 38 psi front 44 psi rear, and the car handles pretty well. Sure, it's not as tight as my Infiniti FX35 (my preferred suspension tightness), but it still does really well in corners and similar situations that you described. I guess the larger wheels really make a big difference.

i have the upgraded M 20 inchers....they ride well but i would absolutely agree that 22s would tighten everything up. i can see what you mean.. im extremely happy with every aspect of the handling less the high speed straight line stabilization

[opasha]

Originally Posted by X5Jouster

i have the upgraded M 20 inchers....they ride well but i would absolutely agree that 22s would tighten everything up. i can see what you mean.. im extremely happy with every aspect of the handling less the high speed straight line stabilization

Yeah, I'm sure that can get annoying. I assume your car has self-leveling? Maybe look into H&R springs from @r33. I know he's happy with his setup.

[X5Jouster]

Originally Posted by bluelodge400

I had roughly 180 miles.

keep us updated on the tune, performance and how you like it!!!

we dont want to thread jack

[opasha]

Originally Posted by X5Jouster

keep us updated on the tune, performance and how you like it!!!

we dont want to thread jack

Ditto .

[cy07]

I think you just have to remember this is still a truck for all its purposes no matter what suspension upgrades. With that said, a little more power is always welcomed with better throttle response and freeway passing power.

Although 50i is already wicked fast already! =) I'd say the tune is more needed for 35d or 35i.

[X5Jouster]

honestly if these tunes help at all with the throttle mapping and throttle lag, i know not directly but indirectly, i would love it!

i feel intense lag and afterthought on part of the throttle for quick application. it does not want to go as soon as i want it to, like it cant handle the immediate power without distributing it to the wheels properly. i know we dont have a ton of turbo lag, but the throttle mapping or torque application is lacking

[opasha]

Originally Posted by X5Jouster

honestly if these tunes help at all with the throttle mapping and throttle lag, i know not directly but indirectly, i would love it!

i feel intense lag and afterthought on part of the throttle for quick application. it does not want to go as soon as i want it to, like it cant handle the immediate power without distributing it to the wheels properly. i know we dont have a ton of turbo lag, but the throttle mapping or torque application is lacking

Exactly. This is also why I bought the chip...in order to eliminate this lag and the Race Chip does it. I am about to test the new settings right now, but need to buy zip ties so I can secure it, lol.