![]() 04/10/2017 at 10:12 • Filed to: None | ![]() | ![]() |
I’m in the middle of replacing my former, mild, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! with !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Stage 2+,which I have all the mods to support. Watching that percentage slowly count up while your fuel pump runs continuously is kinda like “OMG OMG OMG PLEASE WORK AND DON’T FRY MY ECU PLEASE THANK YOU CAR LORDS!”
Also the dash lights up like the proverbial Christmas tree.
Thankfully, this isn’t my first experience with flashing my ECU so I somewhat know what to expect. I experienced the same fuel pump running and warning lights when my !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! did the BMW Performance flash.
I’ve got my car hooked up to a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! so running the fuel pump doesn’t kill the battery. I also have my tablet with me since the device flashing the ECU needs to be in airplane mode and you can’t leave the flasher app. Hence the grainy, noisy pictures from the crappy tablet camera.
MHD is a well-known app but I can’t help but feel nervous using my phone to rewrite my car’s ECU with cheap !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! cables I got on Amazon.
That said, hey, I’m now up to 32% and I haven’t gotten any error codes yet. Fingers crossed!
(Yes, I’m wearing tights, I’m going to have a quick shakedown drive on my way to the gym.)
UPDATE: I’ve resorted to passing the time while the counter slowly marches upward by watching this video of super cute baby sloths.
Also when it hit 88% the fuel pump paused for a bit, the iDrive screen turned off, and the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! popped in and out, which freaked me out for a sec. But the fuel pump restarted, the iDrive screen came back on, and the counter is still going up! Phew!
UPDATE 2: It worked! I did a few 2nd gear WOT pulls up some on ramps and hoo boy that’s a noticeable improvement over the BMW Performance tune. Like, rolling on to WOT in 2nd is now enough g-force to trigger the seatbelt pre-tensioners. Fun stuff.
![]() 04/09/2017 at 18:18 |
|
I’ve always wanted to try a retune but I’m too wary of doing it to my only car.
![]() 04/09/2017 at 18:29 |
|
My infotainment screen goes off, and the Christmas tree lights up. Then the first start takes a few turn overs, which is scary as shit.
![]() 04/09/2017 at 18:31 |
|
What software is that?
![]() 04/09/2017 at 18:46 |
|
I don’t want to flash my ECU I just want to update my Nav system is there software for that?
![]() 04/09/2017 at 18:53 |
|
It depends on the car. Some require a CD for that while others you can go to the dealership and they’ll update it with a flash drive!
![]() 04/09/2017 at 18:55 |
|
I’ve got a 2011 535i I had the dealer do it but that cost $500
![]() 04/09/2017 at 18:56 |
|
For BMWs, “coding” with the BMW factory software that’s often bootlegged and freely available includes unlocking hidden features like closing the sunroof with the key fob, and also updating the navigation maps. There’s a guy here in Madison who does it out of his house. He flipped some settings for me, updated my nav maps and did the BMW Performance flash.
![]() 04/09/2017 at 18:58 |
|
Nah, you gotta find someone who works there, and then slide an them a 50!!
![]() 04/09/2017 at 19:00 |
|
MHD Flasher. It’s still in beta for the N55 single turbo motor in my car but it’s been around for a few years for the older N54 twin turbo motor.
I had been waiting until they went through a few development cycles on the beta maps before putting one on my car. They’re now on version 0.9 which is pretty much the final product.
I have an intake, charge pipe, intercooler and downpipe so I went directly to stage 2+.
![]() 04/09/2017 at 19:01 |
|
Considering the last time the did it the computer crashed and it had to be there overnight they probably won’t touch it.
![]() 04/09/2017 at 19:06 |
|
Oh yeah. Damn, sorry to. Or you can find a coder like atlas said!
![]() 04/09/2017 at 20:02 |
|
Do you know of something like this for the m52?
![]() 04/09/2017 at 22:15 |
|
“They’re now on version 0.9 which is pretty much the final product.”
As a software developer, hahahahhaha
![]() 04/09/2017 at 23:33 |
|
Well, that was perhaps a poor choice of words. ;)
Let’s say, “it’s at least had several revisions to get to this point and at least having driven it a couple times for a few miles it seems functional.”
Also, the only thing that’s version 0.9 is the map that’s being flashed onto the ECU with things like fuel, spark, etc. That’s based on a stock map but with altered parameters. So when done by someone who knows how to tweak those parameters it’s not overly likely to blow up a motor.
The flasher app is a fully functional non-beta product.
![]() 04/09/2017 at 23:42 |
|
I’m not overly familiar with the M52 or its tuning but from a quick search it looks like there are a few companies who sell you a cable similar to the one I used (probably a generic K+DCAN to USB like I have) but require a computer to flash the ECU rather than an Android device. This is all for the OBD2 M52, needs to be 1996 or newer:
You’re not going to see huge gains on an NA motor like the M52 especially if you don’t have a bunch of mods. I have a turbo motor with an intake, charge pipe, intercooler & downpipe so it’s rather different.
![]() 04/10/2017 at 00:59 |
|
That’s going to be one hell of a car.
![]() 04/10/2017 at 07:29 |
|
It runs a little funny already. I’ve got an m50 intake, s52 cams, and long tube headers to a custom exhaust. It’s good at race speed but sometimes loses a cylinder at cruising speed and I have to power cycle it
![]() 04/11/2017 at 02:21 |
|
I can remotely flash your M52 over the internet if you buy a DCAN cable and have a windows 10 or MAC laptop. You can contact me at mark@dsylva-tech.ca
![]() 04/11/2017 at 20:46 |
|
What shorts are those? I want ‘em. Preferably my own, though. You can keep yours.
![]() 04/12/2017 at 09:06 |
|
They’re some cheap Layer 8 shorts I got at TJ Maxx. I believe these . They’re ok. I never buy full price gym clothes.