[Rickster311]

Hey guys,

I just bought a 335i from a private seller, and he used to have a SSTT on the car about a year ago. He said he took it off and sold it, and the car is running on the stock ECU now.

I decided to buy the RixEffects gauge to check how much boost I'm running and be safe and noticed the max I've hit is 15.7psi at WOT around 80-90mph.

I'm pretty confused how I could be hitting 15-16psi right now if he had taken off the SSTT? Is there any possibility my stock ECU could be re-flashed some how and the stock ECU's map is what's allowing the extra boost?


And if so, how do I even find out if I have a stock/changed ECU?( Before you say go to the dealer, I'd like to mention I did go there because the fuel pump was acting a little funny, and it was replaced because it threw a code. They didn't mention anything about a piggyback ECU being installed)


Thanks for the help guys!

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Pop the ECU and have a look and take a look at the TMAP sensor. Also did you calibrate the gauge?

Mike

[JayKay335i]

First off, if you went to the dealer with a SSTT attached, your warranty would be instantly voided. Second, the SSTT is a piggyback. It plugs in and has nothing to do with reflashing the ECU. Hell, when the original SSTT came out, ECU flashes weren't being done yet. I believe stock boost is just below 9psi. You should try resetting the base line atmospheric pressure for your gauge.

[Terrance28]

I don't even think the sstt will boost that high. Pop open the ecu and see if anything is in there, cause if the car is stock it won't boost that high.

[Rickster311]

Originally Posted by Mike@N54Tuning.com

Pop the ECU and have a look and take a look at the TMAP sensor. Also did you calibrate the gauge?

Mike

I went held the rixeffects button, hit start/stop 2-3 times, went to CAL, hit the button, it gave me the ". . ." screen, then when it said "END", I simply hit "start/stop" again and turned off the car, then turned it on. I assume this is how we calibrate?

When I start the vehicle my vacuum is also around -14, seems a bit low?

Originally Posted by Terrance28

I don't even think the sstt will boost that high. Pop open the ecu and see if anything is in there, cause if the car is stock it won't boost that high.

Yeah I figured that when I saw 15.2psi, I know the highest people hit stock is about 9psi. I have an exhaust but that in NO way should contribute to the 6psi bump.




I am going to check to ECU compartment tomorrow.

If I don't find anything, which I'm PRETTY sure I won't, how do I find out what the hell I'm running that's allowing me to run up to 15.7psi when there's no piggyback attached? (Is there a way to check if my ECU has been re-flashed?)

Also, I have had my fuel pump changed and noticed about 1,000 miles later again it has extremely long cranks.. really beginning to worry especially if 2 HPFP's are failing in 1,000 miles, can it be related to this boost issue?

Thanks again guys

[Rickster311]

Also... If I ask BMW to update my software, will that automatically reflash the ECU back to the stock maps and boost? I was thinking of doing this to be safe - if I can't figure out what the car is running that's allowing 15psi..

[RiXst3r]

Hey Ricky,

Interesting problem you have there ... Here is a quick way to check your actual peak boost...

First off, make sure the gauge is calibrated... This is easy to check... just make sure it sits at 0 (zero) or 0.0 if you turn on the ignition without starting the engine... (press the cars start-stop button until the gauge comes on, WITHOUT depressing the brake or clutch)... don't press anything on the gauge, just see if it sits at zero with the power on and the engine not running.

If the gauge is zero'd out... then your next step is to do a run to check your boost. A good boost check run will have no quick jabs of the throttle, and no shifts... this way you can rule out spikes.

The best gear to do this in is 3rd gear...(using manual mode and avoiding kickdown if you have an AT) starting at about 2000rpms, ease into the throttle, do not let the car downshift... run it up to 6000+rpm and then let off... this will show your true peak boost on recall, and if you watch the gauge during the run you can see the entire boost curve.

Shoot me an e-mail if you have any questions.

[Rickster311]

Originally Posted by RiXst3r

Hey Ricky,

Interesting problem you have there ... Here is a quick way to check your actual peak boost...

First off, make sure the gauge is calibrated... This is easy to check... just make sure it sits at 0 (zero) or 0.0 if you turn on the ignition without starting the engine... (press the cars start-stop button until the gauge comes on, WITHOUT depressing the brake or clutch)... don't press anything on the gauge, just see if it sits at zero with the power on and the engine not running.

If the gauge is zero'd out... then your next step is to do a run to check your boost. A good boost check run will have no quick jabs of the throttle, and no shifts... this way you can rule out spikes.

The best gear to do this in is 3rd gear...(using manual mode and avoiding kickdown if you have an AT) starting at about 2000rpms, ease into the throttle, do not let the car downshift... run it up to 6000+rpm and then let off... this will show your true peak boost on recall, and if you watch the gauge during the run you can see the entire boost curve.

Shoot me an e-mail if you have any questions.

Rix, thanks bro. Youve been the biggest help.

I went ahead and did make sure it is at 0.0 during start up, and did a 2,000rpm-6,500rpm run in 3rd gear. My peak boost was 15.2psi. When I did a dead stop, floored it through 1st and 2nd, I hit about 14.8psi.

I'm 99.9% sure it is calibrated correctly, and I really am running about 15psi because I did a little "race" with a friend who has Vishnu's Proceed, and he didn't pull more than a 2-3ft on me.

So now I just need to figure out exactly what is causes it to run 15psi, if there is no piggy back in the ECU compartment...

[RiXst3r]

Originally Posted by Rickster311

Rix, thanks bro. Youve been the biggest help.

I went ahead and did make sure it is at 0.0 during start up, and did a 2,000rpm-6,500rpm run in 3rd gear. My peak boost was 15.2psi. When I did a dead stop, floored it through 1st and 2nd, I hit about 14.8psi.

I'm 99.9% sure it is calibrated correctly, and I really am running about 15psi because I did a little "race" with a friend who has Vishnu's Proceed, and he didn't pull more than a 2-3ft on me.

So now I just need to figure out exactly what is causes it to run 15psi, if there is no piggy back in the ECU compartment...

Wow! I guess you are running a tune!

Let us know what you find!

[Rickster311]

Originally Posted by RiXst3r

Wow! I guess you are running a tune!

Let us know what you find!

Do yo have any idea who I can find out what kind of tune I am actually running though? I'm wondering if it has anything to do with my extended start up cranks..

[RiXst3r]

Originally Posted by Rickster311

Do yo have any idea who I can find out what kind of tune I am actually running though? I'm wondering if it has anything to do with my extended start up cranks..

Did you look in the ECU box?

[Rickster311]

Originally Posted by RiXst3r

Did you look in the ECU box?

About to do so right now. Is there any "how to" on accessing the ECU compartment? Never opened it up before and it's my first bimmer, so still pretty newbie'ish with the motor =)

[RiXst3r]

Originally Posted by Rickster311

About to do so right now. Is there any "how to" on accessing the ECU compartment? Never opened it up before and it's my first bimmer, so still pretty newbie'ish with the motor =)

Just follow the first part of this PROcede install video:

Or this works too, follow the first steps:

[Rickster311]

Awesome thank man.

Also, what/where is the TMAP sensor?

[kptaylor]

Can you not just call the previous owner and ask? If he had an SSTT he might have stepped up to something else when he removed it.

[Rickster311]

Originally Posted by kptaylor

Can you not just call the previous owner and ask? If he had an SSTT he might have stepped up to something else when he removed it.

I did this. He's actually on this site too.

He said he had an SSTT on it for about a week then removed it and did not put ANY other performance modification on besides an exhaust.. At first I thought the SSTT may have been somehow learned by the OEM ECU but then thought how impractical that was and even then I doubt an SSTT ups the boost to 15-16psi..

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Let us know what you find in the ECU. If you don't find anything in the ECU or the TMAP, call Dinan and see if your VIN is registered with them. This way you will eliminate Dinan as one of the flashes.

Mike

[Rickster311]

Originally Posted by Mike@N54Tuning.com

Let us know what you find in the ECU. If you don't find anything in the ECU or the TMAP, call Dinan and see if your VIN is registered with them. This way you will eliminate Dinan as one of the flashes.

Mike

Guys, thanks for all the help. I checked the ECU compartment this morning and found a surprise. It seems I have a BLACK procede ECU piggy back connected. I was told the black box Procede's are V1? Is this correct?

I took a couple pictures because to be frankly honest, I'm horrible with wiring, especially when I didn't initially do it. So could some of you guys with experience look at the pic's and tell me if anything seems out of place/wrong?

Also - I noticed a little connector box (there is a picture of me holding it), I assume this is what connects into a PC, correct? Or was this used for something else?

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Wow...

So did the guy you bought it from forget he had a Procede installed?? or did he run the SSTT ontop of the Procede?

Mike

[brianhn1]

LOL What a story!

[badass335]

That just increased your car value another $1000

That doesn't leave too much credability with the previous owner, eh..

Exhaust only and a SSTT..

[Rickster311]

Originally Posted by Mike@N54Tuning.com

Wow...

So did the guy you bought it from forget he had a Procede installed?? or did he run the SSTT ontop of the Procede?

Mike

He hasn't gotten back to me yet. He said at the time of purchase "he never put anything besides an SSTT in and even that was only for a week"..

so it blows my mind how the procede is in there, and if he installed the SSTT, how he didn't notice it? and even then, does that mean he had an SSTT AND procede? And if he got the procede AFTER the SSTT, why wouldn't he tell me?

(This is why I HATE buying used! )



Questions now...


1) Now that I know it's the Procede, and I'm assuming it's V1, do any of you guys know which map does what on the V1?

2) I know I can search this, but can anyone give me a quick rundown of the benifits of the latest procede vs the black box one I have now?

3) I didn't install the boost control option when installing my RixEffect (didn't think I had a piggyback), so I assume when I go back and install it, I can switch maps from stock to sport, ect ect?

4) The RixEffect has been on "off" mode, not "JB" or "Pc" mode (as I didn't think I had either mod's), so when I'm driving and still hitting 15psi, that is 100% because of the Procede and not the stock ECU correct? I know that seems like a dumb question but I just want to be 100% positive that my stock ECU is 100% intact and hasn't been re-flashed.