BMWLand: Where Power Meets Control - UK BMW

[milesr3]

Folks,

As many of you know, I've been intending to get my '55 plate 535d remapped and after being unable to decide between e-maps and Evolve. I eventually made my mind up and got Simon round for the remap.

I posted some dyno plots from my Auterra DashDyno before, but I can now see that I had the gear ratio wrong which was actually under-reading the power! Here they are again, for comparison purposes with the remapped results:




You'll see that with the standard map the car was producing 245bhp and 345lbft at the wheels, which corresponds to 289bhp and 407lbft (552Nm) assuming 18% transmission loss. The bhp figure is higher than the specified 272PS (268bhp), but AIUI it is not uncommon for these cars to make more power than standard and the run was also done using BP Ultimate Diesel, which they claim can produce 2-8% more power.

Now for the e-maps remapped results:




You can see that the map has taken the power up to 284bhp and 404lbft at the wheels, which corresponds to 335bhp and 477lbft (647Nm). So my car has gained around 45bhp and 100Nm. The spread of torque in the final plot is particularly impressive.

I suspect that the power gain is actually a little more than 45bhp as there was a rather suspicious power spike at around 4400-4500rpm on every run I did on the standard map, which isn't present with the remap. Applying some smoothing to dyno plots shows the peak power of 240bhp at the wheels on the standard map versus around 280bhp at the wheels with the remap.

The way that the Auterra DashDyno autoscales its plots makes it difficult to compare the results visually, so here's an overlay graph I've put together, which really illustrates the difference in area beneath the torque curve and why the car feels (and is) so much quicker:



I also did a couple of acceleration runs to see how it is now performing:



Simply switching the traction control off and flooring the throttle produced 0-60 in 5.7s, 0-100 in 13.2s and a 1/4mile in 14.2s at 102mph. There was a little wheelspin that hasn't probably helped the 0-60 time, but the 0-100 time is very impressive.

So on paper, the remap is delivering exactly what was promised, but it's the actual driving experience that is where the transformation is really noticeable and where I'm most pleased. I'll post some more subjective comments on the remap later, but the single biggest improvement I've noticed is the throttle response. The car is so much more responsive to the throttle now with a quarter throttle producing real shove without needing to nearly floor it to 'wake' the car up. It feels much more linear too, which is something I didn't like about the standard map. Half throttle now feels like full throttle did on the standard map and the way the car gains speed with full throttle is hilarious as the above acceleration times would indicate.

One final thing to mention is that the service from Simon was first class. I've been very difficult to pin down to a date for the remap due to my work commitments and Simon has been really flexible in accommodating this. Simon gave the car a very thorough check over for faults before applying the remap and checked that all sensors were operating within normal expected ranges. This was repeated after the remap and then again after the road-test. It was very illuminating to see how many fault codes were generated and stored in all manner of control units (dash, climate control, DSC etc) when the remap was applied and if these has not been cleared I can see how this would provide a very clear indication that the car had been remapped to the dealer. Also all of the software updated dates, versions and checksums were retained so this map is as invisible as it is possible to be.

In the end, I probably spent far too much time thinking about this, but the decision to proceed with the e-maps remap was definitely the right one for me.

[Offline]

Folks,

As many of you know, I've been intending to get my '55 plate 535d remapped and after being unable to decide between e-maps and Evolve. I eventually made my mind up and got Simon round for the remap.

I posted some dyno plots from my Auterra DashDyno before, but I can now see that I had the gear ratio wrong which was actually under-reading the power! Here they are again, for comparison purposes with the remapped results:




You'll see that with the standard map the car was producing 245bhp and 345lbft at the wheels, which corresponds to 289bhp and 407lbft (552Nm) assuming 18% transmission loss. The bhp figure is higher than the specified 272PS (268bhp), but AIUI it is not uncommon for these cars to make more power than standard and the run was also done using BP Ultimate Diesel, which they claim can produce 2-8% more power.

Now for the e-maps remapped results:




You can see that the map has taken the power up to 284bhp and 404lbft at the wheels, which corresponds to 335bhp and 477lbft (647Nm). So my car has gained around 45bhp and 100Nm. The spread of torque in the final plot is particularly impressive.

I suspect that the power gain is actually a little more than 45bhp as there was a rather suspicious power spike at around 4400-4500rpm on every run I did on the standard map, which isn't present with the remap. Applying some smoothing to dyno plots shows the peak power of 240bhp at the wheels on the standard map versus around 280bhp at the wheels with the remap.

The way that the Auterra DashDyno autoscales its plots makes it difficult to compare the results visually, so here's an overlay graph I've put together, which really illustrates the difference in area beneath the torque curve and why the car feels (and is) so much quicker:



I also did a couple of acceleration runs to see how it is now performing:



Simply switching the traction control off and flooring the throttle produced 0-60 in 5.7s, 0-100 in 13.2s and a 1/4mile in 14.2s at 102mph. There was a little wheelspin that hasn't probably helped the 0-60 time, but the 0-100 time is very impressive.

So on paper, the remap is delivering exactly what was promised, but it's the actual driving experience that is where the transformation is really noticeable and where I'm most pleased. I'll post some more subjective comments on the remap later, but the single biggest improvement I've noticed is the throttle response. The car is so much more responsive to the throttle now with a quarter throttle producing real shove without needing to nearly floor it to 'wake' the car up. It feels much more linear too, which is something I didn't like about the standard map. Half throttle now feels like full throttle did on the standard map and the way the car gains speed with full throttle is hilarious as the above acceleration times would indicate.

One final thing to mention is that the service from Simon was first class. I've been very difficult to pin down to a date for the remap due to my work commitments and Simon has been really flexible in accommodating this. Simon gave the car a very thorough check over for faults before applying the remap and checked that all sensors were operating within normal expected ranges. This was repeated after the remap and then again after the road-test. It was very illuminating to see how many fault codes were generated and stored in all manner of control units (dash, climate control, DSC etc) when the remap was applied and if these has not been cleared I can see how this would provide a very clear indication that the car had been remapped to the dealer. Also all of the software updated dates, versions and checksums were retained so this map is as invisible as it is possible to be.

In the end, I probably spent far too much time thinking about this, but the decision to proceed with the e-maps remap was definitely the right one for me.

[kings_x]

Good write up! I'd agree with everything here, including the work that Simon does, seeing as I had my 535d remapped by E-maps a few months ago. The best way I can describe the "before and after feeling" is to say after the remap the car now performs as I had originally expected: more responsive, sharper, exciting etc. Its also very difficult not have it in DS mode all the time!

Enjoy

Kings_X

[Offline]

Good write up! I'd agree with everything here, including the work that Simon does, seeing as I had my 535d remapped by E-maps a few months ago. The best way I can describe the "before and after feeling" is to say after the remap the car now performs as I had originally expected: more responsive, sharper, exciting etc. Its also very difficult not have it in DS mode all the time!

Enjoy

Kings_X

[old grey steve]

A quality read and one happy buy too

[Offline]

A quality read and one happy buy too

[roadhog]

Looks like a good result. As a matter of interest, what has the effect on your MPG been?

[Offline]

Looks like a good result. As a matter of interest, what has the effect on your MPG been?

[milesr3]

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[milesr3]

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[e-maps]

Thanks for the feedback and taking time to do the before and after runs. The flat torque curve in the mid range is very impressive.

Thanks again for the feedback and taking the time to post the results

[Offline]

Thanks for the feedback and taking time to do the before and after runs. The flat torque curve in the mid range is very impressive.

Thanks again for the feedback and taking the time to post the results

[paulmc]

Looks ace. Bet it is / feels way quicker. I never thought the 535d was that quick in standard form but great once remapped.

[Offline]

Looks ace. Bet it is / feels way quicker. I never thought the 535d was that quick in standard form but great once remapped.

[watty]

This is definitely something I want to do. Im used to FAST cars, M3, EVOX 360, CLS55 AMG, to name the last ones. But Im all grown up now and bought a 535d M Sport this morning. So how can I make it faster?

Ive seen the emaps website and will be getting a quote sometime soon. But how can it affect things like Insurance, Dealer Warranty, etc? Can an insurer or dealer tell youve changed the ECU? I had booked my Evo to be mapped with ecuflash but then sold it before the date arrived so this is all new to me.

Thanks in advance

[Offline]

This is definitely something I want to do. Im used to FAST cars, M3, EVOX 360, CLS55 AMG, to name the last ones. But Im all grown up now and bought a 535d M Sport this morning. So how can I make it faster?

Ive seen the emaps website and will be getting a quote sometime soon. But how can it affect things like Insurance, Dealer Warranty, etc? Can an insurer or dealer tell youve changed the ECU? I had booked my Evo to be mapped with ecuflash but then sold it before the date arrived so this is all new to me.

Thanks in advance

[afterburner]

[Offline]

[milesr3]

You should always inform your insurer about any modification. Some charge very little extra for a remap and some won't touch it.

Strictly speaking the remap will void your original or approved-used warranty. No remap is totally undetectable, but e-maps ones are as undetectable as it is possible to be. There are giveaways to the dealer with some remaps like stored fault codes and changes to the last updated date on the software. When Simon did my car he showed just how many fault codes were generated and stored as a result of the ECU being reprogrammed. It is 'offline' for a short period while the map is loaded and this causes all manner of systems from gearbox to climate control to register faults because they can't 'see' the ECU.Simon cleared all these faults out after the remap and checked again after the road-test. This was the main reason why I didn't use a Superchips Bluefin or other DIY plug-in device as it will generate the same faults, but not be able to clear them from all systems.

Simon also ensured that the original software last updated date and checksum was maintained, so the dealer's diagnostic equipment won't notice any change. This is AIUI another reason to avoid a DIY remap device as the last updated date is overwritten, which kind of voids the whole idea of flashing an original map back on to the car before taking it to the dealer. It's actually more obvious to the dealer than a remap file with the original last updated date and checksum!

The dealer or BMW can only detect the remap if they take a copy of the ECU program and compare the binary/hex data with an original. They are highly unlikely to do this unless you give them lots of clues with fault codes or changes to the last updated date...and even then most seem too stupid to notice or even care (well mine does anyway). Dealers don't have the equipment to do this and will just treat any issue as a warranty claim and gladly take the money.

The only other potential clue to a dealer or BMW would be if you had a map that caused secondary issues with generating fault codes during day-to-day use from something operating out of range or beyond limits. Any decent remap won't do this though.

It's been a couple of weeks now since I got mine done and although I've inevitably got used to the extra power, torque and throttle response I still think it has transformed the car into something that it should have been in the first place. I've gone through a tank of fuel and although far from scientific (as I don't ever really watch my consumption) it is still nudging 40mpg on a steady run to the airport and is possibly improved when making progress. I think the extra linearity and response that the throttle has now actually makes the car easier to drive economically.

I've stuck my Auterra DashDyno up on e-bay, but I'm going to do one final set of dyno runs before I post it off at the weekend on regular Shell Extra diesel, rather than the BP Ultimate I did the above runs on. I'm not expecting to see any difference and if anything I think that BP Ultimate and Shell V-Power seem to cause a slight hesitancy when coming back on the throttle, which regular Shell Extra diesel doesn't do. This isn't specific to the remap either, as the car has always done this.

The only downside so far is that my mobile phone now shoots out of the dash and gets lost under my seat when accelerating off a slip road

[Offline]

You should always inform your insurer about any modification. Some charge very little extra for a remap and some won't touch it.

Strictly speaking the remap will void your original or approved-used warranty. No remap is totally undetectable, but e-maps ones are as undetectable as it is possible to be. There are giveaways to the dealer with some remaps like stored fault codes and changes to the last updated date on the software. When Simon did my car he showed just how many fault codes were generated and stored as a result of the ECU being reprogrammed. It is 'offline' for a short period while the map is loaded and this causes all manner of systems from gearbox to climate control to register faults because they can't 'see' the ECU.Simon cleared all these faults out after the remap and checked again after the road-test. This was the main reason why I didn't use a Superchips Bluefin or other DIY plug-in device as it will generate the same faults, but not be able to clear them from all systems.

Simon also ensured that the original software last updated date and checksum was maintained, so the dealer's diagnostic equipment won't notice any change. This is AIUI another reason to avoid a DIY remap device as the last updated date is overwritten, which kind of voids the whole idea of flashing an original map back on to the car before taking it to the dealer. It's actually more obvious to the dealer than a remap file with the original last updated date and checksum!

The dealer or BMW can only detect the remap if they take a copy of the ECU program and compare the binary/hex data with an original. They are highly unlikely to do this unless you give them lots of clues with fault codes or changes to the last updated date...and even then most seem too stupid to notice or even care (well mine does anyway). Dealers don't have the equipment to do this and will just treat any issue as a warranty claim and gladly take the money.

The only other potential clue to a dealer or BMW would be if you had a map that caused secondary issues with generating fault codes during day-to-day use from something operating out of range or beyond limits. Any decent remap won't do this though.

It's been a couple of weeks now since I got mine done and although I've inevitably got used to the extra power, torque and throttle response I still think it has transformed the car into something that it should have been in the first place. I've gone through a tank of fuel and although far from scientific (as I don't ever really watch my consumption) it is still nudging 40mpg on a steady run to the airport and is possibly improved when making progress. I think the extra linearity and response that the throttle has now actually makes the car easier to drive economically.

I've stuck my Auterra DashDyno up on e-bay, but I'm going to do one final set of dyno runs before I post it off at the weekend on regular Shell Extra diesel, rather than the BP Ultimate I did the above runs on. I'm not expecting to see any difference and if anything I think that BP Ultimate and Shell V-Power seem to cause a slight hesitancy when coming back on the throttle, which regular Shell Extra diesel doesn't do. This isn't specific to the remap either, as the car has always done this.

The only downside so far is that my mobile phone now shoots out of the dash and gets lost under my seat when accelerating off a slip road

[old grey steve]

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