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ECU tune (ACM stage 1) Tri state area people dont hesitate!
So I finally pulled the trigger on a Real ECU tune. When I first got the car I said wow this is perfect I will not need to tune this and will be happy with the 500HP. Shortly after that I jumped on the Rebellion piggyback group buy. I installed the unit and while it gave the car a massive bump in HP down low up top it fell on its face. After a few attempts back and forth I finally gave up and went back to stock.
I was stock for most of the summer and I really missed the ridiculous tire ripping power I had when it was running the Piggy. Nothing better than being able to lay a 200’ strip by just mashing the gas. Also I love going to the track so knowing I have lower times possible I started researching real flash tunes.
First I looked at the obvious bigger companies. That was going to be tough since this is my daily driven car so being carless for 3-4 days while the ecu was removed and shipped across the country was an issue. Also per some private messages both here and IG I got some real horror stories.
Being from the TrI State Area I did have some options available for tuners that do flashing in house. After speaking with and doing some more research I walked into Autocouture in Fairlawn. These guys known for the insane BMW builds they do but also tune MB. They have an M5 with stock turbos running low 10s!!. They also recently acquired a shop C63S and are running the stage 1 on that. They dynoed that car and got 525 HP 570 TQ with 93 OCT and a bit of E85 on the stage 1( car had <500 miles on it)
ACM offers 2 stages at this time. stage 2 is if you are running catless down pipes and includes shutting of the CEL that you will get with them. Both stages remove the speed limiter and turn the car into a beast. You also have the option of changing the “burble” you can make it more, same, or less.
My biggest concern was downtime and dropping the motor or trans (as is rumored). But I was told that there are 2 ways to get the ECU out without doing this and would be able to drop off the car in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon. I was thinking about waiting till the spring but since cool weather = great track times I decided to get it done right away. AS promised The car was done by 5pm the same day. So my fear of not being able to go back to stock in an emergency is now gone!
The tune done last Friday and have had a smile on my face ever since. The car has really turned into a monster when you want it to. In comfort with the RPM low you really notice no difference. But once you change to Sport+ or Rave it comes alive! I have filters and that along with the increased boost the car sounds incredible. The BOV spacers sound much louder now as well and really HISS when you let off the gas. The downshift crackle is super loud and there is now a very noticeable crackle from 1st to 2nd at WOT. This is amplified with the AWE exhaust that I have had for months. With the tune it really makes this thing roar.
The power and TQ are insane. I am running Toyo R888 in the rear (265) and have no issue breaking tires loose at a 15mph roll if I want to. Once the car catches and the turbos spool you really get pinned back in your seat. I headed out to the track on Sunday for some runs and finally broke into the 11s. My trouble has been the launch and getting a lower 60’ time. Before the tune I was averaging about 12.3 @ 119.5 mph. after the tune I ran 11.89 @ 124mph (with a 2.2 60’) I could certainly improve my times if I can get the launch down.
Anyway I plan on doing a more in depth review on ClassCbenz.com once I have had a chance to do a few more track runs and get it to the local dyno. http://autocouturemotoring.com/ if you have any questions let me know or give these guys a call and tell them i sent you J
So I finally pulled the trigger on a Real ECU tune. When I first got the car I said wow this is perfect I will not need to tune this and will be happy with the 500HP. Shortly after that I jumped on the Rebellion piggyback group buy. I installed the unit and while it gave the car a massive bump in HP down low up top it fell on its face. After a few attempts back and forth I finally gave up and went back to stock.
I was stock for most of the summer and I really missed the ridiculous tire ripping power I had when it was running the Piggy. Nothing better than being able to lay a 200’ strip by just mashing the gas. Also I love going to the track so knowing I have lower times possible I started researching real flash tunes.
First I looked at the obvious bigger companies. That was going to be tough since this is my daily driven car so being carless for 3-4 days while the ecu was removed and shipped across the country was an issue. Also per some private messages both here and IG I got some real horror stories.
Being from the TrI State Area I did have some options available for tuners that do flashing in house. After speaking with and doing some more research I walked into Autocouture in Fairlawn. These guys known for the insane BMW builds they do but also tune MB. They have an M5 with stock turbos running low 10s!!. They also recently acquired a shop C63S and are running the stage 1 on that. They dynoed that car and got 525 HP 570 TQ with 93 OCT and a bit of E85 on the stage 1( car had <500 miles on it)
ACM offers 2 stages at this time. stage 2 is if you are running catless down pipes and includes shutting of the CEL that you will get with them. Both stages remove the speed limiter and turn the car into a beast. You also have the option of changing the “burble” you can make it more, same, or less.
My biggest concern was downtime and dropping the motor or trans (as is rumored). But I was told that there are 2 ways to get the ECU out without doing this and would be able to drop off the car in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon. I was thinking about waiting till the spring but since cool weather = great track times I decided to get it done right away. AS promised The car was done by 5pm the same day. So my fear of not being able to go back to stock in an emergency is now gone!
The tune done last Friday and have had a smile on my face ever since. The car has really turned into a monster when you want it to. In comfort with the RPM low you really notice no difference. But once you change to Sport+ or Rave it comes alive! I have filters and that along with the increased boost the car sounds incredible. The BOV spacers sound much louder now as well and really HISS when you let off the gas. The downshift crackle is super loud and there is now a very noticeable crackle from 1st to 2nd at WOT. This is amplified with the AWE exhaust that I have had for months. With the tune it really makes this thing roar.
The power and TQ are insane. I am running Toyo R888 in the rear (265) and have no issue breaking tires loose at a 15mph roll if I want to. Once the car catches and the turbos spool you really get pinned back in your seat. I headed out to the track on Sunday for some runs and finally broke into the 11s. My trouble has been the launch and getting a lower 60’ time. Before the tune I was averaging about 12.3 @ 119.5 mph. after the tune I ran 11.89 @ 124mph (with a 2.2 60’) I could certainly improve my times if I can get the launch down.
Anyway I plan on doing a more in depth review on ClassCbenz.com once I have had a chance to do a few more track runs and get it to the local dyno. http://autocouturemotoring.com/ if you have any questions let me know or give these guys a call and tell them i sent you J
Did you lose boost pressure with the BOV spacers? My buddy had his C450 tuned at AMR Performance and they told him he was losing boost because of them so I was curious if that applied to the C63 as well. Also what did the vehicle dyno stock? That way we can know what you gained with the software
So I finally pulled the trigger on a Real ECU tune. When I first got the car I said wow this is perfect I will not need to tune this and will be happy with the 500HP. Shortly after that I jumped on the Rebellion piggyback group buy. I installed the unit and while it gave the car a massive bump in HP down low up top it fell on its face. After a few attempts back and forth I finally gave up and went back to stock.
I was stock for most of the summer and I really missed the ridiculous tire ripping power I had when it was running the Piggy. Nothing better than being able to lay a 200’ strip by just mashing the gas. Also I love going to the track so knowing I have lower times possible I started researching real flash tunes.
First I looked at the obvious bigger companies. That was going to be tough since this is my daily driven car so being carless for 3-4 days while the ecu was removed and shipped across the country was an issue. Also per some private messages both here and IG I got some real horror stories.
Being from the TrI State Area I did have some options available for tuners that do flashing in house. After speaking with and doing some more research I walked into Autocouture in Fairlawn. These guys known for the insane BMW builds they do but also tune MB. They have an M5 with stock turbos running low 10s!!. They also recently acquired a shop C63S and are running the stage 1 on that. They dynoed that car and got 525 HP 570 TQ with 93 OCT and a bit of E85 on the stage 1( car had <500 miles on it)
ACM offers 2 stages at this time. stage 2 is if you are running catless down pipes and includes shutting of the CEL that you will get with them. Both stages remove the speed limiter and turn the car into a beast. You also have the option of changing the “burble” you can make it more, same, or less.
My biggest concern was downtime and dropping the motor or trans (as is rumored). But I was told that there are 2 ways to get the ECU out without doing this and would be able to drop off the car in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon. I was thinking about waiting till the spring but since cool weather = great track times I decided to get it done right away. AS promised The car was done by 5pm the same day. So my fear of not being able to go back to stock in an emergency is now gone!
The tune done last Friday and have had a smile on my face ever since. The car has really turned into a monster when you want it to. In comfort with the RPM low you really notice no difference. But once you change to Sport+ or Rave it comes alive! I have filters and that along with the increased boost the car sounds incredible. The BOV spacers sound much louder now as well and really HISS when you let off the gas. The downshift crackle is super loud and there is now a very noticeable crackle from 1st to 2nd at WOT. This is amplified with the AWE exhaust that I have had for months. With the tune it really makes this thing roar.
The power and TQ are insane. I am running Toyo R888 in the rear (265) and have no issue breaking tires loose at a 15mph roll if I want to. Once the car catches and the turbos spool you really get pinned back in your seat. I headed out to the track on Sunday for some runs and finally broke into the 11s. My trouble has been the launch and getting a lower 60’ time. Before the tune I was averaging about 12.3 @ 119.5 mph. after the tune I ran 11.89 @ 124mph (with a 2.2 60’) I could certainly improve my times if I can get the launch down.
Anyway I plan on doing a more in depth review on ClassCbenz.com once I have had a chance to do a few more track runs and get it to the local dyno. http://autocouturemotoring.com/ if you have any questions let me know or give these guys a call and tell them i sent you J
something seems off with your times. my old c63 w204 with tune used to do low 12's with just the basic bolt ons and tune. this car stock should be doing high 11's out of the box, perhaps are you using Race mode and not doing a good launch? you might be running too high of a tire pressure.
Did you lose boost pressure with the BOV spacers? My buddy had his C450 tuned at AMR Performance and they told him he was losing boost because of them so I was curious if that applied to the C63 as well. Also what did the vehicle dyno stock? That way we can know what you gained with the software
i don't think it is bleeding any boost. The way they are installed i feel like if it was bleeding you would hear it. I may out of cusiosity take them off next track outing and see if it changes anything(or if I dyno). I did not do a before Dyno as this was a spur of the moment purchase.
Originally Posted by StrikeTeam
Thanks for sharing. Some questions.
How do they access the ECU? They sneak it out through the top, I wasn't there but something to do with the coolant res.
How much does it cost? It's around 2k, I made some parts for them from my shop so can't give you an exact number.
Thanks!
Originally Posted by ruey220
something seems off with your times. my old c63 w204 with tune used to do low 12's with just the basic bolt ons and tune. this car stock should be doing high 11's out of the box, perhaps are you using Race mode and not doing a good launch? you might be running too high of a tire pressure.
Yeah I had higher hope for the car stock. But maybe after 15 years of driving awd cars I just suck at launching. I had higher hopes for stock times but between the track I go to normally and temps I have not touched 11s. I had high hopes for the piggyback as someone ran 11.01 with it but mine was a failure and made my times worse. I am now running r888 on the rear to get as much traction as possble but still can't get under a 2 second 60'.
If i could get a 1.8 I would be in the low 11 which makes more sense with a 124 trap. The trap speed shows I am making a lot more power then before even with a crappy launch
i don't think it is bleeding any boost. The way they are installed i feel like if it was bleeding you would hear it. I may out of cusiosity take them off next track outing and see if it changes anything(or if I dyno). I did not do a before Dyno as this was a spur of the moment purchase.
Yeah I had higher hope for the car stock. But maybe after 15 years of driving awd cars I just suck at launching. I had higher hopes for stock times but between the track I go to normally and temps I have not touched 11s. I had high hopes for the piggyback as someone ran 11.01 with it but mine was a failure and made my times worse. I am now running r888 on the rear to get as much traction as possble but still can't get under a 2 second 60'.
If i could get a 1.8 I would be in the low 11 which makes more sense with a 124 trap. The trap speed shows I am making a lot more power then before even with a crappy launch
Congrats Brent on the tune, I knew you wanted it. My buddy and I installed the BOV spacers on my C450. I see the comment above that says they are losing boost pressure (via AMR).
I would be curious if you take them off what you run, they basically are designed the same, so I can't imagine the C450 and C63 would differ in how they operate.
Not sure if AMR said that because stage 2 ran the same times as stage 1 tunes (OE and AMR)... same mph and 1/4... similar 60' and better weather this go around.
Did you lose boost pressure with the BOV spacers? My buddy had his C450 tuned at AMR Performance and they told him he was losing boost because of them so I was curious if that applied to the C63 as well. Also what did the vehicle dyno stock? That way we can know what you gained with the software
Is he taking the BOV spacers off and re-running? Would be curious. I am VR Tuned piggy back with the BOV spacers.
Congrats Brent on the tune, I knew you wanted it. My buddy and I installed the BOV spacers on my C450. I see the comment above that says they are losing boost pressure (via AMR).
I would be curious if you take them off what you run, they basically are designed the same, so I can't imagine the C450 and C63 would differ in how they operate.
Not sure if AMR said that because stage 2 ran the same times as stage 1 tunes (OE and AMR)... same mph and 1/4... similar 60' and better weather this go around.
The C63 has larger turbos than the C450 and every bov spacer is cut differently so I was just curious if his car did it as well. My friend plans on taking his off because his car is making less boost than it should. Also, stage 2 did make a slight increase in power over stage 1 as proven by their shop and customer cars. I'm going to try and drag him too the track while it is still open so we can get some times lol
10-20-2016, 02:06 PM
