BayAreaAMG

I can't seem to find an answer on the racechip site, but I still have time to cancel my order.

Does anyone know if the racechip piggyback tuners are fully transferable? I know it will work once installed but in order to use the app you must "register" the product. I entered the serial number of what I bought but the app requires a live connection to process, meaning I need it installed first. If not I'll be stuck with the setting the last user had it set at (warm up timer).

Maybe I'll just cancel and buy a new one.

waisoserious

https://www.racechip.com/service-support/faq.html

edit: if the app is purchased through the appstore, its highly unlikely that it is able to be transferred.

BayAreaAMG

Are you referring to this?

Can I still use my RaceChip after switching to a new vehicle?

At RaceChip we specifically program our optimization software for the particular engine in which our product is being installed for performance optimization.

For this reason, unlimited re-use of our chip tuning products is only possible if the new vehicle has exactly the same engine.



Thanks but I've gone through all the FAQ's, my question remains unanswered though. I have the C450 and so does the person I bought the used device from. So from that standpoint I can use it, but can I use the app? The app allows control of the warm up timer and costs $50 extra when ordering from racechip.

I've downloaded the app from the Google Play Store, funny enough it is a free download. So that's where I'm lost... in regards to the app and registering the product a second time.

waisoserious

Probably not because If you use iPhone, all apps are purchased through iTunes. Which means the user transaction is through Apple.

Same with Google play.

BayAreaAMG

Yea, I'm probably stuck with no app or at least having to purchase it separately. The person I bought it from also paid for the app when he bought the racechip. So I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that the product serial number is not uniquely registered to that one particular person to use the app but instead just registered to enable the app in general.

I guess I'll see what happens when I get it. If I can't get the app working in any way I'll sell it cheap and just buy new.

waisoserious

Since the app is optional, there should be a way to hardware change the setting.

BayAreaAMG

Good point, at least there should be some way to reset it. I'll update the thread with what happens maybe it will help others who are interested in buying used like me.

user33

The RaceChip and RaceChip+ apps (for older and newer RaceChip versions) are both free (at least for iPhones) and I know one person who's had to re-register for a new iPhone and it only required the RaceChip serial number. As such, w.r.t. the app, I'd bet you'd have no problems with the transfer from one vehicle/owner to another.

BayAreaAMG

Excellent news, I wonder why they still try to sell the app online when ordering. As I've mentioned I've also been able to download the RaceChip+ app free on the Play Store. 👍🙂

calpilot98

I would think a quick phone call with Racechip customer support will answer your question and I believe they might even help you with the registering product etc ..on the phone

BMS

Just get a JB4, similar price, much better and safer tuning.

BayAreaAMG

I've reached out to them by email on Saturday since their phone support was closed, haven't heard back yet so I think I'll try giving them a call in a few minutes.

BayAreaAMG

I thought about it as my first option but unfortunately you don't ship to California. Then I thought I would just buy one on Ebay (only one seller there who had it). However for the bluetooth module I must buy it separately and they charge a bit more for it.

I ended up with racechip for the fact that I got a great deal on one that was only used for 4 months... but I've got JB4 in the back of my mind still. What makes the tuning on JB4 safer? Doesn't it also require the use of the OBD port? 🙂

BayAreaAMG

I just talked to RaceChip customer service.

Confirmed that the app is free to download and it's all fully transferrable to any person or vehicle. You just enter the serial number on the back of the device then enter the PIN number which is the last 6 digits of the serial number. I think the PIN is just used to pair the device to the phone since it tries to connect after entering the serial number.

Idk why they still try to sell the app on their site if it's free on the Apple or Google store. Hmmm... 🤔 oh well.

BMS

OBDII is optional but always suggested, allows the JB4 to read in critical engine data like air/fuel ratio, throttle position, pedal position, temperature data, etc, and incorporate that in to the tuning. So you get a lot more than a "dumb" system like RaceChip that can only monitor and adjust boost pressure, systems like that can't even tell how far down you're pushing the gas pedal so the net result is quite a bit different. Also lacks fuel control and the means to know if the engine is running lean under the higher boost pressure.

Anyway as long as you're aware there are better options out there. JB4 also has a much higher resale value generally so even if its a few bucks more you make it back later.

user33

They're not selling the app, they're selling the optional capability of the RaceChip to support an app (presumably it means it has the bluetooth hardware/firmware) ... the RaceChip must have this option for the app to work.

BayAreaAMG

Gotcha.

I don't know exactly how piggyback tuners like the RaceChip work but I imagine that the amount of boost over stock that it provides is based on RPM (since it reads it) and what the current boost pressure is at. Partial throttle boost pressures would still be still partial boost but improved over stock amounts. Except not fine tuned if it can't read throttle or pedal position.

As far as my safety concerns go, I imagine the RaceChip and JB4 are equally safe with the AFR when only going 4-6 PSI over stock. Sure the JB4 reads the AFR but the stock ECU would compensate/adjust for that as it usually does since all the safety parameters are unchanged in a piggyback. I also don't know how much extra PSI is the limit until the stock fuel injectors max out however when RaceChip or Dinan created these tunes they would have been watching AFR and injector duty cycle.

The only concern I really have is about knock which I'll plan to monitor for a while. Dinan in "race mode" says it recommends 93 octane, so they must've seen some knock with it on 91 octane. Thr RaceChip is probably the same and we don't have 93 octane anywhere near me.

If someone out there knows anything or believes I'm wrong then please chime in and correct my assumptions. My mind is going a million miles an hour thinking about this. I might try out a JB4 later and compare.

BayAreaAMG

Aha.. that makes perfect sense.

user33

I'd argue that a JB4 can be less safe. With a RaceChip, you have a tune that's done by a team that's located in Germany (and thus likely has better access to information and can legally/easily test at any speed on the autobahn) who have years of experience producing tunes for Mercedes/AMG engines. With the JB4, you have a product that enables the tune to be fiddled with by any amateur (e.g., me) with zero experience in such matters.

user33

And while I agree that that's a wonderful feature, I'd remind people that (according to BMS' responses to my queries), if you're using their device connected to the OBD port, you can't have any other OBD devices. If you, for example, want to capture telemetry via a KiWi3 to use with Harry's LapTimer when on the track, you won't be able to use the JB4's OBD capability to capture data when on the track.

BayAreaAMG

I agree with this, but also not everyone is trying to push the limits of their vehicle so there's no need for any user adjustability. On my last car I had a piggyback where I created my own tune, I've got no interest in that stuff anymore. Just plug it in (or reflash ecu) and forget about it.

RichardCranium3

While there's no denying the OBDII situation and not that it matters to the OP as he stated he wouldn't use map6, I will definitely disagree with the safety of the system. Just because you have a user-definable boost table, doesn't mean the ECU will allow you to crank on an extra 30lbs of boost. Yes, you're tricking the car with the piggyback, but there's still a physical limit to what the car will allow. That's why they're called boost "targets" and not absolute values. The ECU is still performing all of its typical checks & balances, the JB4 is just asking "hey if you could squeeze in an extra few lbs of boost, great! If not, whatever you can make work up to X maximum." RaceChip is doing the exact same thing here.

Also, 43's do NOT have AMG engines. Correlation =//= causation...just because a tuner is located in Germany does not make them inherently more knowledgeable to a German car.

BMS

BMS has been tuning turbocharged German vehicles since 2007 when the BMW 335i was first released, and we have an excellent track record for reliable performance. But more to the point, the additional safety the JB4 provides is due to the OBDII data. Many people aren't aware of this fact but the factory tuning will chug along without going to limp at very lean air/fuel ratios, with boost over target, fuel pressure close to crashing, and many other situations. While the factory safeguards are reasonable for factory tuning once you increase performance they become limited at best. The JB4 monitoring engine data via CANbus is able to use that data for real time tuning and to continually check to ensure the vehicle is operating within safety parameters while racing around. It's like having a tuner looking at your data logs full time while racing and taping you on the shoulder if things get out of check. And of course the factory safety systems are all present and fully operational, limited as they are, as a backstop.

In terms of complexity the user interface is all optional stuff. In fact in the next app release all user adjustment beyond map changes will be placed under an "advanced" tab so customers know to avoid it unless they know what they are doing. But even if you stumble in to settings, and changes things to crazy levels, the JB4 safety systems, and ECU safety systems, all remain in effect.

In terms of the tuning limitations a simple tuner like RaceChip doesn't even know when you're pressing the gas pedal down....

BayAreaAMG

This OBD connection requires routing cable through the firewall right? So even your stage 1 map tune (or is it now stage 2?) can benefit from the additional monitoring and on the fly adjusting? But with how that tune isn't as aggressive as it would be if I made a custom map 6, is it really necessary? It's not like the ECU safety parameters would allow the AFR to become so lean the engine would blow.

You've mentioned about the pedal position again... why is that so important? I can understand how it can be for a more refined tuning capability, but how does that affect your stage 1 tune map (vs comparable racechip) in terms of safety? I'm guessing it's probably unnecessary and redundant?

Again.. I'm all still interested and open minded.

BMS

OBDII can route out a preexisting hole in the firewall or through the door jamb, both are perfectly functional.

We only offer the JB4 now for the platform and while all maps benefit from the OBDII cable map1 (default) can be run without it. Without OBDII map1 will perform similar to RaceChip, although it still has better internal tuning logic IMHO.