G-Tech Pro RR: No dice in 135i

[SpeedballTrix]

So I finally put my G-Tech in my 135 this weekend.
Tried to calibrate RPMs and it's no good.
After the normal calibration steps are done and the cal should be complete it asks me if I have an aftermarket ignition. Selecting yes and no both produce the same result: no function.
Im figuring, based on how the GTech works, that it's either the distributorless ignition or direct injection that's causing the problem.
Tried it in a friends old blazer with neither of those and it works perfectly.
Tried it in a 2006 STS with DLI but no DI and it fails, so im thinking it must be that a GTech can't work with distributorless ignition, since it picks up the noise of the ignition pulse to detect rpms.

This seems ridiculous. I mean... tons of cars have DLI now. Are there even ANY new performance cars that have distributors in them?

Am I just missing something completely?
Has anyone used a GTech (or any performance meter) in their newer BMW with success?

[xbook]

I haven't used my Gtech RR in my 135 yet. Mostly cuz I am lazy, and haven't found a good place around my house to do some runs. But, I used to use it ALL the time in my '06 MINI Cooper S. The Tach function on the MINI didn't work either. It was due to the car filtering out the "info" the Gtech needs over the cigarette lighter. Some MINI owners had success by tapping their Gtech right into the power for the car. I believe right off of the positive battery terminal in the engine compartment. Once they did that, the RPMs were shown perfectly.

I discussed this previously on another site. Here is that discussion

[SpeedballTrix]

Wow.
So I have to modify the electrical system (granted that a bit of an exaggeration, but its technically true) to get a GTech to work in my 135?
That is incredibly weak.

I'm thoroughly disappointed in Tesla for that.

My dealer is hardcore against mods, so I'm pretty sure if I go running wires and installing relays they're gonna give me the axe. I mostly got the GTech just to store runs but after I thought about it the sequential shiftlights are awesome. And the ability to "dyno" your car before and after mods is a really nice way to see what you really are getting for your dollar. Even if it's not as good as a legitimate dyno it's sure alot cheaper =P

I'm curious, though, is this because of DLI or is it something specific to BMWs cigarette lighters? I mean... wtf would you change the way your cigarette lighter works vs every other manufacturer? Do they do it specifically to stop people from installing things like the GTech to discourage driving the car hard? That would be awful.
The thread you linked me didn't mention it and I would find it absurd if it turns out that the GTech really can't be used out of the box on ANY cars with DLI.

Anywho, thanks for your help, man.
Let me know if you get around to putting your GTech in your 135.
Id be interested to see what you have to go through and decide if It's worth it to me or if I'm just gonna put the unit on EBay =/

[xbook]

Dude, sounds like you need a beer:

[xbook]

Originally Posted by squeak

cant wait for beer in germany

Squeak, that's it, from here on out you shall be known as Squeak "lil' bitch" Scolari :



I am so DAMN JEALOUS OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bman6074]

I have the old G-tech pro comp and it doesn't work in my 135 either. The RPM just jumps all over the place.
I used it in my 99 M3 with no problems. It was great having the shift lights and track mode for autocross recording. I wonder if I connect it directly to the battery in the trunk would it work. I will see if I can test this let you know my results.

[gadget12345]

Originally Posted by SpeedballTrix

Wow.

I'm curious, though, is this because of DLI or is it something specific to BMWs cigarette lighters? I mean... wtf would you change the way your cigarette lighter works vs every other manufacturer? Do they do it specifically to stop people from installing things like the GTech to discourage driving the car hard? That would be awful.=/

Quick Summary

I think you will find this is more a reflection of the modern use of cigarette lighters as 'power ports' than the old school heating up of a coiled wire to light your ‘baccy.


More Detailed Tech Explanation

Your GTech attempts to detect the firing of spark plugs by electrical noise on the 12V power being provided on the cig lighter – this noise is visible as ‘spikes’ on what should otherwise be a smooth direct current (DC) voltage. In the old days when we used this to heat up a coil of wire in a cigarette lighter these spike’s didn’t matter at all. Fast forward in time a bit to the explosion of devices now being plugged into these ports – early days of music players etc. Have you ever experienced a clicking sound or hum from a radio that changes in tone (frequency) as you revved up and down on a older car with a traditional distributor & coil – that’s the effect of those voltage spikes your hearing. Bit further forwards in time – Radar detectors, fridges, iPod chargers, cell phone chargers etc. the humble Cigarette lighter is now a 12V power port, I believe in Europe most cars don’t even come with the lighter at all and all the holes are covered over with a cap proudly displaying 12V (12 Volts – ie: Your car’s nominal battery voltage). Used to be that voltage would fluctuate widely (10.2V – 14V ish) depending on the state of the battery’s charge and how hard you were revving the engine to drive the alternator. All of this fluctuating voltages and spikes can be really, really bad for portable electronics. Luckily easy solutions exist (Voltage regulation + filtering) to give a nice smooth, steady 12V DC that your iPod wants to see so it can charge and run.

I think what you are experiencing is more a reflection on the quality and design of the BMW electrical team that they have removed all of these nasty spikes etc. which have no desirable purpose for either lighting cigarettes with hot coils OR charging iPods etc and can potentially have so many adverse effects (like audio effects such as clicks, hums or even worse).

[bman6074]

ok tested it on the battery. It worked better as it didn't jump all over the palce but it was not very accurate. Not sure if the newer one will work better, as mine is from 2001.