Questions about ECU Tuning

[buddster]

If you get you're ECU flashed:

1. How do you keep you're dealer from reflashing it at the scheduled services? Obviously, you can ask them not to but then you risk having your car "flagged" in their system and voiding the warranty. Any suggestions?
2. Other than judging the feel / power is there a definitive way to know if they reflashed?
3. Would the SA even be able to stop the techs from doing what they do and reflashing?

[MHP]

Originally Posted by buddster

If you get you're ECU flashed:

1. How do you keep you're dealer from reflashing it at the scheduled services? Obviously, you can ask them not to but then you risk having your car "flagged" in their system and voiding the warranty. Any suggestions?
2. Other than judging the feel / power is there a definitive way to know if they reflashed?
3. Would the SA even be able to stop the techs from doing what they do and reflashing?

Just tell your SA that you're happy with the current version of factory software you're running and not to perform any updates to the ECU.

You can always redyno to test.

[buddster]

Sounds reasonable. I'm trying to avoid re-dynoing. It's expensive and a pain to do just to find out if the dealer screwed you. Do most tuners keep the file for your car for reflashing?

[MHP]

Originally Posted by buddster

Sounds reasonable. I'm trying to avoid re-dynoing. It's expensive and a pain to do just to find out if the dealer screwed you. Do most tuners keep the file for your car for reflashing?

Absolutely, any reputable tuner will keep their client's files on record for several reasons including the one cited above.

Some other options..

1) 60-130 via VBox/GPS based logging. It's basically a rolling dyno.

2) Race a "control" car--one that you race often (buddy's car, etc), meaning you know how fast it is and how your car performs against his.

You can always send back to the tuner to verify, however most charge $250 (standard tuner fee) to open the controller and check the file. Plus there is 1-2 days of downtime typically as well.



Thanks!

[Eugene-TAIWAN]

Well said!