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| 06-08-2012, 05:19 AM | #1 |
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How to tell if your car is chipped?
Hey all. I just picked up my first BMW this week, 2009 135i 6 speed m sport package and I'm quite happy with it!
I bought the car from a dealer so I never got to meet the original owner who made modifications to the car. Intakes and wheels are all I have noticed so far. I've driven a car with pretty close to 300 hp 300 lb tq before and this car doesn't feel anywhere near that range. It feels much faster so I wonder how I tell if the car has been chipped or tuned? Is there a piggyback device I can visually see on the stock ecu or maybe a chip I can look for? Sorry if this is a repeat question but I tried searching with no luck. Thanks for the help! |
| 06-08-2012, 06:48 AM | #2 |
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The dealer would have found that immediately. What you drove previously has a huge affect on how fast the car *feels*.
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| 06-08-2012, 08:20 AM | #3 |
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Drives: 15 F80 M3, 22 G01 X3 30i
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"Chipped" usually refers to damaged paint.
 Updated software/tuned is another thing altogether - your car might have a BMW power pack installed. If you got the car as a CPO, they probably would have detected any type of piggyback tune.
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| 06-08-2012, 08:37 AM | #4 |
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There have been a few posts from people who bought CPOs that turned out to have flash tunes installed - one guy was upset because Dinan wouldn't give him a free update. And I remember at least once someone found a JB3 in there.
OTOH this engine develops its full torque so low in the rpm range, it feels much more powerful than 300 hp until you get used to it and start using higher gears than you would in other cars. |
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| 06-08-2012, 08:54 AM | #5 |
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+1 to all of the above ^^^. Check for the following:
1) stock boost is normally around 9 psi (peak). Boost will a tune might be around 12 psi. 2) Open the access panel for the DME to see if there is a piggyback tune. 3) I believe Dinan and PPK1 &2 are marked somewhere on or near the engine cover. I could be wrong. Happy boosting 
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| 06-08-2012, 08:58 AM | #6 |
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This car does feel quicker than most. I had an Evo X GSR with 339 HP at all 4 wheels and this 135 "feels" faster because of the torque coming on soo early.
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| 06-08-2012, 09:39 AM | #9 |
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If you look through the engine mods section you will see many dyno charts of stock and tuned N54 motors. The rear wheel results would indicate BMW under rated the engine with actual flywheel horsepower in the neighborhood of 325. If the intake was changed it is quite possible there are other mods on the car.
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| 06-08-2012, 08:50 PM | #10 |
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If your car has the BMW Performance Stage 1 tune, then your engine bay would had a black and silver emblem sticker thing (its a metal sticker basically) that says BMW Performance attached and another sticker near the ECU box with a warning on it saying that the tune had bene installed. You would have noticed it pretty quickly though.
I had a pic of the BMW Performance metal sticker from my engine bay, but I can't seem to find the damn thing. |
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