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ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 7:48 pm
by matt0095
Hi all

Recently purchased a 06 spec B 3.0R wagon and looking to get more out of it, alot of people are saying to do the headers first and others are saying to get the ECU tuned?

Can anyone tell me the best road to take on this, and also any good places to do either in or around Brisbane?

Help would be much appreciated, thanks

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:30 pm
by paggaz
Image

:lol: But seriously, it depends how much more power you were after. The stock tune on the 3.0R is notorious for knocking here and there. Many people here are running completely stock + a tune and the difference is night and day, and don't go any further with it.

When you install the headers, you might feel the difference marginally but to reap the full benefits, you'd need to get a tune anyway.

IMO, if you're on a limited budget, get the tune first. You might even decide you don't need to go further. (who am I kidding...you need boost :P )

If money isn't a problem, get them both at once.

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:36 pm
by Gomez
Well I have done both, depends what you are after? to achieve more kilowatts headers will provide the biggest power increase, Raptor are a great company and really good with communication they are in the commercial vendors section, but if your just after a nice car to drive then you just want a tune, If I had my time over again I would not have waited 18 months to get my car tuned, can't tell you how much better the car is to drive, I went to Matt from "Kido Tunes" he is also in the commercial vendors section if you want to hit him up with a pm.....Hope this helps :)

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:51 pm
by Kekotic
Gomez wrote:Well I have done both, depends what you are after? to achieve more kilowatts headers will provide the biggest power increase, Raptor are a great company and really good with communication they are in the commercial vendors section, but if your just after a nice car to drive then you just want a tune, If I had my time over again I would not have waited 18 months to get my car tuned, can't tell you how much better the car is to drive, I went to Matt from "Kido Tunes" he is also in the commercial vendors section if you want to hit him up with a pm.....Hope this helps :)


How would headers be more beneficial than a tune? You won't reap half the benefits from headers until you get the tune.

Some tuners like you have mentioned (Matt) offer free retunes, so get a tune and then do mods later and send him some logs and he will update the tune via email, all you will need is access to a laptop and tactrix cable.

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:51 am
by matt0095
paggaz wrote:Image

:lol: But seriously, it depends how much more power you were after. The stock tune on the 3.0R is notorious for knocking here and there. Many people here are running completely stock + a tune and the difference is night and day, and don't go any further with it.

When you install the headers, you might feel the difference marginally but to reap the full benefits, you'd need to get a tune anyway.

IMO, if you're on a limited budget, get the tune first. You might even decide you don't need to go further. (who am I kidding...you need boost :P )

If money isn't a problem, get them both at once.



Thanks for your comments mate :D In regards to the 'knocking here and there' can you elaborate on that :?:

Also money isn't an issue so looking at betting them both.

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:18 am
by Robbks
I've had nothing done to my tune but make the DBW throttle map a lot more agresive and the car is so much more drivable in traffic, towing, and just smoother.

The stock tune has a LOT of ignition timing, but far too much and the engine will "ping" or "knock" (caused by too much ignition timing advance) bad for big-ends, pistons, engine temps
even when running on 98RON fuel
So the ECU sees this and will pull back timing from the whole ignition map until it stops pinging, (losing power and economy) and slowly add it back in to areas where the tune is good.
But in most cases the ECU can't put back in all the timing that was taken out. making teh car less efficient and not as smooth to drive

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:45 am
by nickknack
matt0095 wrote:Also money isn't an issue so looking at betting them both.


Turbo? :lol:

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:00 pm
by coyote
nickknack wrote:
matt0095 wrote:Also money isn't an issue so looking at betting them both.


Turbo? :lol:


Where is the like post button?

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:14 pm
by Robbks
coyote wrote:
nickknack wrote:
matt0095 wrote:Also money isn't an issue so looking at betting them both.


Turbo? :lol:


Where is the like post button?


+1

What's the kit price gonna be...?

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:04 pm
by matt0095
Robbks wrote:I've had nothing done to my tune but make the DBW throttle map a lot more agresive and the car is so much more drivable in traffic, towing, and just smoother.

The stock tune has a LOT of ignition timing, but far too much and the engine will "ping" or "knock" (caused by too much ignition timing advance) bad for big-ends, pistons, engine temps
even when running on 98RON fuel
So the ECU sees this and will pull back timing from the whole ignition map until it stops pinging, (losing power and economy) and slowly add it back in to areas where the tune is good.
But in most cases the ECU can't put back in all the timing that was taken out. making teh car less efficient and not as smooth to drive



So just to clear that up even with 'headers' and a stock tune there still may or will be 'pinging issues'?, very interesting if so
So many different opinions out there
Just spoke to a guy today and he said the same 'headers & tune" is the way to go
What about DBW throttle mapping with the tune would that sort out the 'ping' or 'knock' issues?

Yeah I think DBW throttle mapping might be the way to go after all it is the family wagon, keen to get more out of it but also needs to be smooth.

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:47 pm
by KiDo_Tuning
matt0095 wrote:
Robbks wrote:I've had nothing done to my tune but make the DBW throttle map a lot more agresive and the car is so much more drivable in traffic, towing, and just smoother.

The stock tune has a LOT of ignition timing, but far too much and the engine will "ping" or "knock" (caused by too much ignition timing advance) bad for big-ends, pistons, engine temps
even when running on 98RON fuel
So the ECU sees this and will pull back timing from the whole ignition map until it stops pinging, (losing power and economy) and slowly add it back in to areas where the tune is good.
But in most cases the ECU can't put back in all the timing that was taken out. making teh car less efficient and not as smooth to drive



So just to clear that up even with 'headers' and a stock tune there still may or will be 'pinging issues'?, very interesting if so
So many different opinions out there
Just spoke to a guy today and he said the same 'headers & tune" is the way to go
What about DBW throttle mapping with the tune would that sort out the 'ping' or 'knock' issues?

Yeah I think DBW throttle mapping might be the way to go after all it is the family wagon, keen to get more out of it but also needs to be smooth.


Pulls from 1200rpm in 6th gear even without headers. That 2000rpm is where the car is driven daily, hence the gain in driveability and fuel economy :)

Full tune fixes everything, even the idle with the AC on lol

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 7:54 am
by matt0095
KiDo_Tuning wrote:

Pulls from 1200rpm in 6th gear even without headers. That 2000rpm is where the car is driven daily, hence the gain in driveability and fuel economy :)

Full tune fixes everything, even the idle with the AC on lol



Hey there Matt can you recommend anyone in or around Brisbane

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:57 pm
by Tradewind
With KiDo or XRT for instance, you can buy your tune and then if you like add your headers later and they will both supply you a "headers" tune for no extra cost so you get the most of those new pipes :mrgreen:

In that instance - you would get your tune first and add the headers later if you so desire

Either way a tune is essential for H6


Note: I always mention the both tuners together in cases like this as I work with both, keeping it all fair.

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 1:28 pm
by coyote
Robbks wrote:What's the kit price gonna be...?


There won't be a "kit", but if you brought your car up here you could probably do a drive-in / drive-out for about $10k.

Many have spent far more to achieve far less.

Re: ECU tune, people are saying 'Yes' & 'No'?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 4:22 am
by Gomez
Ahh you are right coyote.