Akra EVO + ESS ECU Tune Dyno

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by HREM3

I guess your numbers are a little low, and i see why you're disappointed.

I think people expect too much when doing basic bolt ons to our motors.

But the results are in the pudding for everyone else. I'm trying to diagnose my issue why i'm not getting the same results as everyone else. Being off by 20+ HP is a concern.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by bapesta206

But the results are in the pudding for everyone else. I'm trying to diagnose my issue why i'm not getting the same results as everyone else. Being off by 20+ HP is a concern.

Without knowing your baseline, it only adds to the variables.

[GIdriver]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

How large were your files? 231E update is a separate file @ ~5MB that needs to be loaded before the tune. The actual tune is ~2MB.

Otherwise, you may still be >231E.

Hmm. I did not know that. I thought that the tune had the updated 231E software included in the same file.

[TX335]

I just loaded the ESS Akra tune recently, and I can confirm that there are two separate files: one for the 231E update and one for the tune.

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by TX335

I just loaded the ESS Akra tune recently, and I can confirm that there are two separate files: one for the 231E update and one for the tune.

I never got that.... I only received one file from ESS.

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by GIdriver

Hmm. I did not know that. I thought that the tune had the updated 231E software included in the same file.

Based on what TX335 said, there are two separate files. One for the 231E flash and another for 231E file for the tune. I only received one file for the tune and this was purchased back in March 2012.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by bapesta206

I never got that.... I only received one file from ESS.

You both are using different programmer tools.

Procedures will differ.

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

You both are using different programmer tools.

Procedures will differ.

Right, but he has two files and I had one file.

[TX335]

Originally Posted by TX335

I just loaded the ESS Akra tune recently, and I can confirm that there are two separate files: one for the 231E update and one for the tune.

I should also note that I have the E-flash system (using a laptop), not the DirectFlash (handheld) unit.

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by TX335

I should also note that I have the E-flash system (using a laptop), not the DirectFlash (handheld) unit.

And that's why you received both files

[BPMSport]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

How large were your files? 231E update is a separate file @ ~5MB that needs to be loaded before the tune. The actual tune is ~2MB.

Otherwise, you may still be >231E.

Not the way it works. Depends on the tool used.

Full software should be just over 5MB using end user cables, 5120 kb to be exact. Although encrypted reads will be 5121kb.

CMD takes slightly larger reads, just over 6mb.

This includes program and data areas.

Calibration space is 128K.

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Not the way it works. Depends on the tool used.

Full software should be just over 5MB using end user cables, 5120 kb to be exact. Although encrypted reads will be 5121kb.

CMD takes slightly larger reads, just over 6mb.

This includes program and data areas.

Calibration space is 128K.

At the end of the day, I need a software update...

[e92involved]

did you buy your car new and do the break-in? I believe how the motor is broken-in can have an effect on how well that motor performs.in its life.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by bapesta206

At the end of the day, I need a software update...

You definitely do. Keep us posted on the outcome.

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by e92involved

did you buy your car new and do the break-in? I believe how the motor is broken-in can have an effect on how well that motor performs.in its life.

New and i broke her in how it was suggested.

[e92involved]

Originally Posted by bapesta206

New and i broke her in how it was suggested.

Lol what does that mean? How did you break the motor in?

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by e92involved

Lol what does that mean? How did you break the motor in?

I didn't rev pass 5500 RPM.

[e92involved]

Originally Posted by bapesta206

I didn't rev pass 5500 RPM.

Did you kinda just baby the car to 1200 miles? Did you even bring the revs up strong and let the motor pull back down? I think the way BMW tells you to break the motor in is a bunch of BS. I bring every motor I break in to redline at least a few times with in that mileage. In my experience the cars that do this become "freak cars" with more H.P. than the rest. Your car may just be what it is because of the way it was broken in. Then again maybe not. Obviously, you need to make sure your tune in current. I'm just trying to shed light on another possibility. Good luck with everything!!

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by e92involved

Did you kinda just baby the car to 1200 miles? Did you even bring the revs up strong and let the motor pull back down? I think the way BMW tells you to break the motor in is a bunch of BS. I bring every motor I break in to redline at least a few times with in that mileage. In my experience the cars that do this become "freak cars" with more H.P. than the rest. Your car may just be what it is because of the way it was broken in. Then again maybe not. Obviously, you need to make sure your tune in current. I'm just trying to shed light on another possibility. Good luck with everything!!

I feel ya. My friend told me the same thing about bringing it above red line a couple of times. Well, I'm updating the software tomorrow and let's see if there is a difference.

[tha_good_life]

So the question is if 231E or the most recent BMW software update give extra HP?

So here is my quest to find the answer. I had my car dyno'd last week with the following modification: Akra Evo + ESS Tune. I was very disappointed with the results peaking at 351WHP and 249 WTQ. After doing some research, I found out that I was running on an old BMW software E89X-10-12-503. I took my car in for the 30k oil change and had my car reflashed to the current OS E89X-12-03-502. My initial impression after I picked up the car, there is some lost HP for sure without the ESS tune. Some of the stuff on iDrive did change. AND my LCI has to get re-coded.
So today, I tested the theory if the updated OS will give some extra WHP on top of the ESS tune. RuneFile 5 was with the updated OS + Akra Evo, which produced 339WHP and 251lbs TQ. A lost of 12WHP and a 2lbs TQ gain. Still, a little lower than I expected. RuneFile 8 was with the ESS tune with a gain of 1WHP and 7lb TQ gain! RuneFile 9 was running the car on 5th gear 352WHP and 263lbs TQ with being flat on WHP but a gain of 14lbs TQ!

Overall, not a substantial gain in WHP, but 14lbs TQ gain. At the end of the day, at least the ESS tune did produce results. It's really hard to tell if the new OS software gave my car extra HP or not since I didn't have baseline to work with. I hope this helps the people who wants to update their software.

[GIdriver]

Originally Posted by bapesta206

So the question is if 231E or the most recent BMW software update give extra HP?

So here is my quest to find the answer. I had my car dyno'd last week with the following modification: Akra Evo + ESS Tune. I was very disappointed with the results peaking at 351WHP and 249 WTQ. After doing some research, I found out that I was running on an old BMW software E89X-10-12-503. I took my car in for the 30k oil change and had my car reflashed to the current OS E89X-12-03-502. My initial impression after I picked up the car, there is some lost HP for sure without the ESS tune. Some of the stuff on iDrive did change. AND my LCI has to get re-coded.
So today, I tested the theory if the updated OS will give some extra WHP on top of the ESS tune. RuneFile 5 was with the updated OS + Akra Evo, which produced 339WHP and 251lbs TQ. A lost of 12WHP and a 2lbs TQ gain. Still, a little lower than I expected. RuneFile 8 was with the ESS tune with a gain of 1WHP and 7lb TQ gain! RuneFile 9 was running the car on 5th gear 352WHP and 263lbs TQ with being flat on WHP but a gain of 14lbs TQ!

Overall, not a substantial gain in WHP, but 14lbs TQ gain. At the end of the day, at least the ESS tune did produce results. It's really hard to tell if the new OS software gave my car extra HP or not since I didn't have baseline to work with. I hope this helps the people who wants to update their software.

Thank you so much for the update. So it appears that the ESS tune will provide more gains than the 231E update, at least in this car.

[tha_good_life]

Originally Posted by GIdriver

Thank you so much for the update. So it appears that the ESS tune will provide more gains than the 231E update, at least in this car.

Yeah, in this case you are right. SO I guess it's a hit or miss on the 231e or update.