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| Adding Power in Half an Hour
If you’ve ever heard someone say their car is ‘Stage 2’ or ‘chip-tuned’ and didn’t know exactly what they meant, this week’s article is for you. We will explain a few of the key concepts behind software tuning and briefly highlight the options available here at Turner Motorsport for your specific BMW. This is everything you need to know about upgrading your BMW’s engine software.
What you most likely know is that the engine of a modern car is controlled by a computer known as the ECU, or Digital Motor Electronics (DME) in BMWs. The comprehensive management for your engine’s operation, your DME ensures consistent reliability and maximum performance at the lowest possible fuel consumption and emissions. Without going into too much detail, it controls the ignition timing, VANOS, fuel delivery, and other key functions while meeting the requirements set by BMW and federal regulations.
How BMW configures the software is the kicker. While their software is certainly concerned with being as powerful as possible within certain parameters, it is restricted by compromising its maximum allowable power with the need to meet expectations of other qualities, like emissions and other legislature. That’s where aftermarket software tuners come in. Tuners like Jim Conforti who know the BOSCH software better than almost anyone.
Through Dyno testing and tweaking DME settings, tuners like Conforti are able to establish software maps that allow for marginal to significant improvements to horsepower and torque outputs along with changes to throttle response, timing, and the 'smoothness' of the engine's operation. They adjust fuel mapping, ignition timing, VANOS, and other systems to work more efficiently, prioritizing power, all while retaining smooth engine performance and normal reliability. Of course, that also means your software has become more specialized, which will mean it requires specific octane fuel and is more sensitive to changes in the air, fuel, or other factors.
This is where the easy part comes into play. You, the driver and owner of a BMW in need of a performance upgrade that offers one of the most noticeable improvements to your experience behind the wheel, have little more to do than choose the proper software for your needs. Once chosen, it is a simple matter of plugging in the device or installing the chip for a short software re-flash and you’re finished. That’s it. More power, better engine operation, and a more enjoyable driving experience are experienced all from an upgrade that generally doesn’t require you to break a sweat.
Choosing the right software is the hardest part, at the basic level of software upgrading. This is not an in-depth look at how tuning works in terms of software engineering, nor will it go into detail about more advanced custom tuning, but it will describe the types of off-the-shelf options for any enthusiast unsure of which option is right for their BMW. That said, let’s look at what we offer at Turner Motorsport. |
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Conforti Chip Tunes:
This tune is designed for BMW DME modules from 1986-1995, also known as OBDI software. Almost every model offered in North America has been tested and tuned by Jim Conforti, which is why we have 210 available unique chip files in our catalog for BMWs produced during that time. Chances are, if your BMW was produced from 86-95, it can be improved with one of our chip tunes to make more power. The files simply adjust fuel mapping and ignition timing without compromising reliability or risking damage, which is to say there are no side effects from this software change. Depending on your car, gains from 11hp to 43hp are possible with the Conforti Performance Software. For not requiring you to crack open your toolbox or leave your house, this is a significant improvement, even for the models that are on the low end of the range of peak gains. |
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Shark Injector Performance Software:
For the early OBDII cars, BMWs produced from 1996-2005, the Shark Injector is your plug-and-play tuning solution. The Shark is considered an off-the-shelf re-flashing device, as it plugs into your OBD port to flash your engine management software with its new parameters. This device is simpler to install than even a chip tune, as all it requires is that you plug it into the OBD port, keep a tender on the battery, and let it flash the DME. The whole process takes about 20 minutes and doesn’t really take any input from you. With the Shark Injector, your BMW will experience more power and torque, quicker throttle response, a higher rev limit, no top speed limiter, and smoother operation. This is all thanks once again to Jim Conforti, who made changes to the stock software’s fuel enrichment, transition fueling, cam timing, ignition timing, and VANOS control to take advantage of 91 octane (or higher) fuel. |
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Performance Flash Software:
If your BMW is a 2005 model year or newer, then you need our performance flash software. This flash tune increases the horsepower and torque similarly to the Shark Injector or Conforti chip but is designed for the newer computers and engines found in more modern BMWs. Our Dyno-tested and developed tunes adjust ignition, fuel timing, cam timing, including VANOS and Valvetronic timing, raises the rev limiter, and delimits the top speed. The throttle response also receives an improvement, which makes your driving experience much more enjoyable. Of course, the software can be specified to allow for most major upgrades like intakes, exhausts, different cam profiles, and more. Either a stock BMW or modified one will benefit greatly from the software flash. |
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Lastly, the software is, of course, specific to your engine model and can be specialized for modified/custom engines to almost any degree, but eventually, a unique stand-alone system will be required if you are going for a full-on race car. At that point, you are probably well aware of how all this works, but we’re going to include information about those systems regardless. |
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Since dedicated race cars don’t need to be concerned with any emissions and have different goals than road going cars, aftermarket stand-alone systems are the best choice. All racing drivers care about is maximum reliable power and for their management to be as specialized towards that goal as is possible. Systems like MoTeC and Bosch Motorsport, as well as others, are offered here at Turner for you folks who need custom tuning. At that level, everything will be unique to your specific setup. No off-the-shelf option will be without compromise, so individual tuning for your application is the best way to bias towards power over every other quality. However, this option is bar-none the best choice for anyone building a car and competing at that level. As we mentioned, though, this option is not best for the intended audience of this article. For most cars, the off-the-shelf tunes should be more than sufficient.
With that, you should now know which tune is right for your specific BMW and what you can expect to gain from the software upgrade. Software tuning can be either the first simple, yet rewarding, modification you select or can tie a whole build together by maximizing the effects of your supporting upgrades. For that reason, software tuning is almost an essential improvement needed to have the most fun behind the wheel of your BMW. |
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