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      05-15-2013, 08:22 PM   #1
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Z4MC: Active Autowerke Tune w/Simon Flashloader [Review]

First off, I want to thank Viral and Zak (Software Engineer at AA) for the excellent communication both via email and on the phone through this process and answering my seemingly inane to paranoid questions.

I spent the last 2 days going through the Active Autowerke tuning process using their Simon Flashloader tool.

Simon Kit


Basic Home Voltmeter


Simon arrived on Tuesday evening and looking through their instructions, they seem to strongly recommend having a battery charger hooked up to the car to maintain voltage over 12V during the process so I picked up a Battery Tender Plus 12V@1.25a at the local Pep Boys. When the battery indicated a voltage of 12.2V with the tender hooked up, I was ready.

Well, almost. I had to install the MyGenius software onto my wife's windows machine (I have a Macbook Air) using the supplied flash drive. Then hook up Simon using USB to the laptop and run an update - this updated the software on the laptop and the firmware on Simon.

Now, I was ready for the next step. This involves connecting Simon to the car's OBD2 port and following the simple on screen instructions to start the download process. Simon took 25-30 minutes to pull the stock software off the ECU.

Simon is now connected back to the laptop and the stock file transferred to the laptop. Then I emailed this file to AA so they could prepare a flash for my car and email it back to me.

Zak labelled my stock file as well as their pump gas file so I can load both onto Simon and easily find either. I transferred these from email attachments to Simon via MyGenius using USB. Then set the car up for the flash (all accessories off, door closed with windows down, starting voltage of 12.5V with the Battery Tender connected), hooked up Simon and followed on-screen instructions to start the flash.

Here is what surprised me, one the writing to ECU began what seems like the fuel pump (whirring noise from passenger side gas tank area) started to run and ran for the entire duration of the flash. The flash took about 30 minutes and battery voltage seemed to drop to around 11.75V (momentarily to 11.6V and that worried me) but the flash completed.

I just took the car for a quick test spin and the one thing that is noticeable immediately is how smooth the throttle response is throughout the rev range. Stock felt edgier but also somewhat harder to drive smoothly at times, whereas the AA tune seems to have taken the edge off. Rolling onto the gas getting out of a bend is very smooth and linear as is getting off the gas. Did I mention how smooth the AA tune is?

In terms of power, I cannot tell as I was part throttle most of the time with a couple of full throttle runs in 3rd and 4th. After each full throttle run, the car felt more responsive so I think there is some adaptation to be had. So far, it does not feel like when I installed the headers and drove the car the first time where it was an immediate felt improvement in midrange torque. I think this is a more subtle change and only adaptation after a while will tell how the tune feels and a dyno will reveal actual changes.

I am going to Watkins Glen this Sat/Sun so the car will have plenty of time to adapt to "fun" driving I will keep you all updated on subjective feedback over the next few days and the dyno once I get that done.
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      05-15-2013, 08:59 PM   #2
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Is the active tune 800?
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      05-15-2013, 09:11 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zubydafa View Post
Is the active tune 800?

$499 for tune

$350 for SIMON Handheld Programmer/Flashloader

You obviously don't need SIMON if you have an AA dealer around you that can flash your car.
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      05-15-2013, 10:48 PM   #4
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Sweet. The shop my cars at right now for body repair work is recommending sending my dme out to active...but they something like 800 for the tune and turning off cats etc
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      05-15-2013, 11:07 PM   #5
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Please tell me you got to do before-and-after dyno.................
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      05-15-2013, 11:35 PM   #6
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Please tell me you got to do before-and-after dyno.................
lololol


rest assured, if i go active route - I WILL baseline and post dyno. that way i can return it if it doesn't work like i did with evolve. i'm really likening up to the idea of active, though. hearing great things
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      05-16-2013, 12:59 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pal View Post
Here is what surprised me, one the writing to ECU began what seems like the fuel pump (whirring noise from passenger side gas tank area) started to run and ran for the entire duration of the flash.
I had the same experience when doing a software upgrade (oem bmw software) before getting my tune, so I imagine it's normal.
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      05-16-2013, 04:34 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beta View Post
I had the same experience when doing a software upgrade (oem bmw software) before getting my tune, so I imagine it's normal.
I have flashed and seen getting flashed many VAG cars and never had this happen. But first time with a BMW so it was very strange; glad I had over a half tank of gas as I was worried the pump mY burn up. Thank for confirming that its normal.

mfanatic- I have a before dyno stock and with headers. So we will be able to do a 3 way overlay once I get AA dyno'd.
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      05-16-2013, 01:13 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pal
Quote:
Originally Posted by beta View Post
I had the same experience when doing a software upgrade (oem bmw software) before getting my tune, so I imagine it's normal.
I have flashed and seen getting flashed many VAG cars and never had this happen. But first time with a BMW so it was very strange; glad I had over a half tank of gas as I was worried the pump mY burn up. Thank for confirming that its normal.

mfanatic- I have a before dyno stock and with headers. So we will be able to do a 3 way overlay once I get AA dyno'd.
Each handheld tuner I've used on 4 different vehicles cycles the cars electronics, including the ESS unit (which coincidentally looks exactly the same as the AA unit). Clicking, dash lights flashing, fuel pump whirring etc is all part of the experience. That's why it's very important to be on a trickle charger during the process. You don't want your battery dying in the middle of things.

Looking forward to your results
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      05-16-2013, 03:18 PM   #10
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Awesome tune. I have had it for a very long time with 0 problems. I have the AA headers as well. This combo packs quite the punch.
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      05-16-2013, 07:47 PM   #11
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Went and dyno'd the car today - it was a very hot day and I had been driving the car for about a couple of hours before the dyno. We did let it sit for 30 mins with a fan on it before we dyno'd though. And we corrected the numbers to SAE to match the stock flash dyno.

As you can see, the AA flash is making more torque (upto 10 lb-ft more) upto 5600 rpms and matches stock power to 7100 rpms. Past 7100 rpms there appears to be a dip in AA like timing is getting pulled for some reason - not sure why though. I dropped a note to AA for their feedback.

Good thing for now is that the additional torque will help me get into 5th on bigger tracks sooner and possibly help with lap times. I have been experimenting with 5th since mid last year so this should help.



Here she is

Last edited by pal; 05-16-2013 at 07:55 PM..
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      05-16-2013, 09:32 PM   #12
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Still no tune exceeds the OEM in terms of HP....
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      05-16-2013, 11:49 PM   #13
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Too bad you don't have a AA tune-only dyno to compare with stock baseline
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      05-16-2013, 11:59 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mfanatic325
Too bad you don't have a AA tune-only dyno to compare with stock baseline
Or any AFR #'s to compare
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      05-17-2013, 12:52 AM   #15
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Thanks for the info! How many miles did you give it to adapt?
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      05-17-2013, 04:48 AM   #16
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kennyfrc- Agreed that I have yet to see any tune exceed stock for peak hp. Even my friend with ESS on his Z4M with headers and BMS cans and x-pipe dyno'd lower than my stock.

mfanatic- I doubt Remus cans do much to affect numbers.

Blind32- I gave it a day of driving (~80-90 miles and 3-5 restarts); and on speaking with AA they said it should be fine. But I do agree that there was some adaptation going on at the dyno with WOT runs.

johannes- Sorry, but no AFRs; dyno place wanted to weld a bung to do that and I did not want to bother with that.

Rest assured, that I am not done yet with analysis. I want to try with some 100 octane thrown in to get a richer fuel mix to see what happens- if timing is too advanced that knock sensor is kicking in, then a higher fuel octane should clean that out.

I will also throw in new plugs and clean out the intake some. If not much changes, I will go back to stock tune and try again.
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      05-17-2013, 05:11 AM   #17
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This is all very depressing. Seems everywhere I turn, I'm reading about people with tunes causing more problems than they fix. Have recently seen threads with dynos showing high-rpm power dropping off for ESS, AA, and Evolve tunes. Makes me wonder whether best to just stay stock after adding my headers? Wonder how much I'd really be giving up...? Any thoughts? Don't have time to constantly dyno/adjust. And if a tune is needed to really get the benefit of the headers, maybe I'll just skip those as well...
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      05-17-2013, 08:33 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by philjw View Post
This is all very depressing. Seems everywhere I turn, I'm reading about people with tunes causing more problems than they fix. Have recently seen threads with dynos showing high-rpm power dropping off for ESS, AA, and Evolve tunes. Makes me wonder whether best to just stay stock after adding my headers? Wonder how much I'd really be giving up...? Any thoughts? Don't have time to constantly dyno/adjust. And if a tune is needed to really get the benefit of the headers, maybe I'll just skip those as well...
My car broke 300WHP on the stock tune and lost power wth the evolve. I have not seen a single dyno, NOT EVEN ONE, showing a power gain from a tune on Z4M. This car is NOT and E46 M3, doesn't tune like one, produces more WHP stock than en E46 M3, and from where I am sitting it's impossible to make gains from a tune. I will dyno my car again with the stock tune and log AFR in the coming months. I suspect you will find that with Euro headers and the stock tune you have near perfect AFR for optimum power.

Per ESS the timing curves on the US Spec Z4M are more agressive than the Euro spec cars to start with so you probably can't adjust upward there and gain anything. All that leaves is fuel, and considering that the OEM fuel map was based on O2 readings from a more restictive manifold, with the Euro headers you are already leaning out the curve. Every time I have dynoed my car I get 299-301WHP on a dynojet with the stock tune.

This brings the question: "With this car, maybe less is more"?
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      05-17-2013, 09:17 AM   #19
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Guys- Just to put the tune in perspective, please look at the curves and see that AA tune is making more torque (and hence power) upto 5600rpms and this can be felt in daily driving. There is no loss upto 7100rpms and that is good too. The subjective drivability is very noticeably smoother - that is a definite improvement.

And I am NOT having any issues with the tune at all. Car runs great and feel strong; I am working with AA to get to the bottom of the dip above 7000rpms- and this may be as I have a header tune. Stock cars with AA should NOT see this.

I will have more feedback after this weekend at the Glen. And stay tuned for more analysis and possibly another dyno.

I feel good about this AA tune

kennyfrc- We may come to the conclusion that less is more on this car, but lets do some more objective and subjective analysis
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      05-17-2013, 10:16 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pal View Post
Guys- Just to put the tune in perspective, please look at the curves and see that AA tune is making more torque (and hence power) upto 5600rpms and this can be felt in daily driving. There is no loss upto 7100rpms and that is good too. The subjective drivability is very noticeably smoother - that is a definite improvement.

And I am NOT having any issues with the tune at all. Car runs great and feel strong; I am working with AA to get to the bottom of the dip above 7000rpms- and this may be as I have a header tune. Stock cars with AA should NOT see this.

I will have more feedback after this weekend at the Glen. And stay tuned for more analysis and possibly another dyno.

I feel good about this AA tune

kennyfrc- We may come to the conclusion that less is more on this car, but lets do some more objective and subjective analysis
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      05-17-2013, 12:04 PM   #21
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here is a thread about the bimmerworld/epic tune that may have been overlooked as fart as tunes go. no loss after he relocated his egt back to the headers. maybe something to note about other tunes?

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=614987
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      05-17-2013, 12:24 PM   #22
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I saw significant gains on the dyno when I got the AA tune....
I was sad last week to have to remove the tune in preparation for my supercharger install and new tune flash. But I still have the AA tune file saved in case I ever switch back to NA.
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