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      02-26-2009, 04:10 PM   #45
manjingo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burt Reynolds View Post
what happened? sounds like a good one.
So a day or two after I send my DME to ESS, I get an email from Todd saying there's a problem with my board. Apparently there was a flash done to the DME that was incorrectly returned to "stock" by the previous tuner which was unbeknownst to the previous owner of the car. In the process of the returning the DME to "stock" the previous tuner removed pads which allow programmers to access the board. Todd suspects careless solder wicking of the connection to the pads. If the connection isn't correctly desoldered the pads can easily be ripped out.

Here's a stock board:



Pads are rectangular things in the middle next to "Pin1."

Here's my board missing those pads:



Anyway all that was left was substrate and no contacts for the board interface, so Todd couldn't connect to the board using his standard methods. Consequently, he passed the DME on to Asbjorn the master programmer over at ESS. Asbjorn was eventually able to bypass the pads and access the board. However, the file they found was not stock but slightly altered firmware. The firmware file was passed on to the ESS team in Germany for decryption(lots of staring at hex bits looking for inconsistencies.) They eventually discovered that the firmware was modified incorrectly and mapped in the wrong order.

Normally ESS would send back the DME to have it flashed back to stock and load the ESS tune, but instead they backed out the changes, three of them, and then flashed the board with the ESS firmware. There's still a slight chance that I might need an EWS alignment, but hopefully the car gods will look down favorably upon me. The DME should be back on it's way to me today, and I'll have it tomorrow nice and freshly flashed. I'm praying all I have to do is plug it back in and my car will roar back to life.

Did I mention the guys over at ESS are awesome? They literally went beyond the call of duty, and I would recommend them without hesitation.

Last edited by manjingo; 02-26-2009 at 04:12 PM.. Reason: grammar
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      02-26-2009, 04:13 PM   #46
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Good luck man. Hey that really speaks highly about ESS customer service!
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      02-26-2009, 04:31 PM   #47
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Ouch - I saw your DME the other day and Todd was explaining the problem to me, I had no idea it was a fellow forum member. Glad they got it worked out though!
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      02-26-2009, 06:15 PM   #48
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My DME arrived in Phoenix at 1020a this morning, was upgraded, and shipped out via fedex overnight out the door at 2p. 3.5 hour turn-around time not too shabby, eh boys? Needless to say, I'll be cancelling my afternoon patients and heading home early tomorrow to lay some tire tracks on the asphalt of my rented house. :P
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      02-26-2009, 09:40 PM   #49
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Manjingo: Your tracking number is in your email

Glad everyone is enjoying the tunes!
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      02-27-2009, 12:28 AM   #50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fatmatt0116 View Post
My DME arrived in Phoenix at 1020a this morning, was upgraded, and shipped out via fedex overnight out the door at 2p. 3.5 hour turn-around time not too shabby, eh boys? Needless to say, I'll be cancelling my afternoon patients and heading home early tomorrow to lay some tire tracks on the asphalt of my rented house. :P

Patients? What do you do?
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      02-27-2009, 06:14 PM   #51
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Just got my DME back...

Hey Guys.. those of you who had the DMEs done, do me a favor and check to see if your headlights are auto-leveling... My headlights always cycled when I turned them on... now they just stay in one position... I always notice the lights because they always cycle when I start the car... The only other thing I notice is that the exhaust is louder.. I haven't taken the car out because of the weather... Thanks, Chuck I (meanwhile I'm trying to research why the lights aren't cycling)
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      02-27-2009, 06:34 PM   #52
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Have not noticed. I will look next time. I will say I usually work long days (drive home in the night) and have NOT noticed a problem with headlight aim.
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      02-27-2009, 07:02 PM   #53
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Just went downstairs and checked my car - the headlights move down then back up to center.
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      02-27-2009, 07:10 PM   #54
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OK... so now it starts to work??

Well, I go to dinner and come back and now the lights are working normally... I have no idea.... spooky Chuck I
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      02-27-2009, 09:19 PM   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by manjingo View Post
Anyway all that was left was substrate and no contacts for the board interface, so Todd couldn't connect to the board using his standard methods. Consequently, he passed the DME on to Asbjorn the master programmer over at ESS. Asbjorn was eventually able to bypass the pads and access the board. However, the file they found was not stock but slightly altered firmware. The firmware file was passed on to the ESS team in Germany for decryption(lots of staring at hex bits looking for inconsistencies.) They eventually discovered that the firmware was modified incorrectly and mapped in the wrong order.

Normally ESS would send back the DME to have it flashed back to stock and load the ESS tune, but instead they backed out the changes, three of them, and then flashed the board with the ESS firmware. There's still a slight chance that I might need an EWS alignment, but hopefully the car gods will look down favorably upon me. The DME should be back on it's way to me today, and I'll have it tomorrow nice and freshly flashed. I'm praying all I have to do is plug it back in and my car will roar back to life.

Did I mention the guys over at ESS are awesome? They literally went beyond the call of duty, and I would recommend them without hesitation.

This is what happened with my car... I got my Z4M C as a lease return from a "boutique" dealer, that got it from a local BMW dealer.

Anyway, whoever owned it before me did software to it. When they returned it at the end of their lease, they tried re-flashing the DME back to stock, which was done incorrectly. This resulted in my key not opening / unlocking my car consistently like the battery was dying, and ultimately my car not starting one morning out of the blue.

I had to flatbed it to the local dealer and they found out what the problem was and that was it. Thanks god that they were cool about re-flashing it to stock ( and warrantied it ) because I coulda been stuck with that bill...

That said, now that it's fixed, I want an ESS done....
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      02-27-2009, 09:51 PM   #56
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Thumbs up

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Patients? What do you do?
doctor.

took the car out this afternoon and had some fun. noticeable improvent. cant wait till summer.
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      02-27-2009, 10:27 PM   #57
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specialty? How do you like the mid range? I notice more power up top but appreciate the mid range punch the most since I use that even more often.
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      02-27-2009, 10:40 PM   #58
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It's alive!!!
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      02-27-2009, 10:40 PM   #59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bkz4mc View Post
This is what happened with my car... I got my Z4M C as a lease return from a "boutique" dealer, that got it from a local BMW dealer.

Anyway, whoever owned it before me did software to it. When they returned it at the end of their lease, they tried re-flashing the DME back to stock, which was done incorrectly. This resulted in my key not opening / unlocking my car consistently like the battery was dying, and ultimately my car not starting one morning out of the blue.

I had to flatbed it to the local dealer and they found out what the problem was and that was it. Thanks god that they were cool about re-flashing it to stock ( and warrantied it ) because I coulda been stuck with that bill...

That said, now that it's fixed, I want an ESS done....
Working on DME's is not an easy thing and should not be taken lightly. I have seen DME's trashed due to small mistakes by people not knowing what they are doing. I know a local tuner that had to buy a customer a new DME they hacked it up so bad. This is also a reason that its best to work with someone who has a very solid reputation and has done hundreds of them.
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      02-27-2009, 10:41 PM   #60
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Quote:
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It's alive!!!
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      02-28-2009, 08:30 AM   #61
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burt Reynolds View Post
specialty? How do you like the mid range? I notice more power up top but appreciate the mid range punch the most since I use that even more often.
I'll say this much, the car most definitely seems sportier and more responsive after installing the chip. I feel like it is still in the process of adjusting however. At first i actually felt as though the car was abit slower for the first mile or so. Now I want the headers . Perhaps we can reach a consensus over the next several months on which brand of headers has a good mix of price and quality.
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      02-28-2009, 09:57 AM   #62
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Really good...

Well I took mine out this morning and it really made a difference... I actually forgot to put it in Sport Mode... Then I went "HOLY CRAP!" I know I'm going to be in trouble soon! Things I noticed: 1) Exhaust is louder 2) Intake is louder 3) Increased acceleration in the Normal Mode 4) Really noticable gains 2500 - 5000 rpm 5) It took about 5 miles before I really noticed the changes. Yes it was a little on the pricey side for something you can't see when the car is sitting still, but well worth it... Chuck I
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      02-28-2009, 04:52 PM   #63
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burt Reynolds View Post
specialty? How do you like the mid range? I notice more power up top but appreciate the mid range punch the most since I use that even more often.
Burt, where did you get your 4.10 BMW Motorsport Polished LSD and what was the cost? Was it a rebuild or a new unit? How many hours for the install? I've heard the acceleration with this 4.10 described as "blindingly fast," as opposed to the 3.91. Is that accurate?
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      02-28-2009, 05:02 PM   #64
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Hi, I think both the 4.10 and the 3.91 are a major improvement over stock gearing...neither is mild. I would say 3.91 is good if you want to preserve some revs and save a little gas. 4.10 is a take no prisoner approach to tearing up the asphalt. I bought mine from a top end tuning shop here in Chicago area called fall-line motorsports. I did a core swap vs. gear swap/rebuild. You can get the Dinan 3.91 for around 2500.00 plus 500.00 labor. The 4.10 is about the same price. On dry pavement with my snow tires (read lower traction), I get the traction light in the first 3 gears if I step on it too much. It does pull like a freight train.

BTW, if you are looking to get more out of your tune, I would suggest you read up on the RPI scoop and BMC filter combo. This relatively cheap mod can make your tune go to work pretty hard. Good luck.
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      02-28-2009, 05:16 PM   #65
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[QUOTE=
BTW, if you are looking to get more out of your tune, I would suggest you read up on the RPI scoop and BMC filter combo. This relatively cheap mod can make your tune go to work pretty hard. Good luck.[/QUOTE]

thanks. the rpi scoop is next on my list, I was wondering whether or not it is worth it to spring for the filter. Sounds like I should.

I noticed you have a supersprint exhaust as well. Do you have the headers?
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      02-28-2009, 05:29 PM   #66
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No headers yet. I am looking at the active autowerke headers. Yes they are pricey but I agree with Ocha that they are top quality. I am also looking at getting custom resonators made for section 1 so that it does not get too loud.
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