Tuning F30 320i

FerdiBotha

Well-known member
Olorin said:

Search this forum, other forums and Youtube as it has been discussed many times over. Even if the info you find is aimed at N54/55, the concept is the same.
 

Olorin

New member
FerdiBotha said:
Olorin said:

Search this forum, other forums and Youtube as it has been discussed many times over. Even if the info you find is aimed at N54/55, the concept is the same.

I need to know if this is reliable and I need to know if there is any advantage to going this route as opposed to software and downpipe.

I doubt a youtube video will give me the answer to that question hence I ask a question on the forum - you know, the guys who probably have tuned their cars and can answer in a non-BS manner.

If all I wanted to do was browse the net and Youtube then I wouldn't need to come here and ever ask questions. Clearly I see value in conversation.
 

Schalk94

Active member
schalk320d said:

A normal remap would then basically give you none of the JB4 functions/benefits apart from the power gain ,even though a remap should still be safe as it is tailored to a specific car. The JB4 AFAIK gives you access to check all the cars stats while running and allows you to change it as you please.

I would personally just go with a remap as it has been tried and tested and is a lot cheaper while still doing exactly what you expect from it.
 

FerdiBotha

Well-known member
Olorin said:
I need to know if this is reliable and I need to know if there is any advantage to going this route as opposed to software and downpipe.

I doubt a youtube video will give me the answer to that question hence I ask a question on the forum - you know, the guys who probably have tuned their cars and can answer in a non-BS manner.

If all I wanted to do was browse the net and Youtube then I wouldn't need to come here and ever ask questions. Clearly I see value in conversation.

Maybe you should read to understand rather than read to reply.

As mentioned JB4 has been widely discussed all over, including this forum and other forums, by users of the platform themselves.

This forum has endless threads regarding JB4.
 

Sherwin@xcede

BMWFanatics Advertiser
Official Advertiser

Hi, what is the benefit of the JB4 vs going to Xcede for the tune and downpipe? It's gonna be similar money I think. I know the JB4 can be installed yourself, but why do people go to reputable tuning companies then? Why doesn't everyone just buy the JB4?

Pro/con?
[/quote]

Hi there, JB4 is a piggyback. It intercepts certain signals from sensors in the engine, (like MAP, TMAP, fuel pressor, etc), attenuates the signal on those wires and manipulates it to show what it wants. This is then sent to the ECU.

It does work and it gets the boost up and some rudimentary form on richening up of the fuelling. No real active control of the timing. Neither of the valvetronic, VANOS, torque limiters, & too many others to mention.

But all of that is largely irrelevant if the car runs well. And the JB4 cars do run pretty well.

A flash is just a better, more complete, more elegant solution. And changing maps etc, it a bit of a gimmick. Once the map is right, you never need to change it. The exception id you you swap from pump to various exotic types of fuel like E40+ and need specific maps for those fuel mixes. Then swapping maps would be beneficial.
 

Olorin

New member
Sherwin@xcede said:
Hi there, JB4 is a piggyback. It intercepts certain signals from sensors in the engine, (like MAP, TMAP, fuel pressor, etc), attenuates the signal on those wires and manipulates it to show what it wants. This is then sent to the ECU.

It does work and it gets the boost up and some rudimentary form on richening up of the fuelling. No real active control of the timing. Neither of the valvetronic, VANOS, torque limiters, & too many others to mention.

But all of that is largely irrelevant if the car runs well. And the JB4 cars do run pretty well.

A flash is just a better, more complete, more elegant solution. And changing maps etc, it a bit of a gimmick. Once the map is right, you never need to change it. The exception id you you swap from pump to various exotic types of fuel like E40+ and need specific maps for those fuel mixes. Then swapping maps would be beneficial.

Thank you Sherwin for the informative reply! It answered my questions. Regarding the downpipe on a 320i, what can I expect apart from a power increase?

I'm not a big fan of the 320i engine note, I don't suppose it would improve on that?
 

Sherwin@xcede

BMWFanatics Advertiser
Official Advertiser
Olorin said:
Thank you Sherwin for the informative reply! It answered my questions. Regarding the downpipe on a 320i, what can I expect apart from a power increase?

I'm not a big fan of the 320i engine note, I don't suppose it would improve on that?

It's marginally throatier with the DP, about 3-400rpm less lag to full boost.
 

NBN

Well-known member
When you sell your car, you can remove a piggyback and recoup some cash. You cant do that with a Flash. Piggyback allows you flexibility in terms of returning the car back to stock, map switching, code reading and deletion. It also lets you add on additional components like meth or port injection .

Flashes are alot smoother and should ideally be tuned for a specific car.

They each have their merits, it all depends on what your intention is with the car and ultimately the power goals you have for your vehicle.
 

Olorin

New member
NBN said:
When you sell your car, you can remove a piggyback and recoup some cash. You cant do that with a Flash. Piggyback allows you flexibility in terms of returning the car back to stock, map switching, code reading and deletion. It also lets you add on additional components like meth or port injection .

Flashes are alot smoother and should ideally be tuned for a specific car.

They each have their merits, it all depends on what your intention is with the car and ultimately the power goals you have for your vehicle.

This is important. If I decide to want to sell the car in a year or 2 from now, I don't want to sell in a tuned configuration. I want it back to stock.
 

NBN

Well-known member
Olorin said:
NBN said:
When you sell your car, you can remove a piggyback and recoup some cash. You cant do that with a Flash. Piggyback allows you flexibility in terms of returning the car back to stock, map switching, code reading and deletion. It also lets you add on additional components like meth or port injection .

Flashes are alot smoother and should ideally be tuned for a specific car.

They each have their merits, it all depends on what your intention is with the car and ultimately the power goals you have for your vehicle.

This is important. If I decide to want to sell the car in a year or 2 from now, I don't want to sell in a tuned configuration. I want it back to stock.

Also anyone can take a risk and buy a jb4 off burgertunings website, guys who resell this, obviously purchase from the same place and then have to add in a margin before they can resell it to you, the markup takes into consideration that you will need some sort of post sales support and this is factored into the price,thus often making this price look steep in comparison to a software flash.

I remember when i had my polo gti and met with Jody who use to load software from his home in midrand. at the time he explained to me that they had to purchase tokens for a specific cars software ( lets call it an off the shelf map from Revo ) and then he ran logs to fine tune the software. Their margins of profit on this type of service is much greater then the above scenario, hence many tuners will encourage you to go with the flash process...

At the end of the day, its your money and your car, but i would do alot more homework before ultimately choosing an option
 

Sherwin@xcede

BMWFanatics Advertiser
Official Advertiser
Looks like for your requirements a JB4 will be the right choice. Find a local dealer & do it.
 

HIRRS-ZN

///Member
Olorin said:
NBN said:
When you sell your car, you can remove a piggyback and recoup some cash. You cant do that with a Flash. Piggyback allows you flexibility in terms of returning the car back to stock, map switching, code reading and deletion. It also lets you add on additional components like meth or port injection .

Flashes are alot smoother and should ideally be tuned for a specific car.

They each have their merits, it all depends on what your intention is with the car and ultimately the power goals you have for your vehicle.

This is important. If I decide to want to sell the car in a year or 2 from now, I don't want to sell in a tuned configuration. I want it back to stock.


I can hook you up with a jb4 and Downpipe and you will be making 200+wkw

Jb4 is easy to remove as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Olorin

New member
HIRRS-ZN said:
Olorin said:
NBN said:
When you sell your car, you can remove a piggyback and recoup some cash. You cant do that with a Flash. Piggyback allows you flexibility in terms of returning the car back to stock, map switching, code reading and deletion. It also lets you add on additional components like meth or port injection .

Flashes are alot smoother and should ideally be tuned for a specific car.

They each have their merits, it all depends on what your intention is with the car and ultimately the power goals you have for your vehicle.

This is important. If I decide to want to sell the car in a year or 2 from now, I don't want to sell in a tuned configuration. I want it back to stock.


I can hook you up with a jb4 and Downpipe and you will be making 200+wkw

Jb4 is easy to remove as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But isn't there some tuning required with a JB4 to ensure the power delivery is smooth? It's just plug and play and you immediately have the best power delivery for the vehicle?

That almost sounds too good to be true. I saw a JB4 online brand new for R11500, which is more than a tune and downpipe combined from Xcede.

I like the idea that it's a bolt on and I can take it off and make the car stock and possibly use this for future purchases, but what it's bothering me is the tuning part.

I don't want to fiddle endlessly with settings. I just want a decent power boost across the rev range.
 

KPM3_30

Moderator
Staff member
Think the point of some comments is you ask a lot of questions that could be answered by searching the forum.. Get your point on the value of conversation, but to have the same conversations.. :fencelook:

Especially when it comes to the JB4, buy the second hand JB4 for R6k or whatever Hirrs is asking and have that installed by a member that can assist with the set up, no need to do additional tuning unless you adding more mods.. Given that I even posted the link to his For Sale thread twice, I'm going to assume you only want brand new?
 

yush1

Active member
I rather leave the tuning to the experts. I dont want to fiddle around with stuff I dont know. I also dont like the issue of different maps. The whole point of a tune is to have maximum power available at all times. As for selling the car with it being tuned, good luck to the new owner. Go for a normal flash.
 

HIRRS-ZN

///Member
Like the other forum members tuned.

It all depends what you wanna do. Do you just what to be faster than you are right now? Or do you wanna beat some big cars?

With no hardware mods once you install the jb4 and run map5. You will be running 17psi boost up from the stock 8psi.

Put a Downpipe and that map5 will adjust and will pull harder. Add some ethanol into the mix and run map7 and you will be boosting at 23psi

Want more power. Add a drop in filter and full exhaust. Get some logs on map 2 and map5 and you can get a custom map6 (killer map) tunes for you.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

LukeHawk

Member
Olorin said:
Does anyone have experience with Race chip?

https://racechip.co.za/shop/bmw-1/3-series-f30-31-34-from-2011/320i-184-hp-135-kw-1997-ccm.html

It's less expensive than the JB4, also seems to show a healthy power increase and can be removed if I need to service my car or sell it as stock.

Me personally, no. I've heard some not-so-good things from people I know that have tried it. Also, make sure it doesnt void MP (if you have it still). JB4 doesnt, as far as I know.
 
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