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      01-16-2021, 04:12 PM   #1
alrocsmash
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Stage 1 noob question

Howdy folks,

Installed the Evolution raceworks CP today, 2/5 difficulty my ass....Anyway, I'm looking at MHD but for the price, is the gain really worth it? ~15 bucks a HP. Also, does my DME require to be unlocked?

Last edited by alrocsmash; 01-16-2021 at 04:37 PM..
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      01-17-2021, 10:01 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alrocsmash View Post
Howdy folks,

Installed the Evolution raceworks CP today, 2/5 difficulty my ass....Anyway, I'm looking at MHD but for the price, is the gain really worth it? ~15 bucks a HP. Also, does my DME require to be unlocked?
Your post doesn't mention what platform you're driving, but quick search of your posting history suggests a 2013 335i xDrive. If that's the case, the MHD website cites support of that particular vehicle and consequently you'd have no need to unlock the vehicle beyond what MHD does.
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      01-17-2021, 10:13 AM   #3
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1. Absolutely
2. No
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      01-17-2021, 11:51 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisluxon View Post
Your post doesn't mention what platform you're driving, but quick search of your posting history suggests a 2013 335i xDrive. If that's the case, the MHD website cites support of that particular vehicle and consequently you'd have no need to unlock the vehicle beyond what MHD does.
Thank you! I'm new to this.
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      01-17-2021, 11:53 AM   #5
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1. Absolutely
2. No
Thank you!
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      01-17-2021, 12:09 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisluxon View Post
Your post doesn't mention what platform you're driving, but quick search of your posting history suggests a 2013 335i xDrive. If that's the case, the MHD website cites support of that particular vehicle and consequently you'd have no need to unlock the vehicle beyond what MHD does.
https://mhdtuning.com/collections/mh...icense-for-n55

Quick follow up, is that the correct flash for my car? They have that, plus an "N55e" that's different and much cheaper. I've not heard of that model. My car is a 2013 335 xDrive F30, N55....Just want to validate that's correct for me.

EDIT: Googling for 15 minutes answered my ?, please disregard. Thanks again. Stage one here I go...

Last edited by alrocsmash; 01-17-2021 at 02:02 PM..
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      01-17-2021, 03:08 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alrocsmash View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisluxon View Post
Your post doesn't mention what platform you're driving, but quick search of your posting history suggests a 2013 335i xDrive. If that's the case, the MHD website cites support of that particular vehicle and consequently you'd have no need to unlock the vehicle beyond what MHD does.
https://mhdtuning.com/collections/mh...icense-for-n55

Quick follow up, is that the correct flash for my car? They have that, plus an "N55e" that's different and much cheaper. I've not heard of that model. My car is a 2013 335 xDrive F30, N55....Just want to validate that's correct for me.

EDIT: Googling for 15 minutes answered my ?, please disregard. Thanks again. Stage one here I go...
Yep, N55e just refers to previous e9x generation of cars. Consider the Super license. For the money, you have access to stage two and more. Stage two can be run without supporting modifications; albeit with less gain, and arguably greater risk of charge pipe failure.
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      01-18-2021, 02:25 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alrocsmash View Post
Howdy folks,

Installed the Evolution raceworks CP today, 2/5 difficulty my ass....Anyway, I'm looking at MHD but for the price, is the gain really worth it? ~15 bucks a HP. Also, does my DME require to be unlocked?
Buy the MHD super license package that comes with the flasher, monitoring module, and all the maps. It will save you money in the long run.

Don't forget your also need a device with the app to do the flashing, and you need the correct OBD2 module to connect to that device. You also need a battery charger, particualrly for the initial flash.

Please read the entire manual before attempting the flash the car. It's pretty foolproof, but it is worth your time to make sure you know what you are doing, what the prerequisities are, and what all of the options mean. Don't go into it blind hoping its all going to work out. Spend some time doing your homework upfront.

https://data.mhdtuning.com/downloads...er%20Guide.pdf

And yes, you can run stage 1 with just a CP, but i also highly recommend getting an IC soon.
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      01-18-2021, 03:32 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by thejeremyman9 View Post
Buy the MHD super license package that comes with the flasher, monitoring module, and all the maps. It will save you money in the long run.

Don't forget your also need a device with the app to do the flashing, and you need the correct OBD2 module to connect to that device. You also need a battery charger, particualrly for the initial flash.

Please read the entire manual before attempting the flash the car. It's pretty foolproof, but it is worth your time to make sure you know what you are doing, what the prerequisities are, and what all of the options mean. Don't go into it blind hoping its all going to work out. Spend some time doing your homework upfront.

https://data.mhdtuning.com/downloads...er%20Guide.pdf

And yes, you can run stage 1 with just a CP, but i also highly recommend getting an IC soon.
I have a ER charge pipe. I have never heard of needing an IC for stage 1, everyone has said its not needed, can anyone else comment?

Last edited by alrocsmash; 01-18-2021 at 03:49 PM..
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      01-18-2021, 03:50 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisluxon View Post
Yep, N55e just refers to previous e9x generation of cars. Consider the Super license. For the money, you have access to stage two and more. Stage two can be run without supporting modifications; albeit with less gain, and arguably greater risk of charge pipe failure.
I'm only going stage 1. I've read it's not really worth it for more, cost per HP is not efficient. Appreciate the explanation!

Last edited by alrocsmash; 01-18-2021 at 04:21 PM..
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      01-18-2021, 04:36 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alrocsmash View Post
I have a ER charge pipe. I have never heard of needing an IC for stage 1, everyone has said its not needed, can anyone else comment?
I didn't say you needed one. Technically you can flash any stage without an IC, but obviously that's not recommended. Stage 1 is advertised as being OK for a stock car, but we all know you need a CP, even if the tune doesn't necessarily list it as a prerequisite. And as far as the IC goes, just do a little reading and you will see how much IAT rise you have over just one pull with stock IC. It just isnt up to the task. Higher IATs = timing being pulled = less power, not to mention the potential for knock.

I'm not saying dont flash stage 1 without an IC. I'm saying if you care at all about consistent and reliable performance you should upgrade an IC, even for stage 1. And if you do upgrade the IC, then you can go stage 2 with MHD as well. This is particularly true if you plan on driving the car at WOT for more than 4-5 seconds at a time, especially back to back pulls.
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      01-18-2021, 04:41 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thejeremyman9 View Post
I didn't say you needed one. Technically you can flash any stage without an IC, but obviously that's not recommended. Stage 1 is advertised as being OK for a stock car, but we all know you need a CP, even if the tune doesn't necessarily list it as a prerequisite. And as far as the IC goes, just do a little reading and you will see how much IAT rise you have over just one pull with stock IC. It just isnt up to the task. Higher IATs = timing being pulled = less power, not to mention the potential for knock.

I'm not saying dont flash stage 1 without an IC. I'm saying if you care at all about consistent and reliable performance you should upgrade an IC, even for stage 1. And if you do upgrade the IC, then you can go stage 2 with MHD as well. This is particularly true if you plan on driving the car at WOT for more than 4-5 seconds at a time, especially back to back pulls.
Thanks for the back ground. My car is my daily driver (I have no commute at the moment, I'm remote). I don't really do back to back pulls or ever track it. I just love getting to 110 on the on-ramp before I hit the traffic and slow down. Given my use case, do you think a IC is necessary for stage 1? I have tons of capital for this project so I'm not worried about the cost, I just don't want to hurt my baby...

If you think one is required, what brand? Evo raceworks has one that is for a stage 3 which is insanely over built for my use case.

Last edited by alrocsmash; 01-18-2021 at 04:49 PM..
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      01-18-2021, 04:51 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alrocsmash View Post
Thanks for the back ground. My car is my daily driver (I have no commute at the moment, I'm remote). I don't really do back to back pulls or ever track it. I just love getting to 110 on the on-ramp before I hit the traffic and slow down. Given my use case, do you think a IC is necessary for stage 1? I have tons of capital for this project so I'm not worried about the cost, I just don't want to hurt my baby...

If you think one is required, what brand? Evo raceworks has one that is for a stage 3 which is insanely over built for my use case.
I always recommend an IC for a tuned car. Its as simple as that. Realistically you just can't take full advantage of the tune without one. However, it's your money, so do your own research and see if you still feel its necessary.

Also consider your climate. Although i recommend one regardless of what your ambient conditions might be, some might argue that its less necessarily if you frequently drive in cold (say, <60F) ambient temps, but an IC would be even more necessarily if you live somewhere like Florida where you see warm temps year round and 100+F ambient.

The DME is very good at protecting the engine so you don't necessarily have to fear blowing your motor on stage 1 because you dont have an IC, but having high IATs when you can easily avoid that by upgrading the IC just seems like a no-brainer to me, especially given how easy the IC install is to DIY.

In terms of which one to get, I don't want to turn this into an IC debate thread because they are plenty of those out there. So long as you plan to stay stock turbo and stock HPFP, any "standard" 5'' stepped IC should be fine. You can do some searching around and pick a brand.

Here's a thread to check if you want to see how much IATs can rise from just a 3-4th gear pull with stock IC. Subsequent pages are also a bit of an IC debate for your reading pleasure...https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1752195
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      01-18-2021, 05:03 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thejeremyman9 View Post
I always recommend an IC for a tuned car. Its as simple as that. Realistically you just can't take full advantage of the tune without one. However, it's your money, so do your own research and see if you still feel its necessary.

Also consider your climate. Although i recommend one regardless of what your ambient conditions might be, some might argue that its less necessarily if you frequently drive in cold (say, <60F) ambient temps, but an IC would be even more necessarily if you live somewhere like Florida where you see warm temps year round and 100+F ambient.

The DME is very good at protecting the engine so you don't necessarily have to fear blowing your motor on stage 1 because you dont have an IC, but having high IATs when you can easily avoid that by upgrading the IC just seems like a no-brainer to me, especially given how easy the IC install is to DIY.

In terms of which one to get, I don't want to turn this into an IC debate thread because they are plenty of those out there. So long as you plan to stay stock turbo and stock HPFP, any "standard" 5'' stepped IC should be fine. You can do some searching around and pick a brand.

Here's a thread to check if you want to see how much IATs can rise from just a 3-4th gear pull with stock IC. Subsequent pages are also a bit of an IC debate for your reading pleasure...https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1752195
Much appreciated sir / maam.
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      01-19-2021, 03:59 PM   #15
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I installed the IC at the same point as the CP for this reason before I tuned stage 1, so much more fun than stock too. Think too how long you want to be driving the car and protecting it as much as possible will be better.

I dont know how hot it gets at your moms house, haha, but in the south in the summer it has been very useful in keeping IATs down even just driving without hard pulls.
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      01-19-2021, 04:02 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 14F30Daily View Post
I installed the IC at the same point as the CP for this reason before I tuned stage 1, so much more fun than stock too. Think too how long you want to be driving the car and protecting it as much as possible will be better.

I dont know how hot it gets at your moms house, haha, but in the south in the summer it has been very useful in keeping IATs down even just driving without hard pulls.
I decided to buy the VRSF one, the price and reviews are good. I have an ER charge, I hope I don't have fitment issues.
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