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      05-16-2020, 11:48 AM   #1
thesubmitter
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PowerControl RX

Anybody get this?
https://www.chiptuning.com/ca-en/bmw...ercontrol.html
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      05-18-2020, 09:59 AM   #2
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Do they have a controller for 2019 - 2020 models? Yes.
USA price? $1199
Is installation a pain in i8? Maybe - requested install guide from DTE.
Does controller get more power by increasing boost? If so, how much?
What does power curve look like?
Does controller affect electric motors output?
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      03-28-2021, 07:48 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stressdoc View Post
Do they have a controller for 2019 - 2020 models? Yes.
USA price? $1199
Is installation a pain in i8? Maybe - requested install guide from DTE.
Does controller get more power by increasing boost? If so, how much?
What does power curve look like?
Does controller affect electric motors output?

I have the same questions, and I plan to chase this down and find out. It apparently, does increase boost, which is what I would want. Most tunes I have seen on the Tube-of-You look like timing and fuel map optimizations. Why bother?

Also, I like the piggy back nature of it. If you can truly remove it and go completely back to stock with no flags... So much the better.

I won't stop till I get a before and after dyno chart. If anyone has better Search Skillz™ than I do, please post one from DTE. Only interested in dyno charts from this tune, not any others (unless they increase boost).

Heck, my wife has a E70 X5M and increasing boost is common. She can add 100hp for around $1000 Earth Dollahs (mainly by increasing the boost). (she won't let me do it, tho)

Why can't one turn up the boost on an i8?
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      03-29-2021, 08:45 PM   #4
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Because it is a tiny 3 cyl. that already has high boost. A tune can up boost a little safely, and modify power curve for earlier / longer max power from electrics.
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      03-29-2021, 11:01 PM   #5
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I talked with a rep for the PowerControl RX and got dyno charts and install instructions. Since they are not posted right on the website, I asked him if I could share them and he had to check with the main company in Germany, first. I am very seriously considering ordering it and the PedalBox Plus.
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      05-03-2021, 06:35 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mws View Post
I talked with a rep for the PowerControl RX and got dyno charts and install instructions. Since they are not posted right on the website, I asked him if I could share them and he had to check with the main company in Germany, first. I am very seriously considering ordering it and the PedalBox Plus.
Did they get back to you?

This seems to be the tune to get, but not seeing a dyno chart from them is holding me back
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      06-20-2021, 06:54 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elvinz View Post
Did they get back to you?

This seems to be the tune to get, but not seeing a dyno chart from them is holding me back
Sorry. I had this since April. Got busy trying to make sure my kid finished this school year. So.... yes and no. They gave me some dyno charts for post LCI motors (the ones with more HP and bigger battery) and they looked great.










Then, for the pre-LCI motors that looked like the person testing the car barely pressed the gas pedal until around 3000 RPM or so, then floored it. (all the power for the i8 is down low, so I was really wondering what the hell they did wrong and why they would not notice it or fix it. Glaring issue)









I am sure the power curve is not like that. I do have a standing question with them to find out why they F'd up the pre-LCI dyno charts. I just emailed them again to try to get them to respond.

I ended up buying it, it is sitting in a box in my garage. I plan to set up some cameras, my Dragy and do some before and after. I do not want to be like everyone else and install it and then make a useless YouTube video afterwards and go "yeah, its faster". I want to benchmark it and then, show the difference. And not just 0-60. Some rolling times as well.

I also bought their pedal commander. I expect it to probably be BS and I will also Dragy test it before and after and not just 0-60, but rolling, trying to show a difference in Gs when you mash the pedal while rolling, things like that. There is not one, and I mean NO good videos from anyone testing the pedal boxes people make. Not one with any testing or scientific comparisons. it's a disappointment. Al the videos are fluff. smiles, BS and driving around aimlessly.

as for "the tune to get", these guys actually program your ECU, and claim their Stage 2, gets the same DTE HP gains.

https://max-tune.com/products/max-tune-stage-2-software

which.... I did not want to program my ECU (being in California), but this one has the advantage of : they are not "fooling" your sensors, they are actually increasing and measuring boost and properly adjusting fuel tables and such. Its the right way to do it, for sure. I just do not want to set flags in my ECU that might fail me for smog, even if I flash back. Not taking that chance, yet.

But, in order to get Stage 2, Max-Tune say you must remove your cat. A deal-breaker for me. Maybe they have actually done some more comprehensive testing than DTE and --they found that pushing that kind of HP gain melts cats? I am not exactly sure, but I am not driving with no cat. Also, they only have a tune for the 362HP original motor.
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      06-20-2021, 07:03 PM   #8
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BTW, DTE says the max power you will get from this kit is with higher (than 91) octane gas. So, bear that in mind. I would also test the octane thing, hopefully.

Test completely with California's 91, then mix it with some race gas (screw arguing about octane boosters) and do the tests again and compare. We have a station not too far away that has unleaded race gas with a low enough amount of ethanol that it can be safely mixed to around 95 octane and not harm the engine or cats.
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      06-21-2021, 09:17 AM   #9
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Very interested in the benchmarking.
Also interested to know the difference wider Michelin Super Sports or Indy Firehawks would make, I feel there is a lot of performance left on the table due to the tires.
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      06-22-2021, 12:39 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thesubmitter View Post
Very interested in the benchmarking.
Also interested to know the difference wider Michelin Super Sports or Indy Firehawks would make, I feel there is a lot of performance left on the table due to the tires.
sorry, I missed the part where they discuss tires?
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      01-06-2022, 03:23 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mws View Post
Sorry. I had this since April. Got busy trying to make sure my kid finished this school year. So.... yes and no. They gave me some dyno charts for post LCI motors (the ones with more HP and bigger battery) and they looked great.










Then, for the pre-LCI motors that looked like the person testing the car barely pressed the gas pedal until around 3000 RPM or so, then floored it. (all the power for the i8 is down low, so I was really wondering what the hell they did wrong and why they would not notice it or fix it. Glaring issue)









I am sure the power curve is not like that. I do have a standing question with them to find out why they F'd up the pre-LCI dyno charts. I just emailed them again to try to get them to respond.

I ended up buying it, it is sitting in a box in my garage. I plan to set up some cameras, my Dragy and do some before and after. I do not want to be like everyone else and install it and then make a useless YouTube video afterwards and go "yeah, its faster". I want to benchmark it and then, show the difference. And not just 0-60. Some rolling times as well.

I also bought their pedal commander. I expect it to probably be BS and I will also Dragy test it before and after and not just 0-60, but rolling, trying to show a difference in Gs when you mash the pedal while rolling, things like that. There is not one, and I mean NO good videos from anyone testing the pedal boxes people make. Not one with any testing or scientific comparisons. it's a disappointment. Al the videos are fluff. smiles, BS and driving around aimlessly.

as for "the tune to get", these guys actually program your ECU, and claim their Stage 2, gets the same DTE HP gains.

https://max-tune.com/products/max-tune-stage-2-software

which.... I did not want to program my ECU (being in California), but this one has the advantage of : they are not "fooling" your sensors, they are actually increasing and measuring boost and properly adjusting fuel tables and such. Its the right way to do it, for sure. I just do not want to set flags in my ECU that might fail me for smog, even if I flash back. Not taking that chance, yet.

But, in order to get Stage 2, Max-Tune say you must remove your cat. A deal-breaker for me. Maybe they have actually done some more comprehensive testing than DTE and --they found that pushing that kind of HP gain melts cats? I am not exactly sure, but I am not driving with no cat. Also, they only have a tune for the 362HP original motor.
Interesting thread, so how did it turn out ?
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      02-02-2022, 10:21 PM   #12
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I suck. Sorry. So much other stuff going on. It is sitting on a shelf in my garage. Barely think about it, with so much other stuff going on. I have had a bit of a reprieve--schedule wise. Might install this week.

Plus, I have a 2018 M760i now, and that thing, I drive 95% of the time and it's performance is prodigious, to say the least. I don't think about hot-rodding the i8 as much, any more.

Wanted to set up this 3-cam in-car faux-GoPro thing from Amazon, so I can document properly, but again, not looking forward to the learning curve of "that", either.

I might install it, and just see what Dragy says, then if I get motivated, do a comprehensive video about it, and get remove it and compare to stock for the video.
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      02-02-2022, 11:49 PM   #13
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welp.... after all that. I am not going to try to install it. I opened things up and looked very carefully at what it would take to unplug the three sensors and swap in the harness....

1] the instructions are all in German. Not a deal-breaker, but I had to do a bunch of Google Translate.

2] the engine compartment in their photos looks totally different than my coupe. I think this was prototyped and developed on a roadster. I'll try to post my gripe video tomorrow.

3] because of #2 above, it is impossible to reach sensor #2 "saugrohrdrucksensor" the manifold pressure sensor, without dropping the motor a bit to get some clearance from the forward firewall. On my coupe there is simply no way to reach it the way they demonstrate in the very limited and not helpful pictures. And there's no YouTube video.

I am going to seek a refund and start considering an ECU tune.
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      02-03-2022, 09:48 AM   #14
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Bummer. Tune looks good if you are in Euro and can go to their shop and get it installed.
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      02-03-2022, 10:36 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stressdoc View Post
Bummer. Tune looks good if you are in Euro and can go to their shop and get it installed.
negative, not in Europe and would not want a device that is designed and marketed as "easily installed and de-installed" (for obvious reasons--some people will need to remove it in a hurry) to require expert tech installation.
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      02-03-2022, 10:39 PM   #16
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Can anyone with a Roadster confirm this picture of the engine bay, open?

Can anyone with a Roadster confirm this picture of the engine bay, open?

My engine bay does not look a thing like this. I have a 2014 coupe.

I was pretty tired and kept saying "convertible" but, I meant "Roadster".

https://youtu.be/QjCJzEbLusM

here is the video I made last night. This is why I feel blocked from being able to install this. If someone has a workaround, please speak up. But it would be more helpful if it was from experience and not conjecture, please. I can 'not' slip my hand back in between the motor and firewall, believe me.

Last edited by mws; 02-05-2022 at 03:39 PM..
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