Bluefin ECU remap (cooper only), has anyone done this yet?

[Everton]

I have been considering purchasing the Superchips Bluefin remap and have searched the MINI2 forums for posts by anyone who has actually applied the Bluefin remap to their Cooper ('04), most posts look to point towards the (MINI) ONE.


If anybody has remapped their factory standard ECU with the map provided by Superchips, can you tell me if there is a difference in performance or is it negligible and not worth the £299?

(Cooper only drivers please)

[L33 KBY]

I havent done the bluefin upgrade or the MTH, my mate who has an ST had a bad experience with the bluefin but that was prob a one off, everyone I know either advises the MTH or going to a tuning shop who has a rolling road and re tunes your car and can actually show you the uograde in performance as no one believes the figures that these companies that are just upgrades and no actual testing tell you.

[danb]

If you're sceptical about the performance gains on a Cooper (as I would be), the best route is probobally a standard Superchips remap. If I remember rightly, you can have it chipped at your local dealer and if you aren't satisfied within 14 days you can take it back to have it removed and a full refund given.

[She Thinks It's Hers]

Quote: Originally Posted by danb

If you're sceptical about the performance gains on a Cooper (as I would be), the best route is probobally a standard Superchips remap. If I remember rightly, you can have it chipped at your local dealer and if you aren't satisfied within 14 days you can take it back to have it removed and a full refund given.

I have the Bluefin User Guide in front of me and it states:

"With our established reputation as world leaders in engine management system tuning we are convinced you will be happy with your Superchip.

So much so that we offer

• refund* within seven days if not completely satisified
• lifetime guarantee
• Superchip Warranty

*This is our seven day 'customer service guarantee'. Your statutory rights are not affected."

So it would appear that you have a 'try it and see' option. According to the Superchips website, you'll get a modest <10% increase in power and torque http://www.superchips.co.uk/curves/minicooper.pdf

[L33 KBY]

The increase is obviously at the higher end revs, what is the best way of increasing the lower end?

[Everton]

Thanks for the help guy's, I have also considered a remap at a tuning shop although the Bluefin offers the possibility of rolling back the original map prior to a BMW service, as my Cooper is still under warranty, this is the only real method of squeezing more out of the NA 1.6 engine without messing up the warranty.

If there are known problems with the Bluefin remap then maybe it is worth avoiding, although there is the Superchips warranty......

[Haggi]

Quote: Originally Posted by L33 KBY

The increase is obviously at the higher end revs, what is the best way of increasing the lower end?

induction kit, manifold, and cat back zorst, better spark plugs hot wires, plasma booster, throttle body ..................... its all about finding a good ballance a few simple mods can make all the difference it can be a bit of trial and error thow

[L33 KBY]

Quote: Originally Posted by JWF

induction kit, manifold, and cat back zorst, better spark plugs hot wires, plasma booster, throttle body ..................... its all about finding a good ballance a few simple mods can make all the difference it can be a bit of trial and error thow

Bloody hell !!! only a few things then what sort of price are we talking and what sort of increased output

[Everton]

Quote: Originally Posted by JWF

induction kit, manifold, and cat back zorst, better spark plugs hot wires, plasma booster, throttle body ..................... its all about finding a good ballance a few simple mods can make all the difference it can be a bit of trial and error thow

This is it though, there is no way a car under warranty would be touched by BMW with this level of mods, but the Bluefin is reversible, you can cover up the fact that the ECU has been remapped, and possibly enjoy more power output, but determining the level of power output added by Bluefin is what I want to find out (I don't fully beleive Superchips stats).

[Haggi]

Quote: Originally Posted by L33 KBY

Bloody hell !!! only a few things then what sort of price are we talking and what sort of increased output

atm its got nowt on it because I'm only 22 but come the summer when i leave uni and transfer my insurance to ad flux and warranty to warranties direct who will cover a modded mini

i will have milteck zorst, pipercross viper and mth re-mapp and possible 64mm throttle body from lohen i can fit all these my self so about 1k and should be about 135 bhp ish

all of the other stuff above will cost a fair bit but i was simply illustrating a few of the over looked mods that people tend to ignore and go for the simple ones as IMO modding is a bit of chance sometimes check out dangerous 1's car for a well modded cooper http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111148

I'm going for these mods for a few good reasons 1 a bit more power to play with 2 long life most after market parts have a long warranty e.g. milteck have a life time one on them 3 there made from better components 4 its sounds better

[Everton]

...but no mention of Bluefin....

[Haggi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Everton

...but no mention of Bluefin....

personally i would rather go for a re-map like mth because it is calibrated for your car and the mods you already have and they will also update it for you at a small cost while a superchip for a modded car is about 400 quid i think I'm not against bluefin just would rather mth but for a standard cooper or one both a quite good IMO i like the bluefin as its plug-in and play and doesn't require any work on your part while for mth you need a laptop and all the cables to up load it and you can keep the bluefin in you car so you can reset it when need i.e if mini service come out to you etc

[MarkW19]

Quote: Originally Posted by JWF

i will have milteck zorst, pipercross viper and mth re-mapp and possible 64mm throttle body from lohen i can fit all these my self so about 1k and should be about 135 bhp ish

This should get you above 135bhp - with MTH remap alone it brings the cooper to 135. Add the exhaust and that'll increase by up to 9bhp (probably more like 5), the viper just a couple, and the throttle body a few more again. Bring you to approx. 145bhp.

I've read one of the major bottlenecks is the manifold - if you replace that (for an MTH, Milltek etc.) then that really opens the car up - maybe taking you to over 150bhp.

But, you can't really feel 10 bhp increases; the best bang for buck is definitely the MTH tuner remap (which I have). Cheap, works, stealth. Everything else is just fine tuning really (especially on a Cooper) to squeeze a few more bhp out of an engine already approaching it's full capacity

[Haggi]

Quote: Originally Posted by MarkW19

This should get you above 135bhp - with MTH remap alone it brings the cooper to 135. Add the exhaust and that'll increase by up to 9bhp (probably more like 5), the viper just a couple, and the throttle body a few more again. Bring you to approx. 145bhp.

I've read one of the major bottlenecks is the manifold - if you replace that (for an MTH, Milltek etc.) then that really opens the car up - maybe taking you to over 150bhp.

But, you can't really feel 10 bhp increases; the best bang for buck is definitely the MTH tuner remap (which I have). Cheap, works, stealth. Everything else is just fine tuning really (especially on a Cooper) to squeeze a few more bhp out of an engine already approaching it's full capacity

mmmm 135 wtih just a re mapp on a cooper is not a reality im afraid as the lohen show car with viper induction, superchip, mliteck cat back and milteck manifold is 140 bhp and is better at putting it down on the road as has upped suspension and roll bars and full srtut bracing

[Haggi]

as mini sport have a 135 cooper package and that is superchip, 57i induction, and cat back zorst