xxxJohnBoyxxx Standalone Install

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

I will be installing a Link G4 Storm standalone next week. I'm doing this for multiple reasons. First I want toal control of everything. The Link G4 ECU should give me total control of every aspect of tuning my car and allow me to run unlimited boost with no tuning or drivability issues.

The Link will be installed using the stock DME plug-in so I can drop in my coded DME if there are any issues on the road. Basic just unplug the link grafted DME and drop in the Midnight tuned DME and drive.

Main purpose is eliminate the MAF and go to a MAP, TPS for fueling and timing calculations. Also use many of the other features like anti lag turbo, Launch control, no lift shifts, ect.

This thread will serve as a install, tuning documentation. The car will be on a dyno as I plan a full day rental to completely tune the Link for 93 and 110 octane plus to show actual HP numbers for my car which many are interested in seeing.

Lots of work to be done but I want to take my car to the next level which will be maximum HP from the M4x platform with daily drivability.

[bmwconnect]

Originally Posted by xxxJohnBoyxxx

I will be installing a Link G4 Storm standalone next week. I'm doing this for multiple reasons. First I want toal control of everything. The Link G4 ECU should give me total control of every aspect of tuning my car and allow me to run unlimited boost with no tuning or drivability issues.

The Link will be installed using the stock DME plug-in so I can drop in my coded DME if there are any issues on the road. Basic just unplug the link grafted DME and drop in the Midnight tuned DME and drive.

Main purpose is eliminate the MAF and go to a MAP, TPS for fueling and timing calculations. Also use many of the other features like anti lag turbo, Launch control, no lift shifts, ect.

This thread will serve as a install, tuning documentation. The car will be on a dyno as I plan a full day rental to completely tune the Link for 93 and 110 octane plus to show actual HP numbers for my car which many are interested in seeing.

Lots of work to be done but I want to take my car to the next level which will be maximum HP from the M4x platform with daily drivability.

Wishing you the best luck with this John and please share the results. Standalone is not my area but always curious. cheers m8

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Originally Posted by bmwconnect

Wishing you the best luck with this John and please share the results. Standalone is not my area but always curious. cheers m8

Thanks Barrie. You have been a great help and I still consider you my favorite tuner for BMW DME's. You have put a lot of time into my car's tuning and the code is great to 17psi. I honestly appreaciate everything you have done for me. I'm just at a point that I'm going beyond what we can do with the BMW DME plus I want that anti lag, launch control and no lift shift which can't be run as a daily driver code on the BMW DME.

Who knows I might end up not liking the standalone although I did a lot of research before making a choice on the unit I purchased. We will see what happens.

John S

[m44lee]

wish you luck john

launch control would be a cool option and i look forward to seeing some vids when its done

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

The standalone will arrive on the 6th or next Tuesday. Here are some pictures of the gutted DME that will serve as my wiring of the standalone to the BMW wiring.

Back of DME pin header cut and ready for soldering of standalone wiring




Pin Header installed in DME showing solder points for the standalone:




Standalone DME unit. What it will look like after all wiring is completed. Just plug it into the factory harness and the standalone is now running the car. If I have a issue with the standalone I can disconnect it and connect my Midnight coded DME into the factory harness and drive with no issues at all:

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Originally Posted by blowin 4

good luck im curious why you want to do this i thought your car ran perfect ??

Well Danny there is a point that the stock DME coded can not match what I'm putting in my car. Barrie's code runs perfect but can not do launch control, anti-lag or no lift shifts unless I have a drag tune which can not be driven on the street. You might understand better when you see what I'm doing with this unit. It has been a great run with the stock DME but it is time to step up and go all out with engine fueling and timing control that is not possible with a stock DME or even a stock DME and piggy-back. Also I like to play with my stuff and always better it unlike some people that like to take their car to someone and pay to have the work done.

This is going to be a fun and should be a big improvement to be able to run closed loop fueling on boost. I will now be running off a wide band O2 and will have multiple tunes at the push of a button. Octane change tunes, economy tunes and others without having to re-flash the DME to get the tune I need.

403 at the wheels is great and I'm very happy for you, it is a big accomplishment to make that kind of power with a BMW I-4. Hopefully soon I will have some dyno video and real HP numbers my motor can make. Maybe I might make the 400hp mark on boost alone then 100hp shot of NOS to make the 500hp I'm looking for.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

The new standalone arrives on Tuesday so updates with pictures will be added as I install this system and see if I can learn the tuning to make this I-4 do exactly what I want it to do.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Originally Posted by blowin 4

i feel you i understand where your going with that new set up im happy with barrie's software and the motes 2.0 i can tune all my fuel timing i now run a maf sensor ... i use motes to run different boost timing fuel maps then i down load it to the miller chip and have for maps on the fly i guess that miller chip was good for one think only lmfao . btw they no longer offer that chip for 318 ...oh in trust me you will but down 500 whp on 100 oct @ 28 psi no meth or nos need . but you already know your just pretending hahahha

I'm getting away from the MAF sensor since it is limiting my boost. I'm going to use MAP, TPS, a wideband O2, IAT, CTS and cam/crank sync for my fueling and timing. I could have run a piggy-back or some other options to get some of what I wanted but decided to go all out with a all in one system. My system is the Link G4 or Vipec which are the same company. Also a big factor is I can unplug the standalone and plug my Midnight DME directly into the harness and drive the car so I have an A&B plan if something goes wrong on a long road trip. I will need a full day on the dyno to configure all my tunes and I've spent a lot of time already setting up how to make this work exactly how I want it. Hell I will still have drive away protection (EWS) with the standalone so I have really dug in deep to ensure I have all functions the stock DME gives me plus all the new stuff I wanted to add. When I'm finished I might sell the Metric I-4 and go I-6 Metric with boost and this system will plug right in and do the job I need it to do. I even have my Droid linked in the system now over bluetooth and will use it with the LM-2 which also is tied into the standalone.

I'm very excited like a kid waiting for Christmas. Tuesday will be a late night as I solder all wiring into the gutted DME that has all wiring from the standalone going through it except the 3mm MAP sensor hose.

It is $1,425 for the standalone and $2,600 if you want someone to install and tune it the way I'm doing it. Can't wait to get started just need a wiring harness for the COP kit off a M42 and I have everything I need to complete the job but tuning the motor.

There is another board member that is doing the same thing but does not want to be identified currently. Mine will be completed first then his so we can swap tune files and try to help each other make this system work exactly as we want it for our driving/racing pleasures.

John S

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Originally Posted by blowin 4

Good job cant wait to see the end results you the man!!! btw do you know anyone or any site with stock 318 obd 1 map charts i want to compare them to my stock map i think i found a little error on low load timming butt i could be wrong.

Chiptuners.org http://www.chiptuners.org/

Go to the forum and you might need to read a little to find where the code dumps are hidden.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Things are moving right along. All wiring into DME harness is someplete and the unit will get plugged into my car tomorrow and base tuning will start. Here are some pictures:

Link soldered into gutted DME using BMW OEM header







Final Product




THE LINK

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Originally Posted by blowin 4

sweet where in the world did you find the sensor wiring diagram looks like hell .

Bentley manual has all wiring diagrams for everything. Wiring colors to exact pin on the DME plus every system in the car has a very easy to understand diagram in that manual. Only thing I needed to figure out was the polarity for the cam and crank sensor. I did find an error: Manual states the cam sensor is a hall sensor when it is actually a reluctor.

Very easy like playing a game of connect the dots with a soldering gun. I was also able to run all sensors on shielded grounds to isolate the main Engine/Battery ground so I should have nice clean power to and from the ECU. I installed everything in the car just a few minutes ago except making the 2 final engine grounds and "sport" options switches. I already have the ECU communicating with my laptop so tomorrow morning I will start it up and start the tuning process for my base tune. Plus I still need to make the in-cabin connections for EWS kill, launch control & anti-lag arming via switch and clutch pedal switch connection to let the ECU know when I'm going for a flat shift or when to drop the limiter on a launch control.

So far no problems and the Link install manual was excellent with diagrams and explainations of each option. The install manual is right in the tuning program which is cool since if you have a question you just F1 and it will pull up a screen explaining what options and what they will do. I'm very impressed with this system so far but it is very early to say that since I haven't even started the car yet.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

All mounted and programming it most of the day. Link adapter made out of broken DME





Link mounted in car cabin

[blowin 4]

Originally Posted by xxxJohnBoyxxx

All mounted and programming it most of the day. Link adapter made out of broken DME





Link mounted in car cabin

is it ready to fire up???

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Fire in the hole.

After many hours of screw-ups on wiring the Link system into my car I have finished enough of the wiring correctly to get a good pop out of the exhaust and almost started. I now need to set initial timing with a timing light and then sync the cam and crank sensors, then set the correct values for the injectors I have installed.

I was very lucky I decided to make a BMW harness for the link system. I've been just plugging in the factory DME to drive the car around when I need to travel. When I want to work on the Link I just plug in the link DME adapter I made.

This has been quiet a project due to eye issues that confuse orange and yellow wiring and issues with my soldering pen plus I can't even see most of the stripe wire colors even with my glasses. I've had to have my son out there to tell me the wire colors at least 50+ times.

I think I will have it fired up and running late tonight and then fine tuning it for the next few weeks. Dyno will be done after I have a good tune only to get the last bit of power out of the motor.

[pdxmotorhead]

Originally Posted by xxxJohnBoyxxx

Fire in the hole.

After many hours of screw-ups on wiring the Link system into my car I have finished enough of the wiring correctly to get a good pop out of the exhaust and almost started. I now need to set initial timing with a timing light and then sync the cam and crank sensors, then set the correct values for the injectors I have installed.

I was very lucky I decided to make a BMW harness for the link system. I've been just plugging in the factory DME to drive the car around when I need to travel. When I want to work on the Link I just plug in the link DME adapter I made.

This has been quiet a project due to eye issues that confuse orange and yellow wiring and issues with my soldering pen plus I can't even see most of the stripe wire colors even with my glasses. I've had to have my son out there to tell me the wire colors at least 50+ times.

I think I will have it fired up and running late tonight and then fine tuning it for the next few weeks. Dyno will be done after I have a good tune only to get the last bit of power out of the motor.

Try using a light red lens on your non dominant eye. For some with color issues it will help sort colors. I used to use a pair of cheasy 711 sunglasses and popped one lens out.

Dave