Zep's Underwhelming VF 540i

[Zep]

If you have no wideband how are you determining you're running rich. With regards to the vacuum line its plugged into the manifold right? Not the charge pipe?

Just because you have negative trims does not mean you're running rich if thats what you're using to come to the conclusion.

I am basing my call on 'too rich' on the 'Rich condition' bank 1 & 2 codes, the smell, the fact that the engine is running like crap and that I have had to clean the plugs that have done less than 60 miles once already.

[geargrinder]

Yeah having perfect zero trims would be an amazing coincidence and even suspect...

[Zep]

Frank's reaction to the log I sent him was that the car appears to be running as if it still had the stock map. Perhaps my DME doesnt take the flashing? It completed the process perfectly but doesnt seem to have made any difference.

Before installing the bigger injectors the LTFTs were around -2% going up to +5% after aggressive driving, which seemed pretty good to me.

[geargrinder]

I think I said before I've seen weird stuff w/ flashing these ECU's. If there's any funny error or message at the end the flash might not have taken. But you say it went perfect... hmm...

[Zep]

I think I said before I've seen weird stuff w/ flashing these ECU's. If there's any funny error or message at the end the flash might not have taken. But you say it went perfect... hmm...

Yeah, its quite perplexing. It loaded up 100%, asked me to turn off the ignition and stated that the flashing had been successful.

Its become quite par for the course though...every stage so far has been thwarted by something going wrong/not working out as planned. Fingers crossed Frank can get to the bottom of it and get fix happening.

[Zep]

Is Frank on holidays? I have sent through three emails over the last week and have have so far had no response.
I still haven't had any luck getting the new tune to work and this silence is troubling me.

Has anyone with a 99+ 540i i.e. DME7.2 car had any luck getting a TTFS tune remotely?

[geargrinder]

He's generally super busy and holds down another management job so he's prob just busy. If it were anybody else I'd say he was tiptoeing about the remote tuning but he does that for M3's in high volumes so I'd imagine he wouldn't be too fussed. Spring season is usually jammed up for performance shops of all sorts though (it's spring here... ;^} )

[Zep]

He's generally super busy and holds down another management job so he's prob just busy. If it were anybody else I'd say he was tiptoeing about the remote tuning but he does that for M3's in high volumes so I'd imagine he wouldn't be too fussed. Spring season is usually jammed up for performance shops of all sorts though (it's spring here... ;^} )

I hope so. Frank has usually responded to emails quite promptly so it is a bit concerning. VF did the same thing after I asked them to tweak the tune a bit, they just didn't respond and ignored every subsequent email. If its busy as you say then I can understand.

I just want to get this car up and running again.

[mcgnms]

Same boat. VF is extremely bad at responding to emails.

If Frank does not respond, ask if VF can get a tune for 42's working for you. They certainly can take care of WOT maps. I bet they can take care of partial throttle operation too.

If worst comes to worst, you can use the VF original tune and 30lbs injectors (just ask them to add some fuel at WOT). If I realized some of fuel issues back a while ago, I would stay on the Accels and the tune I had with the 3.25" pulley.

[Zep]

Same boat. VF is extremely bad at responding to emails.

If Frank does not respond, ask if VF can get a tune for 42's working for you. They certainly can take care of WOT maps. I bet they can take care of partial throttle operation too.

If worst comes to worst, you can use the VF original tune and 30lbs injectors (just ask them to add some fuel at WOT). If I realized some of fuel issues back a while ago, I would stay on the Accels and the tune I had with the 3.25" pulley.

hmmm, not sure if I like my chances of VF helping considering my last experience. Fingers crossed Frank is just busy and will respond soon - I already paid $1000 for this tune and have tried everything they have asked me to.

Do you not like the tune you got from Frank for the 42lb/3.23" combo? If I cant get any help with the tune I will have no other option but to go back to the accel injectors just to be able to use the car.

[mcgnms]

No no, I like the tune. I'm saying exactly as you said, it was a hassle of work and money (nothing to do with Frank). I paid $400 for the injectors, and then Frank had to spend a while R&D'ing it to get the tune working well, it took weeks and many trips since I was the beta tester. The car drives amazingly well, its just that sticking with original injectors would have been much cheaper and easier. You don't even have to get a 5-bar regulator. The stock 3.5bar is enough.

Just make sure your fuel pressure is good. Mine wasn't and that was one of the reasons I bet for my lean tail originally.

[Zep]

all good

[KhanArt]

We apologize for your experience so far. I am not trying to make excuses for us and Frank but we are going through staff changes. We lost a team member and we already were a small team. We also changed email systems from ongoing email issues we were having. Frank does all the tuning himself.

We are doing the best we can and we know in the end you will be satisfied as you hear the many positive reviews from our customers. Your case is not a straight forward load a tune and call it a day situation. Also being remote makes the process a little more challenging.

Again we can understand your frustration.

Thank you,
Z Khan
Tuning Tech FS

[philly98540]

Thanks for getting back to Zep. I can vouch that Kyle just left TTFS, so some personnel changover right at the busy time of year makes getting back hard. I was there the other week and a couple great guys were there helping Frank. Frank runs a great shop and I'm sure he will get you sorted.

[dk500]

Not to be that guy but...

Dibs on the blower if he parts... I have DynoComp and Vivid Racing to tune for me haha

[Zep]

I was hoping to do a bigger update later on but things are moving slowly so I will just do it now.

I did hear back from Frank and it was indeed an issue of communication breakdown and staffing dramas etc. but all good now. Thanks to Mcgnms who was a great help.

I received a file from Frank and it was great to be able to drive the car again for starters. The fueling was still on the rich side and so I logged some different driving styles and sent them to Frank. I got a new file and its better again, however there are some stumbles on partial throttle and trims are still rich (LTFTs at -13 and -16). I still haven't had the limiter raised so that the Alpina trans flash can shift itself at 6500rpm but Frank said he will do it on a future file.

Frank advised that he will hold off doing any more tuning until I get the new bypass valve fitted as he believes it is interfering with the maf. I ordered the tial QRJ as Mcgnms had but it didnt come with the flanges and I had to wait until today for them to arrive. So now I have to get these fitted (once I get the appropriate hose).

qrj etc.jpg

Hopefully this will sorted soon and I can get the car dyno'd. I am kind of wondering if its would be best to just go down to a 3" pulley and get the car tuned for that and just be done with it.

[geargrinder]

I would not necessarily go that way. I'd sort out everything as is and make sure all runs well w/ current pulley then notch it up. You don't want to wonder if any particular problem is related pushing lotsa boost or whether you have a core problem. It's always good idea on F/I to run at a lower level for a while to "shake down" any problems.

[mcgnms]

I would stick with the 3.25" at least for a while. Its already kind of pushing it in my opinion and if you have an automatic you're in unchartered water. You may require an idler to get belt taction on a 3".

I would wait a little while and see if Philly98540 has any issue first at the very least.

You did get a 1.5 PSI spring on the QRJ right? Not the 3 PSI? Though 3PSI would still work fine IMO.

[dme88]

If you're modifying car like 540 you can quickly surpass 100% value of the car with the cost of few mods.
So you either sell it and buy something that's much cheaper to modify or you go crazy like some of us and just enjoy the car.

I actually think S/C 540 is a VERY good bhp/buy-cost/maintanence-cost equation. I don't think you can do better. Maybe a beaten down S6/RS6. But the maintenance-cost on those Audi's are astronomical.

[seabass07]

Although a S/C kit can easily cost half the value or more of the car. Guess it depends on your priorities.

[Zep]

I would stick with the 3.25" at least for a while. Its already kind of pushing it in my opinion and if you have an automatic you're in unchartered water. You may require an idler to get belt taction on a 3".

I would wait a little while and see if Philly98540 has any issue first at the very least.

You did get a 1.5 PSI spring on the QRJ right? Not the 3 PSI? Though 3PSI would still work fine IMO.

I was just thinking out loud as modifying this car has taken a long time it might just be easier to go for max boost now.

Yes I got the 1.5psi spring. I just need to get the hoses now, which I hope to do quite soon.

[geargrinder]

it might just be easier to go for max boost now.

just tellin you mate. Most F/I veterans will say the very opposite. Unless you mean youre going for a "out of the box" kit solution but 3" pulleys on VF kits is in alpha status really, not even beta. Youre bitching like a schoolgirl about not getting your known base config rolling, if you want a world of hassle definitely go to a more or less "one off" yet to be proven setup...

I mean i am busting balls but especially remote tuning its gonna be hella frustrating. Keep in mind phillys car is on a totally different DME so frank will be first time for the big pulley on yours...

[Zep]

Car is running very well, however I hardly drive it. I bought a R53 cooper s a while back and dont really drive the E39 that much anymore. I drove it to work the last three days and its has been a hoot. Finally getting the wideband on tomorrow

[tptrsn]

That is some good news!! It will be very interesting to see what you learn once you have the wideband on.

[dovlet]

Car is running very well, however I hardly drive it. I bought a R53 cooper s a while back and dont really drive the E39 that much anymore. I drove it to work the last three days and its has been a hoot. Finally getting the wideband on tomorrow

Good thread, I have just ordered tuning from TTFS and waiting for my D-Can cable. As I can see after tuned you have no either dyno it or checked for 1/4 mile. I think you should have good results.

Mine has no tune file but has 7000rpm, i have 13.15 sec 1/4 mile. 5.7 sec 100km/h.

I am very interesting what will be your result......