Ecutek/Basemap Question
 

I'm a bit confused about how Ecutek licenses work. I have a turbo kit coming, and I had intended to do the install myself with a friend who has a bit more experience than me.

However, it seems like when I finish the install, I won't be able to drive it to a tuner because I'll have no way to get the basemap installed. I know I'll need a license at some point, but I wasn't planning on buying a cable as they're very expensive. Is a license required for a basemap? If so, can I use the same license for a dyno tune later?

If I opted to get it done at a local shop, could they install the basemap, allowing me to bring it to a tuner at a later point? Would I need two licenses for this? Once I own a license, what format is it in? Does it live on the cable dongle, on the car itself, or is it digitally stored on a flash drive or computer?

I appreciate any info. I've combed through a lot of threads, but I really can't make any sense of this.

Ok, I think I found the answer I need here: http://www.brz-parts.com/cms-ecu-lic.html

It sounds like if I purchase the license, I just need to use an Ecutek cable once to apply the basemap to the car. After that, I should be able to get rid of the cable, and any tuner would be able to tune the car using that same license. Is that correct?

I wouldnt get rid of the cable til you are fully done tuning and content with your tune. But yes once you have the the base tune in, you can drive it to your tuner and they can tune it to however you want them to. Then sell it if u want

Some tuners will rent\lend you an ecutek cable for a small fee.

if you want to log you tune and reflash updates you might want your own cable

Thanks for the info, guys. Are these two essentially the same thing?

https://www.viscontituning.com/produ...h-license-only
http://www.brz-parts.com/cms-ecu-lic.html

yes all ecutek liciences are same

however you can sometimes get a better deal of you package the licience and tune, i know moto east tuning does.

also visconti had a deal going where you got ecutek cable kit and a licience and a base tune for $400, i think the tune was only for certian turbo kits or na cars but still a good deal even if you dont use tune

https://www.viscontituning.com/colle...t-tune-special

have a talk to the tuner that going to tune car

Ah. I had seen this... I already have a tuner lined up. Would it be possible for me to buy this and just use the license + cable? The license would allow for my local tuner to tune the car? It's a fantastic deal.

Yes you could buy that and just not use the tune that will be supplied with the cable and license. A license is stored on the ECU. Once you do your base map flash it will take the EcuTek license from your dongle and download it to the ecu. From there you can flash it as many times as you want with EcuTek software and cable and it will not use further licenses as one of the 1st checks it makes is to see if there is an license already on the ecu.

If you search around here, eBay or on Facebook groups, you can find a used cable and dongle in the $200-250 range.

But you still need a license at this point unless your tuner has its own license(Some people that do tunes are not licensed through EcuTek and when this is the case you the consumer have to typically provide the license).

I've always been a bit confused about this as well.

Currently i have a Tune from Delicious. So i assume i have a license. Now can i take that license and bring it to a local tuner and have them tune for me? Or would i have to purchase a new license? I'm assuming the license and the tune you get are not one in the same.

Please correct me if i'm wrong.

You are correct. You can use your current license to load new tunes.

Got it so that means i can just pay someone to tune it and not have to spend the 350$ for another license.

Thanks!

That is correct. Once you pay for a license it is on your ecu. So unless you have an issue where you need to get a new ecu you are good to go. That said I am unsure if there is a relationship between the dongles are the license where you have to have the dongle that came with the license or not. Perhaps someone else has the answer to that.