Tune for Tomei UEL header + Grimmspeed Intake
 

I'm pretty new to the idea of software tuning my BRZ. I'm considering OFT, but don't know if anyone in the community is currently running a similar setup. The biggest contributors to my gains would be Grimmspeed intake, Tomei Expreme UEL catless header and a Borla catback (s-type..it think) exhaust. I would appreciate any feedback, however brutally true it may be. Looking to simply run high octane pump gas - 93.

Read stickied bolt-on guide. Biggest gains from catless header, some from intake, very slight from catback, which i certainly wouldn't list among biggest performance contributors of any sort. Catbacks on these cars mostly should be considered for sound only.
Don't forget to do ECU tune of some sort, to fully use all gains from your catless header & intake. Be it via OFT or Ecutek.

I think you misread his post. ;)

Yes OP, people are running that setup on OFT. There's a stage 2 UEL 93 octane tune, which will work out of the box for those mods. If you feel the urge to tinker for more power, there are a few threads on how to dial in your tune, or you can get OpenFlash to E-Tune for fairly cheap.

Ouch, yes, somehow OFT mention slipped through quickly reading post :). And +1, that OTS stage 2 UEL tunes should do fine one this header. More often i've seen Nameless/Ace header/PTuning mentioned as needing non standard tunes, Tomei should work well with generic OTS too.

We've done this combo many times before. The standard tunes can work ok, but you'll always get more power and a more precise tune by doing the full process with datalogging/revising. Then if you ever go flex fuel you'll have the ability with EcuTek, whereas with the cheaper things out there you'll not be able to get the added features (i.e. custom traction control, soft cut/per gear limits, scalable forced induction tunes, boost cut, ebcs....)

moto-mike: but then again if one adds later one other bolt on upgrades one won't be able to add changes for those by himself without paying for another retune and one won't be apply by himself lot of valuable tuning info/knowledge found in these forums on locked ecutek tunes either. Yes, ecutek extra features are fine if paid once, after one has installed all the bolt on mods he wanted, but not so much for gradual upgrade one by one. Even better if one can do full dyno-tune in some competent tuning shop, most of which are Ecutek only. As for me - i live in country with NO ecutek tuning shops (even more so with shop of known quality and familiar with these cars like many in US, where there are many including you :)). So it's OTS tunes for me both ways (and OTS ones developed in different country with different fuel quality).. +tune lock for ecutek, limiting any tinkering/improvements to OTS tunes by myself. I'm not that rich to go just for tune few countries away or ship car overseas :). +OFT later on allows selling it getting almost all money back (of course if one unmarries it & restores stock firmware).

Hi moto mike, what can you say as to the longevity of running a modest NA setup with the bolt-ons I mentioned + OTS stage 2 (lets say). Is the OTS tune simply going to give me a non optimized version i could otherwise get with a dyno tune or would it actually be making me run rich/lean over the course of time, being a detriment to my engine?

Cheapest option is

Off the shelf or Flash and go type tunes are fine if your mods match the tune.

Next best option is

E-tuning or reviewing your tune with tuner via logging/revision remotely and making changes you custom mods that dont match off the shelf or flash and go tune.


Best option is

custom Dyno tune.


Each one cost more.
On an NA car their is not a great advantage in getting a custom dyno tune if your mods match tune.

Grimspeed intake maf scaling is very close to stock maf scaling
Tomei UEL headers are catered for in off the shelf or flash and go tunes from OFT and Ecutek guys. so you rearly don't need e-tuning.


OFT you get Flash /logging device and tunes included $500
custom E-tune is $200

you can onsell your OFT/tunes if you flash car back to stock for probably about $400

Ecutek you need licience $300 plus flash and Go tune about $200-$300
Custom E-tune not sure probably about same as OFT guys

If you cannot get to Ecutek tuner your going to need to buy Ecutek cable to flash/log that about $350.

Ecutek you can only on-sell the cable if you buy one as licience is locked to car and tune is locked to dongle that flashed it.

Ecutek tunes ar locked ie you cannot make your own change

OFT tunes are open anyone can change no locks or encryption ect.

Ecutek do have some nice features like 4 map switching and flex fuel option (you need a flex kit/sensor/install about $600 though)

Our local spec 86/NASA folks run our tunes day in and day out and have no issues reliability wise. But if you have any deviations you'll want to adjust for the mixture and getting timing optimized for your available fuel. The OTS tunes are a "ballpark" estimate, so you'll get ballpark performance.

For the custom dyno tune option, you have to weigh the factor of who does it. Some tuners are great, but no way can they beat the cumulative experience of hundreds of 86's in just a matter of a few hours. So if your dyno shop is well versed in the 86 you'll do fine, but if they do a few here and there then you are highly unlikely to get a better result than from a tuner who specializes in the platform.