TTFS - Wow. Really good tune.

[Atlas_M3]

I got a new-to-me e46 M3 tuned tonight and all I can say is "wow." Frank's tune (leveraging CSL airbox, headers, and a high flow exhaust) put down 340hp at the wheels. The torque curve is very smooth (and flat) and the engine just runs a ton better than before. If you are wanting to get some issues sorted out, Frank is the man.

I've had a tune on another e46 M3 I own for five years now (including track days) with no problems so I was pretty confident going in that I'd get a good outcome.

[Tbonem3]

Oh boy

[maw1124]

😂🤣😅

maw

[Obioban]

If you're continuing to track the car, I would suggest changing tunes.

[fourmula1]

What's the backstory here gentleman?

[Obioban]

There's been multiple instances of tune induced engine failure on people tracking with TTFS tunes.

[Atlas_M3]

Uh oh...have I crossed some sort of forum tripwire?

My approach was to ask for a margin of safety in the tune (Frank was happy to set it at less than 10/10ths), get it done on a dyno so it's not guesswork, and going forward, drive the car knowing it is closer to the edge, as any tuned car is.

Yes, I've heard 2nd (3rd?) hand about a car with a TTFS tune that burned a head gasket because there was too much timing. Is this the only tuned car (from any tuner) where this has happened? Probably not. My own multi-year experience has been good but I've also only done <5 track days in 5 years so I'm not exactly routinely pushing it. I don't beat on my car on the street either. I suppose the next five years with this new car and new tune will present its own set of facts.

I'm not discounting anyone's opinion or experience because many of you are much more well versed in the data of tune performance and longevity. I think it's very difficult for someone like me to know the "right answer" because it's not as if there is a database of all the tunes ever installed and how they performed vis-a-vis the way the engine was individually maintained and exercised. I think it's human nature to point out when something bad/unexpected happens and it's less likely to point out when something good or "as expected" happens.

All that most of us have are anecdotes. Here's mine: the tune that reportedly came with the car was from another well known tuner and the mapping didn't make any sense at all and the performance was very poor as a result. Coincidentally, it had way more timing in it than the revised TTFS tune and several other parameters were set in a way that would have been detrimental to the longevity of the engine. I'm not going to say who and if you know, please don't volunteer it up here in the forums because nobody (including me) knows the full picture of how it came about to be installed on the DME.

My original intent in sharing my post was to share my happiness that Frank fixed the problems I had. My intent here with a follow-up is simply to share my thinking that each engine/tune/owner is different and additional power does not come without risk.


That all said, I'm open to feedback and learning if there is additional data to be shared with our group!

[Obioban]

My approach was to ask for a margin of safety in the tune (Frank was happy to set it at less than 10/10ths), get it done on a dyno so it's not guesswork

This is 100% what a friend of mine did that lost two S54s to a TTFS tune on track. Even drove his car to TTFS for the second engine's dyno tuning.

[fourmula1]

I think the goal of these conversations are to share experience and paint a bigger picture. No tune is "perfect."

Based on my reading and observation of others experiences, if someone asked, I'd point people towards EPIC for racing, PCS/HTE for street.

[ac427]

This is 100% what a friend of mine did that lost two S54s to a TTFS tune on track. Even drove his car to TTFS for the second engine's dyno tuning.

Was the underlying cause found?

Is there a response from Frank?

[tdott]

Was the underlying cause found?

Is there a response from Frank?

Major signs of pre detonation from the last one I looked at.

[Obioban]

Major signs of pre detonation from the last one I looked at.

That, combined with the knock sensors being turned down.

[tdott]

That, combined with the knock sensors being turned down.

Yes, that is what I heard from a few others, unsafe tune, doesn't pull timing when conditions aren't right, etc. I believe there was also something messing with the IATs.

[thegenius46m]

That, combined with the knock sensors being turned down.

Knock sensors, pre cat 02s, etc. The list goes on and on. Fuel trims are also sketch from my findings as well after testing multiple tunes of his over the years. Would avoid like the plague.