Manual Trans MKV Tuning Questions and (Hopefully) Answers Thread

[rammjaeger]

Hi all, I've recently gotten a manual transmission MKV Supra and I've been doing research on what my tuning options are. I noticed that there were some other threads hitting this topic but they were specific to one type of tuning (Ecutek) and I'm wanting to have a thread for broader information on what MT Supra owner's tuning options are.

So really my question is, what are the tuning option for manual trans MKV Supra options at this point, and what are the pros and cons of each? I'll update this post as more info becomes available for others to refer to.

Sponsored

 

[BoostAddict13]

https://willmy062020plusecugotorussia.com/
https://www.supramkv.com/threads/tuning-for-manual-a90.15095/
Unlock only for M6 Trans. You can not clone to run Ecutek.
BM3 or MHD only.

 

[zrk]

That's it and that's all, @BoostAddict13

 

[rammjaeger]

https://willmy062020plusecugotorussia.com/
https://www.supramkv.com/threads/tuning-for-manual-a90.15095/
Unlock only for M6 Trans. You can not clone to run Ecutek.
BM3 or MHD only.

Thanks for sharing. Let's assume I'm a complete noob (which I mostly am) and that Ecutek, BM3, and MHD are acronyms that I don't understand, and that cloning vs unlocking I don't understand. I'm trying to get a thread together that I and others that just got a manual MKV Supra can refer to for good information on what the possible routes to go are, and what the pluses and minuses of each are. Want to be able to share without having to dive into multiple mega deep threads and just get some summed up details in one place..

 

[Dr. Supra]

Thanks for sharing. Let's assume I'm a complete noob (which I mostly am) and that Ecutek, BM3, and MHD are acronyms that I don't understand, and that cloning vs unlocking I don't understand. I'm trying to get a thread together that I and others that just got a manual MKV Supra can refer to for good information on what the possible routes to go are, and what the pluses and minuses of each are. Want to be able to share without having to dive into multiple mega deep threads and just get some summed up details in one place..

All this info is already out. It's best you do your own research and think which is best for you....... SEARCH

 

[zrk]

Ecutek, MHD, and BM3 are tuning platforms. They shouldn't matter much to you, as much as they matter to your preferred tuned. Your tuner will tell you which platform they like, and use that. For you, on the MT, you can only get a "Femto Unlock." They can unlock the calibration area of the ECU only.

A clone is exactly that. Your current ECU is cloned onto a donor ECU that can be unlocked. (The newer ecus are physically different, they have a hardware lock on them). With the cloned Ecu, you can run Ecutek and the more sophisticated features of BM3 (flex-fuel, reflex/port-injection, nitrous, control your meth, external wastegate for big turbos, etc. etc.)

 

[rammjaeger]

All this info is already out. It's best you do your own research and think which is best for you....... SEARCH

I spent hours doing "my own research" and found very incomplete information spread all over the place, with 99% of it focused on the automatic. Which is why I'm trying to create a thread with the info in one place.

 

[rammjaeger]

Ecutek, MHD, and BM3 are tuning platforms. They shouldn't matter much to you, as much as they matter to your preferred tuned. Your tuner will tell you which platform they like, and use that. For you, on the MT, you can only get a "Femto Unlock." They can unlock the calibration area of the ECU only...

So since I can't clone, what can be done with just the Femto Unlock? In my particular case, I'm not trying to build a drag car. I just want to be able to do a tune to get more power and maybe do exhaust, downpipe, etc while running 93 octane.

 

[razorlab]

I spent hours doing "my own research" and found very incomplete information spread all over the place, with 99% of it focused on the automatic. Which is why I'm trying to create a thread with the info in one place.

What are you looking for that hasn't been already pointed out in this thread?

If you are looking for Off The Shelf tunes. MHD or BM3 will give you that on the MT. If you want a custom tune, MHD or BM3 will give you that on the MT.

However, currently you will not be able to get any of the *custom* features with MHD or BM3, like flex fuel, anti-lag, etc. This is what @zrk is referring to as "calibration area only". You can only change tables in the ECU that are there from the factory. Not a deal breaker by any means.

Either way you go, custom or OTS, you have to send your ECU to Femto, which is overseas.

 

[rammjaeger]

What are you looking for that hasn't been already pointed out in this thread?

If you are looking for Off The Shelf tunes. MHD or BM3 will give you that on the MT. If you want a custom tune, MHD or BM3 will give you that on the MT.

However, currently you will not be able to get any of the *custom* features with MHD or BM3, like flex fuel, anti-lag, etc. This is what @zrk is referring to as "calibration area only". You can only change tables in the ECU that are there from the factory. Not a deal breaker by any means.

Either way you go, custom or OTS, you have to send your ECU to Femto, which is overseas.

I think you actually answered your own question by sharing with me the things that weren't already pointed out clearly in this thread

I spent about 20 years making video games, and one of the things that was always interesting was that sometimes we'd watch people play the game and they'd spend hours struggling to figure a puzzle out that to us developers seemed easy. The problem is, the reason it seemed easy was because we already knew what the answer is. So as designers we had to learn to not assume the player knew what the designer knew. That's also a good lesson in the car community.

 

[razorlab]

I think you actually answered your own question by sharing with me the things that weren't already pointed out clearly in this thread

I spent about 20 years making video games, and one of the things that was always interesting was that sometimes we'd watch people play the game and they'd spend hours struggling to figure a puzzle out that to us developers seemed easy. The problem is, the reason it seemed easy was because we already knew what the answer is. So as designers we had to learn to not assume the player knew what the designer knew. That's also a good lesson in the car community.

Totally understand, that's why I expanded after my snarky first question.

I'm also a designer by trade. 1000% understand.

Any other questions around tuning?

 

[rammjaeger]

Totally understand, that's why I expanded after my snarky first question.

I'm also a designer by trade. 1000% understand.

Any other questions around tuning?

Yes, thanks for the insight. Here are a few more questions:

• With an unlock only (no clone to an earlier DME) BM3 or MHD seem like the only options. Is that correct?
• With a calibration tune, what types of things can changed? Can you changed hardware like downpipes, or is it just changing the fuel map?
• With a Femto unlock, can you change the tunes later, or does it need to be loaded at the time of the unlock?

Thanks!

 

[zrk]

With an unlock only (no clone to an earlier DME) BM3 or MHD seem like the only options. Is that correct?

That is correct, yes.

With a calibration tune, what types of things can changed? Can you changed hardware like downpipes, or is it just changing the fuel map?

Very little in this car requires a tune at all. Downpipe, intake, intake manifold, etc. will all be adapted for, even without a tune. Our cars don't have a MAF, only MAP, so there is nothing to do for any of that. You can go with a larger stock frame turbo that utilizes the factory EWG with an unlocked ECU, but tuning a big turbo with an external gate would require a stand-alone boost controller, and would be a pain.

You can change fuel maps, timing, CEL coding shit (CEL for downpipe), all sorts of shit. You don't need a clone for that.

With a Femto unlock, can you change the tunes later, or does it need to be loaded at the time of the unlock?

Yes. Any time you'd like.

 

[rammjaeger]

Thanks @zrk and @razorlab for the very helpful information.

 

[razorlab]

Yes, thanks for the insight. Here are a few more questions:

• With an unlock only (no clone to an earlier DME) BM3 or MHD seem like the only options. Is that correct?
• With a calibration tune, what types of things can changed? Can you changed hardware like downpipes, or is it just changing the fuel map?
• With a Femto unlock, can you change the tunes later, or does it need to be loaded at the time of the unlock?

Thanks!

1. Yes
2. You can pretty much make a 800whp (or more) supra if you wanted
3. Yes. Can change tunes, with the same software platform.

Sponsored