Ok, so I keep hearing about TS's reflash and how great they are. However, being in the Seattle area, I assume the downtime would be more than I want or could have given that I need my car for work and other things. So unless this would be a 1-3 day down-time period, no longer, that's out of the question for sure.

So, does anyone know a great place in the Seattle-area that does reflashing well and that isn't over-the-top expensive?

Thanks!

 

These guys http://www.carbconn.com/ are in Kirkland, but they wont reflash in-house. The G35 ECU programming is very sophisticated and even experienced tuners are reluctant to tap into it. That's why most just piggyback with the UTEC or Unichip. What Carbconn will do is dyno the car and email the info to TS so they can get pretty close to optimal when they get your ECU. Its the next best thing to driving down to L.A.

 

What kind of downtime would that require? And if they don't reflash in-house, they send it to TS I assume? Then why not just send my ECU down there myself and forget the middle-man?

 

If you opt to just send your ECU to TS for a reflash, you'll have it back in time... ...assuming the tech isn't in Japan. When I sent mine, he was and I was told it might be 3-4 days. Much to my surprise, it got back to me on Day 2 or 3. I overnighted it there for Monday delivery and had them overnight it back. Seems like it was Wednesday morning when I got it back... ...at the latest!

 

How much did it cost you including shipping?

 

I shipped UPS next-morning (out Friday afternoon, arrived Monday morning)and insured it for $1500. I also had them pack it in a good size box with peanuts, etc. Can't recall for certain, but it was around $45 from west Texas to TS in CA. I think they shipped back via FedEx, and that overnight cost me $35.

The Full-Spec flash ran me $595 (+$80 round-trip S/H). I also had my speed shop do the ECU R&R while doing other stuff. Probably 1 hour labor total (they have a $35/hr. rate! )

I think Limited-Spec flash is priced cheaper than the F-Spec.

 

What's the difference?

 

I'm thinkin I'd just want the rev limiter mod, throttle mod, and possibly top-speed remover. Thing that'd all be good for an auto?

 

With just the intake and exhaust, Limited-spec should be fine.

Personally, I needed a bit of an A/F tweak and the generic A/F tweaf of the Full-Spec seemed to do the trick. Not sure how much of the improvement felt is due to the better A/F or the throttle-opening mod. Maybe it's a combination of everything, but the F-Spec helped with my mods.

 

Because you may want to get A/F ratios across the RPM range to really dial in the reflash. Also, you will have a pre-reflash dyno to compare whether your $595 reflash actually gained anything for proof. FYI, it has been reported that the F-Spec has resulted in pinging due to a bit too much timing advance. For a 5AT, might want to go L-spec especially if you still want to be able to run 87 fuel.

 

is TS the only people that do ECU reflash i mean i know regular guys that are flashing WRX's and Evo's and now SRT4's with maps that they get off of other guys that have the same mods as them....has anyone cracked the ECU so we can reflash so we dont need piggyback and we can take out a speed cut and raise rev limit and program in a 2 step cause thats what these otehr tuner cars have so why dont we havesoemthing like this...even the honda guys cracked the ECU's for all the new cars...anyone have info on this for me...

 

I ONLY run 92-93 oct (premium at Chevron)

And what, on top of the reflashing from TS, would it cost me with these guys in Kirkland?

 

Also, two more questions...

If I reflashed now, I assume I would need to reflash again if/when I boost my G, as reflashing, from what I understand, basically forces the computer to learn how to run with the modifications CURRENTLY on the car, thus it would need to learn again should I do another major upgrade. Yes? Or would 1 reflash be just fine now? If not, I'll just wait til I boost then reflash.

Also, given that it's the computer that takes it lovely time in deciding when you shift, rather in MM mode or D, would the reflash improve the shifting reaction time for 5AT, particularly in MM? So when I tell it to shift, it actually shifts promply instead of waiting for a second before doing so? That is one of my biggest pet peeves, as when I want it to shift it still doesn't, it takes so much time that I might as well just be in D all the time.

Thanks!

 

If you get the Limited-spec, which increases rev-limiter, gives full throttle opening, etc., then it should still be just fine when you go FI.

Of course, at that point, you're going to need to address teh A/F ratio. You could keep the L-spec for the benefits it provides and then go with another form of engine management (ideal for tuning) at that time.

Or, you could have the A/F addressed with a reflash to the Full-Spec. In that case, you'd want TS to have a dynosheet and a/f readings to base their tune upon. Ideally, you'd want them to be able to tune it while on their shop's dyno.

As for improved shifting characteristics for the 5AT, I'm pretty sure you need to look toward valve-body and/or torque converter upgrades. More simply, you might consider a full set of grounding wires, as a lot of 5AT guys feel they slightly increase the speed of shifts, among other things.

 

Thanks for the info. So would you suggest I just wait til I boost before doing a reflash?

Also, I do know for a fact that the shifting delay is in part due to the computer - I assume the ECU considering it controls pretty much everything. So I'm trying to figure out why TS (or others) can't figure out a way to make it shift quicker. Ferrarri's new programming in its ECU allows it to shift in 1/100th of a second after you tell it you up/down shift. Why can't we program in the reflash for the ECU to shift promptly - maybe not that quick as I'm sure that'd be a ton of work, but maybe 1/10th of a second after you tell it to or something that is still pretty prompt.