grohgreg

And therein lies the problem. Pretty sure I pointed you to this in the past; iOBD2 for smartphones; from $40 for Android, from $58 for iOS, don't know about BlackBerry. I leave my iOBD2 module permanently plugged into the OBD2 port, and connect to it with my iPhone as needed.

//greg//

gnat

Time will tell, but I think when they are working properly we're all happy with them. It certainly feels like a good boost of power on some settings and the increased mpg is clearly visible at the pump. Hopefully these issues are abnormal and BlueSpark can resolve them.

So far I have not had any issues with mine like they are describing and the increased economy is well on its way to paying for itself. So yes, I still think its worth it.

mcbit

This is an excellent thread on why no to use a BSP.

philg3

Good points. Interesting reading. Adventuresome contributors here. Long ago, I use to do stuff like this, got it out of my system after some mishaps. Nevertheless, good luck to you trailblazers, and looking forward to reading your future excellent adventures.

As an observation, if you just put it into Sports Mode, you get really good response.

canon_mutant

Well, first I'd have to buy a smart phone . . .

Really a moot point though from the standpoint I do "know" the turbo side of mine broke. Just speculating on what actual codes and hence problems the CD ECM saw?

gnat

Yeah, you'd think I would have learned after all the trouble I caused myself running a computer in my old Escape.

philg3

You had an Escape, I had a Vega (orange), and installed a "Magic Box" developed by Fairchild Semiconductor with an F8 processor -- the same processor designed for Amana's Radar Range (one of the first microwave ovens). Processor worked better in the oven than in the Vega. Don't think the Magic Box was ever commercially available -- I was an employee.

aCayenneFan

But I suspect, without the mileage increase.

philg3

Perhaps, but I get 30+MPG on freeways; high 20's around town in normal mode. About 10% less in Sport Mode. Not bad for a vehicle of this weight and performance.

However, I do miss out on all the excitement -- warning lights flashing, the limping mode, and do not have to monitor outside temperature before I back out of the driveway. Yea, I know -- it's boring -- you "Magic Box" guys have all the fun.

There is something to be said for repeatable models -- you start engine -- drive off -- and everything performs as expected every time. You drive back into your garage in Normal / Sport mode, not limping mode.

mudman2

The iPhone principal, it just works

lol

gnat

No its not, but getting 33 on my commute home yesterday is even better Given it was a light day, but there was still some sitting as well as a few good bursts to get around idiots that wanted to sit in my blind spot and pin me behind slower traffic rather than actually pass...

The only lights I've had come on were the ABS and Parking Brake warnings and those were both due to running on a dyno and cleared as expected after a couple of starts. The only other codes its thrown has something to do with the AC.

So other than the dyno results not being what was expected (and I don't trust the dyno results for a few reasons) the box and car work exactly as expected and do it every time I turn the key.

At one point you seemed to be one of those interested in how the BSP would play out and I get that you aren't interested now that there appear to be some problems. What I don't get, however, is why you seem to be attacking it. I agree there is concern here, but we haven't heard what BS has to say and these issues could be as simple as a bad box or an underlying issue with their cars that the box happens to be exposing. Yes there is risk using something like the BSP, I've never denied that, but in general these types of tuner boxes have a good record. For me the cost/risk/benefit is worth it, but YMMV.

mudman2

I don't think your being attacked, you are free to do what you want with your money, but when your messing with physics is it really worth it if your not getting a massive increase in performance, it just sounds a bit like tinkering.

In another other thread where lupo is going for 680HP, now that's a mod with a respectable result

gnat

Certainly, but it also comes with a respectable price tag and a lot more risk.

Even if the dyno results are accurate and it's not remotely producing the power gains (which I suspect is not the case as there is a noticeable difference between the maps that my results don't show), $350ish for the economy boost is still worth it in my opinion.

grohgreg

x2, and my mpg gains are even more impressive. But I don't commute, so the majority of my miles are at speed on secondary highways and freeways. Whereas the EPA lists the Cayenne Diesel at 19 city/29 highway/23 combined, I initially got about 22/32/25. I added the BSP+ when the car was just a few months old. It since has bumped my numbers up to 36.2 highway. What little city driving I do probably yields 22-24 mpg. I've purposefully never reset the long term mileage display. So after recently rolling over 10k miles, the car is reporting an impressive 30.1 combined. Full disclosure; (a) diesel fuel economy typically increases slowly through the first 35k or so, and (b) my last 3 cars reported their own mpg. Hence, I've grown too lazy to calculate at the pump anymore.

//greg//

skl

Just picked up a Q5 TDI with the same engine. Debating the Bluespark but a few of your issues do concern me. When you take it in for service and remove the unit, does it leave a trail???