You rang?!? I'll be sure to bring one with me from now on!

 

All the current owners (even the second-hand people) get a fresh start.

I'm trying to catch up with everyone right now in advance of the mass e-mail.

 

Sorry, the name I put down on the email that I sent was v1point0 a.k.a. V1.0 The last email I got from you was on July 1st.

 

Here is a copy of the e-mail I just sent out to all of my registered AccessPORT customers:

__________________________________________________ _____



Dear MazdaManiac AccessPORT customer:

Due to high demand and an ever-expanding customer base, my policy for AccessPORT support and custom calibration is changing.

Custom calibration services and changes to existing calibrations will be handled under the new Custom Calibration Service.
All NEW customers will receive this service at no additional charge.
All existing customers will also receive this service at no additional charge starting today (Tuesday, July 8th, 2008), regardless of how many updated calibrations you have received so far. This also includes all of the current "second-hand" owners that have contacted me.
Anyone that purchases an AccessPORT from a different source or purchases an AccessPORT "second-hand" from an original MazdaManiac customer after today (Tuesday, July 8th, 2008) can purchase this support separately for $299.00* on my WEB site. http://www.paradoxperformance.com/cobb/accessport.htm

The new Custom Calibration Service entitles the purchaser up to five (5) personalized calibration adjustments for a period of six (6) months after the initial installation set is provided.

I understand that wait times for new files have been long for some and the process has been difficult for others that have highly modified vehicles.
This change to the follow-up process will help ensure that everyone that has purchased (or will purchase) an AccessPORT will get responses to customization requests of equal quality and timeliness.

To be enrolled in this service, please respond to this e-mail with the following information:Attach a copy of the calibration you are currently running and a GRAPHICAL datalog of your WOT operation in a couple of sequential gears with AFR, RPM and MAF or load shown.
A screen shot of your logging software or an Excel graph is best.
Please list any concerns or issues you have noted.
Enrollment e-mails will be rejected if you omit any of the emboldened data above or fail to attach your current calibration.

I've included a copy below of the original instructions sent to AccessPORT customers when their unit was shipped.

You are receiving this e-mail because you are listed in the MazdaManiac purchasing database.
If this e-mail has reached you in error or you no longer use a MazdaManiac provided AccessPORT, please disregard.
If you have sold your AccessPORT, please feel free to forward this e-mail to the current owner.


- Jeff Abrams
- MazdaManiac


__________________________________________________ _____


Your AccessPORT will arrive pre-loaded with the appropriate calibrations for your application.
When you "install" the AP, select "MM YYYs TT AA vXx_0.ptm" as your starting map.
Start the car and while it warms up, select "live data" on the AP an scroll through the options until you get to "short term fuel trim".
Watch that value and, once the car is nearly warmed up, take it around the block.
If the STFT is a negative value, you will use one of the files that end in "b". If it is a positive value, you will use a file that ends in "a".
THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WHEN THIS CALIBRATION TECHNIQUE IS VALID. ONCE THE CALIBRATION HAS BEEN INSTALLED FOR A FEW DRIVE CYCLES, THIS METHOD NO LONGER APPLIES.


MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_0.ptm - start file, no trim
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_1a.ptm - adds 2%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_2a.ptm - adds 4%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_3a.ptm - adds 6%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_4a.ptm - adds 8%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_5a.ptm - adds 10%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_1b.ptm - subtracts 2%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_2b.ptm - subtracts 4%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_3b.ptm - subtracts 6%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_4b.ptm - subtracts 8%
MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_5b.ptm - subtracts 10%

If the fuel trim is off this scale in one direction or another (greater than ~10%), you must contact MazdaManiac for adjustments.
Once the idle trim is correct (a few % one way or another is totally no big deal - in fact, up to 12% is technically acceptable since the PCM can go up to 22% before it starts to struggle), drive around in various conditions less that high load and see if the LTFT stays within +/-6% or so of the idle trim.
If so, you are good to go!
It is NOT unusual for there to be +/-12% or less LTFT after several days of driving.

Watch your A/Fs at high load. If they start to swing too lean or too rich, you must contact MazdaManiac for adjustments.
You should be seeing high 13's in some high-load conditions, mid 13's in most high-load conditions and high 12's in other high-load conditions.
A/Fs should be 14 - 16 everywhere else and 20+ when you lift the throttle.
FI cars should see high 11's to low 12's while in boost.
At all other throttle conditions, A/Fs should be in the mid 14s or slightly higher and 20+ on throttle lift.
Watch your A/Fs through the "equivalence ratio" display in live data.

__________________________________________________ _____

These files follow this naming convention:

MM YYYYs TT AA vXx_Yy.ptm

MM = MazdaManiac. This ensures that your file is an actual MazdaManiac calibration.
YYYY = Your vehicle's model year

s = State. This is either blank for "Federal" or a "C" for California. There are actually quite a few California models out there in other states so if you believe your car is a Federal model but your Federal files are "grayed-out" in the install screen, you are actually driving a California model.

TT = Transmission. MT is Manual and AT is Automatic

AA = Induction. If you are Normally aspirated, this will say "NA". If you are turbo it will say "TURBO" if you have the Pettit supercharger, it will say "PETTIT"

v = "Version"

Xx = Series. There are many different series of flashes. The larger "X" will be a whole number from 1 to 7. The small "x" will be a lower case letter from "a" to "d"

Yy = Sub-Flash. The Large "Y" is an incremental change in the MAF calculation. Each successive number from "1" to "7" is a 2% change in the MAF calibration. The small "y" indicates if this increment is positive ("a") or negative ("b").
__________________________________________________ _____

*All prices subject to change. All parts, calibrations and upgrades are offered "as is". Payment must be made in full at time of order. Checks or money orders are accepted, but must clear before order is initiated. Google Checkout and money transfers are also accepted. Purchaser must pay all additional fees incurred by the transaction. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. NO RETURNS, NO REFUNDS. MazdaManiac does not offer expressed or implied warranty on any parts, kits or calibration files offered and accepts no responsibility for any damages, either direct or consequential, caused by the use of these parts or calibration files. For North-American models ONLY. Available to customers in the United States, its territories and Canada ONLY.

©2008 MazdaManiac.com

 

Thank You Jeff

 

Ah. Found it.
Respond to the new e-mail as soon as you can and I'll get you that update.

No prob.
Hopefully, this will be a cost-effective option for you and those that in a similar situation to yours.

 

Everything is worth only what people are willing to buy it for. At least those who didn't purchase AP's from MazdaManiac could sell them now. Otherwise even with $100 off they wouldn't move cause you can't get custom maps from them.

50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

 

Getting a free ride for 6 months is still a great deal

What Jeff had been doing was unsustainable and causing backlog for everyone.

 

Jeff - so i get it your lazy and don't want to work for free! Kidding kidding. Seriously though does that mean when i get the MM/BHR turbo in a few that I will need to pay for a subscription to be able to even fire the car. What if the car doesn't get to the proper tune before i'm outta maps? Then everytime I change something and need a new map I'll have to purchase a new plan? basically what i'm getting at is by the time i'm done I want a 500hp street eater so the AP is going to end up costing me an arm right?
OH yeah and I'm waiting for my new maps to it's been 4 whole days where are they?? j/k

 

Yep, definitely!

And ok thanks Jeff. The last e-mail that I sent followed that template so it should be good. Only other thing is, I didn't get an info e-mail?

 

Hehe, when you've got all the parts ready you ought to get a group meet together and get him at a local dyno

 

$300 for several tunes is well under the norm for tuning fees. Last time I was at a well known rotary shop, it cost almost as much for just one hour. Now, this was with a dyno machine, so the comparison isn't quite the same, but goes to show what tuning can run. The kind of tuning Jeff does really doesn't need a dyno machine because he isn't using trial and error to calculate the proper fuel and timing as you usually do with other fuel management systems. So in a way, it is directly comparable even with the dyno as you end up with something very similar.

 

Personally I think Jeff really has no choice but to do this. There's no way he could sustain the demand otherwise.

The only gripe I have is the "for a period of six (6) months after the initial installation set is provided".

Personally, I don't intend on needing a change every month. My 8 is a long term project, as I'm sure is the case for a lot of people here. I would ask for a new tune maybe once or twice a year, max (seeing as I only drive it in summer).

Any chance we can remove that little piece of the sentence? An AP is high up on my TODO list but it might go down if I have a limited timeframe to request maps.

 

I would venture to say that anybody who buys our turbo kit will have a special place in the catalog of BHR customers as that is one hefty purchase and the proper AP maps will be included. Like Jeff and I always do, our customers will be personally attended-to as much as we can. Those whom have purchased the AP from MM will be allowed an AP-delete option with the price of the AP deducted.

Things are going to be rather weird these next few weeks as I am FINALLY making my move to AZ and the dynamics with the BHR staff and I will change as a result. The first thing will be to throw myself a "welcoming party" and to get settled in the new place for a few days. Then, the product development and reorganization will start. This should allow more products to be developed and released more quickly, with all of us encouraging each other.

Please be patient with all of us during this transitional phase.

 

To be brutally frank, the only people who have been disappointed with the AP are people who have deviated from the process that MM set up to get people the maps they were seeking or people who failed to follow the instructions even as they are written in the Cobb manual.

The thing is that people keep looking to the AP simply for h.p. number gains but I can tell you specifically from first-hand experience with MM's tunes that my car drives/runs smoother, sounds MUCH better, starts immediately, injects more oil in the engine for better longevity, and gets better fuel economy. Oh yeah, it makes a few more ponies on top of all this.

 

even if I had a stock car with no mods, the AP is a good buy. As Charles said, just for engine longevity viewpoint, it pays for itself. Your hp gains will be more than any flywheel or catback, while costing approx the same.

If the AP doesn't prove it's worth to you, you're in for a sad sad experience with the RX-8 as nothing short of FI will prove better gains. And FI will cost a heck of a lot more.

 

WRONG!!!! I can buy one of those chips off ebay thats net 100+ wheel HP
right deff better gas milage I'm seeing 23 mpg at freeway cruise so i guess i'll get to keep my arm
speaking of flys pm ray

 

you can flash your car then take the AP with you. The AP doesn't need to be connected or anywhere near the vehicle unless you're in the process of flashing.

 

Short answer: no.

As though plugging in a little device, waiting 60 seconds, and restarting the car is too long a procedure to swap out the entire engine management computer. Back in the day you needed two hours, a bunch of tools, and lots of electrical tape....

Sorry Dave, I'm harsh like that ;-)

 

Thanks Jeff! I just received the tweaked map. I'll upload it this weekend and do some datalogging.

Thanks again!

 

You already bought it, so you are "grandfathered" in (as it says in the e-mail).
Unless you keep it for 6 months and then you sell it.
42% depreciation isn't a big deal for something like that in a half year.
Your car lost more than that.

Not to worry. BHR kit will come with calibrations for your AP.

I've been known to ignore my own deadlines, so you can read what you will into that.

 

hey mm i bought an ap off of you but havent really asked for any new maps lately (seeing that the one at the dyno day was doing pretty well already).

if i dont resubscibe to your service right now, is it still possible to subscribe for free at a later date?

 

"Officially"? No.

Uh, OK. I'll send it again.

 

Got it, thanks. Shall I wait on the calibration request I sent a few days ago before sending you an "enrollment" e-mail, or do it now?

 

In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger -

"DO IT!! DO IT NOW!!!"