Versatuner for S1 and S2
 

Anyone have any other info? I have found a couple of post from people who liked it, but no hard data from any boosted fellas.

https://www.versatuner.com/features/mazda-rx-8-gen1

versatuner is awesome for the Mazdaspeed 3/6 community. Especially after the Cobb AP debacle. The engineers actually listen to request and make things happen. If I wanted to keep the MAF for the next setup I would switch to Versatuner... I still might get the VT if I can't find an adaptronic for a decent price.

are they developing for s2?

It has been around for the S2 for a couple of years already.

so is any one using this???? Charles R. Hill any word on this company??? since we look to you for alot of RnD for our cars!!!

Some guys have but no boosted guys that I know of, from what I gather the load tables are maxed out at 125% so boost tuning would be difficult.

Not that I've used the software but it immediately draws a comparison to mazdaedit for me. The big difference that I'm seeing between these two pieces of software is the major features added to the ECU like launch control and no lift shifting.

While these things might sound great if they work. It would make me a bit wary, as they are clearly modifying large portions of the ECU code to accommodate these features. I understand Cobb does something similar. Though their changes appear to be on a much smaller scale, mostly to protect their and other tuner's IP. They also have a much larger sample size to validate their changes. I guess what I'm trying to say here, is I'd hate to see another Toyota incident because of a line of bad code.

Just to chime in really quick. Cobb is a debacle, but they do still support the RX8 S1 platform as much as they used to. It just costs that crap Cobb EFI University crap fee. So, debacle absolutely, still technically an option... Sorry for derailing any discussion regarding versatuner. It does look really interesting.

Does anyone know if they support linux or other OS?

I've actually been wondering about this myself. As I paid the $150 for their EFI university and downloaded the software. I only have access to about a dozen different maps though. Did the old software allow better access to the ECU?

I guess I should also apologize for derailing this conversation.

Edit: Maybe a dozen was an exaggeration. I was grouping maps by function.

Hi Everyone. Steve from VersaTune here.

I am happy to answer any questions about Versatuner.

@Charles R. Hill VersaTuner only runs on Windows 7 or newer. I have run it on VirtualBox and VMware ESX without issue. I have had to help some people with ECUs that were bricked using Macs with VMware or Bootcamp. We recommend that you use a native Windows PC. We are working on supporting other platforms in the future, but that is a ways off.

@Reoze Some differences between VersaTuner and other products are:

• Active development :)
• Support for S-I and S-II RX-8
• Launch Control and No-Lift-Shift
• Modern wizard based UI
• Online tune database - Performance tunes will be added in the next few months
• Local tune and log file management database
• US and EU based shipping and support

@9krpmrx8 We are working on axis scaling to allow for higher boost applications.

Steve

Lead Tuner
VersaTune

well i would say they are deff working on improving any areas that they haven't perfected yet which is good, as you guys come up with more info or updates to the program please post it here, it will deff improve for any business and just the honesty that you guys at versatune are taking the rx8 community serious is greatly appreciated! and charles if you get a chance to see the shop in person please let us know your thoughts, and please give them any advice to help our community!

Was about to buy Mazdaedit but as Versatuner popped up on facebook I bought that instead. Just felt like a better package(better support, terms) and MPS3/MPS6 reviews about Versatuner seemed good.
Already got the software installed and I'm now awaiting my Versalink.

Steve, I'm guessing the Versalink cannot do standalone logging like the OpenPort?

The VersaLink interface cannot log by itself. Tactrix OpenPort 2.0 is a supported interface, though.

Sounds good Steve, My old Cobb is on it's last leg and having to use a dedicated laptop just for tuning and the ATR software is annoying as hell. Having an actively supported platform is a huge thing as Cobb often ditches platforms as it did with my RX-8 and my BMW 335i.

Update?
 

Sorry for reviving a semi dead thread but I can't seem to make new threads and didn't find any posts with the info I am looking for.

Has anyone done some in depth tuning on an NA build using the versa tuner program? If so what mods have been done and what kinda of HP numbers have been made from this. I'm mostly stock currently and would like to do an NA build to avoid the engine swap needed for big boost. If I do goto turbo it would be extremely costly do to my car being 09 R3 model..

Looking to the experience of you guys having your cars longer than me (and probably paid off where as I'm still working on paying off my loan)

My goal is to do a street port with new injectors, fuel pump, spark plugs, coils, plug wires, clutch, fly wheel, cold air, exhaust, and use versatuner to pull it all together. (Sure I missed some but just the ones off top of my head)

Had my compression recently tested and at 75k miles everything checked out perfect so I'm going to go with the stock seals for now.

Is versatuner worth getting and using on mostly stock and then adjusting as I mod or should o mod first then get it tuned after?

Does the versa tuner offer significant power gains or is it more of a show and tell item?

Any and all info would be appreciated and also if the versatuner guys would happen to comment about what all new "preloaded" tunes are now available and any new features that are available would be nice

Don't waste your time or money porting; way overhyped, the real world gains are small and not worth it like on other engines. It would also require a complete rebuild, which is also pointless if your engine is fine.

With 75k miles and the lien is still not paid off it seems a bit foolish to modify a daily driver street car. Just speaking from experience though, so you probably won't listen any better now than I did back then either.

Well at 75k now I bought it 2 years ago with 25.5k miles so I been averaging 25k a year on it. It was rather pricey to buy since it was dealership bought with a limited warranty and low milage on an R3. Think I got screwed on price some but young and dumb so just got to deal with it now. But I have other cars too so not a problem to put it in shop for a while. Its just a toy for me to play with for years to come ;)

As for you saying porting doesn't produce much for HP numbers... How much would you say it does create in reality? Everywhere I looked I found it was one of the best power mods we could do other than FI so why is there all the misinformation floating around from other owners?

If you would suggest a list of mods to do for power and be relatively cost effective what would be the top of your list? I can't justify $5000 for 5whp. But I have no problem spending money for $100 per 1whp gained... Which I had heard a good porting with tune could produce 50+ depending on how aggressive the tune is and on the intake/exhaust you pair with it.

To port you need to spend about the same amount as a rebuild....and then add the porting costs. On a 75K motor you would want to replace the hard seals. All the soft seals would be replaced anyway.

By the time you do this...and buy the tuner hardware and software and paying for the tune....the gains over just leaving your motor alone and tuning it will be nowhere near you $100 per hp#

50+ :rollingla

You'll be lucky to generate the stock factory numbers Mazda published. I've been doing this since 2005, but pay no attention to my advice or the fact that you have to ask yourself. Good luck.

Read the new owners threads, and modding for newbs.

Well to get this thread back on track, any update on supporting boosted 8s?

Yeah, see the thread under this one that you just bumped. Staying with the OE system designed for NA while going turbo is like having one hand tied behind your back in a boxing match.

That is a rather depressing HP gain considering the money involved and the time it would be in a shop for this to be done. So it seems power increases are generally not worth the effort unless I get a REW and make some decent boost which is $$$. Glad I asked before I decided to do this and got disappointed with the results.

I for one will actually listen to the warning of others. I'm not made of money and can't just throw thousands around for fun. So if I can save my money for more worthwhile items I'm all for it.
I hadn't realized there was a "modding for newbs" section. I have been reading these forums since before I got my car and I may have been in that section without realizing it. I usually can find my answers I am looking for until I look for something quite specific.. But I'll go look for that modding section now and see what I can learn from it. Thanks for pointing me towards more info I can use.

Did I miss if there was an answer whether Versatune has come out with some readily availible tunes.

Also, and forgive my ignorance for I am wealthy with it, does this type of programming allow us to enter things such as Intake and exhaust modifications? To make or recommend changes in the mapping to monopolize these changes?

We recently added a series II performance tune. We will be adding more S I and S II tunes as we get more dyno time with more cars.

The tunes list what mods were used to create them. All of our tunes are unlocked and editable so you can modify them to suit your needs.

Any updates on adaptability for boosted applications?

We are testing changes to allow for boosted applications. If testing is successful, it will be in the next release.

Heres to hoping! Really would love to be able to retain my versatune when I install the turbo kit, great interface and support is awesome.

First Tune User (flash failure, bricked ecu!!)
 

I wrote this email to Steve earlier today and thought I would post it for some feedback. Thanks in advance!

Hi Steve,

I ended up buying versatuner this last week and finally got to try some tuning today. The VCX Nano did work but I almost had a heartattack when I went to flash a tune I created and I think the VCX was not seating all of the pins very well and crashed at about 80%. I tried to reconnect but versatuner said that the ECU was unrecognized or something like that. Finally after I bent a few of the pins in the VCX to try to get a better connection and about 5 retries and tuning the car off and on a few times versatuner started a recovery and fixed my ecu also uninstalling itself. Wow really thought it was bricked, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Well anyway, being the masochist that I am I decided that since I had "fixed" the VCX that I would try the flash again... IT WORKED!!!

Cool so I flashed a mod that:
10% oil increase (multiplied both the load and throttle tables by 1.1)
9500 RPM rev limiter
+10 MPH speed limiter
-10 deg fan temps
6800 launch control
8000 no lift shifting
P0420 disabled

I did notice a little smoke but didn't think much of it. All of the other mods worked AWESOME!! But the oil mod was a complete failure!!! Smoke was pouring out!! (2-stroke oil since I added a SOHN mod). Anyways I modify the tune and took out the oil increase and reflashed it. Working Great!!!

I think I would like to take you up on the 'VersaLink cable at the discounted bundle price' though or ask your suggestion. The 'Tactrix Openport 2.0' looks good too especial if it can log without a computer connected.

I'll attach my tunes for any suggestions and my post this with the tunes on the forum too. (DO NOT flash the tune with the oil map mods!)

Thanks! gearsoft

Tuned with http://www.versatune.net/Images/versatuner_small.png by http://www.versatune.net/Images/versatune_small.png

It’s not for me to tell you how to tune, but did you really put any thought into “multiply everything by 1.1x”? Why would you want to add 10% at idle the same as high load/rpm? The conditions are very different and in general it might not be correct in either case, and also possible too much or too little in either direction too. Maybe you already know this, but just to be sure the highest OMP setting is 60. Some areas of the OE map are already at this setting so making them higher is not recommended from a practical viewpoint. I’d also suggest that a real tuner would sit down with the factory map first and try to assess the what they did and then formulate an initial plan to target key areas in incremental amounts of change.

Thanks for the feedback, Newbie here for sure, I'm a total hobbyist but I really don't want to blowup my car doing something stupid. I understand what you're saying about targeting key areas in incremental amounts of change. I looked at a few maps that were modified by a real tuner and this is exactly the case. They only made small changes to the key areas that made sense for what they were trying to achieve.

Here are the current factory oil injection maps from my car. I'm open to suggestions... I'll be smarter about what I actually flash this time.

I also want to look at getting some extra hp so I'm looking at the afr and timing tables. Mods to date are decat, mild porting, shon, light flywheel.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...f38812e24a.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...98a7733dae.jpg

Thanks, gearsoft

Tuning with http://www.versatune.net/Images/versatuner_small.png by http://www.versatune.net/Images/versatune_small.png

We all start off there, but try to remember that power to tune your engine also comes with the power to blow it up.

I started playing with mine over the weekend. Nothing major, just poking around the interface, masking off the P0420 CEL, increasing spark dwell and lowering fan trigger temps.

The interface is good and it's easy to use. Of course, that means that it's also really easy to destroy your engine.

Just this past weekend VersaTune released a mild performance tune for all Series 1 RX-8s. They specifically listed mods of: high flow cat, catback exhaust, and K&N drop-in all running on 92+ octane. I made a few tweaks to the idle control values for myself and flashed it but time will tell if there is any noticeable improvement over the factory tune.

That sounds like the same tune that was previously released for the S2. The power gain is not much but the power curve is smoothed out and the low-end 3k-6k range is improved by unrestricting the load limit.

It is the S2 tune that we adapted to S1.

Any new enhancements on the Versatuner?
 

Hey Steve, Can the Versatuner software change the shift times on the automatic transmission? I am playing with a 4-port Automatic with Semi-pp intake and Peripheral exhaust/side exhaust combination so will have to create a custom tune, but also had the transmission built for better performance and will need to play with the paddle shift transfer times. Anyway to do this?

Steve, a recent update changed the dwell table to new calculated values.. I looked at a stock table and I'm not sure how it came up with these numbers. Can I go back to the old view by any chance? Tried posting an image but it isn't letting me, but I do know I read something about it in the changelog, which, I can no longer find. Please help!
Since I can't post the image, the old stock value at 1000rpm 6.5v (first top left value) was 1895, but now is 7.402.

Dwell is now automatically converted from whatever the numerical value was to time in milliseconds.

So, if your goal is 5ms at 12V, just enter "5" for all cells in the 12V row.
Then you should be able to linearly interpolate up and down from there.

Shift points are controlled by the transmission control module (TCM). We do not modify the TCM, just the PCM. So, there is no transmission control at this time.

Starting the process
 

Thanks for offering support on the forum. Out of all the ecu or ecm options out there I’m choosing Versatuner. Driving down to racing beat today, getting headers, ordering BHR Midpipe and of course ordering the Kit you guys offer to flash tunes. Hopefully Jeff at Rotary Power will have time to rebuild my engine this year for the nice street port. (good people there in LA).
Thanks again for the support. Will update further down the road...

Still getting my feet wet on this platform, don't have a functioning engine at the moment, and the chassis I have doesn't even have any wiring in it at the moment. Considering buying a Series II local to me for cheap. Does VersaTune allow just dumping a full binary of the ECU? Are all of the maps fully defined, regardless of how useful they are?

You cannont dump and edit the ROM. VersaTuner exposes specific tables. We have exposed and labled all the the relevant tables that we have been able to identify.
Please refer to our website for a list of available tables.
https://www.versatuner.com/features/mazda-rx-8-gen1
https://www.versatuner.com/features/mazda-rx-8-gen2

Thanks for the prompt response Steve. I'm interested in it just to have something that works, but curiosity eats me as well. If I pull the trigger on S2, I'll pick this up.

What would allow full read and write? Primarily interested in throwing it into Ghidra and seeing how things work.

Hi all. i was reading this thread and didn’t see anything on the boosted applications past 2017. can i just get an update on if it’s supported now?

We added axis scaling quite a while ago. Multiple people have boosted RX-8s running VersaTuner. Just be aware that there is no boost control for RX-8 in VersaTuner. You will need a separate boost controller.

Who are these "multiple people" Steve ? Never seen anything on social media. As it Is, I generally put FI people off your product as we don't have any working examples. So if there are people out there, you should try get them onto here to recount their experiences.

Im new to tuning, but does anyone know what a base fuel map for a bridgeport, 6 port fuel map would look like? Just need something to start the engine and get it running. Thanks so much if anyone can help!

Can I ask why you think its a fuel map you need?
So you have a bridgeport Renny 6 port that won't start?

Actually I am in the process of building the engine. I was wondering if I would have to have a new fuel map for a bridgeport. (Thx for the quick reply tho)