how much have you paid for the flash in your S54 DME for a swap?

[MarkD]

Because it's hard. Yeah, once you actually get the files edited, it's pretty easy - copy and paste, flash them to the DME. I don't know how much time and money MarkD has personally invested, but the meager research I've been able to do was exhausting and I'm not any closer to being able to do anything.

My Byteshooter MASTER was 5900 Euros ($9500 CAN) in July of 2004
A licenced copy of IDA Pro (de-compiler) is around $1000
Many hours of time: don't ask how much time is in this
Custom software to create checksums etc...

It's not only a matter of having the files (they're widely available online) but you've actually got to disassemble the binaries back into source code (a HUGE task on it's own), edit them, and then recompile them, fix the checksums, flash them to the DME, etc. etc. That's not a simple task.

Yes you have a good idea what is involved. If it was really simple, there would be many more people doing it.

the M52/S52 DMEs are primitive in comparison. You can download EWS2 delete files online and even the basic tuning could be DIY if you were so motivated. You need a $30 cable and the software is free (or hacked). The lower barriers to entry are reflected the prices charged - but, it will of course come down as time goes on.

I didn't have any idea you can find files with EWS deleted online. I should check to see if they are from me ! I hate how people are using software that sells for around 2000 Euros or more with all the checksum modules, but they got a free version. Then I have to compete with these guys who have almost zero $ invested, That's why some of them sell files for $300. And the $30 cables are clones of what European companies developed, along with the hacked software that comes with it. But there is a very good chance you can toast an ECU when flashing it with those cables. And some of these guys are selling files that they didn't even create themselves.
I've spent time to make my files unreadable with the clone tools by changing the seed keys.

[FredK]

I did not ask the guy for any further information beyond what was deleted. I was not dealing with the primary tuner. It was also not opened up to jumper anything.

[e30polak]

they do, you just have to ask them. it's not on their website.

Interesting to say the least

[MarkD]

I never got a final # but when I was talking to Evolve it starts at $999 with an alpha-N tune and no O2 monitoring. They can delete EWS, DSC, etc - don't recall the cost but figure a couple hundred. It also comes with a cable (no shipping your DME), you can add mods later, and you can transfer it to different motors (costs money, but not a lot).

I really don't care for the "guy in germany" method. You don't know what they really did to it - also, some of these guys are flashing out the PWM fuel pump. Why? Makes no sense to me. Why would you want your FP running a constant 5 bar at idle?

And some fo them can only work on certain versions of MSS54. Like fredK's guy that told him you can't use MSS54HP - hah!

I would be interested at around that price range, from somebody that really knew what they were doing.

Some of the guys in Europe are doing some odd things to the DME, like making hardware mods inside it. That is completely unnecessary. I know this because someone who had his done there opened it up and saw that. I started working on the MSS54 DME ECU in 2004, and had made software for an S54 swap into an E36 by July 2005.

To see the s54 swap into e36 that I worked on in 2005, have a look here:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...=423895&page=5 (post 103) Now who else had this working in a car 7 years ago? :pimp:

[nando]

Honestly, you don't know what anyone has truly done to a DME. That is generally the "secret sauce" that we are paying for.

That said, I wouldn't mind getting a flash from a tuner that has the ability to change tunes and is easy to communicate with, for around the same price.

true - but with the german guy, what options were you given? none, really? Just give them your DME, they pass it through a magic box, and give it back to you - "it works now". Right? At least Mark could tell you what he's going to do, or you could ask him to do something differently. :)

[nando]

Can anyone tell me why it costs so much to flash a S54 DME vs $250-$350 to flash a M54/M52/S52 DME?

Because it's hard. Yeah, once you actually get the files edited, it's pretty easy - copy and paste, flash them to the DME. I don't know how much time and money MarkD has personally invested, but the meager research I've been able to do was exhausting and I'm not any closer to being able to do anything.

It's not only a matter of having the files (they're widely available online) but you've actually got to disassemble the binaries back into source code (a HUGE task on it's own), edit them, and then recompile them, fix the checksums, flash them to the DME, etc. etc. That's not a simple task.

the M52/S52 DMEs are primitive in comparison. You can download EWS2 delete files online and even the basic tuning could be DIY if you were so motivated. You need a $30 cable and the software is free (or hacked). The lower barriers to entry are reflected the prices charged - but, it will of course come down as time goes on.

[FredK]

Honestly, you don't know what anyone has truly done to a DME. That is generally the "secret sauce" that we are paying for.

That said, I wouldn't mind getting a flash from a tuner that has the ability to change tunes and is easy to communicate with, for around the same price.

[nando]

I haven't seen anyone in the UK or Europe offer the hack for any less then 900 Euros, that's without a tune. As far as I know Epic and Evolve don't offer the hack yet, just tuning.

they do, you just have to ask them. it's not on their website.

[nando]

I never got a final # but when I was talking to Evolve it starts at $999 with an alpha-N tune and no O2 monitoring. They can delete EWS, DSC, etc - don't recall the cost but figure a couple hundred. It also comes with a cable (no shipping your DME), you can add mods later, and you can transfer it to different motors (costs money, but not a lot).

I really don't care for the "guy in germany" method. You don't know what they really did to it - also, some of these guys are flashing out the PWM fuel pump. Why? Makes no sense to me. Why would you want your FP running a constant 5 bar at idle?

And some fo them can only work on certain versions of MSS54. Like fredK's guy that told him you can't use MSS54HP - hah!

I would be interested at around that price range, from somebody that really knew what they were doing.

[FredK]

Well, I spent around $800 shipping my DME to Germany--I brought it in my luggage when I went to Munich for Oktoberfest! :mrgreen:

[MarkD]

900 EUR for a HFM-based tune and return shipping was around 15 EUR.

Shipping to Canada via USPS is around the same price as shipping to Germany. It is a few dollars more using the USPS. Timely return shipping through Canada Post or Deutsche Post is within a few dollars of each other as well.

That's odd, I just checked the USPS website and many of the shipping options to Germany are 45 to $75 one way. And I'd assume most people would want to send it using a trackable method.

[FredK]

900 EUR for a HFM-based tune and return shipping was around 15 EUR.

Shipping to Canada via USPS is around the same price as shipping to Germany. It is a few dollars more using the USPS. Timely return shipping through Canada Post or Deutsche Post is within a few dollars of each other as well.

[e30polak]

I'm curious why you and others call it the "hack" ?

My version will be a tuned file with error codes removed. Since the one vendor that sells something similar charges $3k with a short cable, my original plan to sell the software for around 2K didn't seem bad to me.

I realize what you've done with the DME, it's just what it's been nick named I guess.

[MarkD]

I haven't seen anyone in the UK or Europe offer the hack for any less then 900 Euros, that's without a tune. As far as I know Epic and Evolve don't offer the hack yet, just tuning.

I'm curious why you and others call it the "hack" ?

My version will be a tuned file with error codes removed. Since the one vendor that sells something similar charges $3k with a short cable, my original plan to sell the software for around 2K didn't seem bad to me.

[e30polak]

Euro guys in UK offer about $800USD for basic services, $1200USD or so for Alpha N. shipping is obviously on your own dime

USD is not the strongest right now, AUD is much stronger. AUD guys are big fans of running high end standalones, so many avail there and so many tuners!

I haven't seen anyone in the UK or Europe offer the hack for any less then 900 Euros, that's without a tune. As far as I know Epic and Evolve don't offer the hack yet, just tuning.