Useful resources for getting started

Torque-based ECU control

Modern ECUs work in the same way. The accelerator pedal input is converted into a 'torque request' and from that the ECU figures out air, fuelling and spark timing before moving onto the low-level business of how this translates to wastegate duty-cycle, injector pulse width, etc. There are many, many details. This makes it important to be able to step away to a high-level view.

Understanding the torque-based ECU control strategy: https://www.motorsport-developments.co.uk/Understanding_Ford_Ecoboost_Torque_Control.html

N54 and N55 Tuning

There are a lot of similarities but N54 tuning is simpler.

• Anjuna's N55 tuning thread: https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1693922
• Cobb guide to N55 tuning: https://cobbtuning.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PRS/pages/828866941/BMW+N55+Tuning+Guide
• Marshall Hesse-Dreville's N54 tuning spreadsheet: https://github.com/dmacpro91/BMW-XDFs/blob/master/N54/N5X%20tuning%20spreadsheet%2003082016.xlsx. This is especially useful for the description of Vanos.

PID control

Dialling in boost control requires a familiarity with PID error control. Watch this video from Motec a couple of times and you should have enough knowledge to get started.

• Motec's video on PID control: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Clfh5eBzg

Other B58 tuning resources

• ECUTek's B58 tuning guide: https://ecutek.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SUPPORT/pages/170557464/BMW+B58+Tuning+Guide
• RFP Tuning's B58 tuning videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzqAQwAJrdw
• MHD's excellent repo of tuner pro XDFs: https://github.com/dmacpro91/BMW-XDFs

Getting tunes off of your car

• ECU bench tool will read MG1 ECUs: https://www.ecuhelpshop.com/products/ecu-bench-tool-ecu-programmer.html. There are other options available, like autotuner and bitbox.

Creating tunes

• MHD's excellent repo of tuner pro XDFs: https://github.com/dmacpro91/BMW-XDFs