VERSATUNE (by Fab9) ECU Tune - DYNO TESTED // ND Mazda MX-5 Miata

[@gailmrutland6508]

*Man that is a smokin' HP gain at the wheels, but your comment on the smooth transition through the RPM spectrum is of greater interest as the drive EXPERIENCE is really what its all about. KUDOS, and thanks for this information!*

[@TheLemonFactor]

I just recently added the tune back on the car, and it’s made me appreciate it all that much more. It’s so smooth, especially in the lower gears 👍. Are you planning on getting the tune from Fab9Tuning?

[@flyeaglesflyyy]

@@TheLemonFactor A measly 7hp gain? A Nissan Versa Can Keep up with you man.... that's really sad.

[@Dan-xj9vd]

Thanks Chad - The long awaited video! It is probably a month that I am running the same Tune but on 94 octane with a Magnaflow cat-back. I am still looking for another dyno shop in my area to test my car.

[@TheLemonFactor]

I’m interested in the numbers you’re producing - let me know once you’ve gotten it on the dyno 👍

[@robertpearce5553]

I have a 2019 ND2 RF but 6sp automatic would I see the same increases? Thanks

[@leeraymer166]

Those are impressive numbers Chad. I’ve been on the fence about adding a tune to my ND2. I was waiting to see if they ever were going to bring a Turbo option to market on the ND2, but it seems like the ECU is too hard to crack so this might be the next best thing. I’m currently running a GWR SQTT but I think the Versatune might be a great addition to my otherwise stock ND2. Great video.

[@TheLemonFactor]

I’m curious what the combination of a tune and full exhaust would produce 🤔

[@Mmanifesto22]

I'm very curious myself. I've been researching an exhaust along with a tune. I just want a little more umph without killing the wallet, or the engine... The goodwin exhaust is my first choice. Super nervous about tuning. First time. 16 nd club

[@alangross2277]

It would indeed. I plan on tuning my 2021...I already have the VersaTuner.

[@itaybutavia1204]

Thanks for your review and information ! Nice to hear you explain so clearly

[@TheLemonFactor]

I’m glad you liked the video. Thank you for leaving a supportive comment 👍😁

[@chiangiweiEC]

Thanks for the video! Are you going to test midpipe and Axel back with Versa tune dyno next? Thanks 👍

[@TheLemonFactor]

Thank you! 👍. It would be interesting to see if an axle back and a midpipe can add to the gains made here 😉

[@jeffreycormier3864]

These videos might not be sexy or flashy (besides the tune 🙃), but it's what we really want to see. No nonsense, side by side comparisons of the products actual miata owners are looking at. Thank you for the content and keep up the good work. Karcepts sway bar install next?

[@TheLemonFactor]

Thank you for the support and watch 😁😊

[@MrMlyarber]

Maybe a video on how you installed the Fab9. I have an ND2 also. Thanks

[@TheLemonFactor]

👍

[@jraiello]

How will it affect gas mileage? On my new 2022, getting 40mpg on pure highway, but easily over 35 in mixed driving..

[@TheLemonFactor]

Although I don’t know exactly what parameters are changed as part of the tune, my guess would be that under “normal” driving you should not notice any change in gas mileage as the car should be operating in closed loop. Under aggressive driving you will probably experience a reduction in gas mileage, as my logs, dyno results show that the tune runs richer than stock. Hope this helps. 👍

[@jraiello]

@@TheLemonFactor I know Brian well, going to ask him…

[@fastln_freddy8265]

Have to done a test using Fab9 tune running ECUTEK software? As well as show the different options within each software?

[@TheLemonFactor]

Just tested the Versatune for now. Have you used the ECUTEK?

[@fastln_freddy8265]

@@TheLemonFactor No. I was coming to you.

[@TheLemonFactor]

😉

[@Benjammin43]

what’s the process like installing the tune? is it pretty easy to do? I plan on doing a tune after a full header back exhaust

[@TheLemonFactor]

It’s ok. Not difficult, but a little time consuming in the beginning as you need to backup your OEM tune first.

[@gkk2001]

Please help me understand, was the old redline established by Mazda engineering due to the physical build of the motor and programmed into the ECU appropriately? And now the Fab9 tune basically over wrote that limiting RPM redline in the ECU and simply increased it? Or is there some other reason you now have a higher redline? If the former is true, I would be hesitant to want a higher red line. Why try to out smart Mazda engineering?

[@TheLemonFactor]

The VersaTune ECU tune by Fab9 raises the redline via the software 👍

[@gkk2001]

@@TheLemonFactor Thank you, so you run the higher red line at your own risk. I have no need to go there on the street.

[@michaeldixon6251]

Thanks Chad, these testing videos are awesome!! I am definitely gonna run a versatune. Wondering what combined gains would be with the gwr axle back &mid

[@TheLemonFactor]

Thank you, Michael for the support and positive comment 😁👍

[@Driver67]

When you say it shifts smoother, do you mean the rev hang has been reduced or eliminated? Is this a N1 tune or fab9 tune?

[@mrporsche4236]

Every other dyno the nd2 with 184hp has around 150whp how did you get 169whp stock

[@jessepotter365]

I'm a tuning virgin. My 2019 is already outside factory warranty. Will a tune like this shorten the lifespan of the engine or cause other adverse effects long-term?

[@Daniel-rw2gy]

More stress on car outside stock parameters typically means shortened lifespan yeah

[@alansenpaii]

Are you going to do a run with the tuna and axelback?

[@TheLemonFactor]

It will be nice to see if further gains can be made by opening up the exhaust 🤔

[@joesmothers2634]

I was surprised to see the stock axle-back back on the car. I have the same Roadster sport super street and would love to see if that influences the tune (without the horrible baffle insert).

[@TheLemonFactor]

Running the test with just the tune now gives us a baseline. Now when we add the exhaust we’ll know how much HP it’s adding.

[@gregblack3860]

Yes I'm going to go tune, then dyno then header exhaust then dyno. Then next summer if no superchager -turbo after much research. Have access to another 2019 engine for 1000. Think I'm going to grab it in case and put it up.

[@machineslave3]

How’s the low down torque? Most people complained the ND2 has less low down torque?

[@TheLemonFactor]

The Miata is certainly no torque monster, but the tune definitely helps with the responsiveness, getting you into the higher RPMs quickly 👍

[@machineslave3]

@@TheLemonFactor I had a 2016 and I loved it a lot. I’m in the market for another now and I can’t decide between the BBS/Brembo club 2018 or a standard club 2019. Good conflict to have haha.

[@TheLemonFactor]

Those BBS rims are a nice option! 👍

[@erickelly4107]

ND2’s engine is vastly improved over the ND1, nobody in their right mind thinks the ND2 is somehow underwhelming compared to the ND1. The ND1 is basically the engine they would fit in a Mazda 3, not bad but Mazda didn’t have time to dial things in at the time. Moving forward with the 2019 / ND2 Mazda completely reworked the 2.0l to rev to 7500rpm and make an extra 26hp without FI. So it really is absurd for anybody to suggest that the ND1 has an advantage over the ND2 in any regard. I guess some ND1 owners may like to think the ND2 somehow isn’t much of an upgrade but they are simply mistaken. You will not find any credible automotive review source suggest that the ND2’s engine is nothing short of a very notable / vast improvement. It’s not just the “numbers” either it’s everything from how the engine responds to inputs, the sound, smoothness, etc.

[@gregblack3860]

What's you guess on a good header now with this tune? Another 10 hp?

[@TheLemonFactor]

A header in addition to the Versatune? I’d say 10whp at most, probably more like an additional 5-7 🤔

[@nats50]

In California, it's only or mostly 91 octane. I wonder how much hp gain from a completely stock one - stock exhaust and intake? Perhaps 188 at the crank from 181?

[@TheLemonFactor]

I’m hoping to find out what the difference is in power gains between the 91 and 93 tune in the future 👍

[@barrycomer3688]

Bryan at Fab9 told me for a stock NC running 91 instead of 93 will cost you about four horsepower.

[@joesmothers2634]

@@barrycomer3688 that’s great info to know, but unfortunate. Guess us California folks would lose half of the potential gains.

[@csmanuel86]

@@joesmothers2634 Perhaps you could look into an ethanol blend option? I.e., blend 91+E85 to a final ethanol rating of ~30% (yields about 95-96 octane)

[@LucasD180]

How it would be if Fab9 tune with this software an ND2 with full exhaust (header, midpipe and manifold) and the intake? I think it could be about 25whp more

[@TheLemonFactor]

That would be great, but I doubt it would produce that much WHP 🤷‍♂️

[@LucasD180]

@@TheLemonFactor bbr GTI with their tune with this parts claims 200hp, that are about what is produced with this n1 tune and stock car, so I suppose

[@gregblack3860]

The one thing that takes a bit of fun out of modding is the quality of stock parts. Like headers, in the old days headers could give you 20- 30 hp boost. I'm betting headers on a nd would only be less than 10 hp. I don't think axle backs or intakes would ever give you enough hp to feel. Still waiting for edlebrock to make a supercharger for our ND.

[@gregblack3860]

Thanks as always. Good job.

[@TheLemonFactor]

👍

[@labibahmed9710]

Fuel consumption increase?

[@TheLemonFactor]

I didn’t notice any difference 🤔🤷‍♂️

[@Fond0fBlondes]

Was the dyno run done in 4th gear?

[@TheLemonFactor]

Yes, that's correct, the pulls were done in 4th gear.

[@Post_Leako]

Does the tune affect the sound at all? I'd be curious if it could contribute to drone.

[@TheLemonFactor]

None that I noticed 👍

[@Dan-xj9vd]

@@TheLemonFactor I did not notice a change either. My cat-back is already loud!

[@Elbenito84]

Man, these are solid gains. Another great video! It sounds more burly, too. Has your fuel mileage changed at all? I worry I might not be able to swing this with crappy California gas as the stock car detonates with anything other than Shell V Power out here and I don't want to void my warranty but this is soooo tempting. If it eliminates the sluggish throttle response it's worth it.

[@TheLemonFactor]

There is a 91 octane tune available that I plan on testing. 😉

[@TheLemonFactor]

👍😁

[@taemeister9302]

So using jist the versatune chip can make this car into a beast?

[@superswade1]

Not bad for the price of the tune. It looks like the tune essentially advances timing a little to take advantage of the 93 octane fuel. Pretty much all cars from the factory are tuned to run on 91 (premium fuel only cars) since 93 isn’t available everywhere. Would interesting to see what it would do will fill exhaust and the tune

[@TheLemonFactor]

If you haven’t checked it out, I also did a video dyno testing the Versatune on 91 octane.

[@Pulsed101]

This sounds like a ridiculous question even to myself but can't hurt to ask since I don't know for sure, but could a K&N box filter have a negative effect on the tune?

[@TheLemonFactor]

If it changed the amount of air making it to the engine without having compensated for it, but for a box filter I wouldn’t expect that it would have a noticeable impact.

[@LunaPic-et7qj]

Did you notice if mpg improved or decreased?

[@TheLemonFactor]

I didn’t test for it, but didn’t notice one way or another 🤷‍♂️

[@RoadToSalvationX]

What is the music that kicks in at 5:38?

[@todd5082]

Can this tune be removed later and leave no signs behind?

[@TheLemonFactor]

The car can easily be returned back to stock. As far as being able to detected, that’s a good question 🤷‍♂️

[@todd5082]

@@TheLemonFactor Fab9 would know. They’re called “hidden codes, phantom codes”, etc.

[@TheLemonFactor]

I’m sure it’s possible, but how easy and if they would see it as part of a routine check, or if they would have to purposefully go searching to find out Is the real question 🤔.

[@g60corrado91]

I believe Mazda corporate and their dealer tools can dig in deeper to find the ECU flag counter. Yes, you can flash it completely back to stock, but each time you switch between tunes, it flags it. To my knowledge, there’s no way to get rid of that. It’s called the TD1 flag on VW ECU’s.

[@saleenr6]

I just did it to my nd2, wow

[@TheLemonFactor]

😁👍

[@kavalere]

what are the negatives to the engine over time?

[@hondamanvtec2894]

Nothing

[@Telecasterland]

The airbox restriction is a classic problem you do just a simple air intake + tune you will be happier.

[@AlicesMazduhs]

I've been told the NDs suffer from aftermarket intakes, even with tunes. Was I given poor info?

[@Rizzy4magic]

You should go back with the cat back exhaust

[@TheLemonFactor]

👍

[@kentcurrie7326]

Time for an inexpensive upgrade for your ND2: hood lifters. 😉

[@TheLemonFactor]

👍

[@jonnyspeed]

Thanks for the research. That's not a big enough gain for me to move away from the stock tune personally. I LOVE this car and I think she's gonna remain stock. This is such a well-balanced and enjoyable driver's I think I'll leave it as is and buy a faster GT car to add to the garage.

[@TheLemonFactor]

👍

[@Ambryu1]

I installed the BBR super200 cams and tune and it raises the red line

[@TheLemonFactor]

How does it feel with the cams? Have you had it dyno tested?

[@Ambryu1]

I did not test it, but they say 214 bhp and 183 lb.f with a high flow exhaust. 0-60 5.63 sec. The tune allows you to stay in each gear longer, but the sweet spot is still third gear.

[@TheLemonFactor]

What’s your redline now?

[@TheLemonFactor]

@@Ambryu1 👍

[@Ambryu1]

7500 to reduce wear to the engine

[@alangross2277]

What elevation are you at? Have you seen any change to your fuel mileage? I had a 2018 RF with BBS Package that I had just completed a turbo install on. The tune was from Fab 9 and Versa Tuner, but I never got the tune complete as my car burned up on June 30, 2021. Only 5 days after driving it 40 miles for tune information to send to Fab 9. I have replaced it with a 2021 RF with BBS Package. Since I have the Versa Tuner still, I'll probably do a tune on the 2021 RF.

[@TheLemonFactor]

Having recently moved from the Boston metro area (maybe 100ft above sea level) to the Denver metro area (5600-6100ft above sea level). That video and dyno was done in Boston. With that said, I'm sorry to hear about your car. That must have sucked, especially as you were starting to dial-in the turbo tune. What happened?

[@alangross2277]

@@TheLemonFactor My 2018 RF Club with BBS Package, was in the garage with my wife's Ford Escape. Some how the garage caught on fire, burning it and about 1/3 of our house. If I hadn't been at work we would have lost my F150 as well. A month long investigation, by a forensics investigator, yielded it "undeterminable". I had "replacement cost" on it and due to the turbo and the super high price for used vehicles, I was able to get nearly enough to buy a 2021 RF Club, with BBS/Brembo/Bilstein/Recaro package. I probably won't be doing the turbo on this car. I only had two, forty mile drives on the turbo and the tune never got to be completed. Bummer, but the 2021 is pretty nice, as is.

[@TheLemonFactor]

Wow! 😮 that’s horrible. Good thing no one got hurt. Hopefully you’re getting your life back in order - that must have been a big headache.

[@alangross2277]

@@TheLemonFactor Oh man! Back to normal takes awhile...we are getting there, though. About the time we get really settled in, it'll be time to move back to our home.

[@TheLemonFactor]

I hope the transition is quick. Take care of yourself and your family.

[@Z06C5]

Good video. But 7hp. Geez. Sold my 2020 BBR club. Had a Mazdaspeed Miata. They need to bring back the turbo engine. Hell the new Acura Integra 2.0L. Has 200hp 196TQ. Mazda needs to get some engine guys back at the factory

[@TheLemonFactor]

I agree, it would be nice to have a bit more HP.

[@mrporsche4236]

But turbos are boring. Supercharge or nothing

[@TexTheMaster]

What blows my mind is this thing still cant reach 200whp with a decent power curve like a honda can

[@BlackNAVYAmericanVET]

MX5s are cool

[@TheLemonFactor]

And fun 👍

[@Soravia]

With Mazda ECU, the car must drive many conditions for at least 50 miles to settle to the tune. You cannot tune the car on dyno in one sitting. Mazda ECU uses the tune as "reference only". This is to account for degraded O2 sensors, dirty MAFS, clogged air filters, leaking valve cover gasket, worn spark plugs, worn coil packs, dirty fuel injector, etc as the car ages.

[@TheLemonFactor]

As was mentioned in the video, the dyno was conducted after driving the car for about a month (~a couple hundred miles).

[@Soravia]

@@TheLemonFactor yes, that's the way to do it.

[@gorrion.pr.600]

Hi, chad,, pushing to the limit,,the mx5, engine,,, i'm scare of dinos,,test,, "boom,"".things happens, What about a trunk spoiler to see how it, looks,, 👍

[@TheLemonFactor]

There are a couple nice looking rear trunk spoilers 🤔

[@Soravia]

This is fake! What you don't see is the hamster running on the other side of the car to boost dyno numbers. About 10hp gain at the crank.

[@gregblack3860]

Just like some of the tunes on the nc.No huge numbers but folks loved that the car just responded better .All the love for the Honda s2000. I did not like driving it on the street as it felt gutless. Once you got it up in revs it was a screamer.Driving around normal was no fun to me.

[@nats50]

Hmmm, that's like 195 hp at the crank!

[@TheLemonFactor]

👍

[@gregblack3860]

Def a good upgrade.

[@domdrty]

Real world you would drive with your hood closed. So why dyno the car with the hood open? It could potentially give results you can't achieve real world. See Gale Banks videos on this.

[@TheGamersRace]

Youd also have so much more air going over the car while moving. The hood being open just lets it bleed heat it's otherwise not bleeding since it isn't actually moving down the road.

[@hondamanvtec2894]

Lol 😂

[@TheOhsemix]

That’s actually something Banks says all the time. He says dyno to as close to real world as possible. So he has a huge car wash fan and seals the front of vehicles to the fan.