94 is pretty easy to come by around here..

 

This looks very nice... I am on their site now but confused. I do not have ANY type of ECU upgrade... so if I placed an order for the AccessPORT (Full License) 2002-2003 WRX $555 ** I am not understanding why below there is an option for an upgrade of $160? Does this mean I have to pay the $160 everytime I want to upgrade, like if I get different performace parts..things like that?

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

no, that $160 upgrade is actually for the accessport to those who've already spend the $400 for an ecu reflash by cobb. To those who didn't have the reflash done, it's $555.

 

One more day for that price.... My main question is then you are paying $500+ for that handheld unit right? Or do I have to get a different ECU then purchase this handheld unit to upload maps and things.

Sorry if this sounds stupid or are stupid questions being asked... I'm new to the whole "tuning" thing...

I take this off their site:
No Soldering No Wiring No Downtime

If there is no wiring how does it plug in? Is it wireless via wifi or infrared?

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

Hello Nigel, $555 (by 4/01/04) will get you the AccessPORT (handheld unit) and that is all you will need to reflash your current (Stock) ECU with the map's that COBB has provided, unless of course you want to use Stage 2 or higher, then you will need the supporting modifications to use those map's of course and just like oxtox said, the AccessPORT plugs into the OBD II Port under the steering wheel. Hurry up and purchase it while you can save $40, I can't forsee a reason why you would regret it, especially if you plan to upgrade your car more and more in the years (more like month's) to come.

Later, Jamin

 

Jamin,

So really this isn't like a UTEC to where you can monitor what your car is doing, things like that. I am actually close to a stage two... I have my TBE in my basement and I am wating for the crucial racing uppipe when ever it comes out :-)

By continuing to switch between maps does this in any way hurt the ECU.. meaning does it put any strain on it or could it only switch a certain amount of times before it just doesn't work anymore?

Also can you leave this connected at all times? Or is this a thing that you connect, then when your done loading your map you disconnect and stick it in the glove box?

Thanks :-)

-Nigel

 

No, it is not like a UTEC, however they have another product coming out in the near future called AccessTUNER (which you will be able and upgraded to, from the AccessPORT) that is more like the UTEC in the respect that you will be able to do your own tuning to various parameters and such but I do not know what it's monitoring capabilities will be like, if any.

An Uppipe is not required for Stage 2 but it won't hurt anything to use one, it's just not required.

This is a quote from COBB's site "Due to limitations within the ECU's flash memory, one can only successfully reprogram it approximately 100 times. In response to this challenge, our engineers developed a LIMITLESS Map Switching system. This means you can switch between maps as often as you like quickly, easily, and without ever reducing the life of your ECU's flash memory." That is why you will see Base Map's and Real Time Map's, the Base Map is the one that you will actually flash to your ECU and the Real Time Map is the one you can use (if you choose to) without affecting the lifespan of the ECU, for example, let's say you purchase the AccessPORT and you flash your ECU with the Stage 2 Base Map and for whatever reason you want to run on the Stage 1 or Stock Style Map, you would be able to do so by using the Stage 1 or Stock Style Real Time Map's without actually doing a reflash to the ECU.

You could leave it hooked up all of the time if you wanted to but you probably won't.

I hope I answered all of your questions to your satisfaction and guy's if I have misinformed this fellow in any way, please feel free to correct me.

Later, Jamin

 

For the moment my car is stock except for the axel back Prodrive muffler.
I see all this talk about stage one and two with the Cobb but with no mention of the up pipe. I have been under the impression that doing the up-pipe will be a more useful mod (before the downpipe or TBE) that will allow the turbo to spool up quicker, reducing lag and provide more flexibility. When looking at the Vishnu kits, he sells the up pipe as the next step to go after the reflash, not the TBE. Is the up pipe not neccessary with the Cobb? Why is there no mention of it in these Cobb discussions?

While I would certainly enjoy more power, for me the flexibility and reduction of turbo lag is more important. So if I was to go with the accessport and an up pipe would I still remain at stage one? Is a downpipe enough to go to stage two or do you need the whole system? (hopefully not, because that would put me over what I want to spend on the car)

 

mopho, a TBE (downpipe + cat-back or downpipe + midpipe + axle-back) is more important than an uppipe in terms of power and I am pretty sure in terms of spool as well but regardless, you definitely spool quicker than stock with a TBE and you will make more power than with just an uppipe. I spoke with someone at COBB a while back and even at the power levels of Stage 2 the uppipe only made something like 5 more hp or something like that but I am not sure about the spool characteristics but the way that I understand it is that it's not really that important until you get a bigger turbo.

Jamin

 

Hmm, I have been told the opposite, that it is the up pipe that is more important for reducing lag because it eliminates the cat from where the exhaust feeds the turbo allowing it to react sooner. A lot of people recommend doing the up pipe first (as mentioned, Vishnu being one of them), Aslo have been told that doing both up and down pipes is best, but the up is where to start if one at a time is your only option.

Well like I said power is less important to me than reducing lag and increasing engine responsiveness, I really don't have anyplace to go any faster than I already can ( I live in a city).


Does the down pipe in conjunction with the axle back exhaust (stock in between) qualify me for stage 2?