FAQ

a.   WOT – Wide Open Throttle
b.   BT – Big Turbo
c.   BAT – Boost Air Temps
d.   CAT – Charge Air Temps or Catalytic Converter (Depending on situation)
e.   KR – Knock Retard
f. MAF – Mass Airflow Sensor
g.   EBCV – Electronic Boost Control Valve
h.   BPV – Bypass valve
i. BOV –Blow off valve
j. WHP – Wheel Horse Power
k.   MBT – Mean Best Torque
l. CBE – Cat-Back Exhaust
m. TBE – Turbo Back Exhaust
n. WMI – Water-Methanol Injection

What is the difference between the Flash and Custom Tune?

The Flash maps are modified to meet your cars needs based on the tuning form you fill out after you purchase the tune. If you purchase the "Log Review" option we can analyze the datalogs from the flash tune and send you a report on how the car is performing. If there are any safety issues with the tune (too much knock for example) we will make a one time adjustment to the Flash tune to address this. During a Custom Tune we are able to review and revise your vehicles behavior as we further extract performance from your vehicle. Also, the custom tuning experience is personal and can be modified to meet all of your needs. A flash tune will get you to 90-95% of the peformance of a custom tune on a stock turbo car running on pump gas or on an E85 fuel blend. For big turbo cars we recommend the full custom tune.

How much horsepower can I expect from a Flash map / custom tune and my vehicle’s current modifications?

The final output from our Flash maps and custom tunes will vary greatly with your location, climate, fuel used, and vehicle health. It is hard for us to say exactly how much power your car will make, however, we ensure that you have maximum safe performance when receiving a custom tune.

If you look at our website we have a page dedicated to dyno results. Another good source of information is the Stratified Tech Page or our Facebook page.

Can you change my FFS and Launch Control settings in an Flash map?

For MazdaSpeed vehicles, these are settings you can change directly on the AccessPort. For the Ecoboost, you specify you preferred FFS and LC settings for each map slot when you fill out your tuning form and we set these for you.

I just installed a new downpipe/testpipe/intercooler/CBE/performance modification on my car do I need a new Flash map?

We recommend getting a Flash Tune Update every time you change the hardware on your car or at least a Log Review to ensure the car is running at its best safely. If you are switching to a big turbo you will need a custom tune.

I want a full custom E85 tune do I need to stick to the E30 mixture?

With a custom tune we can work with a mixture that is more or less than the overall E30 mixture. However, we do not ever recommend running a mixture higher than E50 on the Ecoboost. On a MazdaSpeed with running a Dexos rated oil and performing a fuel pump treatment you can run a full E85 mixture. However keep in mind that this will not necessarily result in higher performance once you reach MBT (which can be reached with E30-E50 blends).

My car is frequently overboosting, what can I do?

This is often caused by exceedingly low exhaust backpressure and undersized wastegate valves on the MazdaSpeed. On the Ecoboost, the ECU closes the throttle and can deal with this scenario. Because of this we don't usually see boost creep or overboost on the Focus ST. For the MazdaSpeed we can often custom tune any combination of parts and will make recommendations if something needs to be changed out.

I have a water-methanol injection system on my car can I still purchase a Stratified Flash Tune?

Although the Flash maps are not calibrated to fully exploit WMI systems it is still perfectly safe to run an Flash map with smaller nozzle and 50/50 water-meth mixtures. The performance benefits and increased safety that come with WMI will be there even if you do not push the tune to exploit the now raised knock threshold. WMI will help keep your charge air temperatures down while the extra octane from the methanol will further prevent knocking. WMI is a great option in places with very high temperatures or very poor fuel.

You can run 100% methanol and this will both cool and fuel the vehicle. These higher methanol mixtures are best exploited via a custom tune.

Do I need to change my vehicles spark plugs when modifying it?

Generally we recommend spark plugs which are one step colder when modifying a Mazda DISI or Ford Ecoboost engine. Read this for more details.

I have made a modification that triggers a check engine light, can you fix this?

With all of our custom tunes and Flash maps we will clear any necessary code that we can. Cars using Cobb software are no longer able to get emissions related codes adjusted. This does not include safety related codes such as the TPMS code which you may get when running non OEM wheels without sensors. We also do not remove codes that relate to actual hardware issues such as lean codes or misfire codes. Those codes indicate further troubleshooting and repair may be needed.

What BOV/BPV is compatible with the Stratified Guardian Angel?

The Stratified Guardian Angel will work with all PUSH TYPE BPVs and BOVs. This includes most BPVs and BOVs with the two well known exceptions being the HKS SSQV and Synapse SB BOV. Tial, Synapse DV, Forge, Corksport, etc all work with the GA. Please contact us directly if you are still unsure about your BPV’s compatibility.

How much does shipping cost to my location?

You can get a shipping quote straight from our website. Simply add the items you are interested in to your shopping cart and use the shipping estimator when you are going through the checkout. Some products include free shipping to the US. If you are outside of the US and Canada get in touch with us for a quote.

I am trying to get my car past XXX whp but have reached the limits of my stock fuel system, what do I do?

We have fueling solutions for both the MazdaSpeed and Ecoboost to augment the stock DI system. Check out our Tech Section for information on this.

How do I upload maps to my Accessport and how do I download the logs from it?

By using the COBB Accessport manager: https://www.cobbtuning.com/products/accessport-manager

I am getting CEL, is there something wrong with the tune?

CEL functions as OEM, so you most likely have an inefficiency in the system

I am getting misfires, is there something wrong with the tune?

With higher performance, the vehicle requires higher precision in functionality. So all components need to be functioning optimally. We recommend gapping your plugs down to 0.022” and checking if your spark plugs and coil packs are functioning as intended

Why cant I hear my crackles?

Every car performs differently and we currently only have the advertised crackles, also aftermarket BOV/BPV will affect the function of crackles

Which file contains my crackles?

Crackles Tune (If Purchased)

You will have multiple tunes attached to this email. The tunes will be differentiated by the following annotation:

NEC – No Exhaust Crackles

LEC – Loud Exhaust Crackles

PEC – Progressive Exhaust Crackles

Which file can I take logs with?

You can take logs with any file, crackles or no crackles. They both have the same base performance tune on it.

I have to do my emissions test, what do I do?

We understand that certain states require annual emission tests and with having a tune on the vehicle and with aftermarket parts, especially a downpipe, it will most likely fail. In order to pass this test, we recommend that you install the stock downpipe and run a stage 0 tune before sending the car in for emissions.

My AFR are either lean or rich, what should I do?

If you notice that your AFR’s are either running a bit too lean or too rich, we suggest checking the intake side for any signs of leaks. The best solution is to perform a smoke pressure test as just by visually checking, it’s easy to oversee small cracks in the lines. If you own a Mazda or a Subaru and haven’t done a MAF calibration yet, it is recommended to send those in as soon as you can as it could be easily fixed with a proper MAF calibration.

Do I need a new tune if I change my intake?

Depending on the vehicle you have. If you own a Ford vehicle, they are all MAP based which means that you can swap intakes at any one time and the ECU will adjust for the difference in mass air flow automatically. If you own a Mazda or a Subaru, these vehicles are all MAF based. This means that when switching intakes, you will need to have your tune calibrated for the difference in mass air flow hence having to perform a MAF calibration.

I changed my throttle body, do I need a new tune?

No. Regardless of vehicle, changing the throttle body will not affect the tune in any way and/or hinder the performance of the vehicle.

I changed my spark plugs, do I need a new tune?

No, changing the spark plugs will not affect the tune.

I just got an AP and it has your tunes on it, can I use it on my car?

No. Although your car may have the same exact modifications as the previous owners, each vehicle will react differently. This means that the tune could be running fine with the previous owners car, however, it may not run the same in yours. It is also in our policy that tunes are non-transferable from owner to owner and from AP to AP.

How long can I expect for my revision to be sent back?

Depending on how busy we are, we generally have a turnaround time of 2-5 business days – at the very most, 2 weeks.

Why have my parts not been shipped?

This is likely due to little to no stock or there are shipping delays. We get notified from the manufacturer when items get shipped and we will email you the day of receiving that information.

Do you offer a flame tune?

No. We often get asked this question and we do not have a specific map to shoot flames. We have had customers run our extreme crackles with a straight pipe set up and with some luck, flames could be had, but we do not offer a tune that will purposefully create flames.

How do I switch between map slots and use launch control on the Ecoboost tuned with Accessport?

By using the cruise control buttons. Here is a video: https://youtu.be/gXYXl_jI46Y

How much E85 is it safe to run in my Ford EcoBoost Motor?

The Ford EcoBoost Motor found in the Focus ST is not compatible with very high concentrations of E85 due to the limitation of the HPFP. At Stratified we recommend an overall mixture of E30-E50. With this amount of ethanol MBT is reached knock free with the OEM turbo as well as with big turbo applications. This mixture has worked well for us in the past and continues to perform well in the Stratified test vehicle.

Does my Ecoboost motor need aftermarket HPFP internals?

The stock fuel pump on your Focus St is good for around 350 – 380 lb-ft of torque at the wheels and 360 whp. So far there are no aftermarket options available. We have developed Stratified Xtra Aux Fuel Systems to address this.

Which file is my full boost/low boost?

Your initial email with your tunes attached to it will have a chart that will have listed out which slot has which fuel/boost in.

Ex.

Slot	Mode	Launch Control RPM	Fuel	WMI
1	Full Boost	3000	91 Oct/95 RON	No
2	Full Boost	3000	93 Oct/98 RON
3	Full Boost	3000	E30
4	Low Boost	3000	91 Oct/95 RON – 93 Oct/98 RON
5	Valet Mode	N/A	91 Oct/95 RON – 93 Oct/98 RON

Why cant I hear my crackles?

every car performs differently and we currently only have the advertised crackles, also aftermarket bov/bpv affect the function of crackles. All crackle calibrations are the same so it is dependant on the specific vehicle and exhaust set up

How come I am getting lower boost values on your tune?

If you purchased the low torque tune due to an OEM clutch, we limit the amount of torque the car produced to protect the clutch.

If you purchased a high torque tune, I suggest checking for a boost leak by use of a smoke pressure test

My launch control or FFS does not work, is there something wrong?

Cobbs launch control and ffs require specific conditions to be met for it too function. Please visit their website to learn how to use the feature. World market vehicles may not have these functions.

https://cobbtuning.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PRS/pages/728006704/COBB+Custom+Features+Launch+Control+on+MK6+Vehicles?showComments=true&showCommentArea=true#COBBCustomFeatures%3ALaunchControlonMK6Vehicles-HowToUseLaunchControl

I am getting lean codes or rich/lean AFRs, is there something wrong?

You most likely have a leak, perform a smoke pressure test in the intake and exhaust then send in maf calibration logs. Please follow the maf cal log instructions found in the email in which you were sent the tune

Why does my lurch with the crackle tune?

The car engine brakes more on the crackle tune, it is normal

Why do my crackles sometimes not work?

The VW ecu will intervene by shutting the crackles off if they are being used too much, it is a function we do not have control over

How much E85 is safe to run in my Mazda DISI Motor?

The Mazda’s fuel system is not compatible with more than a 50/50 blend of E85 and pump gas. However, you don’t need to run 50/50 in the majority of cases. In most cases MBT can be reached with an E30 (25-30% mix of E85) up to around 400whp. The advantage of running less E85 is that the OEM fuel system does not become overwhelmed with the extra volume needed. If you are running very high boost and a secondary injector system (such as 5^th/6^thport) you can start running a higher percentage blend of E85. However do not exceed a 50/50 blend when the fuel is being run through the OEM HPFP. This will cause buildup in the pump and eventually lead to a loss of pressure. At that point the pump will have to be disassembled and cleaned.

Does my MazdaSpeed really need aftermarket HPFP internals?

Unfortunately the factory fuel pumps on the Mazdaspeed vehicles are not made for anything above 250whp and will quickly become overwhelmed by the demands of our modified engines. For anything above a Stage 1 tune it is mandatory to have HPFP internals. Serious engine damage can occur if your fuel pressure drops below 1500psi on a WOT pull. Always keep an eye on your fuel pressure when running the stock fuel pump on a modified Mazdaspeed.

My MazdaSpeed K04 turbo is smoking badly and requires a higher idle, can you do this with the Flash map?

Yes, we can raise the idle to whatever you desire (typically 1,000 RPM) to help prevent your turbo from smoking. Our maps already come with a slightly raised idle for smoothness.

Why do I see such low boost levels with my Mazdaspeed Flash map?

All of the Flash maps for the Mazdaspeed vehicles are Load based tunes. This means that the ecu will target a certain load while capping boost so as to keep consistent torque output during all seasons. Load based tunes provide consistent torque in varying operating conditions, however, this may mean that in lower temperatures or with a very free flowing motor you will see low boost levels as large amounts of boost are not necessary to meet the load targets. For more information on load based tuning read this. When custom tuning we can discuss and use the best boost control strategy for your setup and needs (load, hybrid/boost).

Why are your MazdaSpeed tunes load based and how are they different from boost based tunes?

We have an excellent write up in our tech blog to answer this common question.

Why is my tune only a stage 1?

For Mazda’s, there are 3 stages and if you were sent a stage 1 tune, this is most likely due to the fact that you don’t have a HPFP installed. Even with full bolt ons, without having a HPFP, your car will be a stage 1.

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