Hey guys-

Just wanted to post this for anyone else who might be dealing with this issue in the future... Since yes, I used the search bar, and found no help diagnosing this problem.

I've been running the Manic stage 1 tune on my 2011 R56 (N18) Cooper S for about 2 years. For those who don't know, Stage 1 is intended to be run on the STOCK CAR - No cat removal, no other parts necessary. I loved the tune, the car ran great, but when it came time for a smog, I failed because my o2 sensor was "not ready". I contacted Manic about this - no response. I posted on forums about this - no helpful responses. But I have confirmed that (at least on my car), running the manic tune made my o2 sensor "not ready" - even after thousands of miles of driving and following every "drive cycle" procedure I could find online.

My o2 sensor was replaced by the dealer 20k miles ago, so instead of starting there I decided to have my ECU flashed back to stock (before taking it to a dealer for what I'm sure would have turned into a HUGE smog repair bill) and what do you know... all smog monitors were ready in less than 20 miles of regular driving.

Now, I know what you're going to say... "Of course tunes aren't legal in CA, dummy!" While this may be true, I have passed smog running a mild (stage 1) tune on every car I've ever had. As long as your car has factory parts and a mild tune it will pass without issue. CA smog techs have no ability to look at my fuel maps or how much boost my car is running... And as long as your car is stock you can pass smog tests easily. I have NEVER had a tune affect my car's internal smog readiness monitoring system or stop an internal diagnostic system from functioning.

The real problem for me was that California recently switched to a new smog test where we no longer use sniffers and rolling roads and now simply plug in a diagnostic tool. This is the same as most states in the US, but unlike most states, when CA made this change they also decided to make it so that you CAN NOT HAVE A SINGLE monitor that was in the "not ready" state. In most other states in the country you are allowed at least 1 monitor to read "not ready" on their scanner. But not in CA. You must have ALL monitors be "ready".

So just a heads up for anyone else who might run into this issue, since many other states follow in the footsteps of the **** regime in California and soon this may be an issue for others running the manic tune. And if you're considering buying it and you live in CA, I would contact Manic for clarification on this issue before purchase... to make sure that they get this resolved before you buy. I have heard that they occasionally update their software (mine was purchased June 2017) so they may have resolved this, but... since I never heard back from them I can't say.

I would be curious to others who are running manic stage 1 and who possess an obd2 scanner to check if their o2 sensors are "not ready" as well. I understand that if I were running stage 2 (catless) that manic has an option to disable the post-cat o2 sensor to avoid a CEL. This is a great option for a track car (or for people willing to risk the fines associated with running catless on the street), but I was running stage 1 (with a cat) so these changes should not have been made to my ECU and if they were, I should have been told about it.

Anyway, that's my story. Happy motoring!

-Dave

 

Does the Manic Stage 1 allow for using the SPS switch? Might have to put the car on the "Stock" map for the emissions test. On my Stage 2, the "Stock" map engages the O2 cat efficiency monitor. Curious if the Stage 1 tune also does this...

 

Good ol Cali changing stuff all the time, when I failed a couple months ago for the same thing I found that in Cali you can't have any readiness monitors in an unready or fail state to pass anymore. I had to swap my stock downpipe back in and go back to the stock map. If you have the SPS switch and haven't changed the downpipe you can just kick it back to the stock tune long enough to set your readiness monitors, smog then switch it back.

Any of the Manic tunes should support the SPS switch and if you set it to stock all your monitors should behave normally.

 

Hmm.

Good to know, I guess... I suppose the title of the thread should be: IF YOU LIFE IN CALIFORNIA, MAKE SURE YOU BUY THE SPS SWITCH!!! Lol.

Either way, I saw no point in spending an extra $200+ on what was already advertised to be a "mild" tune for a stock car. This was my DD and I didn't want to mod it too much... just wanted to get a little extra oomph (which I did and was very happy with). I had no plans to ever go back to the stock map, and even with the SPS switch, I'm sure I would have never touched it once.

That being said, I had no idea that running a tune would affect my emissions system. In my previous Mini's and BMW's I have run various tunes from many different companies and none of them have ever tampered with or disabled any emissions features - especially tunes advertised to run on a stock car with no modifications. Again, I could see that it would make sense for a tune meant for a catless DP, but not a stage 1 tune for a stock car. And I know, I know... they all say "For off road use only" so it's technically my fault for running a tune and trying to get smogged, but come on... nobody is tracking their stage 1 tuned car. These are street tunes... obviously.

Either way, it should be made clear to customers that manic's stage 1 tune will keep your o2 monitor from readying and that you WILL fail smog in California. The car modding community is HUGE here so I'm sure this is something that has (or will) affect many others.

-Dave

 

The "monitor tests" must all be ready up here in Washington as well.....I could not go through until all of mine were complete......fortunately, for consumers, the "smog test requirements" are going away at the end of 2019.......

Bryan

 

I’m a Manic Dealer in Southern CA and I also do RPM Power. Tuning. I can help you at no cost.
Send me an email MarioPalza@gmail.com

Mario

mQubed Motorsport Manic & RPM Power Tuning