COBB Tuning Blog

COBB Tuning is committed innovation and performance and to prove it, we present two vehicles converted to run on biofuels. Not only do these two cars, a 2007 Subaru WRX STI Limited and R35 GTR, run on clean burning E85, but they both make well over 500whp! E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol (alcohol distilled from corn) and 15% gasoline. This Oklahoma-grown miracle-fuel is rated at 105 octane and is a great substitue for leaded race fuels.

Both of these vehicles were built at our COBB Tuning Surgeline facility and tuned by lead calibrator, Tim Bailey. For more information on converting and tuning your car for E85, visit us online at Surgeline Tuning or call us at 503-670-9500.

This STI is making 540whp on a GT35R Turbocharger, built fuel system and E85!

The COBB Tuning Surgeline GT-R makes just under 600whp with just an upgraded fuel system and stock turbochargers!

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COBB Tuning is happy to announce the release of the 2010 EVO X AccessPORT for GSR, MR and MRT. In addition to supporting USDM vehicles, the 2010 AccessPORT update also includes JDM 2010 EVO X GSR and SST vehicles as well. The AccessPORT for 2010 EVO X’s is available now from COBB Tuning and all COBB Tuning dealers and ProTuners!

This release also includes over 126 staged and aftermarket intake Off The Shelf (OTS) maps which are now available for the 2010 EVO X. Maps can be downloaded from the Map Download Page

Updating the 2008 EVO X AccessPORT firmware to the latest release will enable existing units to function on the 2010 EVO X GSR, MR and MRT as well as the 2009 Lancer Ralliart.

AccessTUNER Pro and AccessTUNER Race are now available for the 2010 EVO X as well! To download your copy of AccessTUNER Race, visit our AccessTUNER Race download page.

For purchasing or other information, contact COBB Tuning at www.cobbtuning.com or call us at 801-713-0035 or visit one of our COBB Tuning premier facilities at www.cobbtuningsurgeline.com or www.cobbtuningplano.com.

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Huge horsepower will never go out of style, but the tools, vehicles and fuels used to make that power will always change. Thanks to environmentally-conscious motorists looking for an alternative to petrolium-based fuels, E85, 85% corn-based ethanol and 15% gasoline blend, is becoming more common. In addition to being somewhat more environmentally friendly, E85 is also 105 octane which is great for making big power and lots of boost. The downside to E85 is that it is about 1/3 lighter than gasoline and requires more fuel to be injected into the combustion chamber than gasoline. That means upgrading your fuel system in a way not needed for gasoline applications. This car, a 2007 STI limited, was built for a COBB Tuning Surgeline customer who wanted to make as close to 600whp as he could, using E85 as his fuel of choice.

To provide the needed fuel to run a STI complete with a GT35R turbocharger and GSC Stage 2 cams, A single Walbro fuel pump feeds a COBB Tuning Surgeline custom-built surge tank. Feeding fuel to the engine is a pair of Bosch 044 inline fuel pumps that lead to a set of Injector Dynamics 2000cc injectors. While this may seem like a little overkill on the fuel system side of things, keep in mind that E85 dictates a very large volume of fuel to compensate for the large amounts of boost this car was setup to run. Peak power of 547whp was made at 27lbs of boost! On 92 octane pump fuel, power was limited to only 454hp, E85 allowed this engine to run 5psi more and an extra 100hp!

Vehicles tuned on E85 are quickly becoming more and more popular. Not for their supposed eco-friendly nature, but due to their ability to greatly increase horsepower while still being a relatively inexpensive fuel source compared to leaded, and even unleaded “race” fuels. For more information on how to setup your car for E85 power, contact COBB Tuning Surgeline today!

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At COBB Tuning, we love it when our customers and tuners use the tools we work so hard to create, to make big horsepower. We love it even more when it is a complex and difficult build. The Nissan gurus at Altered Atmosphere Motorsports have done just this, with a Twin Turbocharged 370Z tuned with a COBB Tuning AccessPORT. This car makes over 500whp all on the stock block!

The turbo kit is of AAM’s own design and manufacture utilizing twin Garrett turbochargers. Tuning was done via a COBB Tuning AccessPORT and AccessTUNER Pro, proving that COBB Tuning products are a great way to tune forced-induction Nissan applications. “We are equally impressed with the tuning capabilities of the Cobb AP for Nissan/Infiniti vehicles,” said Jon of Altered Atmosphere. “We’ve even built Nissan GT-Rs with upgraded turbochargers pushing upwards of 700AWHP, and tuned these cars using just the AP. It really is a fantastic tool for tuning the majority of the cars we work on here at the shop. Keep up the great work guys!”

Look for more big power builds from AAM in the near future as they continue to push the envelope of Nissan and Infiniti performance with tuning from the COBB Tuning AccessPORT!

Read about the buildup on my350Z.com

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COBB Tuning announces the immediate availability of the AccessPORT for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. The AccessPORT is the first hand-held device available for the Ralliart that performs an ECU reflash through the vehicle’s OBDII port. Just plug it in, load a map and go! Faster!

The AccessPORT provides owners of 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart vehicles the ability to unlock power hidden within the factory ECU. Performance gains across the entire powerband can be quickly realized in the short time it takes to flash the vehicle’s ECU with the AccessPORT. No tools are required. No additional “piggy-back” hardware. No mailing the factory ECU across the country. No vehicle downtime. No waiting. Not even a computer is required. Just plug the AccessPORT in, flash the ECU and enjoy the thrill of increased torque and horsepower!

Flashing the ECU for increased performance is just the start of what the AccessPORT is capable of. Set the AccessPORT to Performance mode to capture 0-60MPH times, ¼ Mile times and Trap Speeds. Switch over to Live Data and choose a gauge to monitor, such as; coolant temperature, intake air temperature, throttle position, intake cam advance, exhaust cam retard, MAF voltage, injector pulse width and many more. Select the integrated Datalogger to record multiple channels of data simultaneously. Or configure a shift light that flashes the screen when a user defined rpm is reached. Go to Troubleshooting mode to diagnose issues by reading the factory codes and resetting the system once the issues have been resolved.

The AccessPORT can be used to eliminate separation anxiety for those times you are away from your car. Protect your investment when out on the town by quickly loading the Valet map to prevent the engine from revving above 3,200 rpm. Load the Anti-Theft map when you park to make it impossible to start. And in the event the car must be returned to the stock configuration, the AccessPORT can be completely removed and the ECU restored to its factory condition.

AcessTUNER Pro tuning software for the Ralliart is available to the COBB Pro Tuner network. AccessTUNER Pro allows professional engine tuners to custom tune any combination of modifications to achieve their maximum power potential. AccessTUNER Race tuning software for the Ralliart is available to racing teams and highly experienced self tuners. AccessTUNER Race allows individuals the ability to tweak their own maps files at their convenience as well as the ability share maps with others that have very similar power modifications. Datalogging allows multiple channels of data to be recorded and reviewed after a dynamometer test to see where tuning can be optimized. Disabling torque and airflow limit tables makes tuning the Ralliart even easier. These capabilities are particularly effective for heavily modified Ralliarts that are beyond the scope of the COBB Tuning provided base calibrations.

The AccessPORT from COBB Tuning is the most comprehensive hand-held ECU flashing, monitoring and managing device available for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. Combined with AccessTUNER Pro and AccessTUNER Race software, it provides an unbeatable suite of engine tuning applications backed by our professional engine tuner network.

Satisfy your hunger for more power. Access the Potential of your Ralliart today!

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At COBB Tuning we spend a lot of time working on our customer’s cars or building new parts for better performance. After working hours, we turn our considerable talents to our own cars. While snow covers most of the ground, it’s time to perform major surgery on our rides, like COBB Tuning Surgeline tuner, Lance Lucas’ 2004 WRX Wagon. With a built engine and larger turbo, Lance has transformed his grocery getter into a serious Hyper Wagon!

“I recently finished this rebuild on my personal car, a 2004 WRX Wagon I’ve owned for about 3.5 years,” said Lance. “The last setup was a 2.5-liter hybrid with an 18G and EWG (external waste gate) on E85 that I used, abused and eventually destroyed at the dragstrip. I refused to let a broken OEM piston slow me down and immediately began the rebuild. We made the active decision to build the car using commonly available, proven products as a good example of what can be acheived with a “budget” build by Surgeline, without our normal touches — no AN fittings, no V-Band flanges, no Tial exhaust housings, no rotated manifold, etc. Everything has turned out wonderfully and my car is a great example of the potential available using the good-ole K.I.S.S. principle.”

“These are the preliminary dyno tuning results, at both wastegate (16psi) and a couple days later at 22psi tapering to 19psi or so,” said Lance. “At a very rich .75 lambda I am out of injector at ~21psi, so I kept boost low on top for the time being. Timing curve is extremely soft as well. My long-term plan is to add a second Walbro in-tank and raise base fuel pressure slightly, then tune to 450whp on E85 for daily driving and hopefully an easy 500whp on C16 for drag strip fun!”

Join the conversation over on Lance’s Proven Power Bragging thread on Nasioc.

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At COBB Tuning we are never satisfied with good enough and we love to experiment. In the environmentally-concious Pacific Northwest, home of our COBB Tuning Surgeline Facility, we have a ready supply of corn juice, or E85. E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. Originally developed as a bio-fuel for “flex fuel” domestic cars in the US, E85 has become the alternative fuel of choice for performance enthusiast. The allure of this biofuel comes from its high octane compared to regular pump fuels – 91 to 94 compared to 105 – and a very low price compared to higher octane race fuels. In many parts of the USA E85 costs as little as 2 dollars per gallon. When compared to 8 to 14 dollars quality high octane race fuels E85 represents a huge bargain. If you don’t know about E85 you’re naturally asking the question “why am i not running e85 every day?”. The answer is you can’t. Most stock vehicles are not calibrated or equipped to utilize ethanol based fuels.

Despite having a higher octane rating, E85 has a lower overall energy density than pure pump fuel. Pure gasoline contains approximately 125,000 BTUs per gallon, while E85 contains approximately 84,000. This means that a greater volume of E85 must be utilized to realize the same energy content. This lower hydrocarbon content is mirrored by the stoichiometry of E85 and pure unleaded gasoline. Complete combustion of pure gasoline requires 14.7 parts air (mixed gas air with 23 percent oxygen) with one part fuel. In contrast, complete combustion of E85 requires a much higher relative content of fuel with only 9.7 parts air required. The distillation of this information means that larger volumes of E85 are required for equivalent combustion when compared to pure pump fuel. Thus, the cost savings associated with lower E85 prices is offset by an overall reduction in fuel economy. (taken from Driving Sports article “methanol injection vs E85″ by Tim Bailey.

The graph below shows the stochiometry of E85 (lamda) is similar for pump and E85 but the volume of fuel required for E85 is much higher by proportion (Air to fuel ratio). Despite these limitation of E85 we wanted to tune our GTR to utilize this fuel. Together, the lower cost, higher octane, and higher overall power potential are simply too much to resist. Furthermore, because E85 has not been used in the new GTR platform I simply couldn’t resist the technical challenge.

Because a stock GTR can use nearly 100% of its available injector capacity on pump fuel the first step in using E85 is to replace the stock injectors with larger units. We chose to use Deatschwerks 800cc injectors. These are ~30% larger than stock and should be able to provide the additional fuel volume needed for E85. The injectors were installed and the car tuned on pump fuel:

Stock – completely stock calibration with 92 octane pump fuel – BLUE

Stage 2 800cc – COBB catless midpipe, COBB prototype cat back exhaust, stock intake, stock fuel pump. – RED

We then drained the tank and refilled with E85 full. I adjusted the calibration with COBB AccessTUNER Pro software and prepared to run the car. The first few runs were done at low boost and all was well. The calibration was then adjusted for higher boost and we attempted a full run. I aborted the run because the motor went progressively leaner at RPMs and fuel demand increased.

This increasing lean condition clearly points out a lack of fuel delivery. Because our injectors are mathematically ideal for ~30% higher flow it’s clear that the stock fuel pumps simply cannot keep up with higher duty cycle with 800cc injectors.To combat the lack of fuel we installed two walbro 255s in the place of the stock fuel pumps. The installation took about 4 hours total as the stock in tank fuel surge tank needed heavy but straightforward modification. With new fuel pumps installed we went back to the dyno with high hopes of sufficient fuel delivery. The results are presented in the graph below:

Stock 2009 GTR – 92 octane – BLUE

Stage 2 800cc – COBB catless midpipe, COBB prototype cat back exhaust, stock intake, stock fuel pump, 800cc Deatschwerks injectors – RED

Stage 2 800cc + E85 – COBB catless midpipe, COBB prototype cat back exhaust, stock intake, Twin walbro 255 fuel pumps, 800cc Deatschwerks injectors – GREEN

This E85 Stage 2 configuration is now the highest HP and torque stock turbo car tuned on our Mustang dyno. When the weather clears here in the pacific northwest we’ll find some dry test roads and report V-box data. We’re also planning to rent a local drag strip for development and testing so ETs and trap speeds are coming. As a next step we plan to install some custom intakes. If our early observations are correct this car will make more than 600 whp on stock turbo’s with E85…. all while retaining the factory downpipes.

To continue with the conversation, head on over to NAGTROC to see what other GT-R enthusiasts are saying about this amazing fuel!

Original text by Tim Bailey, Head Calibrator, COBB Tuning

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COBB Tuning announces the immediate availability of COBB AccessTUNER Pro version 1.8.1.2 for the Nissan GT-R. This new software release allows professional Nissan GT-R tuners to create new engine calibrations using COBB’s proprietary Proportional Gain Boost Control logic for AccessPORT equipped Nissan GT-Rs around the world.

Proportional Gain Boost Control is a more simple and elegant RPM dependent boost control system that offers a great leap forward in Nissan R-35 performance. This new method of boost control has been responsible for many recent impressive GT-R racing accomplishments, including a 787whp time attack racer and a slightly modified daily-driven 10 second quarter-mile weekend warrior.

This latest version of AccessTUNER Pro software now covers even more global regions with the addition of the 2009 East Asia GT-R and the 2009 JDM GT-R. COBB AccessTUNER Pro currently supports Australia, East Asia, Europe, Gulf, Japan, South Africa and United States specification vehicles, making it the only truly global OEM ECU custom tuning software available for the Nissan GT-R.

COBB Tuning is dedicated to bringing the most comprehensive tuning solutions to Nissan GT-R tuning enthusiasts and continues to lead the way with innovative engineering, advanced OEM ECU control and global vehicle compatibility. Install a COBB AccessPORT on your Nissan GT-R and experience a whole new level of obscene performance with the push of a button.

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COBB Tuning announces the immediate availability of the COBB AccessPORT for the 2009 model year Nissan GT-Rs manufactured for East Asia and Japan. 2009 GT-R owners in these regions can experience the massive increases in horsepower and torque that GT-R owners around the world have been enjoying.

The COBB AccessPORT for the Nissan GT-R now comes with pre-installed v2.00 maps from COBB Tuning using our proprietary new Proportional Gain Boost Control logic. Proportional Gain Boost Control is a more simple and elegant RPM dependant boost control system that offers a great leap forward in Nissan R-35 performance. This new method of boost control has been responsible for many recent impressive GT-R racing accomplishments, including a 787whp time attack racer and a slightly modified daily-driven 10 second quarter-mile weekend warrior.

The new Nissan GT-R firmware and v2.00 maps are also available for existing Nissan GT-R AccessPORT owners. Simply plug the AccessPORT into your PC, run AccessPORT Updater, and your Nissan GT-R AccessPORT will be updated to the same specification as the new AccessPORTs coming off the assembly line.

COBB Tuning is dedicated to bringing the most comprehensive tuning solutions to Nissan GT-R tuning enthusiasts and continues to lead the way with innovative engineering, advanced OEM ECU control and global vehicle compatibility. Install a COBB AccessPORT on your Nissan GT-R and experience a whole new level of obscene performance with the push of a button.

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Checkout the latest video from COBB Tuning featuring the AccessPORT tuned GOTO:Racing GT-R. This car produces nearly 800 wheel horsepower and is tuned on the stock ECU with the COBB AccessPORT, dispelling the myth that a stand-alone ECU is required for big horsepower applications. To see why the AccessPORT is the ultimate tuning solution for the Nissan GT-R for enthusiasts and racing teams alike, then visit COBB Tuning for information on how to get more power out of your GT-R with the push of a button!

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Not only is Jon Drenas, head tuner and owner of HB Speed in Fountain Valley, Calif., one of the most respected ProTuners in the country, but he also campaigns his 2008 EVO X in the Redline Time Attack Series. Frequent readers of our blog have no doubt seen Jon’s recent exploits behind the wheel and know him to be a competent driver as well as tuner. Despite mechanical issues, Jon was able to post some respectable lap times and find himself back on the podium for the last round of the Redline series.

“The car ran in the Redline Time Attack Series in Street AWD this year and showed that it could be very competitive with minimal modifications,” said Jon. “I also ran in the Super Lap Battle Finals where it came in 2nd Place in Street AWD, 0.350-seconds behind Tarzan Yamada in a race car with street tires and 0.069-seconds ahead of the Stoptech EVO X. The (HB Speed) EVO X is definitely not prepared as well as either of these cars as it has a full interior, stock seats and belts, and was driven to and from the event.”

“At California Speedway we had the turbo oil feed line break on Saturday,” said Jon. “I trailered the car back to the shop and replaced it. We came back and on Sunday (my 6th through 11th laps EVER at California Speedway) I ran a 1.55.173. The car did not feel right so I called it a day and headed over to my GT-R clients.”

Despite Jon spending more of the day tuning other cars at the event than racing, he still managed a solid 3rd place in a car with a full interior. Look for Jon to be back next year and attacking the track with more intensity.

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COBB Tuning will be moving its headquarters and opening a new parts manufacturing center in Austin, Texas in the first half of 2010. The 16,000 sq ft NW Austin location will open by mid-April and house the sales, support, AccessPORT engineering, hard-parts engineering, hard-parts manufacturing, warehouse and distribution facilities. The move to Austin brings many benefits to COBB Tuning and is an essential part of the strategy to reach the company’s goals for 2010 and beyond.

COBB Tuning plans to strengthen its position in the automotive performance industry by providing a more comprehensive and consistent product line-up with faster time to market. Key components to fulfilling this goal include staffing appropriately to move projects forward in parallel, improve production speed and eliminate product delays by moving manufacturing in-house, enhance R&D and testing to optimize product quality and reduce operating expense. Austin offers many benefits that will ensure these components are in place and will help move the business towards its goals.

Austin is considered a major center for high tech, and paired with the proximity of The University of Texas, will provide improved access to qualified engineering talent. Austin’s large skilled labor force and access to raw materials will provide a solid foundation for new product manufacturing center. Product testing will be facilitated by the large population and vehicle diversity of Austin and nearby cities. The central North America location is optimal for product distribution and the tax benefits in Texas are significant.

COBB Tuning’s move to Austin will also start the 2010 ramp-up of the new product manufacturing center. The focus will be on developing and manufacturing high-quality power components designed to complement each other and the AccessPORT product line. The Austin facility will house design equipment (CMM and Rapid Prototyping Machines) and staff to develop and prototype new parts as well as house manufacturing equipment and staff necessary for the production and final assembly of COBB products. A Mustang All-Wheel-Drive dynamometer will also be located at this facility for both hard-parts and AccessPORT research and development purposes.

The Salt Lake City location will be downsized to house the reduced staff that will remain in Utah. Relocating away from the strong enthusiast community in Salt Lake City was a difficult decision to make, but one that the company believes makes the most sense for the business. COBB Tuning has grown and been successful in Salt Lake City and a lot of that success is attributed to the fantastic enthusiasts located in Utah.

COBB Tuning will be hiring to fill open positions at the Austin location. Those interested in seeking employment at COBB Tuning should visit the COBB Tuning Careers page at http://cobbtuning.com/careers. New openings will be posted on this page throughout the move. Additional information will be provided regarding the relocation in upcoming weeks. COBB Tuning will be hosting an open house to mix with the local enthusiasts and provide tours of the new facility. A date for the open house will be announced once the Austin location is closer to completion.

About COBB Tuning:

COBB Tuning is an automotive engineering company dedicated to providing professionally engineered, thoroughly-tested solutions and components that improve vehicle performance and the driving experience. COBB Tuning’s range of products and services include Honda, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Nissan and Subaru. COBB Tuning is Engineered Performance.

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