My experience with the Road-Race Piggy

I don't know how to start this so i'll just say what happened and my experience with this little (sometimes controversial) thing.

Rewind Back to September of 07 (when i first got the car)
I get some suspension mods, get me some performance parts (short-ram and their pulley) and i was very happy about the engine responding quicker to throttle input.

About a month later
I decide that with the extra funds i have i should get the piggy. Brian over at Road-Race installs the piggy, and im on my way. First impressions were that the upper range was where this thing showed some balls (come to realize it's because there was room for improvement in this range in the eyes of the guys' @ Road-Race) No noticeable gain in low-end punch (wasn't expecting it either). And the gas-mileage DID improve. But again. nothing really to write home about because there tends to be alot of variable's to a certain MPG number. (Was the AC on? CVT or stick? Tire pressure? Intake no intake? stuff like that....)


Fast-Forward to now.
I notice Rock make a comment that "people with the piggy can go to his shop for a free NEWER VERSION Piggy-reflash" Long story short, Brian again set up my car with the new reflash. I drive off. First Impression was WOW!!! Sorta felt like i had a new engine. I got to enjoy this newfound power for literally ONE DAY.
Driving home from work the very next day, my car went into "Limp-mode" I wouldnt wish Limp-mode on anyone. I honestly thought i was gonna be freakin' stuck at work and have to wait for a damn tow-truck. Luckily, I turned the car off, turned it back on, and preceded on my way home.
But something wasn't right. The car lost it's power (from the upper range stand-point). I knew the piggy was directly responsible for going limp because i had talked to Rock about it.


Solution
I get to Road Race and Brian jumps back onto his laptop and descibes to me that my Injen intake is most likely taking in too much air, or the air is coming in at a different velocity. Which will cause the ECU to get upset and then the car goes "Limp". Brian sets my piggy to the original value's before the reflash. Now my car is running great again and no hiccups ever since.

I see a little bit of confusion for those that don't quiet understand what this piggy does or what it's supposed to do. So i came to make a thread and tell you EXACTLY what went down with this little piggy.

The point of this thread is to say The piggy works On my way home from work (the day it limped) and on my trip over TO Road-Race i realized just how much this engine FELL ON IT'S FACE when i'd punch the car in the upper-range. I knew it was gone because after the tune by Brian the "surge" in the upper-range came back, once i left their lot

For people who don't like the piggy, i don't expect too much from ya but this thread is made in preperation for those who are 'considering' the piggy.

And i welcome all questions or comments. Because like i said, i'd never wish "limp-mode" on anyone. The reflash made my car trip out, but so far so good. 8)

 

By the way, i'd like to mention that the reflash was mearsured and calibrated with a lancer that had the Road-Race Short-ram intake. Brian and others did mention that those vehicles (equipped with the short-ram) were the ones used to calculate the "newer" reflash.

So since i had the injen cold-air intake i kinda shot myself in the foot to begin with.

 

yea it makes sense but two things:

1.I no longer own my Short-Ram intake (sold it)
2. And if the reflash did work for the shorty, i'd still be interested in having this cold-air for the whole range.

It's funny im still very much in limbo as to the effectiveness of this Cold-Air. I know for a fact the shorty responds quicker, but the Injen gets started later and seems to pull alot harder as the revs climb then the shorty. Ideally i should just tune the air coming in WITH the piggy. But i didnt have time to calibrate those values with Rob and Brian.

 

after i posted my explanation and saw you posted "nevermind" i was like ""awww damnit bras!" hahah

 

you would not experience limp-mode with the OG Piggy-back Flash but the REFLASH (the most recent one rock made available) was the setting i went limp.

The piggy with my cold air (just as it did before i got the reflash, performed excellently and without hiccups.) It was the re-tune (which subsequently was done with a short-ram intake) that did not agree with my Injen intake.

But rest assured the OG setting was placed back into action and so far it's as if nothing ever happened.

The funny thing is i never realized just HOW much this piggy helped with the top end until i lost it. and thanks for the kind words. i did type alot. haah but it was worth it. and it's the truth 8)

 

i thought of you when i was driving home from Road-Race after the 2nd reflash. thought to myself "damn this thing feels like a new car! i gotta tell serious he should defo consider sending his in for a reflash!" then the LOL-fail part. Then i thought different about PM'ing you. haha

But im waiting for this V2 of the shorty too. Im being dead serious when i say that (for the precious few moments i was enjoying the reflash) that the 4b really came awake.

 

-There was no general release date (at least that i saw)
Basically saw Rock mention that anyone who has their piggy can get their car reflashed for free. V2

-I'd actually (if i were you) hold off until Road-Race releases their 2nd version of the Short-ram Intake. Im not completely sold that this cold air is the best option out there (no low-end punch) but it does pull pretty hard once you get up the powerband. The short (im pretty sure any short-ram for that matter) will give you a nice, quick response (compared to the injen cold air).