2.5T CX-5 Piggyback

:
'22 X3 M40i
Burger Motorsports is considering developing one of their JB4 piggybacks for the 2.5T. Below is the response I recieved to my inquiry this weekend. I suspect they could be persuaded to hurry it along if they heard from a number of the members on this forum. I'm also going to post this on the Mazda 6 and CX-9 pages. For those of you not familiar with BMS and their JB4, check out any of the BMW forums. I've had good experience with their products on my 335i and Cooper S. Obviously a piggyback isn't the perfect tuning solution, but when you consider geographic limitations it's nice to have a DIY option that doesn't require access to a dyno and reputable tuner.

Email from BMS:

Hello, actually the newer Mazda 2.5T's are a motor we are looking into.* There is no exact time frame but it's on our radar so keep your eyes peeled.* *We don't offer JB+'s on non BMW models often so it would most likely be a stage 1 or JB4.* N54tech our forum would be the best place to check for updates.* You can also join our newsletter at the bottom of the website as we would also post updates on that as well.**


Thank you,*


BMS


Burgertuning.com
 
A piggy back would be great, especially if they have a wiring harness to go with it. No soldering needed, and a plug and play could possibly allow a stealthy way of still keeping a warranty. Hmm.
 
It*s called a piggy back because rather than replacing the ECU with an aftermarket one, this tuner goes inline between the stock computer and the vehicle. Therefore it *hitches a ride* on the OEM components and referred to as a piggy back (which is a common reference when requiring two individual items to have the same effect as a single item).
 
So how does this differ from an ECU Tune I've read about here?

There's a company that provides the initial software that you load, then you attach your laptop to the OBD2 post (laptop software & cables provided) to capture data as you drive around. You send the file that process creates to them and they send you the final software that's specific to your engine to upload. No hardware is involved.

How does a piggyback differ?

The one advantage it might have is that you can remove it as desired (if I understand correctly) if you're worried about warranty implications.
 
Correct. It's plug and play. Very simple for an enthusiast to install and uninstall. No laptop or technical support required. In my opinion, the ideal setup for anyone looking for a conservative bump in performance from a daily driver.
 
To be fair, I've never loaded a tune from a laptop. I'm more of a mechanically inclined person. Someone with more of a tech background may disagree and say the downloaded tune is the easier way to go.
 
To be fair, I've never loaded a tune from a laptop. I'm more of a mechanically inclined person. Someone with more of a tech background may disagree and say the downloaded tune is the easier way to go.
A flash is easier, however, a piggy back is easier on the user as far as hiding it because of the plug and play. Obviously, a stand alone is the best because it replaces the whole ecu.

On my cars and cars Ive helped tune, I ran a flash for basics, piggy back (Greddy emanage, Cobb, Hondata) for finer tuning, and a stand alone for whatever you want a and need (AEM (my fav), Apexi FC).

All in all, I hope to see several platforms available for these engines. Im definitely a buyer.
 
So how does this differ from an ECU Tune I've read about here?

There's a company that provides the initial software that you load, then you attach your laptop to the OBD2 post (laptop software & cables provided) to capture data as you drive around. You send the file that process creates to them and they send you the final software that's specific to your engine to upload. No hardware is involved.

How does a piggyback differ?

The one advantage it might have is that you can remove it as desired (if I understand correctly) if you're worried about warranty implications.

This is perfect for you. I thought of you as soon as I saw it posted.
 
I've had a JB1 on my 2017 VW GTI and have a JB4 on 2018 Audi A4. By far the biggest bang for your buck you can do in modding your car for more power. 35-45 HP gains without even breaking a sweat. The JB1 can be installed/removed in less than 10 minutes if need be. A JB4 is a little more complicated with more wires passing through the firewall but has alot more parameters that can be tweaked.

Some of the comments above make me laugh (in a good way) The Mazda crowd is a tad behind in the Turbo scene. Just take a look at GolfMk7.com or Audizine to see how crazy modding 2.0T engines can get. There are a lot of 500-600HP Golf R's running out there and jut about every modern GTI or Audi is running some kind of tune - be it a piggyback or true ECU tune.

In some ways its great NOT having turbo's as it can be quite a deep ( and expensive) rabbit hole to run down - hence why I bought my wife a non -turbo CX-5 as I know I would just run down the hole like every other turbo car I have ever had!
 
We had a JB4 on our 135 and boy was that fun. Looks like there's a possibility of two options in the future if it works out, VersaTune and now Burger Motorsports. Really interested to see if Burger Motorsports is able to apply it to other Mazda 2.5T platforms including our CX-5. On the flip side I'm also curious as to what support VersaTune will bring to the table. But it would also be nice to see Cobb not limit its support to just the MazdaSpeed 3. But then again, it seems like there's not much of a tuning crowd in Mazda's current lineup.
 
Last edited:
I have been watching their forum and have seen that they are now in Alpha testing at Burger Motorsports.

Anyone else following this or on the alpha? I was wondering if it really requires more effort to access the TMAP on the intercooler? Either way I'm excited to see that there is progress, just wasn't sure if anyone had volunteered for the alpha test.
Mazda 2.5L Turbo JB4 Development
 
Interesting. Didn’t know there was another tuning option out there for Mazda. After having an APR tune for my VW it was fun until smog came around and having to deal with reflashing to stock. I’d prefer something I can either switch tunes with on the spot such as Cobb or remove when smog time comes around such JB4.
 
Back