Chip tuning a diesel & DPF's
Discussion
I don't have any experience of a remap or a tuning box. I do however have five years professional experience tuning diesel engines for an engine manufacturer (with DPFs). Given the amount of time, effort and money we spend trying to get it right (and the consequences when we get it wrong in development), I wouldn't go near a tuning box or remap.
If your usage is somewhere nice and in the middle (long runs, high average speed but not heavily loaded/towing/high altitude) then you will probably get away with it. Probably being the key word. You'll get used to the extra power and any fuel savings will pale into insignificance compared to the potential costs of a repair.
If your usage is somewhere nice and in the middle (long runs, high average speed but not heavily loaded/towing/high altitude) then you will probably get away with it. Probably being the key word. You'll get used to the extra power and any fuel savings will pale into insignificance compared to the potential costs of a repair.
I had a tuning box on a 2.0 turbo diesel with DPF.
It made the car a bit quicker but nowhere near the increase in power it claimed (compared with a higher power version of the same car from the factory).
It fooled the mpg readout and showed a massive increase in mpg but when actually measured it was no different.
When I removed it I realised the car was only a bit slower but was a lot smoother and seemed to drive better, nothing huge but subtle differences.
I later had a drive of a similar car after it had been remapped on a rolling road. No comparison, the remapped car was way better than my car with the tuning box.
It made the car a bit quicker but nowhere near the increase in power it claimed (compared with a higher power version of the same car from the factory).
It fooled the mpg readout and showed a massive increase in mpg but when actually measured it was no different.
When I removed it I realised the car was only a bit slower but was a lot smoother and seemed to drive better, nothing huge but subtle differences.
I later had a drive of a similar car after it had been remapped on a rolling road. No comparison, the remapped car was way better than my car with the tuning box.
JT1300r said:
Hi
I have a Focus Econetic 1.6tdci, 2012 (touch wood no turbo issues covered 50k with 6k oil / filter changes). I appreciate these cars have power further reduced in 1st to protect the gearbox. I have a TCR Tuner Center (German) tuning box for this engine, new bought on a whim never fitted - apparently its intuitive and creates a map based on your driving? I want to fit it, not just for the +20% power increase, but also to see if the claims ref. more mpg when not using the extra power actually happen in real life. I don't want a remap as I've got the box. However after reading many articles I'm confused - some say no way with a DPF, others swear by them (by the way my Focus has a ceramic dpf and doen't have add blue or eloys etc. ) Any comments from people who have actual experience either way?
cheers
John
Marketing hype.I have a Focus Econetic 1.6tdci, 2012 (touch wood no turbo issues covered 50k with 6k oil / filter changes). I appreciate these cars have power further reduced in 1st to protect the gearbox. I have a TCR Tuner Center (German) tuning box for this engine, new bought on a whim never fitted - apparently its intuitive and creates a map based on your driving? I want to fit it, not just for the +20% power increase, but also to see if the claims ref. more mpg when not using the extra power actually happen in real life. I don't want a remap as I've got the box. However after reading many articles I'm confused - some say no way with a DPF, others swear by them (by the way my Focus has a ceramic dpf and doen't have add blue or eloys etc. ) Any comments from people who have actual experience either way?
cheers
John
Some tuning boxes are OK
Some are not.
There is no way it can "make a map based on your driving".
If it plugs into fuel pressure, MAP and sometimes MAF then I'd say try it.
Plenty of times you can remap or use a tuning box on a car with a DPF without any issue.
If you are prepared for it then a "custom" map would be a better option, I'd say around £300.
Personal experience.
Tuning box, more power.
DPF died after 15k of tuning box and well under usual mileage for the car (which did primarily diesel suitable journeys and not short stuff).
Would not touch with a barge pole ever again. Both diesel and tuning boxes. Cos also Turbo, rear diff and EGR all went at pretty much the same time as the DPF. My wallet bled and I limped it to trade in for a Golf.
Tuning box, more power.
DPF died after 15k of tuning box and well under usual mileage for the car (which did primarily diesel suitable journeys and not short stuff).
Would not touch with a barge pole ever again. Both diesel and tuning boxes. Cos also Turbo, rear diff and EGR all went at pretty much the same time as the DPF. My wallet bled and I limped it to trade in for a Golf.
Tried a well known tuning box on a previous car that just plugged into the common rail, did my research first and there seemed lots of happy customers online which is why I chose it.
It was a pile of s
te and I could not really tell any difference, it felt a little more responsive but not the increase it claimed.
Avoid them at all costs.
It was a pile of s
te and I could not really tell any difference, it felt a little more responsive but not the increase it claimed.Avoid them at all costs.
Scrump said:
I had a tuning box on a 2.0 turbo diesel with DPF.
It made the car a bit quicker but nowhere near the increase in power it claimed (compared with a higher power version of the same car from the factory).
It fooled the mpg readout and showed a massive increase in mpg but when actually measured it was no different.
When I removed it I realised the car was only a bit slower but was a lot smoother and seemed to drive better, nothing huge but subtle differences.
I later had a drive of a similar car after it had been remapped on a rolling road. No comparison, the remapped car was way better than my car with the tuning box.
I can concur with this I bought a vwt5 that I was told it was remaped but we found a tuning box fitted to it, it had more top end but lost the lower end and did not drive well, we removed it and had it remapped and it ran much better and still does, more power but I dont think its altered the fuel economy It made the car a bit quicker but nowhere near the increase in power it claimed (compared with a higher power version of the same car from the factory).
It fooled the mpg readout and showed a massive increase in mpg but when actually measured it was no different.
When I removed it I realised the car was only a bit slower but was a lot smoother and seemed to drive better, nothing huge but subtle differences.
I later had a drive of a similar car after it had been remapped on a rolling road. No comparison, the remapped car was way better than my car with the tuning box.
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