[Big Al]

Been lookingat improved MPG through remapping and just watched a fifth gear episode where they tried to improve consumption because of rising fuel prices. They used a VW on a circular test track with a measured gallon offuel and recorded the distance.To reduce fuel they removed excess weight like the spare wheel and jack, fitted it with low drag economical running tyres and gave it a remap MPG based, for a cost of £350. A repeat identical run was done on the test track and they where about 2 miles shorter than the first gallon so not even as good MPG. The out come was the remap was even detrimental to the economy, the technical bods did say they would expect a better result on bigger diesel engines but even so if you where to get a slightly better result how long would it take to get you're £350 backbefore you see a profit. [also if the remap gives more power and torque I would probably use it and push the juice through even faster].

 

[sccobyste]

just get a plug in module for £50 I had mine remapped and put it back to standard because the plug in module did the same job and I got a refund of £400
so for £50 get an italian plug in off ebay

 

[K.L.Richards]

sccobyste, post a link to the £50 chip you got ?


Is this a MPG tuning chip, and is it giving you impoved MPG ?

 

[Chindley]

Just ordered this, so I wiill let you know how it performs compared with my old one I had on my Mitsubishi L20o

 

[Chindley]

Just fitted my little box of tricks off ebay and did a 0-60 test in 9.1 seconds so great improvment there. not tested the MPG yet but it came back on the first run at 33 MPG which is what I was getting before, but now i have the extra power. I will turn the box down abit and see if my economy goes up, but so far very impressed with the extra power.

 

[evo 370]

Have you told your insurance company about this little box? I was tempted to fit and not to tell, however if I had an accident and the box was found, I would imagine that the Insurance would not pay out, I therefore decided not to fix a tuning box.

 

[Chindley]

Not told them. It takes under 2 mins to take off so if the car had to go in I would just remove it, and if the accident was that bad that it was smashed up the likelyhood of an insurance assesor finding it is slim to none.

 

[K.L.Richards]

Not really Chindley, especially as you have now posted that on here....


You have to be careful about what you post on line, it can come back to bite you.



Anyway, I'm still dubious about the claims. How can it increase HP yet reduce MPG.



And what does it do to the engine and other mechanical parts. Surely, if like the ads say, just re-programming the ECU gives better MPG, then why wouldn't the manufacturer do it in the first place and increase sales over their competitors. I'm just confused about the whole thing....

 

[Big Al]

have you been reading my posts?

 

[K.L.Richards]

yep...

 

[Chindley]

have a read of this.
http://www.articlealley.com/article_760073_32.html

 

[Big Al]

I have read Anna Barrington's article of her views, and I will give you mine for what they are worth. Regarding so called de-tuning it's down to a thing called inertial mass. Compression ignition (diesel) engines fire due to a compression ratio significantly higher than petrol engines. So all engine components have to be stronger to withstand it. Stronger means bigger/heavier. That coupled with the higher compression ratio means a bigger bang. The bigger bang per cycle means a less smooth revs it's countered with a greater size flywheel to smooth out the individual firing pulses.So, you have a bigger bang, stronger components and heavier flywheels and were back to the mass. Higher revving would literally fly the engine apart. So all diesel engines are governed and have safety margins for good engine life. So up the fuel = lumpier engine and reduced engine life or go the whole hog and you can push a diesel to destruction, old diesels had to be governed the governing now is done by the ecu which you are fooling. The amount of air, and fuel injected into the engine is not some random amount as suggested by the article but a highly regulated amount mainly regulated by the air flow meter to give the most power and economy for the amount of fuel used. So if you fool the injectors to put in more diesels, yes you get a bigger bang but you are also running rich [more soot for the dcp to remove] less economical and running lumpy because the flywheel is not designed for it. And as for getting more economy on acceleration because you don't have to put you're foot down as hard the car moves quicker with very little throttle. That's right you only have to touch the throttle slightly because you're little box is pushing the fuel in by the bucket full So diesel engines will run to destruction its not de-tuning its preserving engine life and economy. Effortless acceleration, no banging extra juice through to make it look that way. The captive is getting bad press for not very good fuel economy so why not fit a magic box to them all and save the new purpose built captive engine they must have spent millions to develop, but no the new model is throwing out that engine and fitting it with the Kia 2.2 more economical engine. Come on lads can you not see the elephant in the room!!! That's me done on this topic, if you all still want to by a box don't forget my offer of being able to live for ever for a £5.00.

 

[Big Al]

Sorry called the particulate filter, DCP instead of DPF.

 

[jegrugby]

Hmmm. The article seems to be talking about changing ecu maps, and then mentions plug-in boxes. I can understand a remap changing injector timing, but not a plug-in box that interfaces between common rail pressure sensor and ecu. Any more detailled descriptions of diesel mapping about?

 

[Big Al]

Read my first post regarding an actual fifth gear test did with a re-map trying to get more MPG. Getting more power is easy, getting more MPG is not. I am definitely not posting on re-maps and plug ins again. Instead tell Chevrolet how to improve there discarded engine !!!

 

[Chindley]

If thet don't work and are so bad for you vehicle why do Brabus fit them to Mercedes and Mitsubishi supply them from the dealer as a Ralliart upgrade? I understand that there is more pressure etc. on the engine but you dont drive the vehicle with your foot down to the floor all the time, if i'm going to work and trawling through traffic at 30 MPH surely there is the same amount of pressure in the engine to do 30MPH whether you have the box fitted or not, just less revs to get there and therefore less fuel. I think it's just down to personal preference, I like to have that power there if I need it when trying to get out at my local Kamikazee island and had the Ralliart box fitted to My Mitsubishi for 3 years with no problems what so ever.

 

[Big Al]

I thought the main title for these posts is re-map for improved MPG. What does the Brabus do to the gallon???? Why don't Chevrolet fit them????

 

[jegrugby]

Hey Big Al, I thought you were the expert on remaps and things, hence when I dont understand an article on the web, I post it and hope you will answer.
I must come clean though, I have had my Cap remapped and the fuel economy seems better. As mentioned elsewhere, it wasshowing 49.5 mpg after a refuel with a hot engine, but now cold it has dropped to around 40mpg with shortish runs. Since I am still looking at fuel consumption, I have not given it a good booting, but it seems slightly more lively with the economy right foot.

 

[Chindley]

I thought the main title for these posts is re-map for improved MPG. What does the Brabus do to the gallon???? Why don't Chevrolet fit them????

Sorry didn't realise I was hijacking the post, I thought it was relevent.

 

[Big Al]

Sorry Jegrugby and Chindley for sounding a bit short, I have done mechanical and electrical engineering but don't claim to be an expert. Its just my opinion that by using plug in boxes and re-maps you can up you re power and torque but are eroding the safety margins. Its up to the driver but if the claims of 30% increase of torque is regularly used expect long term trouble from syncro baulk rings,clutches, gear box bearingsand torque converters. My main problem is getting better MPG, If you can get to 30mph with less revs you do it with more torque, you get more torque by more fuel being injected by your little box. [Energy cannot be created or destroyed it can only be changed]. If you have the capability to getmore power that's great, and in my case Iwould end up using it, but if I put the box on to give me better economy I think that would be out the window. So put one on if you want more power but be aware of possible damage and also be prepared for your economy to go down not up, and don't believe claims when money and salesare involved.