Remapping

Bluefoam

I'm looking to buy a new (second-hand) car this week & would like to know what the benefits and pitfalls (if any) of remapping.

pinkmonkey

What is remapping??

bazz26

pinkmonkey wrote: »

What is remapping??

Generally it is increasing the performance of the car's engine by downloading software to the car's ECU or onboard computer.

Eoin

Is it petrol or diesel, and what type of car? I haven't heard of any bad reports from people who have had their diesel cars remapped, but have from people who have had their petrol cars remapped - including one case of the car losing some BHP. While some petrol cars may not get any actual gains in BHP, it can get rid of flat spots. I'd say it all depends on the car itself.

voxpop

On diesels, the only real worry is the clutch going. Also get it done by someone who know what they are at

Eoin

Would there not be more increased wear on any parts of the engine?

Bluefoam

One of the cars I am considering is an Alfa 147, the 120bhp one. It's been suggested that I get a remap, but I'm not sure what difference it would make to an engine that size...

Cyrus

a remap on a normally aspirated car, unless its a performance car, is largely useless.

Diesel cars respond well as they are turbos so they change the boost, ditto for turbo petrol cars.

voxpop

eoin_s wrote: »

Would there not be more increased wear on any parts of the engine?

There is increased wear if you rag the sh1t out of it - otherwise its the same. Again a good remapper wont take the car to its maximum it will take it to the max without causing problems (eg pipes blowing off due to increase turbo pressure, etc)

Bluefoam

Thanks Cyrus, would the same apply to chipping?

voxpop

Bluefoam wrote: »

One of the cars I am considering is an Alfa 147, the 120bhp one. It's been suggested that I get a remap, but I'm not sure what difference it would make to an engine that size...

all I can find from one remapping site is

Alfa Romeo 147 1.9 JTD 115
Power 115 hp ->145 hp
Torque 203 ft/lb->240 ft/lb

Cyrus

Bluefoam wrote: »

Thanks Cyrus, would the same apply to chipping?

same thing yeah,

unless its a turbo/supercharged engine its a waste of cash

Eoin

Bluefoam wrote: »

Thanks Cyrus, would the same apply to chipping?

Is it not essentially the same thing?

biggus

Yes its the same its "remapping the Chip"

Eoin

biggus wrote: »

Yes its the same its "remapping the Chip"

I think in some cars, a chip had to be physically installed, but now you can access the ECU directly.

voxpop

As I understand it, Chipping is physically replacing the ECU, while remapping is connecting to the current ECU and changing settings. Dont think chipping is done anymore really (except for older cars)

ToxicPaddy

I have a an Audi A6 1.8T and shes 150bhp iirc, would it be worth remapping this?

Someone I know who has an A4 that they got a considerable increase in power when they got theirs remapped.

He hasnt got his that long so dunno if I should wait and see if the car lasts or if I should take the same route..

Also fancy keeping my license and the temptation to develop a heavy right foot
might be there if I get that serious increase in power under

Anyone have the same car and got theirs remapped???

Tox

pred racer

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

I have a an Audi A6 1.8T and shes 150bhp iirc, would it be worth remapping this?

Someone I know who has an A4 that they got a considerable increase in power when they got theirs remapped.

He hasnt got his that long so dunno if I should wait and see if the car lasts or if I should take the same route..

Also fancy keeping my license and the temptation to develop a heavy right foot
might be there if I get that serious increase in power under

Anyone have the same car and got theirs remapped???

Tox

My cousin has an octavia rs (same engine as yours right?) he got his mapped up to 180 about 3 years ago with no issues. Well except licence keeping issues.

Neilw

A4 1.8t will remap to around 195bhp but with around 250lb/ft torque, a very good increase. 1.8t engine is well able to handle the extra power.

The octavia rs is 180bhp standard and will remap to around 210-220bhp.

eden_my_ass

Looking at bringing in a 100bhp Clio 1.5 Dci from the UK, and would love to remap it (up to approx 125) but it seems to me the price of remapping doesn't sound appropriate at all, I've got quotes of 380 to essentially hook up a laptop to an obd port and update a piece of software?? I mean the remapping databases sound like common enough ones as every site states the same remap for this Clio, so is the whole thing a rip off.....or is there a cheaper way?

shayser

What about wheel spin in the wet, and torque steer over 200bhp, on FWD?

Gumbo

eden_my_ass wrote: »

Looking at bringing in a 100bhp Clio 1.5 Dci from the UK, and would love to remap it (up to approx 125) but it seems to me the price of remapping doesn't sound appropriate at all, I've got quotes of 380 to essentially hook up a laptop to an obd port and update a piece of software?? I mean the remapping databases sound like common enough ones as every site states the same remap for this Clio, so is the whole thing a rip off.....or is there a cheaper way?

well to get a tuning box fitted with a K&N panel filter into a D4D avensis its €640, so i think your quote is very good. who did you get it off?

Gumbo

shayser wrote: »

What about wheel spin in the wet, and torque steer over 200bhp, on FWD?

you just have to learn how to control it, my old DC2 Integra Type R had 210bhp and 155 torques and yes it would spin all day in the wet in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear unless you knew how to control the throttle!

sure in the wet an 80bhp punto would spin all day!!

Ferris

Put in a Limited slip diff, like the one in this alfa:

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article844615.ece

craichoe

voxpop wrote: »

As I understand it, Chipping is physically replacing the ECU, while remapping is connecting to the current ECU and changing settings. Dont think chipping is done anymore really (except for older cars)

No, its not.

Chipping means installing a chip to fool the current sensors making the ECU engage the Boost earlier. Chipping can lead to cars burning too lean/rich.

Remapping is reprogramming the ECU to modify everything, boost, fuel injection, air intake etc.

Remapping is a far more complex process that chipping, A "chip" you buy off eBay essentially consists of a capacitor and a switch, not worth the 30 quid you'll pay for it.

A remap needs to be tested and tweaked, you can't just "load on a new remap" The engine will have different characteristics depending on age and driver preference.

voxpop

craichoe wrote: »

No, its not.

Chipping means installing a chip to fool the current sensors making the ECU engage the Boost earlier. Chipping can lead to cars burning too lean/rich.

Remapping is reprogramming the ECU to modify everything, boost, fuel injection, air intake etc.

Remapping is a far more complex process that chipping, A "chip" you buy off eBay essentially consists of a capacitor and a switch, not worth the 30 quid you'll pay for it.

A remap needs to be tested and tweaked, you can't just "load on a new remap" The engine will have different characteristics depending on age and driver preference.

Jeysus calm down there horse. Im not promoting chipping over remapping or buying anything from ebay, just trying the answer the guys question. As I suggested in a previous post on this tread, nearly the most important aspect of a remap is the person doing it

BTW nicked this from another site : "Chip Tuning: This is where we replace your existing EPROM (Chip) inside your car’s DME (E.C.U) for a Chip, which has a modified file programmed onto it." - Not really a DIY job. Think you are getting worked up about tuning boxes that can be got from ebay which are sh1te

craichoe

voxpop wrote: »

Jeysus calm down there horse. Im not promoting chipping over remapping or buying anything from ebay, just trying the answer the guys question. As I suggested in a previous post on this tread, nearly the most important aspect of a remap is the person doing it

BTW nicked this from another site : "Chip Tuning: This is where we replace your existing EPROM (Chip) inside your car’s DME (E.C.U) for a Chip, which has a modified file programmed onto it."

The terminology is incorrect .. replacing an EEPROM in your ECU is a remap. Your not replacing the ECU (Which would be quite expensive 700+) your just replacing an EEPROM which is non flashable memory.

Sorry if i came off as as rude or whatever, thats just what Chipping and Remapping mean.

eden_my_ass

kceire wrote: »

well to get a tuning box fitted with a K&N panel filter into a D4D avensis its €640, so i think your quote is very good. who did you get it off?

A crowd up in Kildare, but thats a standard price for a remap, which as I said involves no hardware, just a reprogram of the ECU....maybe as some of the lads have said, the remap must be slightly adjusted for each individual car, which might justify the lads time and expertise, I was assuming it was more of a "PRESS BUTTON TO LOAD CLIO 2 1.5DCI 100 REMAP" kind of situation, in our rip off culture you come to expect such things

Cyrus

they have to buy the maps before they can load them on, the maps cost them money, they add a margin plus the cost of their time.

eden_my_ass

Cyrus wrote: »

they have to buy the maps before they can load them on, the maps cost them money, they add a margin plus the cost of their time.

Sure I can picture the economics, I just wonder how big that margin is, considering you buy a set of maps once, it covers a lot of models which won't change that often in design, maybe its a cosy cartel of price setting, since I remember someone commenting before that a lot of these operations may have started as franchises....still its probably worth it I guess, probably

Ferris

craichoe wrote: »

The terminology is incorrect .. replacing an EEPROM in your ECU is a remap. Your not replacing the ECU (Which would be quite expensive 700+) your just replacing an EEPROM which is non flashable memory.

Sorry if i came off as as rude or whatever, thats just what Chipping and Remapping mean.

Physically replacing the eprom is known as 'chipping' (Up to 2004 VAG 1.8T's need to have the chip swapped). Remapping is either reflashing the standard EPROM with a new map (Usually fueling maps) or changing the setpoints on the rev limiter and existing fuel maps. Most diesels are tuned like this. When audi updated the map on my dads car they didn't take out the ecu or anything, they just loaded in a new program with a laptop.

eden_my_ass wrote: »

A crowd up in Kildare, but thats a standard price for a remap, which as I said involves no hardware, just a reprogram of the ECU....maybe as some of the lads have said, the remap must be slightly adjusted for each individual car, which might justify the lads time and expertise, I was assuming it was more of a "PRESS BUTTON TO LOAD CLIO 2 1.5DCI 100 REMAP" kind of situation, in our rip off culture you come to expect such things

Some places are like this and you can even buy programs off ebay etc to do this. The better places develop their maps with the manufacturer, like superchips do with volkswagen for example. Custom remapping/chip tuning for individual cars is specialised and expensive and is usually restricted to cars that already have been tuned (hardware) or jap imports with turbos due to irelands lower octane fuel.