OT: Engine remaps

[Jimk]

Or the insurance co. doesn't twig....

[Jimk]

Burning oil is blue smoke... White is coolant.... Black is soot...

[R D S]

I've always tried to buy cars with enough poke, but we bought a Volvo

1.6 diesel because it was a pretty colour and free road tax.

I've not enjoyed it at all, i'd say it was so flat on the bottom end that it's dangerous to drive especially when pulling into traffic and have been thinking of getting shut.

Anyway, we had it remapped and it's a totally different car, pulls much better and if you put the effort in it's actually more economical than ever.

I've always been a sceptic but pleased with the results. Just hoping it doesn't blow up.

[Tim+]

I?ve certainly followed some quick BMW diesels that have been *really* smoky. Could just have been faulty but I have my suspicions...

Tim

[newshound]

White or black smoke? White because they have been thrashed and are burning oil?

[Tim+]

Black as a over-fuelling diesel.

Tim

[Brian Reay]

The theory/claim behind remaps is that the 'standard' map in the engine is a 'one size fits all' - not only in terms of overall performance (balancing economy, engine output, stress etc) but also the characteristics of the individual engine.

By 'tweaking' things, the remap can adjust the trade off and, possibly to an extent, allow for the characteristics of 'your' engine. How much the difference latter makes with modern production techniques is open to debate. How much difference in real terms is there between your Volvo engine and the next one off the production line- or even one made a month before?

Certainly remapping is popular in some quarters. Some motorhomers have their engines remapped - especially those who have bought the less powerful versions and found they'd like a bit more 'umpf' or even economy. I've never bothered, I opted to go for the more powerful version originally, at least in our current MH as it is heavier- mainly as it is less complicated insurance wise.

As for damaging the engine, I suspect if the tweaking is modest then the chances of damage are modest. As I understand it, some more powerful versions of the same vehicle use the same basic engine but the extra power is gained by changing either tuning and/or ancillaries. That suggests the basic engine has some safety margin.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Quite. Just drive along the M4 out of London to where it leaves the overhead part and becomes 70 mph to see all the diesels smoke when the foot goes down. Make sure you set the ventilation to re-circ first.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Remapping a diesel usually involves increasing the turbo boost.

Remapping a modern non turbo engine very unlikely to make much difference. Apart from in the bar.

[bert]

In article <DdSdndNR-rI [e-mail]>, Jimk [e-mail] writes

They're getting wise to that now and it is often a question on the application form

[bert]

Manufacturers make a standard engine. They then set the mapping to give

2 or 3 different power outputs and then charge gullible customers as if it were a different physical engine. Just like they used to charge extra for a few cheap fittings in L GL GLS versions.

[T i m]

<snip>

I thought it has been a question on the application for years?

'Is this vehicle modified'?

This even includes adding stripes but doesn't seem to include adding a towbar.

Cheers, T i m

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

Or the injector open period.

It can make a considerable difference to the power and/or the drivability of a car.

[The Natural Philosopher]

The same diesel goes in a LR disco or in a jaguar XF. The performmnce is massively dissimilar even allowing for the lack of second turbo.

I am sure they use mappings that suit the target market

[Tim+]

I suspect that there are very few non-turbo diesels around now (in new cars at least).

Tim

[Jethro_uk]

Is there such a thing as dynamic/learning remapping ? And if not, why not ? Surely it's too big a target for the fairies of "AI" to have missed by now ?

[Jethro_uk]

Going back, those distinctions were necessary for the company car market. So a deputy assistant under manager could have a car very slightly "better" than an assistant deputy assistant under manager.

I was amused to note that meant on a Montego a fuel warning *light* was part of the trim. A friend had the model with just a gauge. My we had some laughs running out of fuel ....

[alan_m]

Many cars may run rough or under perform if you remove the battery. The car needs to be driven for a period of time afterwards to relearn driver habits and/or a sequence of relearning events has to be undertaken.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

The Natural Philosopher was thinking very hard :

Correct!

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

Jethro_uk pretended :

Some petrols did, to a minor extent.