Does re-mapping/software/"chipping" etc. improve both performance and economy?

U

unknown123

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Location
johannesburg
Hi guys

I'm wondering if this upgrade really improves both performance and fuel economy. I mean doesn't it just sound a bit too good to be true? Yes I agree the software upgrade does improve performance. But does it really help for fuel consumption? Motoring companies like Audi,Bmw etc spend millions if not billions on making engines as fuel efficient as possible.

I've never had any first hand experience on this matter thus my question.

Any thoughts on this??
 
Manufacturers usually find the sweet spot when it comes to tuning a vehicle for multiple climates and countries. Software tuning companies in general should apply settings that would maximise potential output in their country/climate. I could be talking nonsense but that's my take on it!
 
I'm also actually looking to chip my car seeing as I haven't done it yet. I'm thinking of using Race Chip Pro. What car are you looking to tune?
 
I drive an audi with a chip. Afterwards it made a bit more power and i didn't really notice a change in fuel economy. Chipping is also dependent on the car you want chipped
 
gelid said:
I drive an audi with a chip. Afterwards it made a bit more power and i didn't really notice a change in fuel economy. Chipping is also dependent on the car you want chipped
Click to expand...

Which company did you use to chip your car? I've also got an Audi, it's an A4 2.0T 132kw.
 
Its been a while i don't remember but i think it was steves. its a unichip and now my 1.8t makes 160kw up from 155kw.
 
The people In The Know generally recommend you avoid chipping cars, because they end up putting cars under strains that they were never originally designed for. Every car is a finely tuned system that has been tested to be stable in exactly its current combination - add any device to that in order to extract more power, and you're going to incur at the very least additional wear and tear and at worst some sort of nasty complete failure.

The best cure for fuel efficiency is stop accelerating so hard ;) Seriously. It's cheaper than a chip: just use less of the right foot.
 
Why bother?

Unless you think some aftermarket chip-seller knows more about your car in typical driving conditions than your motor's maker. In which case, why did you get that car in the first place? Especially if you think the $100m they spent refining it was wasted...

Oh, tinkering can be fun. Do it anyway. Just keep that muffler quiet, please!
 
1. Power. Yes you can get more power.

The OEM tune is built around a wide spec of engine limits eg piston wall clearance etc. So it is slightly detuned from optimal performance. We all know that you can get a car that makes less power than the manufacturers spec and also one that makes more power. This is down to how well the engine was put together and whether the tolerances are close to optimal.

If you get a custom tune for your engine by a reputable tuner. You can make more power.

I will give you an example. We had a dyno day for the AWD cars. The dyno showed a 5wkw difference between stock standard cars of the same model car (running the same fuel).

2. Fuel economy (reduction in fuel usage)

On a normally aspirated car, this is debatable.

On a turbo charged car.

Some manufacturers run them rich in hot climates. This reduces the chance of det. With our poor fuel, local OEM ecu tunes are usually rich.

WRT the above

If you reduce the A/F (air/fuel leaner), the car will make more power.

So it is possible to see a reduction in fuel consumption(if you drive it at the same speed)

The other issue is emission control. OEMs tune to reduce emissions. Aftermarket calibrates the tune for more power.

3. Once you mod anything, it is out of warranty, if it breaks you have to pay. You pay to play, and school fess can be high(with the wrong tuner)

4. Off the shelf tunes - I don't like them. This does not mean they do not work.

5. I don't see the point of retuning a stock engine.
 
I know. Id also get more power and economy of i do the exhaust but i like it quiet. I'm just going leave it as is for now
 
Chipping/Remapping on a standard motor is only of any use on a forced induction motor. The map is basically just upping the boost pressure. Trading increased torque for longevity. Yes it could adjust A/F, timing, etc but that is a 2% torque change not 20%.

On a modified car the chip/remap could allow the ecu take the modifications into account.

The notion that cars have a general map and that the tunner is going to fine tune for your specific engine based on its tolerances is false. Management systems have sensors for negative feedback loops which allows them to adapt to the variations from motor to motor and further adapt as the motor wears.
 
gelid said:
Its been a while i don't remember but i think it was steves. its a unichip and now my 1.8t makes 160kw up from 155kw.
Click to expand...

SAC + Unichip = EPIC fail. You can get way better value for money.

Ok, to answer the question, YEs, a decent map will improve performance AND fuel consumption, but it all does depend on your driving style. Your increased power to weight ratio is what helps with both. With my Stage two remap on my Fiesta ST, I find if I drive within limits it is extremely fuel efficient. That being said, put the hammer down, and it will drink more fuel than a car with a stock map.
 
Last edited:
Drifter said:
SAC + Unichip = EPIC fail. You can get way better value for money.

Ok, to answer the question, YEs, a decent map will improve performance AND fuel consumption, but it all does depend on your driving style. Your increased power to weight ratio is what helps with both. With my Stage two remap on my Fiesta ST, I find if I drive within limits it is extremely fuel efficient. That being said, put the hammer down, and it will drink more fuel than a car with a stock map.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. How much could I expect to pay on a decent map? I'm thinking of buying a 1.9 polo tdi (96kw) and of course I'll like more power. I've seen companies saying they'll get power up into the 120kw's with mountains of torque
 
unknown123 said:
Hi guys

I'm wondering if this upgrade really improves both performance and fuel economy. I mean doesn't it just sound a bit too good to be true? Yes I agree the software upgrade does improve performance. But does it really help for fuel consumption? Motoring companies like Audi,Bmw etc spend millions if not billions on making engines as fuel efficient as possible.

I've never had any first hand experience on this matter thus my question.

Any thoughts on this??
Click to expand...

Manufacturers have to conform to a hundred and one treehugger and noise regulations which aftermarket modders don't.

But it highly depends on the original car and how good/bad it was running and whether that was improved with modification or not.

There is always going to be less reliability from a higher powered (moddded car) using the same components. The question is just whether that loss of reliability makes a real world difference or simply amounts to a paper value.

A tuner would customize your car for exactly the climate/sea level that it operates in which already makes a huge difference. Car manufacturers can't do that and have to work on very dynamic settings.

You probably won't gain too much from chipping an NA car, there are better/harder/more expensive ways to do that, but a Turbocharged car is easy to get gains from but then reliability is a question as well.
 
Last edited:
gelid said:
Its been a while i don't remember but i think it was steves. its a unichip and now my 1.8t makes 160kw up from 155kw.
Click to expand...

5kw gain?:D LOL
How much did you pay for that lousy figures?
 
Foxhound5366 said:
The people In The Know generally recommend you avoid chipping cars, because they end up putting cars under strains that they were never originally designed for. Every car is a finely tuned system that has been tested to be stable in exactly its current combination - add any device to that in order to extract more power, and you're going to incur at the very least additional wear and tear and at worst some sort of nasty complete failure.

The best cure for fuel efficiency is stop accelerating so hard ;) Seriously. It's cheaper than a chip: just use less of the right foot.
Click to expand...

My bike has been fitted with an aftermarket exhaust and remapped appropriately while also maintaining it's warranty (they are less full of *** than car manufacturers).

I've gotten about a 5% gain although a wee bit of a loss in low revs torque.

Fuel economy has dropped from 5.6 - 5.8 down to 5.3 - 5.5.

Granted that could very well also have to do with the fact that I might subconsciously not ride it as hard due to it making a nicer noise, but even when I've spanked it all day the fuel figures have been quite low.

Same story with previous bike. Remapped, Filter free flowed and exhaust swopped out and fuel economy figures went down with 0.2 - 0.4 per l/100km.
 
If you have a naturally aspirated car, there won't be much of a difference. With a diesel turbo, the difference is very noticeable.
 
DanH said:
Chipping/Remapping on a standard motor is only of any use on a forced induction motor. The map is basically just upping the boost pressure. Trading increased torque for longevity. Yes it could adjust A/F, timing, etc but that is a 2% torque change not 20%.
Click to expand...

I have no idea where you got the info.

Remapping a scoob

A stage 2 kit includes a freeflow exhaust

Stage 2 keeps boost stock. So they adjust timing and A/F Net 20-25kw gain.

Also my car made 50% more power at the wheels(mods + custom remap). I drove the car for ten years (no other engine mods) Regular servicing at 12500km. Zero issues.

A badly done mod, will have poor results.

Good tuner = money.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X