Remap questions

[evilsatan]

I am looking at having my car remapped, few reasons for this really, if I can get some more power out of it I will stick with it for a while longer whilst I save for a sportier car, apparently I can get better efficiency too (I need to work out if I want power or efficiency), I can have the EGR errors permanently removed so no EML for it as it is blanked.

It is a 2005 Ford Focus MKII 2.0 TDCI, apparently most maps can get another 30bhp out the engine and more torque too.

What are my options? I have found loads of sites that offer the maps where it seems the garage reads mine, mods it then writes the modded map (£300-400). Some offer boxes that you plug in and can play with yourself (£80), others like blufin (£320) are pre-modded and you just write them to the car.

I have a OBDII to USB, can this be used to read/write the maps? Some places offer custom maps but you just send them the file and they mod it for you to write back.

Any opinions and guidance appreciated, I don't usually modify my cars (other than ICE) but the EML pisses me off when I know it's not a real problem.

I have 2 more errors which are overboost and underboost which have occured since I replaced my faulty pressure boost sensor with an aftermarket part, can the thresholds be modded to stop this error too?

Cheers

EDIT: BTW I'm happy to pay for a pro to do it if it's a good job, I'm going to see the benefit and it's not too costly!!

[DavidF]

From what I have read you need to get a pro job done for it to be worthwhile. A pro job is where you take the car to them and they stick your car on a rolling road and take live readings from your ecu and they then remap according to your car...they then re-test on the rolling road and retune.....they do this until its "perfect". Some places may even advise you to replace certain parts such as upgrade your brakes/clutch/injectors ect.....apparently in some cases a good remap means the parts on your car are no longer upto the job.
The chip box's are "ok" but are not in the same league as a pro tune above....mainly because 1 size does not fit all. Same with the tuning files you can download online or buy from ebay ect.....they are just a quickly put together 1 size fits all remap. Some of the ebay ones have been reported to "brick" your ecu = heartache and a big bill....would have been cheaper getting a pro job ect. Same again if you do go DIY if you have even a perfect file for your engine....if you either make a mistake while writing that file or the connection between your laptop and the ecu somehow drops (been known to happen)...then once again you are left with an expensive brick.
Whichever way you go bear in mind you "should" tell your insurance company....expect to be anally raped once you inform them.....apart from all that though if done correctly this can make you feel as if you are driving a new car.

[akimba]

Whichever way you go bear in mind you "should" tell your insurance company....expect to be anally raped once you inform them.....apart from all that though if done correctly this can make you feel as if you are driving a new car.

My insurance is to go up by about £70 a year if I remap my car so I wouldn't worry too much on that front ;-)

[evilsatan]

I thought the cheap solutions would be snake oil or dangerous but would £300-400 pay for a 'pro' job? My main concern is the EML light for resale value, I know the faults that are persistently being logged aren't a problem and are caused by the replacement MAP sensor and blanked EGR. Whilst having that fixed I might as well have had more performance and efficiency. I will contact some local garages and see what they can do unless anyone has a recommendation in Essex?

[Over Carl]

To read and write the flash yourself you would probably need something like a Galletto (clone). I've found a piece of SW called ECUSafe that claims to be able to remove EGR but I've also seen a lot of bad reviews so I wouldn't want to use this myself. Chiptuning probably would be done in WinOLS, but I haven't got a clue where to start with that.

[evilsatan]

Yeah I didn't seriously think about doing it myself, was more the question of can I have a remap done by a pro and flash myself if geographically no-one was around here but thanks to the gary boys in Southend Essex is full of places that offer the service. I'm not looking to tune my car to it's limits as I have not, and don't intend to, upgraded any parts for performance. I will buy a sportier car for all of that, this is to just give it a bit of a boost without putting too much strain on any existing parts seeing as I will be paying for a remap to get the EML sorted.

[stevo25]

115 or 130 bhp? i have a plug in kit for my old 115 bhp mondeo sat at home

[reverend]

I'm not sure if this applies to Ford but on the VAGs you can buy Chinese clone cables of the software that does the ECU programming, then you do the ECU read yourself, email it off to someone like http://www.blacksmoke.co.uk/index.htm and they change the map and send it back.

I personally used Will at Performance Torque in the West Birmingham earlier, he knows his stuff for sure. It's more expensive but you also get a dyno run and to be honest it's been lovely and smooth which his maps are known for - although as everything is totally custom you just say how you want it and he'll do it within the limits of your car!

I had a generic APR remap on the previous car and basically someone came to the house, plugged in their computer and read the existing map, and then emailed it off and sat there for an hour and when it came back they just uploaded it.

I think it costs around 50 quid for a map and to be honest without looking at them I'm really not sure if they're generic or actually your base map tweaked.

A lot of people are happy with generic maps but if they're too aggressive it'll just highlight the next weakest part of your car - whether that is the turbo, rods, injectors, clutch or gearbox who knows!

[evilsatan]

Fairly sure it's the 130

[ant3b]

http://www.midlandremaps.co.uk/ try this site £179 and a lot of the vxr chaps on vxronline use him and recommend him.

I wouldn't do it myself

[stevo25]

Fairly sure it's the 130

pity, you could have tried it to see what you think

[evilsatan]

Shame he is out of my area Just checked and I have the 136bhp model.

[ant3b]

Shame he is out of my area Just checked and I have the 136bhp model.

Can you not travel to him :-)

[evilsatan]

Don't fancy a 6 hour round trip I am waiting to hear from Essex garages atm, have found one in South London too. For the over/underboost I will try to source an original spec MAP sensor and clear the codes.

[ant3b]

Didn't think you was that far mate fair enough

[consoles]

I had my disco 2 remapped 136bhp stock to 169 pulled like a train, but soon needed a new clutch lol
deffo have it done on a rolling rd as they check the car for issues before doing anything then map it as the car is rolling also most bhp quoted is flywheel bhp not bhp to the wheels which is far less than the flywheel bhp.

[evilsatan]

AMD Thurrock are supposed ot be excellent but £399 for remap and no mention of EGR soft delete. I have also messaged Rally Tec who came recommended. Fingers crossed...

[Mobileman]

AMD essex are the boys to speak to


BALLS JUST READ ABOVE

[tigro]

I had my A5 remapped when my DPF failed to regenerate. I had the DPF removed and had the ECU remapped.

I got an extra 60 BHP from the remap and 20 BHP from the DPF removal. In total I gained 80 BHP which now stands at 320 BHP in a diesel

I do noticed better MPG if I drive sensibly but once you feel the extra power you tend not to hold back with your foot to the pedal. Personally I think the car runs better than it ever has since I had it mapped. I say go for it.

[evilsatan]

If my DPF was to fail I'd remove it but for the time being it will stay put. I had to have the DPF serviced a couple of years ago (before I knew about removing it) and from memory it came to over £200!