Remapping

saker75

Hi all

After decades of car ownership I’ve only just discovered remapping. I think I understand in essence what it does. I have a 1.6 Mondeo estate 61 plate which feels very underpowered on steep rural hills - especially when cold. A remapping company has said they can increase BHP and Torque which I think would help. 

Questions -
It all feels a bit dodgy, is it? (The process not the company per se)
Does it affect car insurance / MOT?
Is it a fad or something only boy racers do?

Thanks!

S

Bigwheels1111

My friend has a kit car with a BMW 750i engine.
He has it mapped, mot, fuel economy, regular, speed and track.
He can change maps as he drives.
I know nothing about it to be honest.
This is in the ecu I believe.  No a box that you add.

motorguy

Has been pretty common for decades now and is a well trodden path.

I'd have no qualms at all about getting it done, if i had a car i felt could do with the boost!

I used to do it as a matter of course when i drove turbo diesels.  I think the first one i got done was a 1999 Passat 1.9TDI 110BHP.  

fatbelly

Some engines are more suited to this than others.

I have used Celtic Tuning at Newquay and found them very professional.

You can put your reg number in their website and see what they offer

If yours is the naturally aspirated 1.6 you'll be lucky to see an extra 10bhp.

Might be cheaper to get it serviced and run some redex through it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03nL8Z0dRkI

saker75

This is what they quoted based on my reg number:
- Engine Size/Type: 1.6
- Standard Power: 115 BHP 
- Standard Torque: 270 Nm

Power: Max 140 BHP (3 Options Available)
Torque: Max 330 Nm (3 Options Available)

Krakkkers

Only really works on turbo engines, is yours a turbo engine?

daveyjp

Simpler to change the car to a more powerful model.

Goudy

Yes, remapping turbo engines works better as it's fairly simple to increase boost pressure and match the fuelling and timing to that, basically force more air and fuel in.

Results from a non turbo engine are questionable, there's no ability to increase the air into the cylinders, so it's just altering the fuelling and timing really.

Quite often though you start stressing other parts.
Common rail diesels pumps can start to complain as they struggle to open the metering valve enough to meet demands under high load which can stress injectors and they start leaking off more fuel as they can't handle it.
Turbos on both petrol and diesels run harder and hotter and clutches aren't always designed to handle increased torque, so start slip.
Gearboxes are usually already pretty closely matched to the torque output of a standard engine, so increasing that can cause problems.
Depending on how far you go, are the brakes up to it?

I once knew a bloke that put a hotly tuned V8 in a Land Rover Defender.
It was quick, even for a truck like that but at night with standard brakes and headlights it was a death trap.

Some companies state it improves economy and emissions, but you are just throwing more fuel in so that's a bit subjective.
You should tell your insurance company you have modified your car, most won't as it is hard to detect a remapped PCM unless you really look for it.

saker75

Thanks everyone. That’s really helpful. I was thinking it as a way of delaying changing the car but realistically I need to. The Mondeo has been a brilliant motor - boring but works without an issue, is big and very fuel efficient. I don’t really want to mess about with it.

Ectophile

Don't forget to tell your insurance company that it's been remapped.  And then hand over your wallet so they can take the extra money.

As for the MOT, it depends on whether the people doing the remapping know what they are doing.

motorguy

Krakkkers said:

Only really works on turbo engines, is yours a turbo engine?

you make a good point.  I "assumed" it would have been but it sounds like it isnt.  Definitely not worth the hassle in that case.