Remapping...first experience (1 Viewer)

[stevec]

I had my 2.2HDi Peugeot boxer Autocruise remapped at Peterborough over the weekend. I must say I am still waiting to be impressed. The original engine is rated at 100bhp and it was a bit of a struggle getting up inclines in top gear so I though a remap would reduce the gear changing. And a bit of extra pull through the gears would not go amiss either. I had about 100 miles driving home yesterday and have to say I am underwhelmed. The claimed "going home with a smile on my face" didn't materialise....more of a frown really. There is certainly some improvement. Possibly a bit smoother and there may be a bit more acceleration (but I could be imagining that). Pull in top gear has improved enough that I do not need to change down. But there aren't many hills on the A47. It remains to be seen what the affect on fuel consumption is. I will have an opportunity to test it properly when we go to France in June. I'm happy with the small improvement given the price I paid. It has done what I had originally wanted...albeit with limited testing so far. But if it gives me a drastic reduction in fuel consumption figures then I will consider having it removed. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a 2.2 litre hauling almost 3 tonnes. But I did expect to feel a bit more from the claimed 30% improvement in torque and bhp. Unfortunately I did not do a 0 to 60 time test before having the remap so can't do any definitive tests.

Have any other funsters had a remap on this engine? (It's a 2006 model).

 

[hilldweller]

Dramatic improvement when we had our 2l done.

Who did yours ?

 

[stevec]

Don't know if it's PC to mention them on here.

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[andy63]

Had a 2.4 Ford tdci done on my panel van conversion...by celtic tuneing. .and the difference was noticeable in terms of engine capability. Estimated from 140 to over 170bhp... I ended up taking it off and installing the original file until I had the conversion complete and some weight to pull...
Currently running a map from vantuner which is estimated at about 150 bhp with a nice smooth drive but the main purpose of this map was to delete the egr valve function..
So rather longwinded , but if all is well I would have thought you should have noticed a fair difference.
I would go back and explain your feelings and see what they say... vantuner would work on the modified file until the customer was happy....
Ta andy

 

[Mr B]

Don't know if it's PC to mention them on here.

Why not mention them. If it's sh..e, then who did the job need telling it's sh..e.
A lot of people have gone down the ECU remap route, others have gone down the tuning box path. Mixed reviews on both!
I'm more the tuning box man myself. Had a DTUK one fitted to my VW sharan, and then one to my 170 superb estate. Both improved no end, more so on the Skoda as it was to much when towing the van. Had to turn it down to mere 200bhp, which was more then enough. It pulled like a teenager with a porn mag
Just waiting to see if my Skoda box is compatable with a fiat ducato. Approx £50 to change wiring and stuff from the manufacturer

 

[stevec]

I looked at the tuning box option and was nearly convinced. But was recommended a remapping company by someone who had their van done. I was going to go with a Quantum installer but went with Booster in the end. I haven't been back to them yet but I will when I find their email address. Oddly enough when we Googled Booster I found a Quantum website entry that said that Booster was a Quantum rep. That was in 2013 but still on Quantums website.

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[Judge Mental]

chap next to me in Spain has had his 130 remapped and says difference obvious. But the 150 2.3 has a larger Turbo etc..does it not? so probably highly tuned as it is? my 150 pulls like a train with effortless acceleration

 

[Manic]

I looked at the tuning box option and was nearly convinced. But was recommended a remapping company by someone who had their van done. I was going to go with a Quantum installer but went with Booster in the end. I haven't been back to them yet but I will when I find their email address. Oddly enough when we Googled Booster I found a Quantum website entry that said that Booster was a Quantum rep. That was in 2013 but still on Quantums website.

I've just looked them up and they are on FaceBook so maybe you could contact them through that.

 

[stevec]

Thanks Manic. I'm not into this newfangled social media stuff. I'll check it out.

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[stevec]

Contacted them via their website. Lets see what they say. Just to make it clear I'm in no way saying that they did a bad job or that their product is not a good one. I just can't endorse it as it hasn't worked for me so far. But early days.

 

[injebreck99]

I think you should have gone with the recommendation I gave you earlier, very happy with our results.

 

[stevec]

Easy to say with hindsight. I was recommended them by a friend who has had a remap for 6 years with no problems. So another personal recommendation. Who's to say which recommendation should be taken? What size engine do you have?

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[injebreck99]

Yes, I have to agree, we all have to make a decision sometime.
My engine is the 2.3 130 bhp, or was 130!

 

[DavidG58]

nice to see an open review, so often I feel people always sing the benefits of improvements they have paid for to save any loss of face, I would be doing the same as you, along with telling the company that did the work, as you have

I am slightly concerned that they appear not to have given you nay paperwork with the job though

Please keep us updated

 

[Gromett]

If I were racing the vans I would consider remapping because even the slightest improvement in performance is worth having.

However my rational head tells me that you can't get something for nothing. If you get an improvement in acceleration you are likely to lose mpg etc etc etc.

I have had many an interesting chat with a research psychologist about many subjects and one of them was about perception bias. When you buy something you are effectively investing in that product or service and have a natural bias to that product or service because of that investment. By investment I mean psychologically as well as financially. You are naturally inclined to believe that your judgement is good therefore your choices have value. If a product offers advantages such as performance, health or beauty you are likely to see it. For instance that cream you spent £40 on to get rid of wrinkles may actually appear to work when you look in the mirror even if before and after pictures show no difference whatsoever. A variation of this is the placebo effect I know its not the same but if you think about it you can see the similarity.

When I hear personal testimony about remapping I put the vast majority of it down to perception bias. Unless the company selling the remapping service has had the vehicle in question on a dyno and done a full scientific study on power, mpg, torque etc and published the entire report in full I believe they are relying on perception bias to sell their product.

Sorry I am just one of lifes sceptics or doubting Thomases.

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[bubble63]

had boosters do mine last year @ peterborough

ducato x250 130 multi jet
Fantastic difference 18% fuel save and can keep in 5th on steady hills

recommended

 

[bubble63]

When I hear personal testimony about remapping I put the vast majority of it down to perception bias. Unless the company selling the remapping service has had the vehicle in question on a dyno and done a full scientific study on power, mpg, torque etc and published the entire report in full I believe they are relying on perception bias to sell their product.

nope
did the math's

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

Our first van was a 2003 Swift Lifestyle (Sundance) 590 RL on the 2.3 JTD engine, which would struggle up steep hills etc. Perception bias or otherwise, the Tunit box Essenjay fitted to that motor made a significant difference to performance, comparatively speaking it flew along after after, less changing down gear required etc. No clue about mpg, as that was not a driver for me at the time.

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[Clive]

I also had mine done by Boosters last year. It made absolutely no difference to my fuel consumption either way but I wasn't looking for that. What it did do was remove all the flat spots on my 2.8 JD5 and made it much nicer to drive, an added bonus I used to have to rev like mad to get it on ramps, now it just easy to do.

 

[Gaston aires]

My E 280 Merc has a Brabbus D5 remap system done by Mercedes. The difference is staggering, if you boot it it takes your breath away, and I still get 37 mpg average.
It depends who does these things.
Phil

 

[injebreck99]

I am also getting around 2-3 mpg more since remapping, but that was a side effect, my main requirement, more torque has been met, also the engine, as well as being less strained, is much smoother and quieter as well, totally unexpected, and well pleased.
I admit that the cost will not be covered any time soon, but I feel that the increased pleasure in the driving experience is something money can't buy.

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[funflair]

I had my 2.2HDi Peugeot boxer Autocruise remapped at Peterborough over the weekend. I must say I am still waiting to be impressed. The original engine is rated at 100bhp and it was a bit of a struggle getting up inclines in top gear so I though a remap would reduce the gear changing. And a bit of extra pull through the gears would not go amiss either. I had about 100 miles driving home yesterday and have to say I am underwhelmed. The claimed "going home with a smile on my face" didn't materialise....more of a frown really. There is certainly some improvement. Possibly a bit smoother and there may be a bit more acceleration (but I could be imagining that). Pull in top gear has improved enough that I do not need to change down. But there aren't many hills on the A47. It remains to be seen what the affect on fuel consumption is. I will have an opportunity to test it properly when we go to France in June. I'm happy with the small improvement given the price I paid. It has done what I had originally wanted...albeit with limited testing so far. But if it gives me a drastic reduction in fuel consumption figures then I will consider having it removed. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a 2.2 litre hauling almost 3 tonnes. But I did expect to feel a bit more from the claimed 30% improvement in torque and bhp. Unfortunately I did not do a 0 to 60 time test before having the remap so can't do any definitive tests.

Have any other funsters had a remap on this engine? (It's a 2006 model).

You suggest that you are not happy with the re-map, but then you say "there is certainly some improvement" "pull in top gear has improved and you dont need to change down" OK you dont know about the MPG but if I got these improvements for no change in MPG I would be happy.
I know 30% sounds a lot and possibly you were expecting more on that basis but dont forget that all the mechanicals are designed for the output you had and if you try to bang too much out of it you might start looking for problems.
Just to add we have the Quantum on our 3 litre and smoother, stronger pull in gears, touch better acceleration and no real change to MPG (but driving it about 10% quicker now) and I am happy with that as I did'nt want loads of power and go looking for problems.

 

[stevec]

Hi Funfair,
I haven't said that I'm unhappy with it (although that could be implied from my post). I'm just a little disappointed that the improvement has not been as dramatic as I was led to believe (by remappers and by customers). As I've never had one done before (our first motorhome in fact) I was not sure what to expect.

 

[Just smiffy]

Is there any update on this...?

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[BusyBuilder]

We just had our 2.3 130bhp done in Inverness. To say we are underwhelmed is an understatement. Neither I nor my wife can notice any difference at all, either on flat dual carriageway or hilly roads on west coast.

I spoke to lad who did I, he suggested leaving it in lower gear longer to stay on boost, I can understand where he's coming from, but surely staying in lower gear will do the job anyway ? 60mph on road in 6th gear is not on boost, so dropping into 5th is defeating the object of smoother running engine with a bit more oomph ??

It's going back in next week, so he can have another look and maybe alter the map, he's offered me a full refund, but that's not what I want really.

We'll see how it goes.

 

[Clive]

I would guess that modern engines have already had the most squeezed out of them. On the old 2.8 jtd, big improvement. I currently have a 3.0ltr, wouldn't dream of a remap, wheel spins already

 

[BusyBuilder]

My Transporter 2.5 (5 cylinder) 130bhp is a flyer even when I'm fully loaded at 3.2 tonnes. I think the engine is pretty under stressed. Whether the Fiat 2.3 130 is at the low end of the power flow or not, I don't think they are at their limit. As with anything in engineering there will be a built in safety level.

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[Badknee]

I would guess that modern engines have already had the most squeezed out of them. On the old 2.8 jtd, big improvement. I currently have a 3.0ltr, wouldn't dream of a remap, wheel spins already

It's not more power I would like but another gear or overdrive on 4/5th.
We've got an Iveco 2.8jtd pulling 5000kgs and as an ex trucker I think it does a great job but in 5th @65mph I'm searching for another gear.
I know Smiffy @Smith and Sharp isnt happy with his power delivery and a remap might be a solution to him.

 

[funflair]

We've got an Iveco 2.8jtd pulling 5000kgs and as an ex trucker I think it does a great job but in 5th @65mph I'm searching for another gear.

I bet you are 65, ours has 6 gears and I think i would be looking for 7th at 65.

Martin

 

[Clive]

It's not more power I would like but another gear or overdrive on 4/5th.
We've got an Iveco 2.8jtd pulling 5000kgs and as an ex trucker I think it does a great job but in 5th @65mph I'm searching for another gear.
I know Smiffy @Smith and Sharp isnt happy with his power delivery and a remap might be a solution to him.

That's exactly what I found after the remap. Did look into changing the ratio on 5th but 4 years ago that was £299, buys a lot of fuel

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