Reprogrammed, diesel van (1 Viewer)

[GWAYGWAY]

I had a reprogram done at Lincoln Show and I have carefully kept the mpg figures, from actual mileage and fuel put in the tank, not an onboard fuel computor.
1 Average mpg before usual driving technique 56mph average speed on open road 28 mpg.

2 average mpg after reprogram same speeds and techniques 24.8 mpg with not a lot of difference in pulling etc.
All done on similar mix of roads.
I had it done as I am looking for the most fuel economy possible, but could have bought a fair bit of fuel for £260,
Conclusion it was a waste of resource. The van was probably set up to maximise the economy at the 56mph point by Ford and the programmers have removed the peak there probably put it up to 80mph.
Ahh well!! live and learn.

 

[funflair]

Don't they take it off and give you your money back if it doesn't work or you don't like it.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

take it off, keep the money?

 

[Gellyneck]

Probably thinking you've got an add-on box rather than an ecu remap?

 

[Jaws]

If it was a reputable company such as WOW! Tuning, contact them and explain what has happened.

The old Miller I had was a bit of a weird one ( not just me saying that but them too ! ) They redid the programming twice for me at no further charge and I ended up with an extra 2.something ( canna remember the exact figure ) mpg over the following 5000 miles.

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[Forestboy]

take it off, keep the money?

Get it off as quickly as possible had mine done by WOW ended up costing over £2000.00 in damage with no support from WOW. Don't care what anyone says you can't have more power more torque and better mpg. Emperors new clothes always comes to mind when I hear it.

 

[Jaws]

Hmmm.. of course I have to agree but somehow we managed it ( and checked over a LOOONG time frame too )

 

[injebreck99]

Mine too, remapped correctly last year, approx. 3mpg more with more torque, much smoother and quieter at all rpm, very satisfied.

 

[Baycott]

Mine too, remapped correctly last year, approx. 3mpg more with more torque, much smoother and quieter at all rpm, very satisfied.

Can I ask where you had it done injebreck? And at what cost?

 

[Forestboy]

Mine too, remapped correctly last year, approx. 3mpg more with more torque, much smoother and quieter at all rpm, very satisfied.

Mine too eventually but not by off the shelf cowboys like WOW ended up with a purpose built remap for my van. They took into account weight, load, driving style and my requirements which off the shelf can never do. Got a feeling we used the same guy.

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[hilldweller]

Conclusion it was a waste of resource.
Ahh well!! live and learn.

Fuel is used to push the shed through the air and up hills, unless the original map was abysmal you can't map for economy.

Ours was done because I had to keep changing down for small hills. It worked, much more torque.

First time out I enjoyed that extra torque and fuel went from 25 to 20.

Now, driving as before the MPG is the same but I don't have to change down as much, so happy bunny.

 

[hilldweller]

ended up costing over £2000.00 in damage with no support from WOW.

So now you know why they are called WOW.

 

[injebreck99]

Mine was done by a nationwide company called Pro Tune, they have local representatives, he came to my house, downloaded the map I already had on the van, asked me what new features I wanted, sent it off via his laptop to his HQ, he then re-entered the returned new programme, made sure it was all OK, explained everything and why it was done this way, then we went for a test drive together to see if I was happy with the result , which I was and still am.
With this remap, you can have more power and better economy as well, but the best bit is the improved driveability of the van, expensive but I love it.

 

[Silver-Fox]

I have to say if you get a custom re map you can have it all so to speak

The increase in fuel often comes as you use the engine with a bit more spirit

Off the peg re map,s are a waste of money IMHO

Ohh just thought, if you loose the DPF if you have one that can help as well

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I will leave mine as it is now, and wear lighter shoes, I do think it is a bit more driveable and lively pulling away from low speeds, I understand that there is no free lunch, but it was described to me that the van in worldwide with a huge variation of fuels and temperatures and the programming was set up by Ford to cover them all in one hit. they also cover all the different emissions requirement in one hit as well hence the flat spots at differing speeds. I am looking at an electric fan which might gain a tiny bit back especially in winter when it is not wanted, viscous fans still drag around losing mpg.
DPF?? I have enough trouble with the LEZ already.

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[Forestboy]

Mine was done by a nationwide company called Pro Tune, they have local representatives, he came to my house, downloaded the map I already had on the van, asked me what new features I wanted, sent it off via his laptop to his HQ, he then re-entered the returned new programme, made sure it was all OK, explained everything and why it was done this way, then we went for a test drive together to see if I was happy with the result , which I was and still am.
With this remap, you can have more power and better economy as well, but the best bit is the improved driveability of the van, expensive but I love it.

Think that's who eventually fixed mine the guys name was Oliver drove 200 miles to my house twice and never charged me an extra penny. The first day eventually left at midnight having failed to sort out the mess WOW made.
Clutch never slipped since and the drive is silly smooth.

 

[dave newell]

Question. If I paid £400 inc Vat for a five hour rolling road session to remap my race car why does £260 for "Joe Bloggs Tuning Inc" to turn up with a laptop and spend 30 minutes "remapping" on your drive sound like good value? Or even a good idea???
Just curious.

D.

 

[Silver-Fox]

I will leave mine as it is now, and wear lighter shoes, I do think it is a bit more driveable and lively pulling away from low speeds, I understand that there is no free lunch, but it was described to me that the van in worldwide with a huge variation of fuels and temperatures and the programming was set up by Ford to cover them all in one hit. they also cover all the different emissions requirement in one hit as well hence the flat spots at differing speeds. I am looking at an electric fan which might gain a tiny bit back especially in winter when it is not wanted, viscous fans still drag around losing mpg.
DPF?? I have enough trouble with the LEZ already.

Its fitted to many modern diesels and removable

Unlike LEZ that is thrust upon many people by Boris

 

[funflair]

Mine too eventually but not by off the shelf cowboys like WOW ended up with a purpose built remap for my van. They took into account weight, load, driving style and my requirements which off the shelf can never do. Got a feeling we used the same guy.

Doesn't this contradict your previous post where you said you can't have more torque more power and more MPG then you say you have. Sounds like you still have an off the peg map, just from another company a custom map takes a lot of work with a laptop on the road or on a rolling road and why do you need this is you are not racing.

 

[Forestboy]

Doesn't this contradict your previous post where you said you can't have more torque more power and more MPG then you say you have. Sounds like you still have an off the peg map, just from another company a custom map takes a lot of work with a laptop on the road or on a rolling road and why do you need this is you are not racing.

Sorry didn't explain properly certainly don't have better mpg but do have a bit more torque on hills and a much smoother relaxed drive. Never wanted race car performance just a bit more power on hills and a more relaxed drive. The van was never slow but lacked a bit on hills especially as we are always running at nearly 5 tonne.

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[Gizmouk]

I've had 4 cars remapped - all were done on a rolling road. In my view, that's the only it can be done properly.
There is no way you can remap an engine properly out of the back of a van at a show, on your drive or anywhere else. As for buying a box off the internet - good luck !

 

[injebreck99]

Think that's who eventually fixed mine the guys name was Oliver drove 200 miles to my house twice and never charged me an extra penny. The first day eventually left at midnight having failed to sort out the mess WOW made.
Clutch never slipped since and the drive is silly smooth.

Same fella I had!.

 

[tonyidle]

I've had 4 cars remapped - all were done on a rolling road. In my view, that's the only it can be done properly.
There is no way you can remap an engine properly out of the back of a van at a show, on your drive or anywhere else. As for buying a box off the internet - good luck !

I agree that that is the case if you want the best possible from any individual engine especially if it has been modified in any way. In the case of an engine fitted to thousands of white vans it isn't possible to know what the manufacturer had in mind when it produced the map or what compromises were built into it. The manufacturer certainly didn't tune any individual engine on a rolling road but accepted that the map had to work on many identically-manufactured but no doubt subtly different engines. The map also had to account for many different operating conditions, different locations, altitudes, driving styles, stretched servicing intervals, and fuels. It had to meet the emissions regulations of every country it was intended for. Many cars are turned out with several different power outputs from the same engine in the same state of tune - the only differences being the price, the equipment level, and the ECU map.

I also agree that there are many companies who produce sub-standard kit that either endangers the engine or ruins driveability, or increases fuel consumption, or all three. Resistors being sold to fool petrol injection into enrichment were early examples. A self-fit box being sold at the Lincoln show fell into the same category - it amounted to a replacement fuel pressure regulator. But their are a few people out there who know what they're doing, who have arrived at a re-programme on a rolling road, and who sell it with a guarantee. Their programme will have compromises due to the fact that it is to be used on every engine of a particular type and make but it will have none of the other compromises built in by the OE manufacturer. And it is very possible to improve output power and reduce fuel consumption - that particular compromise is determined by the driver.

 

[jonandshell]

Question. If I paid £400 inc Vat for a five hour rolling road session to remap my race car why does £260 for "Joe Bloggs Tuning Inc" to turn up with a laptop and spend 30 minutes "remapping" on your drive sound like good value? Or even a good idea???
Just curious.

D.

My opinion too!

And also the opinion of a friend of mine, a certain Mr Dave Walker!

 

[dave newell]

It was Dave Walker's rolling road that I took my car to, Emerald in Watton, Norfolk. Excellent job and really nice people to deal with.

D.

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[jonandshell]

It was Dave Walker's rolling road that I took my car to, Emerald in Watton, Norfolk. Excellent job and really nice people to deal with.

D.

Oooooh! I do hate to name drop!!!!!

Hes a really nice bloke and he knows his stuff! As an 19 year old Capri owner, I followed his magazine articles closely in the quest for more power from my Pinto!
I know him now through a shared non-car related interest.

 

[Jaws]

A simple way to affect fuel economy is to keep the revs down to under 2k on pugs and fiat based vans..
Yessssss.. I know that equates to about 50mph but hey, its a motorhome ! Who needs to race !

 

[andeb]

A couple of years ago we had our EuraMobil TAG (Fiat) remapped and whilst initially there was a considerable improvement in the performance (torque etc) of the vehicle. It turned out to be an expensive exercise, as within a short time the clutch could not handle the extra torque being transmitted and started to slip and needed replacing at considerable cost ……