"Chipping" Diesel Engines

[trickydicky]

At the weekend i was pitched next to a guy,who had a 1.9 diesel Skoda.We got chatting about engines,and he told me that he had the engine "chipped" which resulted in an increase in the brake horsepower and torque.

Since returning Ive researched this on the net,and found that you can buy a plug in gizmo for about £30 for all VW,Audi,Skoda and Seat diesel engines.For my engine this would increase the BHP from 105 to 140 and the torque from 240nm to 320nm.According to the advertisements,this is how manufacturers have the same engine,but with different power outputs.

I dont want to pull a heavier van as Im constrained by the kerbweight of the car,nonetheless it would be handy to have the extra power for steep hills and motorway inclines.

Has anyone had one of these things fitted,and to what effect?Do you think it would invalidate my insurance?

Thanks for your help,cheers Richard

 

[Gafferbill]

There is another way of looking at this....

Are you happy when your car is solo?

How often and how many miles do you tow?

Do you need this extra power?

Most 44 ton Articulated trucks get about fairly briskly and they only have 10-15 BHP/ton to play with.

You have around 30BHP/ton on tap already... but it is your choice!

It would be an engine modification so you would have to notify your insurance and may affect any warranty you may have.

 

[NickinFrance]

Don't, most tuning boxes simply increase the rail pressure meaning the pump / injectors etc have a harder life.

A proper re-map will cost about

 

[Philspadders]

nope a, proper "chipping" will cost close to

 

[ProfJohnL]

This topic keeps coming back to haunt us, to chip or not to chip that is the question.

As I understand it, the devices that plug into the loom, basically try to fool various engine sensors, causing the ECU to pump more fuel.

Remaps are more sophisticated but also basically tell the engine to pump more fuel or tell various functions to operate at different times.

You don't get something for nothing, so you cant expect to get more BHP without some increase fuel consumption.

More power also means that some of the components in the engine may be given a harder life than they were designed for - even if the same engine block is produced with several different outputs, that may only be achieved safely by changing some of the other components around the engine and transmission.

Unless the car manufacturer has approved the upgrade package I do not recommend you touch it.

 

[andrew1608]

be carefull with cheap gadgets, my dad bought one for a skoda, after a month the item was removed, the car kept on needing to go into the garage as this device kept knocking engine warning lights on, i paid

 

[gary]

Last year I researched a proper re-map and understand it this way, that is that the basic map is all encompassing, ie, to take account of all possible conditions in various counties, hot, cold, high or low altitude etc.

A re-map simply refines this to actual conditions giving in the UK, an increase in power and better fuel consumption, best of both worlds?!

From what I understand, plug-in Gizmo's just fool the ECU to over fuel the engine and not at all the same as a proper re-map

For the same basic reasons, nearly all motorhome conversions are re-mapped at source to change the engine characteristics to better suit the change of use from a simple load lugging van.

Further and on the same theme, some re-mapping companies offer a specific 'towing' map, however I see this as a power/economy map as offered by all and in fact the same as used on motorhomes.

However and the killer, this was all scuppered by the attitude of my insurance broker, a flat 20% on the premium!! totally ruining any savings I might of gained

 

[trickydicky]

Thanks chaps for your replies and advice.Its much appreciated.Im going to give these diesel chips a miss for all the reasons youve mentioned.

Cheers Richard