Diesel Vehicle Power Upgrades

[Litespeed]

We have an Espace 2.2 dci for towing our Abbey Aventura. We have just fitted a P-Box diesel power upgrade to the vehicle. It increases the BHP of the vehicle from 150 to 168bhp which really makes a huge difference on those long hills. Its a small 'Black Box' that changes the mapping and settings of the ECU and takes about 15 minutes to fit.

We have found that we are using approx 10% less fuel as long as you keep your foot back and use the extra power to achieve the same performance as would prior to the up grade being fitted.

Our vehicle before this was a Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2, The box we had fitted to that increased the BHP from 160 to a whopping 190!!

 

[colin(bridgend)]

How has the fitting of this chip affected your insurance premium? Has it made a significant increase in it?

 

[Litespeed]

I informed my insurance company by both phone and in writing. There was no increase in premium either.

Also the increase in BHP differs with all models. Some give a modest 15bhp increase while others up to 47bhp. The upgrade is obviously tailored to the vehicle manufacturers tolerances on the power train.

 

[parker1158]

Hi All

Further to a previous post in another section . Often a chip / re-map will not affect your premium (unless it's something outrageous) but it is necessary to inform your insurance company as Simon did. Have your car chipped, don't tell insurance, insurance void. Have your car chipped, tell insurance, ok. I have the same scenario with my Job/hobby, because I handle explosives I have to declare this (even on my caravan insurance), it does not cost me any more but could be costly if I did not.

 

[Lol1]

Had to laugh, my son bought a power upgrade device off ebay.

He should have known better, especially when it was only

 

[byron_5078383]

Hi can anyone tell me where I can get hold of one of these devices.

Thanks

Byron

 

[Kanga_5075163]

Check out this weeks autoexpress. They fitted a superchip to a skoda.

yes it went like stink but so did the insurance premium, up by over

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Simon; a clouple of months have passed wince your post; are you still please with the PBox? The reason I ask is that I am seriosuly considering this same device on my Mercedes C250 Turbo Diesel. According to PBox I should increase from my present 150 --> 180 bhp. This will be much more comfortable when towing!

John

 

[rob_jax]

John,

Is your C250 TD a manual or an automatic? The diesel engine for the manual gearbox is torque restricted to around 280NM (about 200ft/lb), the autobox seems to be rated about 15% higher in it's ability to handle torque.

My C270 CDI automatic produces around 410NM (310ft/lb) of torque, but the engine in the manual version is capped at 360NM (about 270ft/lb).

Think carefully if you are re-mapping a manual gearbox MB, the autoboxes will handle more torque. And it's the torque you want for towing, not the extra bhp.

And rather than the accessory chip-box, it is generally believed that a re-map of the ECU performs better / smoother / more efficiently than the add-on box - the cost is about the same.

Robert

 

[PaulIrons]

You have to be careful when fitting these especially if your vehicle is still under warranty. Car manufacturers will cancel all warranties if they find out that engines have been modified in this way.

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Robert :

hanks for this. Yes I have the manual box; I shall discuss again with my local garage (who seeme dto be quite bullish about the idea); but if you can advise more specifically what you feel is the risk, that would be helpful.

Paul; my car is now 7 years old so warranty issues are long since forgotten

 

[rob_jax]

John,

On the W203 generation C series there is a note in the technical specifications that the C270 engine is detuned for use with the manual gearbox. Dreaming for a minute, would quite like a new C320 CDI with the 7 speed autobox.

Your W202 manual gearbox also has a torque limit (well all gearboxes do) and you need to be careful that you don't exceed that limit when you "chip" the engine.

Otherwise if you exceed the torque limit, you'll do what I did to a Land Rover manual box - towing a glider trailer out of a field, put the Landie in reverse, and twist the gearbox output layshaft into a pretzel.

Robert

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Robert :

I now KNOW WHY I have been yearning for a chip upgrade. I was on the M2 yesterday eveningcoming home from Caterbury. I was hardly able to sustain 80mph and I had zerio additional power for overtaking. I then started to think hard(er). I was aware that I had been able to feel power loss even when accelerating, theer would be a sudden dip in power. Now I think I know what's happended; I've lost my Turbo :-( i.e. it's stopped !!

Point taken about the Torque limit; but we are 'only' talking 20% and I can hardly belive that theer wouldn't be this amount (and much more in reserve). However, I shall not ignore your sond advice and discuss with the dealer once again. Thanks Robert

 

[MONKEY1]

John,

are you sure you've lost your turbo completely, Usually in Diesel Mercs it's a Pierberg unit known for it's reliability, have you checked the Air Mass Meter this is usually a common fault on diesel engines.

Regards Monkeys Husband

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Well, no I am not completely sure, but what I do know for certain is :-

a) dramatic power loss

b) no Turbo 'hum / spin' upon acceleration

My local garage cannot even take a look until next Monday so I am a little concerend as I am supposed to be caravanning in the Lake District from 24th Sept!!!

John

 

[MONKEY1]

Well, no I am not completely sure, but what I do know for certain is :-

a) dramatic power loss

b) no Turbo 'hum / spin' upon acceleration

My local garage cannot even take a look until next Monday so I am a little concerend as I am supposed to be caravanning in the Lake District from 24th Sept!!!

John

John,

If you live in Kent I can really recommend Thomas Auto services in Ashford, I'm in no way connected but a very satisfied customer of theirs. Even main dealers use them for diesel faults as that's their specialty

Regards Monkeys Husband

 

[Icemaker]

if the turbo has failled you will not be able to see behind you for the smoke, when they fail on the trains i drive its like going back to the days of steam with the smoke. take the car to a garage who will connect it to a diagnostics computer and the problem will show. i once had a galaxy diesel which went in to "get home mode" after a fault with the engine management, this resulted in a maximum speed of about 40 mph, maybee your car has done the same ?. good luck.

 

[rob_jax]

John,

You may have a faulty wastegate - stuck in the open position and venting the compressed air.

Have fun at the garage.

Robert

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Rob / Ice-Maker (?!) Thanks for this; the trusty Mercedes is now in the garage and I am just hoping that it won't be a horribly expensive repair. No there has been no additional smoke from the exhauts. As I say the only real symptom is the obvious lack of power. I towed the van to our local caravan centre yesterday for its annula service. Because I only had to travel on 'A' road at around 35-40mph it wasn't an issue. However, trying to maintain 60 mph on the motorway wouldn't be possible until the problem's been fixed; I'll let you know!