Performance & Fuel Management
ECU remapping
ECU remapping will not only improve the engines power and torque figures, it will also sharpen the throttle response and widen the power-band. This will make the power delivery a lot more linear, which in turn will make the vehicle feel a lot livelier to drive and the engine more flexible. Frequently, the vehicles power output is restricted by the manufacturer for no other reason than to ensure that the vehicle fits into a class to suit fleet buyers. As a driving enthusiast, you do not need or want such restrictions placed upon your vehicles ECU and its performance therefore you can benefit from the hidden power and torque locked away within your engine management system.
The other main benefit of remapping will be a reduction in fuel consumption. With the extra torque especially at the bottom of the rev range you will see a fuel saving, as it will require less throttle input to maintain motorway speeds, you can drive in a higher gear at a slower speed as well as helping significantly when fully laden, towing or on gradients and even in start stop traffic.
Chip Tuning
Chip Tuning or Chipping is simply remapping by another name, but involves the physical removal of the program chip from the main ECU in the vehicle and either re-programming or replacement with a new chip modified with a Quantum remap. Technology developments mean that Chip Tuning is rarer now, but is still the only way to programme certain vehicles. Nowadays most remaps are carried out via the diagnostic OBD2 Socket, or direct into the ECU using special adaptors on the bench.
There are many companies that sell add-on tuning boxes under the pretence that they are ‘chips’ which is utter nonsense. These boxes simply attach to the common rail and increase fuel rail pressure to increase power and torque, they do not and will not ever work as effectively and efficiently as a full OBD remap, or remap by chip tune.
DPF Removal
A DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) also known as FAP on some French vehicles, is a device fitted to the exhaust system of modern diesel vehicles to reduce emissions and meet European emission standards. It does this by trapping Soot (Particulate Matter - PM) from the exhaust gasses while letting the gasses flow through the system.
As with any type of filter a Particulate Filter needs to be cleaned regularly to function properly. With DPF’s this is done by a process known as Regeneration which involves a combination of a Catalyst function in the system and burning the soot to gas at a very high temperature leaving behind an Ash residue within the DPF. Regeneration should be an automatic process taking place in the normal use of your vehicle, you may have noticed this in the form of a blast of white smoke form the exhaust on occasions.
DPFs have been in common use in passenger cars and light commercials from around 2003 in preparation for Euro 4 regs (2005), with Peugeot, Renault and BMW being early takers. Euro 5 (2009) made it compulsory for diesel cars and light commercials to have a DPF fitted and Euro 6 2014 will tighten this up further.
EGR Removal
A widely adopted route to reduce NOx emissions is Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). This involves recirculating a controllable proportion of the engine's exhaust back into the intake air. A valve is usually used to control the flow of gas, and the valve may be closed completely if required.
Here at ECU Technologies we have a very advanced solution for EGR removal. The valves can become clogged with carbon deposits, causing them to fail or stick, thereby causing error codes and the vehicle not to run correctly. Our software solution to disable the EGR valve is a simple and effective method of improving the efficiency of your engine.