Remap Vs Tuning Box

[Wallis22]

I apoligize if this has been covered before, but can anyone tell me the advantages and disadvantages of getting my car remapped or buying a tuning box for it. (Is anyone against tuing boxes? If so, why?)

I've found a tuning box for £175 with online discount. They say it will take my mk2 Ibiza TDI from 90BHP to 113BHP, and Torque increases from 202 Nm to 257 Nm. Does anyone know what a remap would give me? (Basic stage 1 remap), and roughly how much it would cost. Thanks.

 

[devonmikeyboy]

I take it you have`nt tried to use the surch function on SCN then as you would have hours of reading on the subject.
Sorry to be unhelpful but this has been talked to death.

 

[goble]

tuning box

 

[Wallis22]

I take it you have`nt tried to use the surch function on SCN then as you would have hours of reading on the subject.
Sorry to be unhelpful but this has been talked to death.

I have but i was looking for a bit more info. Most people just say they're rubbish, but don't say why. They say they over fuel the engine, but don't say what damage (if any) this can cause. But then again someone said they're ok, so...

To make it a bit more specific, if you were on limited finds and wanted to improve performance, would you (anybody) get a tuning box or would you save up and get a remap? Thanks.

 

[timmahhhhhh]

Get the car on a rolling road to see the effects of any tuning. I saved money here by creating my own high-tech rolling road and software, I'm very pleased with the results, aiming for 500+ now, I reckon a bigger tuning box should sort it.

 

[goble]

 

[devonmikeyboy]

Don`t take it personally Wallis22 they gays sorry guys are only messing with you. A tuning box is OK if you can get a good make cheap but these days there are many mobile mappers that can map cars for £300ish. I had a box on my PD130 back in 2004 and it was OK did the job but a remap is a lot better.

 

[timmahhhhhh]

Yep, I initially looked at tuning boxes, very briefly, but decided against it and am saving up for a proper remap from one of the many reputable tuners talked about on here.

 

[ChrisUK]

Remap is 10X better, it interfaces with the ECU & actually tells it what to do.

A tuning box just "fools" the ECu into overfueling, casing smoke & god knows what long term damage.

Stage 1 remap is less than £300 anyway, so save up you numpty

 

[daveyonthemove]

On my old car (Pug 307 HDI 110) i tried both a Tuning Box and a Remap.
The TB was good. Not brilliant, but it did what it claimed. I got increased power and torque but fuel economy dropped, and the car felt like it had more. After a while i sold it and put the money towards a remap.
The remap was better. Much better. More power and torque, smoother power delivery and NO flat spots. Different car altogether plus MPG increased.
I didn't suffer any excessive smoe from either and both gave power gains, but when i bought my current car i had no doubts where the money was going to be spent where tuning was involved....... remap every time
If you do decide that you budget will only allow a TB then avoid Ebay if you can. Go to a specialist or known company as you will get better support if you should need it.
IMO it's worth staying standard for a bit longer and saving the extra for a remap, but the decision lies with you.

 

[muddyboots]

A tuning box from a well-established company, that actually has some intelligence (rather than just being a resistor in a box that fools the ECU into thinking the fuel is hotter, so it injects more) can do a reasonably good job.
I've read articles in Diesel Car in the past where they've fitted tuning boxes, tweaked the settings on them, and got very good results.

However, for a decent tuning box you'll be paying almost as much as you would for a remap - and a remap will always give better results as it allows control over many more engine parameters.

But then of course a tuning box can be removed and sold on.

If I were to choose, it would be a remap every time.

 

[muddyboots]

^^^ That looks like the results Ed Butler got at Awesome when his clutch was slipping

 

[sssstew]

I apoligize if this has been covered before, but can anyone tell me the advantages and disadvantages of getting my car remapped or buying a tuning box for it. (Is anyone against tuing boxes? If so, why?)

I've found a tuning box for £175 with online discount. They say it will take my mk2 Ibiza TDI from 90BHP to 113BHP, and Torque increases from 202 Nm to 257 Nm. Does anyone know what a remap would give me? (Basic stage 1 remap), and roughly how much it would cost. Thanks.

Your older style non PD engine doesnt use the fuel temp sensor type box which the newer PD ones use. The type your looking at plugs into the connector for the fuel pump and is literally just a resistor in a box, making it inject more fuel. I had one some time ago and yes it did increase power. But over time i didnt like the fact it made the engine quite lumpy and rough (but then i had it up on max) it also made my fuel economy drop which i didnt like at all. I removed and sold on.

A remap by Upsolute who are best for the non PDs would be about £250 and is a better, smoother option in my view.

 

[Wallis22]

Your older style non PD engine doesnt use the fuel temp sensor type box which the newer PD ones use. The type your looking at plugs into the connector for the fuel pump and is literally just a resistor in a box, making it inject more fuel. I had one some time ago and yes it did increase power. But over time i didnt like the fact it made the engine quite lumpy and rough (but then i had it up on max) it also made my fuel economy drop which i didnt like at all. I removed and sold on.

A remap by Upsolute who are best for the non PDs would be about £250 and is a better, smoother option in my view.

That's excellent info! Thanks a million.

If i can get it remapped for about £300 then it's a no brainer really... Thanks again to everyone who's helped!

 

[muddyboots]

If you want to use Upsolute, the man you want is Simon Coe, lives in Chesterfield (Derbyshire) but will travel to you to do the work. He did my Passat.
His contact detail are here: http://www.ccctech.co.uk/chiptuning.php

 

[Wallis22]

Thanks a lot for that. Will i have to take the car to him or is he mobile? Thanks.

 

[daveyonthemove]

Thanks a lot for that. Will i have to take the car to him or is he mobile? Thanks.

If you want to use Upsolute, the man you want is Simon Coe, lives in Chesterfield (Derbyshire) but will travel to you to do the work. He did my Passat.
His contact detail are here: http://www.ccctech.co.uk/chiptuning.php

 

[Wallis22]

LMAO. I thought i saw somewhere that he would come to me! Must pay more attention!

 

[Feel]

Ohhh, look, Simon can do the vankerwagen - not everyone can.

The P-Box is great, but I often wonder what a proper remap will do...

 

[AwesomeSarah]

I have tried a tuning box on my car (Fabia 100PD)
Mmmm not bad , torque was better but not smooth at all
I got used to it very quickly (only 2 days) then took it off and it did seem a bit lower in power
There was no extra smoke that I could see and fuel economy was about the same
Then I had a custom remap for fuel economy
Wow........loads more power , really really smooth torqe , so much more fun to drive and I got 5mpg more , so I got big grins all round
I have tried quite a bit of stuff on my car , but I must admit , the remap is the best by far
Mmmm remap all the way for me
Sarah