Leon FR 184 TDI Remap + Dyno @ More-BHP

SteveGSXR600K1

Active Member
May 6, 2017
588
193
LOL! It's fine. Didn't consider you were OTT (y). It's just ruined the illusion for me slightly. I'm happy with it for now and it's not something I feel the need to change. I will do some manual calcs to see what the real world figures are.
I use an app called Fuelio to get my MPG. It does a lot more than just MPG, it's an easy way of logging all your car expenses in one place.
 

BillyCool

Active Member
Jan 16, 2020
707
276
Leicestershire, UK
Ok - so I did my first manual calc last week.

454 miles, 43l of fuel = 48mpg. Not bad as it's a real mixed bag of driving.

I'm going to see what my car says my MPG is `since last fill up` versus the manual calc next time I fill up. As long as I'm around 50mpg it's not bad but 55+ would be nice.
 

TripleBob

Active Member
May 3, 2021
311
201
Just a bit shy of 70mpg then 🙈
Still decent though for mixed driving, basically the same as I'm getting when doing a proper mix of mostly A roads + limited motorway commute.
High 50s/very low 60s when majority is motorway with cruise on.

I'm super happy given the performance on tap anyway!
 
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BillyCool

Active Member
Jan 16, 2020
707
276
Leicestershire, UK
Just a bit shy of 70mpg then 🙈
Still decent though for mixed driving, basically the same as I'm getting when doing a proper mix of mostly A roads + limited motorway commute.
High 50s/very low 60s when majority is motorway with cruise on.

I'm super happy given the performance on tap anyway!
Yeah - I think I'll get much the same figures and very happy.

The 70mpg was a specific 180 mile motorway trip, so not a whole tank full and I suspect a little generous from the ECU.

Like you say, still good MPG and still goes quick when I want it to. And only £30 to tax it.
 
Aug 1, 2021
4
1
Yeah - I think I'll get much the same figures and very happy.

The 70mpg was a specific 180 mile motorway trip, so not a whole tank full and I suspect a little generous from the ECU.

Like you say, still good MPG and still goes quick when I want it to. And only £30 to tax it.
I wish mine was only £30 tax. Mines an 18 plate and is £145 to tax.

Mine is getting its stage 1 remap tomorrow. I look forward to the results! 😉
 
Aug 1, 2021
4
1
Likewise!! Mines an 2018 and tax is £155...

What remap have you gone for?
Stage 1.

I think it's £145. Maybe it was last time I did it. Could have gone up again by now I suppose. But I just pay it, don't worry too much about the cost of it as its not like I'm going to ditch the car over the cost of road tax!
 

Unizz

Active Member
Jul 5, 2017
182
75
Hey guys
I also have the exact same car 184tdi FR 64 plate it has also been remapped and dsg mapped and its an absolute beast of a car. I totally agree the torque is incredible on the lower gears and it pulls like nothing else I've driven! It's done 129k mileage now with both those maps on and I got it at 36k so it can certainly handle the maps. On the motorway it starts to lose its pull around 90-100mph after 4th gear (DSG) but otherwise a brilliant car on the roads especially if you feel like having a tiny amount of controlled fun if you guys have anymore ideas of how to get more power out of it let me know!
Oh and it also has the racing line diesel air intake which looks quite nice and you can somewhat hear it, more heard out by the public tbh.
Regards
Aqib

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk
 
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SuperV8

Active Member
May 30, 2019
1,545
685
Hey guys
I also have the exact same car 184tdi FR 64 plate it has also been remapped and dsg mapped and its an absolute beast of a car. I totally agree the torque is incredible on the lower gears and it pulls like nothing else I've driven! It's done 129k mileage now with both those maps on and I got it at 36k so it can certainly handle the maps. On the motorway it starts to lose its pull around 90-100mph after 4th gear (DSG) but otherwise a brilliant car on the roads especially if you feel like having a tiny amount of controlled fun if you guys have anymore ideas of how to get more power out of it let me know!
Oh and it also has the racing line diesel air intake which looks quite nice and you can somewhat hear it, more heard out by the public tbh.
Regards
Aqib

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk
This engine - EA288 (150/184) is not the best when it comes to crazy tuning potential - its limited by is cylinder head cross flow design which avoids the need for swirl flaps and has great swirl for very efficient combustion - and CAM module meaning changing camshafts is virtually impossible - This ultimately limits air flow potential - which is a measure of power potential.

Also the stock turbo would need replacing. Basically to go above stage 1 is very expensive for not much gains. I would say enjoy what you have!

If you're really after some diesel tuning the previous EA189 (140/170) engine is a much better base with people tuning these to 400-500hp!
 

Unizz

Active Member
Jul 5, 2017
182
75
This engine - EA288 (150/184) is not the best when it comes to crazy tuning potential - its limited by is cylinder head cross flow design which avoids the need for swirl flaps and has great swirl for very efficient combustion - and CAM module meaning changing camshafts is virtually impossible - This ultimately limits air flow potential - which is a measure of power potential.

Also the stock turbo would need replacing. Basically to go above stage 1 is very expensive for not much gains. I would say enjoy what you have!

If you're really after some diesel tuning the previous EA189 (140/170) engine is a much better base with people tuning these to 400-500hp!
Thats a shame, but you are right. If the engine died in this what engine would you replace it with? Just a curious question lol

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Unizz

Active Member
Jul 5, 2017
182
75
I'd replace it with a Cupra
Haha don't be mean, I do wonder though if I could replace the diesel engine with another more powerful diesel/petrol engine. No idea on the logistics of that

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TripleBob

Active Member
May 3, 2021
311
201
Haha don't be mean, I do wonder though if I could replace the diesel engine with another more powerful diesel/petrol engine. No idea on the logistics of that

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Haha no mean-spiritedness meant, I've a remapped 184 TDI myself (I started this thread!)

Afaik I don't think anything else would be worth trying to fit, as I'm not sure ECU wise anything else would be a straight drop in replacement without significant cost and substantial rewire/new ECU. You could see perhaps if a 3.0l TDI engine from an equivalent Audi would fit

In all honesty performance wise the only way to significantly jump from a mapped 184 at a reasonable price would be to change to a 290/300 Cupra
 
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SuperV8

Active Member
May 30, 2019
1,545
685
Haha no mean-spiritedness meant, I've a remapped 184 TDI myself!

Afaik I don't think anything else would be worth trying to fit, as I'm not sure ECU wise anything else would be a straight drop in replacement without significant cost and substantial rewire/new ECU. You could see perhaps if a 3.0l TDI engine from an equivalent Audi would fit

In all honesty performance wise the only way to significantly jump from a mapped 184 at a reasonable price would be to change to a 290/300 Cupra
Just as a 'thought experiment' to go above 300bhp with diesel I would think as I mentioned previously to fit the older 2.0L EA189 TDI - crazy tuning options on this engine (300-500bhp+) but fitting it would be 'challenging/expensive' to get the electronics to play nice. Don't know if the engine mounts bolt on? but I think transmission mounting would be straightforward?

V6TDI is longitudinally fitted in the VAG world and fitting it in a transverse engined car would be 'fun'!

I agree when back in 'reality' if you want a fast Seat get a Cupra.
 

bigbadjay

Active Member
Jul 16, 2011
1,670
26
North Manchester
So following on from my saga of trying to get my Leon 184 TDI rolling roaded unsuccessfully at a different tuner, I booked the car in with the lads at More-BHP in Crewe for a visit today

Pre-sales support was excellent, and Jason answered all my questions (even the stupid ones), including assuring me that getting it going on their 4wd Dyno wouldn't be an issue. Price was agreed for a rolling road session, remap and DSG map at the same time to support the map + protect the gearbox 😎

Fast forward to today, and Mike (the tuner) and Jason were both top blokes - very knowledgeable, friendly and happy to talk shop and walk me through what they were doing.

Straight up on the rollers, and this time absolutely zero issues - Mike had it straight into proper Dyno mode - where it promptly chucked out 188.7bhp/389nm at stock.

View attachment 25698

Mike then did his thing, altering the DSG parameters etc and then set about mapping.

All finished up she's now making 230bhp/489nm, so a +41bhp and +100nm increase

Super impressed with them, and the car is absolutely brilliant. Drive home back down the M6 and first impressions are just effortless torque, it just picks up in any gear and pulls... Hard! Acceleration in all gears is noticeably better, even from a standstill - just need to look at a dogbone mount now as wheelhop is still an issue, but I knew that already even before the map.

Overall very pleased with them, if you're in the Stafford/Stoke/Cheshire area I'd absolutely recommend them!

View attachment 25699
Nice gains how is living with the map- giving this serious thought now.
Also Looking at your car on the ramp you might have convinced me to de-badge.

What colour is yours? I have the exact same car but unsure of the colour you have! And minus the map!!
 

TripleBob

Active Member
May 3, 2021
311
201
Haha the rear Leon lettering was literally the first thing I changed when I got the car, took them straight off - I did initially take the FR badge off too, but to my eyes the back then looked a bit too sparse, so put the FR badging back and added the forum badge in the space the 4drive models have their emblem.
My car is magnetic grey if that helps?

As for living with the map - I still love it. Done 4k miles with it now, and not seen any downsides tbh, fuel economy is better if I don't hoof it everywhere, and basically the same if I enjoy the power on tap. I'll never get tired of the absolutely effortless pick up, and for motorway overtaking the rate it picks up speed is absolutely mental for a diesel.

The only issue I've found is if you absolutely boot it in 1st/2nd gear you WILL spin up the wheels and break traction, but from 3rd onwards it is seriously quick
 

bigbadjay

Active Member
Jul 16, 2011
1,670
26
North Manchester
Haha the rear Leon lettering was literally the first thing I changed when I got the car, took them straight off - I did initially take the FR badge off too, but to my eyes the back then looked a bit too sparse, so put the FR badging back and added the forum badge in the space the 4drive models have their emblem.
My car is magnetic grey if that helps?

As for living with the map - I still love it. Done 4k miles with it now, and not seen any downsides tbh, fuel economy is better if I don't hoof it everywhere, and basically the same if I enjoy the power on tap. I'll never get tired of the absolutely effortless pick up, and for motorway overtaking the rate it picks up speed is absolutely mental for a diesel.

The only issue I've found is if you absolutely boot it in 1st/2nd gear you WILL spin up the wheels and break traction, but from 3rd onwards it is seriously quick
I find first and second sketchy even without a map however I still have the "less optimal" tyres on from previous owner, the car squirrels chucking power from one side to the other trying to find grip.

Mines a silver, I think the Grey and the silver have the ability to look very different depending on the lighting, and also the best at showing the ST's lines 👍
 

bigbadjay

Active Member
Jul 16, 2011
1,670
26
North Manchester
Bob x3, just wondering if you can tell us why you chose more BHP over anyone else? I know you mentioned about RR issues but what sealed the deal?

Price on the website currently looks good for a remap on 184 but due to my minor annoyances with the DSG in any mode other than Eco mode, i'd be getting that done too.

I have been looking at Revo who have a sale on until end of day today, but they are too vague on power increase on don't recommend on higher miler cars- (due to dsg clutch) almost a get out of jail free card. Ta in advance
 

TripleBob

Active Member
May 3, 2021
311
201
I ultimately boiled down to either Revo via Midland VW, or More-BHP with a bespoke map - because both are 'local' to me (read as within 30-45mins drive)

I went for more BHP in the end purely because the price was essentially the same, but for the money they were mapping both the engine and dsg box, whereas Revo is engine only - they were up front when I messaged them about estimated gains (and their estimated gains come from an average of actual rolling road results) rather than Revo's rather broad guestimates which don't actually tell you what YOUR final gain is - and it included before and after rolling road printouts. So no matter the gains you walked away knowing exactly what you'd got, whereas the Revo you couldn't tell unless you paid even more for a RR session somewhere else (Midland VW don't have a RR, and even if they did it'd be extra cash on top).

I'm not saying the Revo isn't a good map, it might even be better (I've no way of knowing), I just preferred the idea of having a definitive printout and knowing exactly what the car was capable of, and the reassurance that the DSG clamping force/temp limits etc had been altered to protect and/or better match the new power levels

Midland VW offered to flash the DSG with the stage 1 Racingline TCU map at the same time, but that was considerably more expensive

I settled on More-BHP Vs say R-Tech in Leicester, due to distance and the fact they seemed to have decent reviews on the Golf R and Audi forums, and the fact they sell their maps to other tuners, rather than using generic noddy no name maps off the internet.
 
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