Remap - how much is TOO much?

[Gazwould]

I may have missed it,
can you be sure it hasn't been remapped?
Do you know it's only 190 hp?

This is exactly it .

A chap had a 2.4JTD remapped four times as he was dissatisfied but it was already remapped unknown to him and he was a mechanic , kept saying to me remapping is rubbish and I know it isn't .

You need the information , it is crucial .

I've had two mapped / chipped cars without an initial dyno but that's because I've got a superior dyno butt and multiple people on a forum had the same map / author .

 

[Noddy 99]

I'll see how it goes. If I don't feel any noticeable difference, I'll investigate further and get it back to "stock" for a before-and-after. They're real enthusiasts and very helpful so I'm sure they'll be very willing to get to the bottom of what's happening...

 

[Noddy 99]

Just queried it with Ace Remaps (the new ones I'm booked with) and he says that HIS practice is to read the ECU file that comes off the car to see if it is stock or previously remapped.

I can't GUARANTEE that the previous place did this but I assume that it's common practice. If that's the case, then it appears that my car is STOCK, not remapped. I'll only know for sure when I take the car in.

 

[Gazwould]

Did the first place run a diagnostic scan for engine fault codes ?

 

[Noddy 99]

I don't know but I certainly did. I ran a module-by-module scan with icarsoft - no faults or anything of interest.

 

[Frontstep]

Having a few medics in our family I can tell you they are very unsympathetic mechanically.
The NHS teaches them to keep throwing things at it.

 

[alexanderfoti]

Just queried it with Ace Remaps (the new ones I'm booked with) and he says that HIS practice is to read the ECU file that comes off the car to see if it is stock or previously remapped.

I can't GUARANTEE that the previous place did this but I assume that it's common practice. If that's the case, then it appears that my car is STOCK, not remapped. I'll only know for sure when I take the car in.

We ALWAYS read first. Its luck if they managed to flash random files with matching numbers.

Its read
modify read file
write newly modified file back
test

Not sure how its possible to do a proper job without doing that (unless as above, guessing at software numbers from a map pack they have).

Also, any tuning, however bad, should be noticeable before/after

 

[Botus]

I never saw this post before - my father has the 280CDI 190 bhp lawnmower - gutless, noisy and with terrible fuel consumption, 14 months back I added a go faster box of tricks so have some experience of what changes you get.

19 Dec I posted an update on the post where I got hold of a good value brabus bodge on box

With this add-on installed on the tractor you can play with its handling, enjoy driving it, and its actual added grunt is light and day over where it was. I didn't think it was much quicker but once used to how it goes about things its much better... and it certainly isn't using more fuel, drive sensibly and its fractionally better, rag its brains out and aside for the clouds of death you leave behind, its still about as good as it was.... (which is appalling by modern tractor terms but 32mpg round town and 42mpg on a run)


my original thoughts putting ti on 14 months ago

Brabus PowerExtra D6 kit for all Diesel V6's

It was a while ago now, this is the person I know a couple of people got theirs from, maybe send him a message? http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/chrisg_23*?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1181

forums.mercedesclub.org.uk

 

[Botus]

Not that 0-60 times are much effected by a simple remap, since the torque will spin the tyres anyway, but you could try one of those apps like Draggy and see what time you get, based against the std time.
You never know with used cars... All diesels should be remapped, but I'm put off by my indie now

the 280 can't spin its wheels, in fact its hard pressed to do anything - the brabus thing I put on adds about 50 bhp

It seems to have adapted a bit more - it didn't feel that lively when I first added the box. Off the line you can nail it and leave tyre smoke for 10 meters before the TC wakes up and by then the boost has depleted so its a fairly clean start without your grand mother yapping incessantly. I think its taken at least 2 seconds of its 0 to 60 and 10 second off its 0 to 100mph. And you can overtake things safely now whereas before it was dicey. This is now 50 m past them, when before you hadn't reached their rear bumper.

However if you like driving it does bring a dilemma - because these are only just bigger than a gokart (compared to the HGV LWB tank of an S class I usually drive) you can actually try and enjoy driving - and then the ESP wants a fight every time.

 

[Noddy 99]

Whoa - a bit brutal on the E280! Why would it be any more "tractor"-like than the 320 or 500? I find it a bit noisy when you pull away but out on the open road it's smooth and silent. Plenty powerful on kick-down too.

Mind you, I must be partly in agreement with you, otherwise I wouldn't be having a remap...

 

[Noddy 99]

The first remap I had was done by my local indy and I was so disappointed that I had it removed within a week. This time, I've gone for Ace Remaps in Shrewsbury and I must say, the results are stunning: smoother + better throttle response + hold-on-tight acceleration.

Interestingly, the guy said that my previous remappers had "locked" the ECU so that it couldn't be tuned by anyone else! He had to bypass the OBD port and unlock the ECU. This cost him a lot of time and a lot of swear words but he still did it for the agreed cost of £330.

The E280 from the factory has a depressingly low output of 63bhp per litre, hence my thoughts that a remap is the logical way to go to exploit the unused potential of the engine. I've now got 260bhp (86bhp per litre) and 570nm of torque.

The car is a bit of a stealth-wagon. Firstly because it's an estate; secondly because the first owner specified the car as debadged from the factory. No-one will know exactly what it is that has just over-taken them...

 

[rorywquin]

The car is a bit of a stealth-wagon. Firstly because it's an estate; secondly because the first owner specified the car as debadged from the factory. No-one will know exactly what it is that has just over-taken them...

Nor will they care.......

 

[Gazwould]

Time for a dyno print out ?

It's nice to actually know , I could say I've 580 Nm out of a 2143 cc , but then I really do .

 

[Kev555]

With remaps being mostly Generic with tweaking done to suit your particular tastes or engine I wouldn't want to pay any more than £200 if possible for a standard road car/van. Custom maps on high performance models is another ball game. I only remap if I find the factory map is lacking in certain areas and improvements can be made. I dont think ive ever had a map that has delivered on the promised fuel savings but the extra torque is enjoyable.

 

[Noddy 99]

Nor will they care.......

 

[Blobcat]

Those who know "Know" and those who don't "Don't care" - which is exactly why the "Inappropriate badging" thread is so popular

 

[Noddy 99]

Time for a dyno print out ?

It's nice to actually know , I could say I've 580 Nm out of a 2143 cc , but then I really do .

I'm just struggling to think what good it would do me... Do I slap it down on the table in the pub to silence the naysayers? Do I post it on dating apps to get a better class of bird? Do I frame it and put it above the mantelpiece to impress guests? Do I use it to get extra kudos on the forums?

As things are, I don't have a piece of paper but when I mash the throttle, the scenery goes all blurry...

 

[Noddy 99]

With remaps being mostly Generic with tweaking done to suit your particular tastes or engine I wouldn't want to pay any more than £200 if possible for a standard road car/van. Custom maps on high performance models is another ball game. I only remap if I find the factory map is lacking in certain areas and improvements can be made. I dont think ive ever had a map that has delivered on the promised fuel savings but the extra torque is enjoyable.

I think if you have a remap and then drive exactly as you used to, then you should see some mpg gain...

But who has a remap and then drives exactly as they used to???

 

[Gazwould]

I'm just struggling to think what good it would do me... Do I slap it down on the table in the pub to silence the naysayers? Do I post it on dating apps to get a better class of bird? Do I frame it and put it above the mantelpiece to impress guests? Do I use it to get extra kudos on the forums?

As things are, I don't have a piece of paper but when I mash the throttle, the scenery goes all blurry...

Fair point Ned .

Just some of us like / insist to know.

On my other car after several months remapped I was very pleased on a club dyno day to guess within 1.5 bhp

 

[Noddy 99]

Fair point Ned .

Just some of us like / insist to know.

On my other car after several months remapped I was very pleased on a club dyno day to guess within 1.5 bhp

Ah, to me it could be 260, 250 or 240 and I wouldn't have the slightest idea. I just know it's a LOT more than 190...

What's all this "Ned" business?