Re-maping my Diesel ST Mondeo

[[TW]Fox]

Wow, you really don't understand how remapping works.

Oooh, thanks for the well considered, well thought out reply.

A manufacturer designs an engine map to give the best possible compromise of power, fuel economy and reliability. By remapping you alter this compromise and lose in some areas and gain in others. Quite how much you lose is open for debate.

In some cases an engine map is chosen for a another reason - to enable positioning of higher power variants of the same engine in the range but this isn't as common as most people think and most of these higher power engines have different component parts in place.

For the car in question, the ST TDCi, it was designed a 'performance' diesel. Hence the ST badging. Yet it still only has 155bhp. If Ford could have safely given it more power without detriment to economy or reliability you can be reasonably sure they would have done. Many people claim this is possible - they claim the same thing about the TDCi 130 as well but Ford themselves seemed to think the only sensible way to get a TDCi 130 to 155 was to introduce a different engine with larger capacity. A shame they didnt ask the internet first, they could have got a bloke with a laptop to save them the bother..

If I pretended to map your car for 'economy' and you took it away you'd probably gain increased econony. The very fact you have economy on your mind will subconciously affect the way you drive which will change your fuel economy. There is a possible side benefit in that a change in the torque spread can change the way you drive a bit, which could result in you using less fuel, but it's not going to be 5-10mpg.

 

[rk88]

That makes literally no sense at all. You get more BHP and torque by injecting more fuel.

Really?? Is this the only possible way to increase bhp? Are you sure about that....

Is this why cars are becoming more and more economical yet still more powerful. Hmmm must be all that non-existing fuel that is not getting pumped into the engine

idiot

 

[[TW]Fox]

He means on a per engine basis, is there really any need to call someone an idiot because they don't share your opinion in a trivial discussion?

 

[Maccy]

I'm by no means an expert, or know anything for that matter, on how cars work and the differents between petrol and diesel engines.
However K-Tek do a lot of remaps for Renaultsports and claim that as well as better throttle response there's a slight increase in fuel economy. I'm not sure if this is anything more than a sales technique tbh.

 

[MikeHiow]

Oooh, thanks for the well considered, well thought out reply.

A manufacturer designs an engine map to give the best possible compromise of power, fuel economy and reliability. By remapping you alter this compromise and lose in some areas and gain in others. Quite how much you lose is open for debate..

I disagree. Most manufacturers prime concern seems to be emissions these days.

 

[rk88]

He means on a per engine basis, is there really any need to call someone an idiot because they don't share your opinion in a trivial discussion?

Not really, I agree with you that MPG gains are merely non-significant, but a re-map on a diesel CAN offer increased power and increased economy. I doubt the mpg figures are even worthy of being noticeable tbh, and anyone wanting a re-map clearly wants to use the power given, so this will in fact decrease the mpg...

As the ignition timing is advanced you will usually get a more efficient burn and this will mean more economy although most remapped diesel driver will use the extra power on offer and have a heavy right foot

 

[MikeHiow]

There is no ignition as such on a Diesel....

 

[[TW]Fox]

I disagree. Most manufacturers prime concern seems to be emissions these days.

Co2 emissions are roughly proportional to mpg though, so the go hand in hand. Pretty hard to reduce co2 without the side effect of reducing fuel consumption!

 

[Philz0r]

If you have £400 to spend on a remap i sa go for it.

Is remap science anygood?. They seem a lot cheaper.

 

[MikeHiow]

Co2 emissions are roughly proportional to mpg though, so the go hand in hand. Pretty hard to reduce co2 without the side effect of reducing fuel consumption!

That was more an adress to your comments on power.

There has to be marketing there, too - they wouldn't be the first manufacturer to detune (or understate power figures of) a lower model so as not to impose on the sales of a higher one.

Sure, a remap will be running more boost, and could be seen to reduce the life of some components, or reduce reliability, but it seems very rare that there are direct issues any time in the near future, and people have been turning the boost up on their standard cars for years!

During sensible driving, if the map is running the engine leaner then I don't see how it isn't plausible that there are increases in economy to had - albeit small ones. Of course, as far as Diesels go I might be talking horse crap - I don't really know how these modern CR diesels work if I'm honest.

I'd like to see Simon's or Jonny's views on this.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I covered the higher power model option thing, mind. This isn't a car where thats a factor. If anything its a car that could only have benefited further from more power without detrimental effects on economy or reliability, marketed as an ST.

 

[Jay794]

bull crap

had my taxi remapped from 150 to 185-190 bhp I also noticed a 3/4 mpg gain measured over a period of 10k miles

Well then you're driving it a lot more economical than most would.

The majority of people get remaps done to increase bhp, so they can go faster/decrease 0-60 time, its obvious that telling the fuel pump to pump more fuel in would decrease economy

More fuel = More air = increase in bhp

Thats how remaps work

 

[mattyprice4004]

I turned my tuning module off and just left the remap for a tank of average driving, and my MPG was a few worse than it used to be.

I don't think I've changed my driving style over the time period, I can't be sure but it definitely did put a dent in my MPG. I of course do use the extra power, but not to silly levels.

I used to get around 48mpg when I got the car, after the remap about 45 and with both the remap and tuning module on I get about 42. May aswell have a petrol really!

 

[Muffin`]

It's just not worth it imo. People can run 200BHP happily and others remap and then 500 miles later blow the injectors, I'd just leave it standard and spend the money on re bushing the rear of the car.

 

[Phil W]

It's just not worth it imo. People can run 200BHP happily and others remap and then 500 miles later blow the injectors, I'd just leave it standard and spend the money on re bushing the rear of the car.

Decats are a good investment, don't cost the earth either if you can find a 2nd hand GW or Wingy one.

 

[rs1800]

My wife owns my old Mondeo TitaniumX 2.2 TDCi (same engine) and it came with a bluefin already fitted.

Its easy to activate/deactivate it (can also be used as immobiliser) and the difference is noticeable but not staggering. It came with a power map showing 175bhp so 20 extra but these engines are all about the torque which is immense anyway.

I also put a decat pipe on (about £75 on ebay) which made it rev slightly free-er but not much difference.

Ive never done economy tests.

 

[red eye]

No idea about Diesels, but a lot of the petrol turbo remaps tend to run a bit leaner, so when you're driving sensibly you're using less fuel.

I assume it is a similar story for the dervs.

Turbo+lean fuel mix= engine granade

 

[red eye]

Really?? Is this the only possible way to increase bhp? Are you sure about that....

Is this why cars are becoming more and more economical yet still more powerful. Hmmm must be all that non-existing fuel that is not getting pumped into the engine

idiot

more air and fuel make more heat, the more heat the more pressure exerted on the pistons, hence turbos compress the air into the cylinder so more fuel can be injected it is not possible to get more power by reducing the fuel

modern cars have become more economical because they manipulate the air going into the cylinders with combustion chamber design and inlet positioning to make the air turbulent to mix the fuel effectively.

 

[roadend1981]

I've had 2 fabia vrs and a Leon fr all were remapped the fabia's were around the 175bhp, so nice increase but nothing the stock turbo can't handle, and not too much strain on the clutch, never had any problems what so ever, and similar mpg if not more, simply because with all the torque,you didn't need to put your foot down as much. I would say it made my clio 172 feel slow after the remap, although there wasn't much in it tbh

 

[Muffin`]

Decats are a good investment, don't cost the earth either if you can find a 2nd hand GW or Wingy one.

Sounds fair, I had to install a non-ST 2.2 exhaust when mine disintegrated as Ford wanted £400 and it felt so much more restrictive afterwards, quieter though