Diesel Tuning Boxes

[*Moangroan*]

The DTUK is not a resistor.....its cpu controlled ........and does not just alter the air temp or whatever the resistor does.....why does everyone just say resistor in a box when they talk about tuning boxes. They are not all like that. But I agree a re-map is the way to go.

 

[Draeger]

Tupac, I had a DTUK Tuning box fitted to my 54 reg Vectra 3.0 V6 CDTi SRi.

I was running the Harry map and then switched to the Sally map.

For about 6 months it was great. The difference between standard and the DTUK box was incredible. It really did feel like a huge performance boost.

However, about 6 months and two weeks in, the dreaded "Spanner" warning light appeared on the dash and the car went into limp home mode.

This happened a few times so I booked it into my local dealer to have a look at ( I took the tuning box off before it went in as the car was still under warranty ).

They diagnosed a faulty turbo pressure sensor and fitted a new one under warranty.

So I picked the car up, went home and refitted the DTUK box. Ran fine for about a week and then the spanner light appeared again. Stranded me in a car park in Perth. Got car taken to dealer again ( removed DTUK box once again before it got left there ) and this time they said the main engine management ECU needed replacing. Luckily this was also under warranty as it was about £600 worth of kit.

When I got the car back, I didn't refit the tuning box.

Thread related to this here :-

http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33275&highlight=spanner

Sold it on a Vec owners forums.

It may have had nothing to do with the tuning box but I wasn't about to take the chance. So in short, I would be wary of using any form of tuning box, whether it be DTUK or otherwise.

Remaps would seem to be the better option from what I've read on a few forums regarding the difference between tuning boxes and those.

 

[ShakenNstirred]

i have a tuning box on my rover 75 diesel, boosts power from 116 to about 145
had it on the car since aug 07 and the cars running great still.
one guy on a rover forum has had the same box on his car for almost 100k without any problems(his car has also been remapped and with both his 75 has been dyno`d at 170bhp)

 

[Jonners]

Draeger

I dont know if this has the Harry or Sally maps, is there any way to tell?...It looks an old fashioned one to me, but then I don't know if the new ones look different...

All I know is it came off a Corsa SRi 1.7CDTi that had done around 65k and I'm the 3rd owner of the box

But never heard of any reported problems. I know these can push fuel injectors harder etc, but the Isuzu lump is good for 135hp as a rule from what I read, but perhaps this is the wrong way to achieve that figure?

 

[racheleverton37]

Apologies for dredging this old thread, but just came across it when trying to find more info around tuning boxes. Is there any new updates for any boxes which are reputable and reliable, that anyone has tried? I have 5 years warranty left, so don’t fancy remapping the ECU, but could definitely do with a little more oomph. Is there any suggestions?

 

[brendy]

Apologies for dredging this old thread, but just came across it when trying to find more info around tuning boxes. Is there any new updates for any boxes which are reputable and reliable, that anyone has tried? I have 5 years warranty left, so don’t fancy remapping the ECU, but could definitely do with a little more oomph. Is there any suggestions?

Darkside developments did a review a few years ago and the thoughts were a resounding no, they didnt give the cars much if anything at all.

 

[GravyMonster]

I have 5 years warranty left, so don’t fancy remapping the ECU, but could definitely do with a little more oomph. Is there any suggestions?

If you've got any warranty at all it's likely that a tuning box of any kind will invalidate the warranty - or at the very least give the warranty provider an out if you ever need to make a claim. I honestly wouldn't bother. Save your money and replace your car for another that meets your needs.

 

[Feek]

I had a Van Aaken box in my Focus which I had routed via a switch on the dashboard marked 'overclock'. When switched in, it gave me an extra 25 horses, an extra 40 torques and a plume of black smoke.

 

[MrRockliffe]

Apologies for dredging this old thread, but just came across it when trying to find more info around tuning boxes. Is there any new updates for any boxes which are reputable and reliable, that anyone has tried? I have 5 years warranty left, so don’t fancy remapping the ECU, but could definitely do with a little more oomph. Is there any suggestions?

Get a remap unless you’re trying to keep your warranty/ECU is locked. Even then, my understanding is that some manufacturers can detect tuning boxes now.

 

[cuke2u]

Apologies for dredging this old thread, but just came across it when trying to find more info around tuning boxes. Is there any new updates for any boxes which are reputable and reliable, that anyone has tried? I have 5 years warranty left, so don’t fancy remapping the ECU, but could definitely do with a little more oomph. Is there any suggestions?

Yes the more recent ones from tduk are very good. I've installed them on three of my cars, most recent being my m235i. It was never detected after removing it for servicing purposes. They are far sophisticated than they were a few years ago as well.
As far as the warranty is concerned, I'm sure you understand the risks, but you should declare it to your insurer though because if you have an accident with it fitted then the car won't be covered.

 

[gc123]

ive had boxes from different manufacturers for close on 20 years and never had any major problems related to them mainly ford but going right back to galaxies with pd engine.
only slight problem this year was insurance getting funny over coverage.
i mainly run autos and not too worried about extra bhp but i do find they increase economy (may be placebo......but her indoors says they are more economical so who am i to argue)

 

[Ben Cole]

I've had all sorts over the past 20+ years.

Custom remap always the best but I have to say the TDI tuning box that I had on one of my clios (1.5 diesel) did add a pleasing change at the top end.

It wasn't the utterly transformative experience of a Courtenay remap on my VX Turbo though. With other mods took the 0-60 time down to about 4 seconds and I bet you can all guess how that ended.

 

[Resident]

No such thing as a good plug in tuning box. All they do is alter the sensor input data to fool the ECU into thinking conditions are ok to dump more fuel into the system.

With diesels they tend to ramp up the pump pressure causing premature wear on the entire fuelling system, mainly the pump & injectors as often the box just sets the pump pressure at max in all conditions, overstressing the injector valves and pump.

A couple of years ago I looked into them before I went the hybrid turbo/proper map route.

TDi Tuning offered a box that looked promising so via their socials I asked for a little more info on the details of how it worked, was it just upping the pump pressure or is there a map of sorts on the box

Their response was to block me on all their socials....

That told me everything.

 

[Feek]

No such thing as a good plug in tuning box. All they do is alter the sensor input data to fool the ECU into thinking conditions are ok to dump more fuel into the system.

Yup, that's exactly what the Van Aaken box did on my Focus.

With diesels they tend to ramp up the pump pressure causing premature wear on the entire fuelling system, mainly the pump & injectors as often the box just sets the pump pressure at max in all conditions, overstressing the injector valves and pump.

Mine was still going strong when I got rid of it with 365,000 miles on the clock.

 

[IC3]

Anything out of the box or fit all is utter s... in my experience. Most Stage 1 maps on modern cars are fine though, modern ECUs work slightly differently to older ECU's, but anything Stage 2 or higher, I would go custom any day.

Edit: @racheleverton37 got their golden shovel out, to dig out a thread from 2009. I only just realised. lol

 

[Penfold101]

Tupac, I had a DTUK Tuning box fitted to my 54 reg Vectra 3.0 V6 CDTi SRi.

I was running the Harry map and then switched to the Sally map.

For about 6 months it was great. The difference between standard and the DTUK box was incredible. It really did feel like a huge performance boost.

However, about 6 months and two weeks in, the dreaded "Spanner" warning light appeared on the dash and the car went into limp home mode.

This happened a few times so I booked it into my local dealer to have a look at ( I took the tuning box off before it went in as the car was still under warranty ).

They diagnosed a faulty turbo pressure sensor and fitted a new one under warranty.

So I picked the car up, went home and refitted the DTUK box. Ran fine for about a week and then the spanner light appeared again. Stranded me in a car park in Perth. Got car taken to dealer again ( removed DTUK box once again before it got left there ) and this time they said the main engine management ECU needed replacing. Luckily this was also under warranty as it was about £600 worth of kit.

When I got the car back, I didn't refit the tuning box.

Thread related to this here :-

http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33275&highlight=spanner

Sold it on a Vec owners forums.

It may have had nothing to do with the tuning box but I wasn't about to take the chance. So in short, I would be wary of using any form of tuning box, whether it be DTUK or otherwise.

Remaps would seem to be the better option from what I've read on a few forums regarding the difference between tuning boxes and those.

Quoting a post so old it can now legally have sex, I spent quite a few years on Vectra-C.com and irs spin-off forums while a had two 1.9 Vectras and a 3.0 Signum. Loved the last one but 184bhp from 6 cylinders was just awful

 

[Resident]

Quoting a post so old it can now legally have sex, I spent quite a few years on Vectra-C.com and irs spin-off forums while a had two 1.9 Vectras and a 3.0 Signum. Loved the last one but 184bhp from 6 cylinders was just awful

And I thought 223bhp from the 3.0 V6 in the Mondeo ST220 was dire, especially when Noble bolted on a couple of turbos and doubled it's power

 

[Penfold101]

And I thought 223bhp from the 3.0 V6 in the Mondeo ST220 was dire, especially when Noble bolted on a couple of turbos and doubled it's power

It sounded good but the 1.9 with a stage 1 remap got higher figures and up to 50% better fuel economy, without needing a specialist tool to take the oil filter housing off or 8 litres of oil…

 

[Resident]

It sounded good but the 1.9 with a stage 1 remap got higher figures and up to 50% better fuel economy, without needing a specialist tool to take the oil filter housing off or 8 litres of oil…

I've got a ST-TDCi variant of the ST220. 2.2 derv lump.

A few minor mods without a map saw me to ~170bhp from 155 and even at that the standard 220 with 50 more bhp couldn't beat it.

Though I'm much further along now. Hybrid turbo, massive FMIC, straight through to rear box exhaust & remap is seeing me at ~215bhp but now I'm at the limit of the injectors & the clutch is struggling a little with the torque

 

[Penfold101]

I've got a ST-TDCi variant of the ST220. 2.2 derv lump.

A few minor mods without a map saw me to ~170bhp from 155 and even at that the standard 220 with 50 more bhp couldn't beat it.

Though I'm much further along now. Hybrid turbo, massive FMIC, straight through to rear box exhaust & remap is seeing me at ~215bhp but now I'm at the limit of the injectors & the clutch is struggling a little with the torque

One electric motor - 230 bhp. Life feels so simple now in comparison…