Quantum Remap - MK4 Golf

Arthur Hucksake · 29 Mar 2016 at 07:46

I have a 2002 plate MK4 Golf PD150 and looking into having it remapped for economy.

The local garage offers the Quantum service, but there is also the Revo option not too far away.

The aim is for a bit more power in the lower ranges to save a bit on fuel over the next few years. I don't need the power as such.

Anyone who has done it from an economy point of view, has it been worth it?

iaind · 29 Mar 2016 at 07:55

Why did you buy the most powerful diesel variant, only to want to reduce the power for a bit more economy?

I can imaging the break even point being very lengthy. A 1.9 golf will still be doing 40-50mpg, I don't see how you can reasonably expect to improve that in a meaningful way? If you can't afford to fuel it then spending money on remaps might not be a good investment. If you can afford it but just fancy improving it then leave it well alone

Phil W · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:06

Go to R-Tech

Arthur Hucksake · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:11

iaind said:
Why did you buy the most powerful diesel variant, only to want to reduce the power for a bit more economy?

I can imaging the break even point being very lengthy. A 1.9 golf will still be doing 40-50mpg, I don't see how you can reasonably expect to improve that in a meaningful way? If you can't afford to fuel it then spending money on remaps might not be a good investment. If you can afford it but just fancy improving it then leave it well alone

It's likely to be getting more motorway mileage than was anticipated when I bought it. The "Green" variant of the remap they do enables you to cruise at 70mph at a lower rpm, so is meant to save a fair bit. What the savings are is what I'm hoping someone has experiences with.

Dangerous Dave · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:14

Arthur Hucksake said:
It's likely to be getting more motorway mileage than was anticipated when I bought it. The "Green" variant of the remap they do enables you to cruise at 70mph at a lower rpm, so is meant to save a fair bit. What the savings are is what I'm hoping someone has experiences with.

Unless they are changing your gearbox the revs at 70mph are not going to change, a stock 150PD Golf will happily sit at 70mph in top gear.

iaind · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:16

Arthur Hucksake said:
It's likely to be getting more motorway mileage than was anticipated when I bought it. The "Green" variant of the remap they do enables you to cruise at 70mph at a lower rpm, so is meant to save a fair bit. What the savings are is what I'm hoping someone has experiences with.

No it doesn't. At a steady 70mph I can't see any savings being made

The sort of savings you could make with stuff like this, you could make by adapting your driving style.

xs2man · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:17

iaind said:
Why did you buy the most powerful diesel variant, only to want to reduce the power for a bit more economy?

I can imaging the break even point being very lengthy. A 1.9 golf will still be doing 40-50mpg, I don't see how you can reasonably expect to improve that in a meaningful way? If you can't afford to fuel it then spending money on remaps might not be a good investment. If you can afford it but just fancy improving it then leave it well alone

Fail to understand what he is aiming for.

An economy remap doesn't reduce the factory power. You still get more power, but a more efficient map.

My Alhambra has an "economy" map on it. Well, it isn't really, there were 3 map options where I got mine done. Economy, Balanced and Fast. I'm sure most people plump for the fast one, I went for the balanced one. Didn't do much for economy mind you, maybe 1-2 mpg better overall, around 3-4 mpg better on a run. But it is noticeably faster now, which is nice.

My old A3 2.0 TDI 140 had switchable maps. I ran the economy map for about a year, and gained around 4-5 mpg out of it. I then replaced the clutch / flywheel and banged the fast road map on it. Economy was back to normal levels, but again, a noticeable increase in performance. In a straight line, it was almost as fast as my Golf V6 4Motion I had at the same time.

Phil W said:
Go to R-Tech

This. It'll be the best option, and you'll get a custom map to your requirements.

Arthur Hucksake said:
It's likely to be getting more motorway mileage than was anticipated when I bought it. The "Green" variant of the remap they do enables you to cruise at 70mph at a lower rpm, so is meant to save a fair bit. What the savings are is what I'm hoping someone has experiences with.

I did see some gains, but don't expect massive gains in economy. It will still take a while to pay for itself. But it will be a more enjoyable drive that whole time. Be mindful that you may well need a new clutch / flywheel after though. I have the coin in the bank for the Alhambra needing it done.

Janesy B · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:36

Arthur Hucksake said:
The "Green" variant of the remap they do enables you to cruise at 70mph at a lower rpm

Sorry but that's a load of rubbish.

Howard · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:38

Arthur Hucksake said:
The "Green" variant of the remap they do enables you to cruise at 70mph at a lower rpm.

No it doesn't.

sovietspybob · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:47

Also with remaps as there will be more air going into the engine with higher boost levels etc the onboard trip computer won't compensate and will generally tell you you're getting quite a bit better MPG where as in reality your'e not. I knew someone with an old clio 182 who had a fair bit of work done and swore blind she was getting 45mpg as her trip computer told her so...

Janesy B · 29 Mar 2016 at 08:53

If only there was a way of measuring what distance is covered and the amount of fuel put into the car

-Mike- · 29 Mar 2016 at 09:47

Arthur Hucksake said:
The "Green" variant of the remap they do enables you to cruise at 70mph at a lower rpm, so is meant to save a fair bit. What the savings are is what I'm hoping someone has experiences with.

The above statement is very funny for how much complete rubbish it is! Budget for higher insurance costs which will wipe out your possible fuel savings after you declare that remap to your insurers!

I believe your box probably has similar ratios to mine, so 70mph is only just over 2000rpm anyway, which is only just over the peak torque point on the ARL engine. If you want to improve economy adjust your driving style - put the trip computer on instantaneous consumption and learn to have your foot at the right point for the speed you're doing. There can be quite a difference for a tiny bit of pedal travel.

As said above, budget for a clutch and flywheel if you want to put more power through it too.

sovietspybob · 29 Mar 2016 at 09:54

Janesy B said:
If only there was a way of measuring what distance is covered and the amount of fuel put into the car

Haha well yes

but i'm constantly amazed by how many people just go off their dash read out when it comes to MPG as they can be quite wildly inaccurate on some cars, especially modded ones.

Diddums · 29 Mar 2016 at 10:03

Janesy B said:
Sorry but that's a load of rubbish.

In order to go 70mph, your wheels need to be rotating a certain RPM. In order for your wheels to rotating that RPM, your gearbox needs to rotate at a certain RPM as well. No remap will change any of that, unless it somehow magically changes the ratios somewhere between the flywheel and the wheels, which is pretty much physically impossible unless the car has a CVT which no Golf has.

Arthur Hucksake · 29 Mar 2016 at 10:14

Cheers for the info.

Think I will see how many miles I get out of a tank after having all of the filters done, and driving more linear below the full turbo line. (2100rpm?)

Got about 440 miles out of the last tank but a lot of that was stuck in queues.

Driving angry probably doesn't help my mpg much neither.

Arthur Hucksake · 29 Mar 2016 at 10:16

-Mike- said:
The above statement is very funny for how much complete rubbish it is! Budget for higher insurance costs which will wipe out your possible fuel savings after you declare that remap to your insurers!

I believe your box probably has similar ratios to mine, so 70mph is only just over 2000rpm anyway, which is only just over the peak torque point on the ARL engine. If you want to improve economy adjust your driving style - put the trip computer on instantaneous consumption and learn to have your foot at the right point for the speed you're doing. There can be quite a difference for a tiny bit of pedal travel.

As said above, budget for a clutch and flywheel if you want to put more power through it too.

Cheers. Am I looking at a new intercooler to cope with it and all?

Can see me just getting a GTD and being done with it before long. lol

Skilid · 29 Mar 2016 at 11:16

Drive at 60

-Mike- · 29 Mar 2016 at 11:24

Arthur Hucksake said:
Cheers. Am I looking at a new intercooler to cope with it and all?

Can see me just getting a GTD and being done with it before long. lol

You don't need a new intercooler as such, I believe the 150 ARL has a fmic anyway. Friend had a Leon FR with a remap and it was reasonably quick for a diesel but they are quite a bit more laggy low down than the lower powered engines (due to different turbo) but once going it wasn't bad!

I'd just leave it alone and drive it as is! Pay attention to your footwork and you'll get reasonable mpg anyway. Once you start modifying the car to within an inch of its life you reduce longevity and you'll throw your insurance up to the sky price wise!

You should also be aware that the 150 suffers a bit of chocolate cam, more so than the other lower powered PD lumps so treat it nicely with good quality regular oil changes.

xs2man · 29 Mar 2016 at 12:48

Arthur Hucksake said:
Cheers. Am I looking at a new intercooler to cope with it and all?

Can see me just getting a GTD and being done with it before long. lol

Wouldn't bother with an intercooler. You realistically don't need to change them until you have done LOADS more mods. My 1.8T AGU didn't need the intercooler changed until it cracked 230 bhp (up from 150 bhp) and that was bigger turbo, injectors, exhaust and airflow sorted first.

As said above, the 150 BHP 1.9 TDI's aren't the strongest. You're actually better off with a 130 and map it. There is usually only about 10 bhp difference, post-map, between the 130 and the 150 anyway, so not really worth the risk.

Arthur Hucksake · 29 Mar 2016 at 15:53

-Mike- said:
You don't need a new intercooler as such, I believe the 150 ARL has a fmic anyway. Friend had a Leon FR with a remap and it was reasonably quick for a diesel but they are quite a bit more laggy low down than the lower powered engines (due to different turbo) but once going it wasn't bad!

I'd just leave it alone and drive it as is! Pay attention to your footwork and you'll get reasonable mpg anyway. Once you start modifying the car to within an inch of its life you reduce longevity and you'll throw your insurance up to the sky price wise!

You should also be aware that the 150 suffers a bit of chocolate cam, more so than the other lower powered PD lumps so treat it nicely with good quality regular oil changes.

Yeah, the dreaded choc choc cam. It's getting a yearly service and probably oil change every 6-8 months.