Remaps, worth it??

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Soldato
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Since buying my Mondeo TDCi, I've been in two minds of getting it remapped.

There is an uncertainty around remapping for me. My car has done 135k, however I am concerned that it's not putting out what it should. So it will be going on the rollers at the weekend. I am getting a quote of around £200 from a decent remapper (£220 if we do a rolling road), or I can go the superchips bluefin option which is £320.

The output would be from 153bhp to 182bhp, torque would be up to 410nm, not sure what it is at standard power. This is for the bluefin, and the mapper said he could get it to around that.

Those who have had their cars remapped, is it actually worth it?

I'd like the extra performance but having the mondeo, injectors, dmf and all that could go. No signs of them going yet, however, more stress will be put on these components, so it could result me forking out more ££££ for a gain which I don't really need, but like.

Any opinions on this matter?
 
Dunno about a Mondeo but if you remapped a Civic then BANK on having the clutch & dmf changed in short order !

I'd imagine a Mondeo is quite a bit heavier than a Civic hatch too ?
 
As a diesel it is worth considering a decent tuning box. Synergy are very good and you can always disconnect them if you don't like the results.

I have used a few and been pleasantly surprised at the results. I have one on the other halves 1.9jtd lifting it from 120bhp to an estimated 150bhp. Take two minutes to fit and the power output is adjustable so you can save wear on the DMF and clutch.
 
Id think about the supporting hardware and whether that can take it

For example, my Golf got remapped at 90k, its on 215k, the hardware can more than take it
 
I'd map it, but would first check that the engine is in good health.

I would also ensure that the mapper chosen had a good reputation, and probably want a log afterwards of AFRs to check they haven't got it too lean/rich. Amongst the RenaultSport community there have been some *very* bad maps done by seemingly well known tuners :(.
 
Matt82 said:
Id think about the supporting hardware and whether that can take it

For example, my Golf got remapped at 90k, its on 215k, the hardware can more than take it
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Westyfield2 said:
I'd map it, but would first check that the engine is in good health.

I would also ensure that the mapper chosen had a good reputation, and probably want a log afterwards of AFRs to check they haven't got it too lean/rich. Amongst the RenaultSport community there have been some *very* bad maps done by seemingly well known tuners :(.
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I'm really tempted by the bluefin map more so then the local mapper. Then again, I'm in two minds and with the bluefin, I can return it within 7 days if I'm not happy. It's just the worry of a component(s), not taking the extra added power, which in my opinion isn't really a lot!
 
With a diesel id think about the spike in torque that mappers seem to love writing into the engine character. it makes people think the car is "nippy" etc but in reality car be sending enormous shock through the driveline and mounts. clutches and flywheels dont tend to love that sort of thing so much either
 
Westyfield2 said:
I'd map it, but would first check that the engine is in good health.

I would also ensure that the mapper chosen had a good reputation, and probably want a log afterwards of AFRs to check they haven't got it too lean/rich. Amongst the RenaultSport community there have been some *very* bad maps done by seemingly well known tuners :(.
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Bluefin by any chance? I know the megane maps tend to run lean with them
 
I had my 2.0 136hp TDCI Focus remapped almost 1 1/2 years ago now. I bought a second hand Bluefin off Ebay - watch out as >1 year old units have a £300 charge to wipe them!
Only buy a wiped/reset one.

It picks up better as the turbo kicks in earlier and harder. I can hear it whistle now under load. MPG has not changed.
No idea if it runs lean, but an RR showed 167hp and 280lbft, which is 8hp less than the map claimed. It never knocks either. Nor do any warning lights ever come up.

I mapped it at around 82000 miles and the DMF **** itself at 84000 miles. I think it is unfair to blame the DMF though as it was without doubt nearing the end of its life anyway.
I have no DPF and it smokes more under load, but it still is OK for the MOT by a massive margin.
Overall I am very happy with my remap. I almost never floor it and I do not give it heavy throttle when the engine is cold. I just like the way a remap gives fantastic value for money when it comes to more power, especially when you consider I still pay road tax as though it is 136hp (less diesel particulates, less NOX, less CO2).

A very important note I must make is that my Dad owned this car from 2008 (6 months old) to March 2012 - I knew exactly where it had been, which for me was more important that having a petrol, which is my preference.
 
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Third Opinion said:
As a diesel it is worth considering a decent tuning box. Synergy are very good and you can always disconnect them if you don't like the results.

I have used a few and been pleasantly surprised at the results. I have one on the other halves 1.9jtd lifting it from 120bhp to an estimated 150bhp. Take two minutes to fit and the power output is adjustable so you can save wear on the DMF and clutch.
Click to expand...

I second the Synergy root, I had one on my rover 75 diesel
boosted it from 115 to 150, it ran like a dream. it had 10 different setting and I went with the extra switch on the dash so I could turn it off/switch to economy or power.
the guy that makes them would even buy them back once you sold the car.
http://www.tuning-diesels.co.uk/
on the rover 75 forum there is a guy on there that had done 120k with one fitted and it never missed a beat
 
Hi there

Depends on the car:-

911 C2S - No, unless doing accompanying modifications like throttle body, high-flow cats etc. Otherwise NO!
BMW E46 M3 - Yes even if stock, seems BMW left quite a bit on the table, about 20BHP peak and good mid-range improvements, which for an NA car is rare, so very worth it, even more so on an SMG model.
306HDi - Yes gave a 30% power/torque increase for a little over £100, well worth it, improved mpg too.

Mustang - Yes, good 30BHP by mapping to UK fuel. :)

Turbo cars - OH YES unless the cars ECU can adapt by itself but this is rare and a map or controller is a must.
 
I had a passat 1.9tdi pd130 mapped to around 170hp and 280lb/ft, it was definetly faster but the problem was being manual + 8v tdi the powerband was so narrow you were constantly changing gears. ALL THE TIME. Got old fast. Wouldn't bother in a mondeo but I would in a DSG car etc.

If I buy this 1.8t A3 though I probably won't, honestly I don't find myself using the full 140hp of my current car so have no need for 220hp.
 
See, I don't ever floor my car. It's a commuter and that's it.

Sometimes I'll have the odd hoon against the TDI fellow in the next lane, but 99% of the time it's light throttle driving. I'm just curious to see what my car would be liked map as everyone who's owned one has said they respond well to a map with the extra torque. It's just the 50% chance of something going wrong that worries me whether I should take the risk or not.
 
Muffin` said:
It'll kill the STD, don't do it
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See, I don't know if I should take you seriously considering you killed the integra...twice. :p

All jokes aside, do you think so? You did own one for a while, so you must know more then me on the car.

Should I just leave it as it is?
 
I researched it and the damage it could cause was massive. If you can uprate the clutch injectors and fit a single mass flywheel I think it was fine. Add on a SS exhaust too. Lot of work for that car really, might as well just start with something fast in the first place.
 
Muffin` said:
I researched it and the damage it could cause was massive. If you can uprate the clutch injectors and fit a single mass flywheel I think it was fine. Add on a SS exhaust too. Lot of work for that car really, might as well just start with something fast in the first place.
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Thanks 'Muffin. I've done my research and everywhere I read it said injectors/dmf/clutch. At my mileage I'm in two minds whether to take the risk, but it's not worth it if 2 weeks down the line, clutch/dmf goes boom. That's £800 there, and then the injectors cost nearly as much, plus coding.

Not worth it when my sensible head thinks a £220/£320 risk could end up a £1k+ risk.

May as well put the money towards maintaining it and saving up for something else. It's just I do sort of miss the performance of a fast saloon.

My car seems a good example as it hasn't given me any problems, apart from the slight thought of that it's lacking power. Maybe due to a split hose somewhere, not sure.
 
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