A collegue of mine has purchased one of these for an 06 320D BMW. It simply plugs into the fuel rail apparently and is saving him MPG .
Surely it cannot be as easy as that or else BMW would do this themselves. I informed him about a true remap from the likes of Evolution chips etc but he's 'happy' with what he has. Fair enough , but whats the catch? Are they just gimmics that adjust the fuel computer to think your saving fuel?


Mike.

 

They are nothing but a resistor in a box.
They tone down the signal from the fuel pressure regulator so the ECU cranks the fuel pressure up.
Heard of a few fuel pump failures shortly after fitting these! Heard of a few engine and turbo failures too.
People think that their fuel economy is improving because the computer says so. But because the ECU is putting in more diesel than it knows about the fuel computer reads higher.

Nothing beats a good remap, but unfortunately they are much more expensive.

 

I think he paid about Ł200 ish for it .

 

Holy crap!
I paid Ł270 for my DNA Tuning map which included full diagnostics and health check on the car (suspension checked, engine checked visually and plugged in etc etc) then the car was rolling roaded before and after the remap including printouts on a mainline 2WD dyno.

 

Thats the thing he could of had a remap done for not alot more hard earned.
So the Ecobox is a bit of a con /misleading? Despite costs?
Seems it by the way you've described it, I thought as much.
Anyone else like to add any info on them ?

 

He could have bought it, measured the resistance of the box, bought a resistor of the same value from maplin and soldered that in the wire from the fuel pressure regulator instead and got a refund for the box!

Same end result for a the price of one resistor.

 

incorrect from what i can gather there a piggyback ecu which give the same results as a remap?

same as the tdi tuning box?

 

I find it very hard to believe that a box that plugs into nothing but the fuel pressure sensor can increase boost, adjust injection timing and alter what position the turbo vanes are at etc etc.

 

It would be interesting to know what they actually do surely they cant just be a resistor in a box? all that would do is change injector opening? which either way would make the engine run very poorly?

 

lol after a little research that its exactly all they do i would expect it like following a coal fire up the road lol sure the particle filter would love that

 

Im still under the impression they are not worthy but it makes you wonder with all the claims these type of units have. I wouldn't purchase one but some people are or otherwise they wouldnt make them.

There is no pursuading my collegue I feel but with some more input from like minded technical pro,s I would have an argument so to speak.
I would hate to see a failure with said car and believe its worth finding the truth about these boxes.

 

Back to my collegues BMW and it is broken!!! Serviced regulary at our local main dealer 80k on the clock and now a cooked turbo!
They have basically said its down to the ecobox.
Ł2-3k bill is on its way according to them.

He's learnt the hard way unfortunately .

 

You just cant tell some people because they will always think they are in the right. I have a mate who has one on a golf tdi and its been there for over 6 months now but the engine now sounds like its running without oil in it. Before he put the box on it was one of the best sounding diesel lumps on the road but after 6 months its on its last legs. Its the same as your BMW guys car with full service history BUT some people just don't listen to good advise.

 

Make sure you let him know that I said "I told you so".

Not the first time I've heard of this happening. They are worse than a bad remap.
My Mondeos been remapped for 20k/12months now and it's still sweet!

 

Someone has to learn the hard way!

 

Thing is, turbos fail on them when they are standard anyway so for them to blame the tuning box is a bit dramatic.

 

Should have gone here for it:

http://www.kauto.co.uk/shop/ecobox-d...omy-p-128.html

 

Nooooooo.German reliability lol.

 

True but I know i would'nt use the magic box again and i know he isn't after his experience.

Would you?

 

All cars go wrong, some more than others.

German cars aren't as reliable as they used to be in the mk2 Golf , Merc 190 & E30 BMW days..