Midlifecrisis

I’ve recently bought a 2005 Mondeo TDCI 130 and am considering chipping it to increase the MPG and power. Reading various forums this seems to be generally a positive step although I was concerned to read on one that the extra torque can cause expensive clutch problems and on another that the injectors can fail.

My main question to those that know is researching the internet I find I can buy the following:

• From Tuning Wizard an ECU Power Chip & Fuel Saver. An adjustable unit that can save fuel on the ECO setting up to add 40BHP on a different setting. Although this one says ‘more power equals more MPG. £49.95.
• Solware Diesel Car Performance Chip that will increase fuel economy by 7-10%; power by 30bhp and torque by 50 NM for £269.95
• DTUK offers three models – a Multimap Power System for £350, an ECO 3 Fuel Saving System for £269.10 and a RED Power System for £296.10 all offering 35 more BHP, 60 more Nm and ‘Up to 20% improvement in Fuel Economy’.
• Chip Express offers a Diesel Tuning Box that on standard setting will give me 33 more BHP and 58 more Nm of torque – on the Max setting this is 46 more BHP and 107 Nm. It also offers ‘better fuel economy’ for £395.

So I can spend between £50 and £400 for what seems to be pretty much the same thing. Why the vast difference in price?

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

They aren't the same thing. A tuning box is a very crude way of extracting more power as it 'fools' the ECU into chucking in more fuel. The last thing you want to do with the Mk3's over sensitive injectors is to throw more fuel in than it expects. If you've seen the price of a new set of injectors you'll know why.

A proper remap is the way forward. You will get more power and mpg, but not both at the same time. Think of it as 'optimising' the engine.

Yes more torque will finish the DMF/Clutch off more quickly, but it's not going to happen overnight if it's in good order. Avoid booting the car in the the first two gears, and don't drive under 1500rpm and you'll keep the drivetrain happy.

Rsmat

iTrader: (2)

Go have it remapped at your local tuner or MSD it will really transform it in drivability and power and most of all economy .

Fiddy

^ This

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

Nothing much else to say really. Perfect advice.

cos 4x4

Remap filter and exhaust and you'll have a flying machine that still returns good mpg

Chip

iTrader: (3)

This is the 2.2 mondeo not the 130 but just an example of the sort of gains that you can get from a GOOD remap on most modern diesels.

https://passionford.com/forum/genera...th-graphs.html

daviddunlop83

iTrader: (7)

This is what i got from a bluefin and decat. Its a 2.2 ST tdci

The bluefin is on a slightly reduced setting as the first map made it smoke like mad on boost.

This is it without the bluefin installed but the decat





Both on one graph. Ignore the yellow line

STeve

iTrader: (11)

sound advice dan, your not just a pretty face

Midlifecrisis

Thanks for the quick responses guys. It's pretty conclusive.
So the obvious questions - how much should a remap cost? and where do I get it done? Do I go to my local garage and ask there or go for one of the specialist sites on the Internet?

daviddunlop83

iTrader: (7)

A Live map will always be best but as for me there isnt anyone over here i would trust to do it so thats why i went for the bluefin option you could also consider.

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Live map on a standard diesel car is overkill TBH.

A basic reflash with a good off the shelf map is perfectly adequete, and in the case of a decent setup like evolution chips, if things dont respond appropriately (diesel smoke or similar) then it can be altered anyway.

daviddunlop83

iTrader: (7)

I suppose thats the case with good chips like the evolution ones tho over here alot of these so called mappers are lifting maps off cars and firing them onto everything and i dont think they actually know what they are doing

Thats why i went for a bluefin as the chances are it will be good.

Out of interest, for the likes of a mondeo ST, how do you get an evoloution map onto the car? Like a bluefin comes with a handset, do you need to go to to one of thier places and they upload it with a laptop?

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Evolution dealers all have a handset known as a "genius" which is very similar to a bluefin in many ways, but they can load any map from any car onto it that evolutions give them access to, and all dealers can then request specific changes to be made to the file itself if they require as well, so its basically an off the shelf map service for good quality initial maps, but with the ability to custom tune as well.
Powerful setup, but not just cause of the hardware, cause of the skills of Kenny and Stu in mapping in the first place. Ultimately whatever the tools are it still falls back to the people actually doing the maps!