There are many benefits when you remap your car. We look at what remapping is, how it impacts your vehicle , and what possible benefits and disadvantages could be.
Engine Control Unit
Modern automobile engines run on a system referred to in the Engine Control Unit (ECU). The ECU is a tiny computer that controls various elements of the engine, like timing of ignition, the ratio of air to fuel as well as boost pressure. Through adjusting these settings, the engine can be adjusted to boost efficiency or performance or even both.
Remapping, also known as Chipping is the process whereby third-party software is installed on the ECU to replace the default software of the manufacturer. This software could include custom settings that allow you to maximize the performance of the engine. Additionally, it is often adapted to fit the particular vehicle.
It’s typically installed by connecting a laptop with your vehicle’s OBD serial port. This allows it to be installed very quickly and without a lot of effort. The older vehicles needed their computer chip for the engine completely removed and replaced by the latest chip that comes with the latest software installed in it. This is the reason why it was referred to as chipping.
What effect could a remap cause?
If you alter the ECU software it can allow the engine to perform better than its maximum capacity typically by increasing torque and horsepower by 20percent or more! Most cars have their performance reduced as soon as it leaves the manufacturing facility due to a myriad of reasons. This is usually to comply with emission regulations, or to comply with noise or economy regulations.
In addition, the vehicles are always sold with a warranty. And the last thing a manufacturer would like to do is to replace or repair damaged engines. Therefore, the performance of the vehicle is kept within the limits that the vehicle can provide.
Many manufacturers also make facelifted versions for each model of car they manufacture within a couple of years, before they launch entirely new models. By altering these ECU settings directly on model that has been facelifted, you can swiftly and effortlessly increase the car’s performance numbers which makes them more appealing without much effort or engineering work required.
What is a remap? Is it just an update to software?
Yes. car remapping/tuning Lincoln is commonly referred to as Stage 1 tuning and comes in a variety of stages provided by the company that offers tuning. Stage 1 is usually only an ECU software update. The second stage and above will typically consist of additional software modifications along with other hardware upgrades, like the installation of a new exhaust system or high-pressure fuel pumps. The stages 3 and 4 usually require upgrading the turbocharger and supercharger in the vehicle. Stages later in the process require more extensive work, and offer less gains on performance per kilogram than initial stage.
Are remappings harmful or dangerous on the engine?
Modifying settings that affect the control of the engine could result in negative effects, it’s all dependent on the person who developed the software and how the tuneer adjusts it to the specific vehicle. We would not advise installing your own software or software that is not from a reputable firm. There are specialist tuning firms that create ECU software, and will typically test and tweak it for at least a year on a variety of automobiles before making it available to the general public. If you choose any of them implies that the software you’ve downloaded is likely to be safe for use, however, you should always read reviews before you buy.
Does remapping void my warranty?
Since the software that is installed isn’t created by the manufacturer of the vehicle It will likely cancel any warranty that you may have for the vehicle. In the end, at the end of the day, it’s not up to the manufacturer for pushing the vehicle past its limits (or over) and in the event that there were to be a problem, you may end up having to cover the cost of a new engine yourself. The software company who wrote the map will be unlikely to be able to cover these costs as well. This is why it’s crucial to select a reliable company with plenty of years of experience.
Does remapping only apply to cars with high performance?
Remaps can boost efficiency and performance for all kinds of cars. Even cars that has a single litre engine can benefit from good performance gains after an remap, especially when it is equipped with turbocharger.
Modern cars come with turbochargers (or supercharger) that is fitted on the motor. An engine operates through mixing fuel with air , and then burning this mixture within its cylinders. Turbochargers and superchargers enhance the compression of fuel, allowing more fuel to go into the cylinders before it is ignited. More fuel means more power. It’s more fuel efficient to boost the power by this method rather than simply having a bigger engine initially. It is also a lot less. This is why we’re witnessing more 3, 4 six cylinder engine, and less 8-10 and 12 engine cylinders.
Remapped vehicles gain the greatest benefits when they have the turbocharger or supercharger that is installed because the primary changes made to the software include the compression of fuel, the fuel/air mix and the boost pressure. Remapping a naturally-aspirated engine (one that does not have a turbocharger or supercharger) implies that there isn’t much to configure. It is likely that you will not see much performance boost.
My economy will grow and also performance?
It all depends on the way you drive. In theory, engine remapped can having the same economic performance that the engine with pre-remapped configuration, and may possibly be even more effective. The main drawback is that there’s usually an opportunity to draw more performance through the engine. Most drivers – especially those who have put in the expense of having their engines remapped will most likely benefit from the extra power by increasing their speed when the opportunity presents itself. In the end, they’ll probably consume more fuel than they did before. In the end, what’s the primary reason people seek the need for a remap? To improve performance.
Are there other benefits other than the performance and economic growth?
Yes, it is possible to activate. Based on the maps that you’ve installed, certain cars will benefit from valet modeand an immobiliser mode that is activated using the help of a switch device. Immobiliser mode indicates that the vehicle is not able to drive when a burglar manages to take your keys and then start the vehicle. If the mode is not switched off, your car cannot be driven.
Valet mode is beneficial as well. This mode is designed to be activated at the time you hand your vehicle over to a valeting service or to someone else you don’t wish to drive the car for long distances, but could require access to the vehicle in some manner. Valet mode reduces the performance and speed of the car significantly, for instance by having a maximum speed of either 10 or 20 mph. This can be excellent for peace of mind.
Similar to this, companies with a fleet of vehicles for employees usually use special maps that restrict their vehicles to speeds of 70mph. This is to prevent employees from exceeding the speed limit of motorways. This means that a remap should not only for those who want to be faster.
Do I have to use an oil of a higher quality with my reconmap?
Potentially, yes. It’s all based on the kind of map you’ve installed. Most of the time, you’ll be able to utilize the same fuel that you did before. (For more details on the various types of fuel read our guide to the different kinds of fuels: Petrol vs. Diesel). However, certain performance vehicles might be tuned to one specific fuel grade. (ie 99 RON Octane for gasoline cars, as well as 55 CN Cetane in diesel vehicles) This means that the vehicle will run at its best if you stick to that specific fuel grade. The risk of damage is very minimal to the vehicle when you are using a lesser grade of fuel, however this can frequently cause jerky driving and a lower performance, more so than prior to the remap was applied. Always be sure to discuss the fuel type you would like that you should use with the tuner prior to having your car modified.
My insurance premiums will rise?
Like any modification to your vehicle that you make, you must make the change known to the insurance provider. The acceptance of the change is up to the particular insurance provider you’re with, however, it is very common to get an ECU change. They’ll usually ask how much power they will increase in percentage, and let you know if want to continue to insure that you can drive the vehicle and what the added price will cost. There’s usually an administrative cost for making a policy change as well, so keep this in your head.
If the insurer cannot continue to insure you, you’ll have to end the policy and find an insurance company that’s. This will mean paying an amount for cancellation and possibly losing any no-claims bonus you might have earned during the year.
We wouldn’t recommend to keep the map secret in the first place, because it’s illegal, and also in the event that you need to file a claim, when the map gets found then the insurance company could make your policy invalid and deny payment.
Can I change the mapping of an electric vehicle?
As electric cars become more and more commonplace and a hot topic is whether they could be remapped similarly to the engines. The solution to this question is… in fact, yes but it could be in the near future. Although it’s feasible theoretically to do this however, it’s not yet widely implemented. The reason is that electric vehicles are so new , there aren’t many third-party ECU tuning firms that have developed effective solutions to date.
Of course, the essentials of remapping an engine or diesel engine aren’t in use however, this doesn’t mean that the parameters can’t be altered to accommodate electric motors. Electric motors have a different power supply than the way we’re used. There aren’t any revs or gears and the maximum torque is available instantly. To ensure efficiency and comfort, however this can be dialed lower in the retail cars. Since the majority of people don’t would like to have 100% power in their vehicles when they are accelerating at light. (Seriously it’s not possible. It’s not feasible, or even secure for that matter.)
However, in theory, these factory settings can be changed to allow more power to be used more quickly. This would lead to some performance gains however, it will affect speed, range, and also the life span for the vehicle.
It’s also worth noting that these tuning companies have had years of testing and refine their ECU software on both petrol and diesel cars. While their market share is increasing each year, EVs simply haven’t been in the market for long enough. I’d bet there’s an abundance of ECU tuning firms with EVs in the process of testing at the moment and if you’re an avid vehicle tuneer I’d recommend you keep an eye on this field and I’m certain an electric engine swapping is going to be an option to consider in the near future. If there’s a need, there’s certain to be a market for it.
What could be the possibilities with the development of an electric car?
As we are aware, conventional vehicles are equipped with an ECU that runs software that regulates the way that the engine functions. Electric vehicles are equipped with the CMC (Car Management Computer). Since the whole vehicle – including all its parts are powered by electricity and controlled, there’s a computer that can manage everything. The CMC takes thousands of decisions every second to establish variables like the power distribution for the motors (most electric vehicles come with several motors or one per axel or per wheel) and the distance for the automobile, the temperature of the battery and also the goals the driver is trying to accomplish (ie speed up or cruise to a greater extent). That means that, by making adjustments to the software, we are able to alter the way that the car functions similar to remapping an ECU.
Before we get any further we should note that many electric cars are smart enough to recognize changes in their CMC. A lot of manufacturers will immediately cancel any warranty (or prevent software updates) for vehicles that have undergone modifications. This is why it might be a good idea to wait until your car is no longer covered by warranty before making any changes.
Upgrade your battery
If you have space, another option is to replace your battery. If the battery you have is worn out, you might be able to get rid of it and replace it with one that has greater capacity and operate with a greater power. This can increase the power. Or, if you don’t wish to alter the CMC it is possible to alter the sensors to return false data and trick the CMC to provide greater power than it would. This may result in more power, but could cause a negative impact on the performance of the vehicle and possibly overheating. Take care!
Add additional motors
Many electric vehicles are equipped with several power options. The most powerful models do not have larger motors, are more likely to include more motors. For instance, a basic model may have a single motor for the front axel while the stronger model could have the same motor on the front and another motor at the back axel. If your car only has one motor, there’s the possibility that there’s a place behind for an additional one. It is possible to retrofit this. This is a simple method to gain lots of additional power. Additionally as the electric vehicle market expands, you can anticipate a variety of aftermarket motors hitting the market. That means it is possible to switch out a manufacturer motor to a stronger third-party motor.
Battery cooling
Like all electric mechanical components the cooling system is an essential element of the overall system. Every EVs have been designed to limit output when batteries become too hot. This is in order to keep the their range and ensure that the batteries don’t degrade, increasing their lifespan. The upgrade of the cooling system can be an excellent method to ensure the battery’s protection and also allow for more power or a longer time period before the power is cut to safeguard the battery during longer trips.
Conclusion
Remapping a car can have many benefits, particularly when your vehicle is beyond warranty. Make sure to research the company that you choose to remap well prior to allowing anyone else to implement third-party software onto your car’s ECU or CMC Also, always request an insurance quote prior to the process also. Personally, I’ve had two cars remapped and will be adamant to do it for future vehicles.