What is re-chipping? The most difficult concept to grasp for most people is that re-chipping is simply engine tuning, although it is being done electronically rather than mechanically as in the old days of carburettors and distributors. A chip is simply an electronic storage device which is located on a circuit board inside the ECU (Engine Control Unit). This chip contains values in a binary form which the ECU's main processor can understand and use to control the engine. Each value inside the chip is held in its own separate position known as an 'address', and when a car is re-chipped, what we are basically doing is altering the values within the groups of addresses that control fuelling, ignition timing and on turbo engines the boost pressure. These are known as maps, hence the often used term 're-mapping'. It is these maps which we manipulate in order to tune the engine. Naturally, this is a complex and skilled operation which requires experienced personnel who understand the hardware and software for each car. Why re-chip/re-map at all? ECU's were first introduced back in the 1980's as a supposedly more efficient method of controlling engine fuelling, ignition timing, and emissions. The problem lies in the fact that all new cars have to undergo 'Type Approval', and part of this is getting the car through the 'Urban Driving Cycle' tests. Remote from European driving conditions these tests are based on a simulated trip around Los Angeles with the resulting noxious gases collected in a bag for testing. For example, the car has to cope with poor fuel quality, hot, dry and dusty environments and at the same time still provide reliability and economy. In order to meet these stringent requirements, modern day engines are now virtually detuned to pass the test. As a result the car never performs as well as it is mechanically built for, resulting in hesitancy and flat spots. Taking this in to consideration it leaves masses of room for an engineer to re-tune the car to vastly improve performance without infringing any emissions regulations. What do you gain? A Performance Optimisation remap gives you the best possible power, response and flexibility from your engine and in some cases up to 35% more power and 40% more torque. The torque is increased from idle upwards, even before any turbo boost is produced. This expands the useable rev-range of your engine and brings boost pressure in faster and earlier. The increase in mid-range power and torque provide most of what you feel whilst you drive. By correctly matching air/fuel ratios throughout the rev-range, top end power is also increased. In short, Power and Torque will now be maintained at their optimum levels throughout the whole rev-range reducing the drama involved with overtaking. Less gear changes will be required due to the larger power band making for a more relaxed drive. The Optimisation remap also improves fuel atomisation and combustion which consequently also betters fuel economy giving more miles per gallon. How is it done? Tune-tec performs this remapping process firstly by identifying the ECU type in the vehicle and then deciding the preferred method of removing the existing data. If this data can be retrieved via the OBD diagnostic socket then it takes anything up to 20 minutes to download and save the dataset. If the ECU can not be programmed via OBD then we have to use a different method to extract this data. Dependent upon the model of the ECU this may have to be done by removing the ECU from the vehicle and programming the chip inside directly with an electronic probe. Whatever method we have to take, once we have the data we can then start the intricate work of the remapping. Once the original data has then been remapped with the help of sophisticated engine management software, we re-save the new performance file which is then uploaded back on to the vehicle. What makes us different to other companies? Unlike many other companies, before and after the ECU remapping process takes place we perform a full diagnostic scan to check that the vehicle is in a fully working condition and has no faults or error codes present. Making performance modifications on a faulty vehicle would be highly risky and potentially cause major damage, so never trust a company that state they can remap a vehicle without checking its overall condition first. If we do find error codes on the vehicle before we start we will present these to you free of charge as long as you commit to have the vehicle remapped when the faults have been fixed. (Please see our section on Diagnostic Error Code checking as this is a separate chargeable service on its own). Will it affect my warranty and be noticeable when I take it to my dealer? As there are no physical changes to anything mechanical on the car the warranty can not be affected and the changes can not be seen when you take your vehicle to the dealer for routine servicing All we do is manipulate variables in the ECU code so we are not removing or replacing any original equipment on the vehicle. As an example if you were to install an aftermarket stereo or new suspension and this caused problems with the vehicle then the manufacture may refuse to cover you as you have changed original equipment that they have given you warranty on. Is re-mapping better or simply different from aftermarket power chips? OBD Engine mapping is the modern version of chipping. When you 'chip' a car you basically remove and re-solder a microchip from the ECU that has a set of data already programmed onto it. When you remap an ECU via the OBD diagnostic port, you remove a dataset that is currently stored on a microchip and then modify and overwrite it with the performance data. This method of remapping allows you to apply different maps where applicable and also restore the original data should you require it. The benefit of this over conventional 'chipping' is that you have not changed any standard part of the car and therefore the warranty is never affected. Also you are not putting a mass produced chip in to your car that has no knowledge of the vehicles original data. How can someone tell you they can increase performance in your vehicle by not seeing it first and sending you a pre-programmed chip, they can't. Also this process is not some aftermarket plug in gimmick that fools the engine into doing something else at a flick of a switch. These devices are mass produced and don't take in to consideration that each car performs slightly different to another. Also, this method can be dangerous because they can not determine the overall condition of the vehicle first. Can the remapping be reversed? The benefit of this modern technology is that we can reverse the information back to standard for you at any time. This means that if you came back to us within seven days and asked us to reverse the process we will do it free of charge and refund you the full amount of the re-map. After seven days there is no charge to return your car to standard, but we will not issue a refund unless there is an issue as a result of the re-map. To date this has never happened and everyone has been more than satisfied with the end results and go on to enjoy a faster and more enjoyable driving experience.