Diesel - chip or remap?

[SouthernComfort]

Hi guys, I've been looking at claiming a bit more of the CRD's power potential by either chipping or ECU remapping. Found these comparisons:

Diesel Tune Aust. (Vic)
Flash tune / ECU remap - $1195
Claimed gains on sample WK2 CRD: KW 18.6% NM 14.5% Fuel economy 10% Flywheel power 25%

Chip My Diesel
DIY plug in chip - $549
Claimed gains on WK2 CRD: BHP 21% Torque 21% Fuel economy 15%


The factors are 'as quoted' in each supplier's ad.

I did notice that DTA spends a lot of time talking down the chip option in favour of their 'superior' flash tune. I guess they have to justify double the price and needing your car at the shop for a day. I'm more interested in what really works rather than price, but also don't want to flush money down the toilet.

Has anyone done either of these mods on the CRD 3.0? Any comparisons and/or actual improvements you've experienced would be really useful to know. Any comments appreciated - many thanks!

[crash486]

Originally Posted by SouthernComfort

Hi guys, I've been looking at claiming a bit more of the CRD's power potential by either chipping or ECU remapping. Found these comparisons:

Diesel Tune Aust. (Vic)
Flash tune / ECU remap - $1195
Claimed gains on sample WK2 CRD: KW 18.6% NM 14.5% Fuel economy 10% Flywheel power 25%

Chip My Diesel
DIY plug in chip - $549
Claimed gains on WK2 CRD: BHP 21% Torque 21% Fuel economy 15%


The factors are 'as quoted' in each supplier's ad.

I did notice that DTA spends a lot of time talking down the chip option in favour of their 'superior' flash tune. I guess they have to justify double the price and needing your car at the shop for a day. I'm more interested in what really works rather than price, but also don't want to flush money down the toilet.

Has anyone done either of these mods on the CRD 3.0? Any comparisons and/or actual improvements you've experienced would be really useful to know. Any comments appreciated - many thanks!

I don't have either but things to take note of...

Cheap chips just up the fuel rail pressure in general and can provide the performance gain as it's very easy to get more out of a diesel.

Higher quality chips monitor and manage better and can include specific dyno tunes at extra cost. About $2000 plus tunes.

Exhaust gas temperatures can go very high very quickly so a temperature probe is recommended. Then of course you can think about Dawes valves and limiting boost pressures.

It's rarely as simple as plug and play. That said there will be plenty of people with no issues from inexpensive chips others who do get issues.

Ecu tunes can also be either generic or tailored to your vehicle via dyno tunes.

Either way do your research and choose the best for you.

[GCDingo]

Originally Posted by crash486

I don't have either but things to take note of...

Cheap chips just up the fuel rail pressure in general and can provide the performance gain as it's very easy to get more out of a diesel.

Higher quality chips monitor and manage better and can include specific dyno tunes at extra cost. About $2000 plus tunes.

Exhaust gas temperatures can go very high very quickly so a temperature probe is recommended. Then of course you can think about Dawes valves and limiting boost pressures.

It's rarely as simple as plug and play. That said there will be plenty of people with no issues from inexpensive chips others who do get issues.

Ecu tunes can also be either generic or tailored to your vehicle via dyno tunes.

Either way do your research and choose the best for you.

Chips just intercept signals to ECU and trick the ECU into what it is seeing. Most can't be custom tuned except the expensive ones like Unichip. Cheap ones as said just up fuel rail pressure which can lead to high EGT's and fuel consumption. Worse case, melted pistons.
Better ones can alter boost and timing to an extent.
ECU remap, in my opinion is the best solution but I think they should be custom tuned to the car. Some places buy maps off of engineers and just load them in, take you money and off you go. As long as the person doing the remaps knows what they are doing I think it is a safer option.

[Cherokee30D]

ECU remap is the way to go.

Matt at Horsepower did mine. It is custom tuned on the dyno to suit my engine. Extremely happy with the power and torque gains...... and the economy.

PM me if you want more details.

Cheers, Craig

[SouthernComfort]

Thanks for your comments guys.

FWIW, the remap offered by Diesel Tune Aust. is a dyno custom tune with a before and after graph supplied.

Craig, I'll PM you re. Horsepower, Cheers.

[tasjeep]

With a ECU tune you also have other options the a chip cannot provide. Turning off the EGR for example.

[LAREDAZ]

I ran a TDi chip for a couple of weeks. Power gains were hard to feel but the car had a couple of strange behaviours so I sent it back under the 30 day guarantee. The throttle controller I kept though.
Problem with a full dyno tune is you do put yourself at warranty risk....Gives jeep an out.