I've been toying with the idea of a tuning box for my new SIII, but wanted to check if anyone on here has one fitted, and what their thoughts are? My car is a business lease under maintenance so a re-map is out of the question, but a removable tuning box just might be do-able.

hi had a bluespark tuning box fitted to a 12 plate octavia 1.6 diesal then had a 14 plate 2.0 diesal superb had a retuned box on that which you could blank off when you go for a service just bought a 16 plate 2.0 sel but have not yet had one fitted yet ,was advised by the skoda dealer mechanic who took the box off when i part ex the car that if i had one on the new car make sure i disconnect it as when they service it, there software they use will detect it and will download the info direct to skoda thus possibly invalidating any garruantee. as far as what affect it had on the cars didnt get much more mpg on either car but they both ran very smooth and plenty of poke when you put your foot down ,i never altered the various settings on the box so unable to make a comparison the chaps at bluespark are very helpfull fitted the second one for free .

Interesting as I was considering getting the 2.0 liter diesel (190 bhp) chipped.  So that could ruin the warranty

1 hour ago, aidangill said:

Interesting as I was considering getting the 2.0 liter diesel (190 bhp) chipped.  So that could ruin the warranty

It will. This was pointed out to me when I discussed chipping with the dealer and it was they who recommended I go for a pluggable tuning box, at least for the period of the warranty, which I did.

8 hours ago, BillyJim said:

It will. This was pointed out to me when I discussed chipping with the dealer and it was they who recommended I go for a pluggable tuning box, at least for the period of the warranty, which I did.

 

Ok thanks. What box did you go for and where did you get it do you mind me asking.

Some years ago we had a Focus 1.6 TDCi which was a bit slow compared to the previous Mondeo 130 TDCi. So I investigated tuning boxes and had virtually settled one brand but fitting it was quite a faff since most of the plugs you needed were round the back of the engine. The seller said to simply remove the box before taking the car to the garage and if you had a crash simply remove it before the insurance saw it. Did not fancy the task of removing the box and refitting it before a garage visit but a wise man on the Ford Forum asked me what would happen if it was a wet night on the M1 and the car broke down with the wife driving alone. Would she be able to take the box off before the RAC recovered the car. Same would apply after an accident.

 

Decided to press the right pedal harder instead.

31 minutes ago, skidpan said:

Some years ago we had a Focus 1.6 TDCi which was a bit slow compared to the previous Mondeo 130 TDCi. So I investigated tuning boxes and had virtually settled one brand but fitting it was quite a faff since most of the plugs you needed were round the back of the engine. The seller said to simply remove the box before taking the car to the garage and if you had a crash simply remove it before the insurance saw it. Did not fancy the task of removing the box and refitting it before a garage visit but a wise man on the Ford Forum asked me what would happen if it was a wet night on the M1 and the car broke down with the wife driving alone. Would she be able to take the box off before the RAC recovered the car. Same would apply after an accident.

 

Decided to press the right pedal harder instead.

Not an issue if you declare it on your insurance though?  Some insurers will refuse to cover engine mods, others will charge extra, some will make a note but not charge if the BHP increase is < a specified percentage, e.g 15%.  For example, Hastings will not insure a modified car, LV will and do so with a competitive quote and not many questions. Some drivers (circumstances dependent) will be forced to go to a specialist broker to get insurance on a modified car (cosmetic and/or performance)

Servicing (warranty) and modifying a lease car are grey areas though and you take a risk with both.  I've seen on seatcupra.net where a member was given permission to add a diesel tuning box to his FR and another member tried the same and was categorically told "NO!".  

 

With regard to servicing; my mate took his A6 in for a new car 'health check' with Audi and was told that there's no need to remove the tuning box next time.  He played dumb but he was shocked the dealer knew he uses a tuning box (TDI Tuning) despite him removing it before the dealer visit.  Others will swear blind that they're undetectable.  I personally think that if a dealer wants to go snooping then the boxes leave some kind of indication that they've been fitted.  A remap on the other hand will flag with TD1 when the car is hooked up, though a dealer can manually add the flag to the car too.  As far as I'm aware, no tuning company has found a way around the TD1 flag.  The only solution I was offered was to purchase a 2nd ECU and clone it with the original and then remap the new unit, swapping it over for servicing.  The cost and faff involved makes it a very stupid, cost in-effective 'solution'. 

Edited 20 July, 20178 yr by penguin17

Interesting topic and after reading various posts on this forum, I am not expecting my 190 to perform as well as my 170 exeo (remapped) due to throttle response also. (I realise there are boxes specifically for throttle response). 

 

I know that after the novelty of the new car wears off, I will be looking into upgrading the power!

2 hours ago, aidangill said:

 

Ok thanks. What box did you go for and where did you get it do you mind me asking.

I bought and fitted it over a year ago and went for the RaceChip Ultimate (without BT) at the same time as their Throttle Response, though the latter is now superseded by their XLR.

Of the two, the Throttle Response made the biggest positive impact.

I bought them online through their UK web site.

In response to a couple of comments raised here since...

I had to switch insurers because my existing insurer would not cover engine tuning (though the Throttle Response was not a concern). I switched from Churchill to LV (and paid less for tuned than I was paying for vanilla).

When the car went in for service I left both RaceChip devices connected, though I disabled the tuning box with the supplied blanking dongle and switched the pedal box off. Both were highly visible. It didn't raise any eyebrows.

On 7/20/2017 at 10:46, BillyJim said:

I bought and fitted it over a year ago and went for the RaceChip Ultimate (without BT) at the same time as their Throttle Response, though the latter is now superseded by their XLR.

Of the two, the Throttle Response made the biggest positive impact.

I bought them online through their UK web site.

In response to a couple of comments raised here since...

I had to switch insurers because my existing insurer would not cover engine tuning (though the Throttle Response was not a concern). I switched from Churchill to LV (and paid less for tuned than I was paying for vanilla).

When the car went in for service I left both RaceChip devices connected, though I disabled the tuning box with the supplied blanking dongle and switched the pedal box off. Both were highly visible. It didn't raise any eyebrows.

Are they hard fitted? 

1 hour ago, aidangill said:

Are they hard fitted? 

If you mean are they a permanent fitment, then the answer is no(ish). If you mean are they hard to fit, then the answer is also no(ish).

The Throttle Response is probably at most a five minute job to fit first time and then it's a thirty second job to remove or reinstall. The Throttle Response had the electronics housed in the controller but the XLR now has a separate controller and electronics box so may not be as easy to totally remove and reinstall. Take a look at @philpix's post.

The RaceChip Ultimate tuning box was a 30 minute job to fit on my 280 TSI. The non-app version I have has two sensor connections to the engine, one located at the top of the engine and one at the bottom.  I believe the BlueTooth app version has a third connection (for BT power?).

On the 280 engine you ideally need to jack or ramp the front to temporarily remove the plastic sump guard to gain easy access to the bottom connection. I don't know where the relevant sensors are located on the diesel versions.

 

They say a picture paints a thousand words...

That large square connector plugs into the RaceChip tuning box which itself is not much larger than a pack of cigarettes. It can be located anywhere that is convenient but ideally away from sources of excess heat. I used long cable ties to secure the box and shorter ties to secure the cables.

The two sensor ends each have a plug and socket. You remove the two engine sensor plugs and plug them into the respective RaceChip cable's sockets and plug the RaceChip cable's plugs into the engine's sensor sockets. When fitted, the sensor data from the engine is sent up the cable to the RaceChip box where it does its trickery and sends the modified data back down the cable to the engine management.

The provided dongle that you plug into the large square socket, after unplugging it from the RaceChip box, is merely a bypass so the engine sensor data is sent up the cable and back down to the engine management without alteration, effectively returning the engine to original performance.

It would be a pain if you felt you needed to disconnect and remove the cable and box on a regular basis. I just use the dongle whenever the car needs to go to the workshop.

 

I hope that answers your query. 

 

Edited 24 July, 20178 yr by BillyJim

Sorry to revive an old thread but does any one have experience with a Unichip module? I've had a look through https://www.unichipeurope.com/, and their products do seem interesting.

I am puzzled as to why people buy diesels and then fit a tuning box, why not just buy a petrol car with more BHP?

 

With modern electronics they can tell it has been fitted, can probably even give you the date and time it was plugged in or unplugged.

Buy a 2nd hand tdi-tuning box off eBay (£80), then get TDI tuning to reprogram it (£70) & jobsagoodunn

On 11/01/2022 at 08:54, IJWS15 said:

I am puzzled as to why people buy diesels and then fit a tuning box, why not just buy a petrol car with more BHP?

 

With modern electronics they can tell it has been fitted, can probably even give you the date and time it was plugged in or unplugged.

Probably because a diesel + tuning box is less expensive than a petrol car for the same BHP value?

I'm not saying this is true, just guessing... 🤔

47 minutes ago, Bap33 said:

Probably because a diesel + tuning box is less expensive than a petrol car for the same BHP value?

I'm not saying this is true, just guessing... 🤔

yes nowadays, new diesel car + tuning box cheaper than new petrol car,  mainly because buyers have been brainwashed into believing that diesel engines are the work of the devi

 

other reasons

diesels have more torque and tuning box = even more torque, and torque is addictive  😃

mpg always better

co2 usually less, so your doing your bit for the environment

no cancer causing benzine from exhaust like you get with a petrol engine

 

But some people just prefer a diesel engine

13 hours ago, 310golfr said:

yes nowadays, new diesel car + tuning box cheaper than new petrol car,  mainly because buyers have been brainwashed into believing that diesel engines are the work of the devi

 

other reasons

diesels have more torque and tuning box = even more torque, and torque is addictive  😃

mpg always better

co2 usually less, so your doing your bit for the environment

no cancer causing benzine from exhaust like you get with a petrol engine

 

But some people just prefer a diesel engine

Torque & MPG is attractive but the sound is rubbish & personally I don't like the narrow power band of a derv. 

Plus there are more things to go wrong in a modern oil burner

1 hour ago, Duggerchopz said:

I don't like the narrow power band of a derv.

And I don't like the farcically high revving and narrow power band nature of a VTEC. Which is about equally relevant to the OP's question.

1 hour ago, KenONeill said:

And I don't like the farcically high revving and narrow power band nature of a VTEC. Which is about equally relevant to the OP's question.

Fully agreed RE the VTECs chum

A tuned diesel can have quite a wide power band. Granted not as wide as a petrol but the torque comes in far earlier and if you are careful with the clutch actually can be nicer to drive.

 

🙄 endless war diesel vs. petrol...

I don't think it's a war. I just think people who wax lyrical about how petrol is better haven't driven a modern diesel. With modern turbo petrol the characteristics of the two types are closer than ever. You just get more head room with a petrol. But then who consistently uses revs over around 4.5-5k anyway. Talking about Joe public here. Enthusiasts will obviously use every rev the engine can offer 😀

The funny thing now is that electric car will be another attendee in this ‘endless war’… 😁

They are simple.

The power produced as they come from the factory can be pretty easily increased with a laptop on some vehicles.  

No arguments over the types of electric as it just comes in Regular, well AC/DC & not different octanes or cetane.

 

Or there can be more to it. 

 

 

Or

 

Edited 23 January, 20224 yr by roottoot

ACDC! 🤘