Diagnositics, remaps and DPF removal
Just about everything on a modern car is computer controlled these days, from the engine to the rear boot lock. These electronic systems are supposed to make life a little easier which is wonderful, until they go wrong. The dash boards lights up with warning symbols and alarms, and there's no way of knowing whether the ash tray needs emptying or the engine's on fire. We have in house facilities for diagnostics on most vehicles. This may range for an MoT emissions failure through to a full data stream inspection prior to remapping. Our technicians are trained in data aquisition and processing and will help make sense of the confusing world of vehicle computers. This applies to just about every make and model of car.
Remapping has become very popular on modern cars, especially those with turbo charged petrol or diesel engines. If a remap is possible on your car you can expect gains in excess of 10% on both power and economy. Turbo diesels benefit most from a remap, with the smallest gains being seen on naturally aspirated petrol engined cars. Because we have a full understanding of your cars design and function we will never perform a remap that will cause undue stress on its mechanical components. Excessive remaps can damage a cars turbo, clutch, driveshafts or push electronic components beyond their parameters. Our extensive experience in car tuning and modification will minimise the pressure on your cars systems whilst maximising the returns in power and economy.
When a remap is carried out on a turbo diesel car fitted with a DPF, we recommend a DPF delete be carried out. Diesel Particulate Filters, or DPF's are fitted instead of cat's to more modern diesels. they collect the soot from the exhaust gas and 'regenerate' when the filter is clogged with the soot. This regeneration process involves the filter going through a burn cycle when the vehicle is warm, travelling at a minimum speed (normally around 50 MPH) and cruising out of town. This burn cycle has a degenerative effect on the filter, giving them a service life of around 70,000 miles. If a car spends most of it's life on short journeys then this lifespan can be reduced further. When we carry out a remap we are careful not to introduce excessive soot into the exhaust. However, unless the cars engine is nearly new and in excellent condition, a little more soot can sometimes be experienced. This may lead to the DPF needing to regenerate more often. Once depleted, replacement DPF's can often cost in excess of £1000, a cost considered to be part of the routine servicing by the manufacturer. In many cases we can remove the DPF from the exhaust system and reprogram the cars electronics accordingly. Not only does this often cost half as much as a replacement, but it's a cost you will never need to revisit. Once the work is done it will last the lifetime of the vehicle and improve the performance of the turbo.
