Remap confusion

[Hunter]

Hey guys, all the enquiries im making at different mappers are telling me that roughly 360bhp is possible without mods on the 35iS..but MHD are saying a flash alone will give 390bhp...who is correct?

[R.E92]

MHD is correct. You can go higher without mods but 390 is for the conservative stage1+ tune.

These "mappers" will just be selling pre-made maps which come with an estimate power figure. I would avoid anyone other than Evolve in the UK for a remap. Even then Evolve tunes will be limited compared to what MHD provides.

[djstan]

Why is MHD so much better then?

[Hunter]

Ive contacted Celtic Tuning, they say they can do a 392 bhp map and a mobile service ...i think they have a decent rep.

[R.E92]

Why is MHD so much better then?

MHD doesn't just alter values in the existing logic of the ECU, they have written custom logic.
There's custom code for boost limiting by gear, wastegate control and logic which changes ignition timing in real-time based on ethanol blend of fuel.

Aside from that, the basic tunes they provide off the shelf have been constantly tweaked and improved over the course of the apps development. It now has 50,000+ people using it so there's much more scrutiny on how the maps perform.
Maps from normal garages will just be old canned maps with limited R&D. Once applied there will be no updates and improvements made.

[djstan]

So this would mean that it could/would be better than a custom rolling road remap because there have been more people using (and therefore 'testing') it?

[R.E92]

So this would mean that it could/would be better than a custom rolling road remap because there have been more people using (and therefore 'testing') it?

Short answer is yes. A custom map is not really needed on a standard car or a car with standard bolt-on parts like an intercooler or catless downpipes, the garage might tell you that all cars need tuning differently to justify using their services but the only real variables that matter when tuning this engine is environmental factors such as elevation, humidity and ambient temperature and the grade of fuel being used.

In the UK the environmental factors are very stable, there's no reason to have a summer map and winter map when our temperature range is so stable. We are also mostly at sea level, not like citizens of Colorado, so the standard tuning is fine.
With fuel you just need to choose between 91 octane and 93 octane since they are our only choices here.

Realistically the tuner won't be doing any meaningful customisation, it's all for show since the map he is applying will have already been tested on other cars.
Dyno tuning is a great way of developing a map but in my opinion street tuning gives better feedback for making slight map changes. On a dyno you aren't getting a realistic airflow across the intercooler so charge temps will not match what the car will see on the street and depending on the type of dyno the engine is not loaded in the way it will be on the street.