Engine remapping
- Thread starter richie.b
- Start date
There might be other factors to consider though. Manufacturers could retard the performance of certain models (via the ecu) in order to fit it in with their range. Ala mini one to mini cooper.......
Also I would think that a manufacturers set up will be a compromise to allow the car to run in all climates and air densities etc. The car has to be able to operate in Iceland and Dubai as well as Jo'burg and Birmingham!
I'm no expert but you get my drift........
In these cases a set up better suited to our conditions might reap rewards in bhp, mpg and possibly even reliability?
discuss.......
Also I would think that a manufacturers set up will be a compromise to allow the car to run in all climates and air densities etc. The car has to be able to operate in Iceland and Dubai as well as Jo'burg and Birmingham!
I'm no expert but you get my drift........
In these cases a set up better suited to our conditions might reap rewards in bhp, mpg and possibly even reliability?
discuss.......
Ok, sounds like a live remap is the way forward then?
Surely if BMW give the zed a generic map for each model, but as mentioned each car is driven differently has different wear n tear and driven in different climates and fuel quality etc, surely a custom remap should be considered?
Thoughts
Surely if BMW give the zed a generic map for each model, but as mentioned each car is driven differently has different wear n tear and driven in different climates and fuel quality etc, surely a custom remap should be considered?
Thoughts
Personally I think there are gains but probably not with just a remap, IMO. I think you need to look at the engine as well, even if it's just induction / exhaust - although don't want to open that can of worms!
This is for the 2.5, but here's a post I put up a couple years back about what I had done...
Z4 2.5 "Tuning" and Rolling Road Dyno (Pics/Vid)
There are some good contributions on there from other members too.
To anyone considering it do as I did, get an independant dyno before and after, do not rely on the people doing the tune to provide the numbers as I suspect they will tell you what you want - talking to the chap at DK they did the benchmarking for the Khumo Cup and a lot of people turning up were upset that the numbers were lower than those provided by people that had tuned their cars!
If you've not had a dyno before it's actually quite interesting to see, keep and eye on PH and the like, sometimes they have group days - Flimper went on one.
This is for the 2.5, but here's a post I put up a couple years back about what I had done...
Z4 2.5 "Tuning" and Rolling Road Dyno (Pics/Vid)
There are some good contributions on there from other members too.
To anyone considering it do as I did, get an independant dyno before and after, do not rely on the people doing the tune to provide the numbers as I suspect they will tell you what you want - talking to the chap at DK they did the benchmarking for the Khumo Cup and a lot of people turning up were upset that the numbers were lower than those provided by people that had tuned their cars!
If you've not had a dyno before it's actually quite interesting to see, keep and eye on PH and the like, sometimes they have group days - Flimper went on one.
Some good discussion! The point about torque in particular. It's conceivable that a remap alters the torque curve in a way to deliver greater peak horsepower, and yet the powerband is narrowed, causing the car to be no faster overall, with diminished drivability. The comparison to sport mode is apt, as that may be exactly what's happening. The throttle response is altered to give the appearance of greater torque, without really having any measurable gain.
Interesting thought about market positioning, it's certainly possible, but you can't remap a N52 3.0i to be a 3.0si unless you upgrade the intake and exhaust as well. I'm confident that the 2.5 is as efficient as possible, given emissions, drivability, durability considerations that were part of the initial design goals. The market position is strictly displacement based in the case of the 2.5, no silly games required.
There's nothing to be found in climate conditions either. Every ECU adjusts it's map internally to accommodate the full range of possible climate conditions. It's only with carburettors where you have to settle for a happy medium. And even if there was some minor benefit to be found at the climatic extreme, most of us live much closer to the middle of climate ranges. Climate adaptations have more to do with cooling capacities and oil clearances than ECU maps.
Without changing the maximum effective air volume, there's little to be done except improve one factor at the expense of other factors. This is why remapping turbos works so well, it's trivial to increase the air volume.
Interesting thought about market positioning, it's certainly possible, but you can't remap a N52 3.0i to be a 3.0si unless you upgrade the intake and exhaust as well. I'm confident that the 2.5 is as efficient as possible, given emissions, drivability, durability considerations that were part of the initial design goals. The market position is strictly displacement based in the case of the 2.5, no silly games required.
There's nothing to be found in climate conditions either. Every ECU adjusts it's map internally to accommodate the full range of possible climate conditions. It's only with carburettors where you have to settle for a happy medium. And even if there was some minor benefit to be found at the climatic extreme, most of us live much closer to the middle of climate ranges. Climate adaptations have more to do with cooling capacities and oil clearances than ECU maps.
Without changing the maximum effective air volume, there's little to be done except improve one factor at the expense of other factors. This is why remapping turbos works so well, it's trivial to increase the air volume.