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Nitrous oxide re-filling service available.
Engine Tuning
Gone are the days of regular engine tunes, older pre-mid 1980’s vehicles were fitted with ignition distributors, contact sets (points) and carburettors. Due to mechanical wear of these components it was often necessary to replace or adjust the points then re-set the ignition timing and finally adjust the mixture of the carburettor. Wherever the driver felt a running problem with his car he would book it into a garage for a ‘tune’, in those days there were no engine management warning lights to warn the owner of a potential problem.
Popular back then was a ‘Crypton tune’ it was no different to tuning the engine using say an Allen, Bosch or Sun machine but Crypton were the first in the UK to secure a brand image. These tuning machines comprised of several testing meters in the one cabinet together with an oscilloscope to allow visual testing of key ignition components using electronic waveforms.
From the mid 1980’s to present day we have seen a huge advance in computer electronics, vehicles are now fitted with ECU’s (electronic control unit). These units continually read various engine related sensors and then control or actuate components i.e. ignition coil switching and timing, fuel injector opening and throttle control.
Modern systems no longer require tuning as the ECU keeps everything automatically adjusted to vehicle manufacturers pre-set optimum settings. When an engine running fault does occur it will sometimes be detected by the ECU and a warning light on the instrument panel will illuminate.
The latest engine management systems are very good at detecting faults compared to some early ones, the cars onboard diagnostics (OBD) are not 100% accurate. Customers still often complain of running problems whilst the light is not on, also with a light on a running fault may not be noticeable.
The general rule is if an engine management light comes on take your vehicle to a competent garage to have the system checked using a fault code reader (FCR) or scan-tool. If you detect a running problem but the warning light has not come on then take it to a fuel injection specialist such as ourselves for further in depth tests.
To carry out diagnostic repairs beyond the scan-tools limitations may involve the use on some of the following equipment.
• Rolling Road to measure engine BHP and torque also to help diagnoses dynamic cylinder imbalance, incorrect cam timing or exhaust gas flow restrictions.
• 4-gas petrol emissions analyser to check the operation of the catalyst and if the engine is burning fuel efficiently.
• Diesel emissions analyser to check the engine emissions and the operation of the EGR valve.
• Smoke tester to check for any inlet manifold or exhaust related air leaks.
• Fuel pressure and flow tester to test regulated and maximum available fuel pressure as well as fuel flow with the engine running.
• Sensor simulator to enable voltage substitution of various sensors and to enable ignition coil testing using an auxiliary ignition amplifier.
• Positive and negative combines air pressure gauge to test and confirm sticking valves, blocked catalysts or exhausts, also to test turbocharger or supercharger boost levels and waste-gate or actuator operation.
• Wideband Lambda tester to monitor and record air fuel ratio, especially during acceleration when a gas analyser would be too slow.
• Oscilloscope to test ECU input and output electronic waveforms as well as ignition leads or coils also to enable relative engine compression testing and weak cylinder identification.
Performance Tuning
Providing that your vehicle is running well in its standard form you may wish to upgrade its power output. Ideally, before you carry out any modifications whatsoever it is wise to have your vehicle’s power outputs tested either at its wheels or using calculated flywheel measurements such as our TAT equipped rolling road, this information is stored so if you make any future modifications you can easily check to see if you have gained or lost power.
Bolt on Power
The internet is full of bolt on parts for most popular cars and these include air filters, induction kits, exhaust manifolds, de-cat exhaust systems, intercoolers, superchargers, turbos and from road to full race cams.
We are more than happy to quote customers for fitting of there own chosen parts and to carry out a before and after rolling road run. When changing cams it may be necessary to re-map the engine management system.
Electronic Power Upgrades
This involves either internally modifying the software in you vehicle’s ECU or fitting an additional programmable remove tuning box to alter the input and output signals at the cars ECU.
Superchips
Although Superchips are not the only ‘chip tuning’ company operating within the UK they are still considered by most to be market leaders and the best out there. We are proud to have been one of their most active dealers operating in the North West area for over 5 years now. Before being appointed dealers we tried several competitive brands but were often left disappointed due either lack of backup support or just poor product performance. It was evident from customer enquiries that most drivers preferred the Superchip brand whilst a minority would shop around to find an inferior low cost substitute brand,
The name Superchips suggests that we change a chip inside the cars ECU, this may have been the case 20 years ago but most vehicles are now re-programmed electronically.
How it is done
Every power upgrade listed by Superchips is either vehicle or engine specific and a vehicle fitted with that engine has often spent hundreds of hours in their Buckingham workshop. The vehicles engine management system is first reversed engineered, then the vehicle can spend many hours in their dyno cell where a factory trained engine mapping specialist creates a new map for the engine.
All tuning refinements are carried out to improve driveability and power but all to within safe limits. Typical power gains range between 25 to 35% for petrol and diesel turbo engines, whilst somewhere from 5 to 10% is normal for naturally aspirated engines.
Many of superchips competitors claim and do sometimes provide more power, however unreliability may be an issue whilst some diesel vehicles may suffer from choked diesel particulate filters in the long term.
Programming Methods
There are three different ways to Superchip your vehicle, regardless what method is used the performance and driveability results are the same.
Method 1
Chip Change
The vehicle’s ECU is removed, we then carefully remove the main power chip from the board and solder a new chip socket in its place. We then read the memory file from your chop and sent it via email to Superchips who then send us the appropriate modified file. A new chip is then programmed and inserted to your newly fitted socket, a socket is used so that your vehicle could be returned to standard if required. The ECU is then re-fitted to your vehicle prior to being road tested.
Method 2
BDM
The vehicle’s ECU is also removed but only to enable reading of the memory file by mounting the ECU to a special jig where contact is made through soldered pads on the ECU’s circuit board. The downloaded file is then sent to Superchips who then modify and return the file in turn for us to upload to the ECU. Once again the ECU is re-fitted to the vehicle prior to road test.
Method 3
Serial Programming
A laptop computer and OBD serial programming lead is used to download the vehicles engine management memory file through the car’s diagnostic socket. This standard file is then sent to Superchips who modify it with the previously prepared performance data and returned to us via email. We then upload this file into your ECU via the diagnostic socket and then take your vehicle on a road test.
After your vehicle has been Superchiped it does not require any further communication with the Superchips equipment. Any modified files cannot suddenly change themselves, they either work or they do not. Should your vehicle ever develop any running faults please treat it like a standard vehicle, it is highly unlikely that the Superchip is to blame.
Dastek Unichip
The Unichip is best known as a ‘piggy back’ module which is fitted in-between the vehicle’s ECU and some of the engine’s sensors and actuators. These units come from South Africa and were originally designed by Pieter De-Weerdt an expert in engine management system tuning.
We have tremendous respect for Pieter and we had a once in a life time opportunity as Pieter made his one and only ever visit to the UK recently and we spent 3 days on a Unichip course held by him at their head office and we consider him to be the most knowledgeable tuning specialist we have ever spoken to.
Through no fault of the product but due to us being heavily involved with development work which includes using the rolling road and as the dastek unichip can also take time on the rolling road we are not able to install any of these units at the present time.
We wish Dastek a continuring success with their product
Diesel Tuning Boxes
These tuning boxes or ‘black boxes’ as they are often referred to are a simple and often easy to fit performance enhancement option to having a full ECU remap. Unlike the Dastek Unichip these boxes only control diesel fuel quantity and are for use only with turbo diesel engines.
On the latest common rail diesel engine for example they interrupt the electronic pressure signal between the common rail pressure sensor and the ECU. By fooling the ECU into believing the rail pressure is less than it really is causes the ECU to increase actual rail pressure via the rail pressure actuator, creating an increase in power.
Some of the boxes at the cheaper end of the market adjust this voltage in an analogue and linear way and in most cases cause excess engine smoke somewhere in the rev range. More expensive units use digital electronics for more control and are less prone to causing the engine to smoke as they are programmable.
Gerd Van Aaken - Van Aaken Developments - Inventor of the Smartbox
Fitting these units can be D.I.Y., the unit requires battery power and then connecting into the rail pressure sensor where a specific male to female connector is often provided. Typical power gains vary between 20 to 30% with manufacturers claiming fuel savings if the vehicle is driven at lower speeds and in a higher gear to maximise the available increase in torque.
Another type of black box is made by Steinbauer, this box does not alter fuel rail pressure but instead extends diesel injector opening times. We have tried and tested one of these recently and set it for optimum power using the rolling road. It connects to a 0-5v throttle position sensing wire and then to all injectors so is slightly more time consuming to fit.
These boxes may have an advantage over the increasing rail pressure types due to having an injector, throttle and RPM input, presumably allowing more accurate fuel control. Unfortunately only several dip switch selectable power options are available which are pre-set, Steinbauer do not allow dealers access to any programming software.
By extending injector opening times to inject more fuel must also affect the diesel timing so there may come a limit to how much fuel is added before the engine smokes. Overall though, an excellent product.
3D Re-Map Box
Probably the most advanced diesel fuel quantity tuning box ever likely to be available for universal application to all modern common rail diesel engines. F1 Automotive has helped develop this control unit for use mainly when fitting a sequential LPG system to a common rail diesel engine.
The 3D Re-Map Box measures electronically the diesel injectors opening times as well as the fuel rail pressure, which it can also alter to increase or decrease power. Having an injector input allows it to measure actual engine speed and load and not just the varying rail pressure. These boxes are capable of delivery maximum torque and bhp improvements with less engine smoke than all others previously mentioned.
Once available they will come programmed either vehicle specific or any engine tuner with a rolling road will be able to programme them individually using 3D Re-Map Box software.
For the latest development please see the 3D Re-Map Box section.
Custom Engine Mapping
This type of tuning method is often used when the engine has been modified extensively from its standard form. If for example the camshaft was changed the compression ration altered or bigger injectors or turbo fitted only then would it be necessary for a custom re-map.
As Superchip dealers F1 Automotive only carry out chip tuning on standard vehicles or those with minor modifications such as induction filter change, de-cat or modified exhaust.
One of our colleagues, Wayne Schofield of Chip Wizard, operates from his purpose built dyno’ cell situated in Milnrow near Rochdale about 15 miles from Bolton. Wayne has spent many years in a cell and is a graduate who also specialises in engine management system programming and design. Wayne is best known for tuning some of Europe’s most successful touring and GT cars including Porsche and BMW.
Wayne is currently assisting F1 Automotive with the mapping of the new Fuel Wizard performance box and is available to carry out custom re-mapping at his Milnrow premises.
