Ecu tuning meaning
Ecu tuning meaning software#
There are specialist tuning companies that write ECU software and they will usually test and tweak it for a year or more on many vehicles before making it available to the public. For this reason we would never recommend installing your own software, or software from an unverified company. Is remapping dangerous or harmful to the engine?Ĭhanging settings that affect the control of an engine can have harmful effects, it all depends on who wrote the software, and how the vehicle tuner configures it to the vehicle. Later stages tend to require more invasive work and provide fewer gains in performance per pound than the first stage. Stages 3 and 4 will often involve upgrading the vehicle’s turbocharger or supercharger. Stage 2 and beyond will usually comprise of further software changes as well as additional hardware, such as a new exhaust system and high-pressure fuel pump. Stage 1 is nearly always just a simple ECU software change. Remapping is often called Stage 1 tuning and comes as part of many stages offered by the tuning company. By adjusting these ECU settings themselves on the facelifted models they can quickly and easily increase the vehicle’s performance figures, making them more desirable without much or any additional engineering required.
Most manufacturers also tend to release facelifted versions of each model of car they produce after a few years before they release completely new versions.
For that reason the performance is always kept well within the capability of the engine. Often this can be to meet emissions regulations, or economy or noise regulations.Īdditionally, vehicles always come with a warranty, and the last thing the manufacturer wants is to have to rebuild or replace damaged engines. What effects can a remap have?īy changing the ECU software, the engine can perform a lot closer to its own maximum capabilities - often by increasing horsepower and torque by 20% or more! By default, most vehicles have their performance intentionally dialled down when they leave the factory for a multitude of reasons. This is why it used to be called chipping. Older vehicles had to have their engine’s computer chip completely removed and replaced with a new chip that has the new software already on it.
Ecu tuning meaning serial#
It is usually installed by connecting a laptop to the vehicle’s OBD serial port, which means it can be done quite quickly and non-invasively. This new software can have customised settings to get the most out of the engine and can often be tailored to each specific vehicle. Remapping, often called Chipping, is when third party software is installed onto the ECU to replace the manufacturer’s default software. By adjusting these settings the vehicle can be altered to increase either performance or economy, or sometimes both. This tiny computer controls aspects of the engine such as ignition timing, air/fuel ratio and boost pressure. Modern vehicle engines are controlled by a computer known as the Engine Control Unit (ECU). We discuss what remapping actually is, how it affects your vehicle and what the potential upsides and downsides may be. There are many advantages to remapping your vehicle.