What does remapping and chip tuning mean?

Chip tuning is an old fashioned solution to modifying the circuit board or 'chip' in a vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU) in order to achieve better performance, whether it be for more power or better fuel economy, as well as improving emissions.

This was done with early engine computers before the turn of the centuary and can still be done today. After 1999 the word chip tuning or 'chipping' is still used but can be misleading, as remapping companies will often use it to describe ECU tuning that does not actually involve altering or modifying the circuit board. Today ECUs can be tuned by simply updating the software on it, through a standard interface, such as the onboard diagnostic port (OBD) This procedure is now commonly referred to as engine or ECU remapping

You can take a look at our blog which has posts called tutorials explaining the process in detail. A modern vehicle ECU, together with todays engine technology, makes it possible to control different aspects of the engine's working, such as spark timing and fuel injection. The ECU may also control electronic throttle control, valve timing, boost control (in turbocharged engines), speed governor and the electronic stability control system.

Customised ECU remapping gives the advantages of adjusting these parameters as well as many more, resulting in higher performance both increasing bhp/torque and improving mpg Customised files for a particular vehicle do not alter the other diagnostic parameters that are set by manufactures and all codes remain unchanged. If the remapped file written to a vehicle is not customised in this way, many manufacturer specific details can be lost.

Most manufacturers tune for optimum emissions and fuel economy, which can limit performance.

Cars fitted with a turbo charger or supercharger can have the allowable boost levels raised, with dramatic gains if the turbo is of the low pressure version. All modern engines can be tuned in this way whether naturally aspirated or turbo enhanced, both petrol and diesel fuelled. The most dramatic gains will be seen on turbo charged diesel versions. A comprehensive drop down menu to choose your vehicle and see what improvements are available for a particular make and model are available here

Another reason to change the ECU map is if there are engine, intake, or exhaust modifications to the car. These "bolt-on" modifications alter the way that the engine flows, often causing the air to fuel ratio to change. Without remapping, the fuel tables and some of the performance gains from the modifications, may not be realized.

A poorly tuned ECU can result in decreased performance and driveability, as well as possibly causing engine damage. Your choice of tuner is therefore extremely important and cheap alternatives must be avoided at ALL cost.