Chip Tuning 159 2.4 JTDM

[Potsie]

Guys,

Wondering if anyone has tried chip tuning their 159.

Based on the fact that this box seems really inexpensive, I just bought one - see: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Diesel-Chip-Tuning-Box-Alfa-Romeo-159-2-4-JTDM-200-hp-Ecu-Remapping-/310802091261?hash=item485d3f8cfd:m:mLMZwAvgKZcW_7hlmkTxx4Q

Any thoughts on this one ?

They reckon it should arrive in two days .. I'll post some results after I plug it in.  Pots.

[As the day goes]

Dont run it above setting 5 I read

[Mick A]

They are OK but they only trick the ECU into thinking it is running cold, so it adds more fuel and hence more grunt. Be careful you can cook your exhaust manifold and damage the turbocharger. Also ignore the supposed 3L per 100km your trip computer will tell you that you're getting. It's incorrect! Basically, they are good but don't thrash the car, it's another one of those "if it's too good to be true, it probably is" cases.

[As the day goes]

Just leave it in Sport mode?

[kaleuclint]

..."if it's too good to be true, it probably is"...

Was considering getting my 1750 engine remapped.  But I note that within this forum there has never EVER been a single post regarding a problem with the TBi engine in the 159.

Might just leave it alone.

[As the day goes]

And what happened worth the trial?

[Mick A]

I predict smoke smoke and more smoke.

[bazzbazz]

Was considering getting my 1750 engine remapped.  But I note that within this forum there has never EVER been a single post regarding a problem with the TBi engine in the 159.

Might just leave it alone.

Smart man. 

Baz

[Potsie]

OK .. thanks for the replies guys .. broadly speaking Mick was right - the thing was probably a waste of money.

I plugged the thing in (as Vince suggested setting '5' was what it came set at) and took it for some runs back and forth on a 2k or so dead end street in an industrial area near here when no one was around (or so I thought).


After running it at 5 there didn't seem to be much difference in anything, so being a red blooded male aussie I turned it up to full (15 I think it goes up to) and rechecked my acceleration time.

I was perhaps fortunate in that when the white car with blue markings came from the other way I had slowed down significantly. The driver of that vehicle was a talkative fellow who wanted to chat about the wonders of modern day motoring with a focus on the ratio of distance travelled over a measured time. I was surprised to learn that what I thought was an 80 zone was actually a 60 zone .. was always 80 there when I was a kid. During my little chat with this fellow the temperature gauge went through the roof. After coming to a mutual agreement regarding the pro's and cons of road safety I limped away, pulled over as soon as I could, turned her off and sat there for quite some time. Didn't see any other car for the 45 minutes it took for me to be confident that the temperature was back to a normal level.

Needless to say I turned the chip thing back down to 5 and haven't touched it since.  Potsie.

[bazzbazz]

You didn't mention how much the "Little chat" cost you.   

Baz

[As the day goes]

If the temperature went above half on the gauge, you probably have caused some damage.

But at least you got off with ab warning if I am reading you correct.

[sidmann]

this isnt really chip tuning per se, it just intercepts the fuel rail pressure sensor registering a lower pressure to the ecu so that the high pressure pump works a little harder to correct it. Too high of a setting will cause early failure to your pump, and ofcourse more torque/power means more wear to drivetrain components. 2 new drive shafts from alfa aint cheap.

The route i took was to retrieve my ecu data and sent it off to be remapped and eliminate the egr and dpf for race use then load it back in to the ecu

areas that are remapped in the ecu includes
fuel pump pressure
fuel injector time
and variable geometry turbo controlling the boost.

once again i requested best power tune so alot of testing done because i really enjoyed the big difference it made to my 1.9
and ended up needing 2 new driveshafts at 50,000km

[kaleuclint]

Conversations with the law enforcement community.  Driveshaft replacements.

Kids, are you paying attention???  Learn from the experiences of your elders.

[Potsie]

Baz,  The little chat only cost me a few minutes of my time. I did have my cousin (who happens to be a ex-copper) in the car at the time. Being not as young as we once were, I think we satisfied the bloke that we're not hoons . Potsie.

[V AR 164]

Old thread, but wanting to get my 2.4 remaped. Anyone have any good tuners in Melbourne? Or is there a *good* chip tuning device online that will actually work well?

I have messaged a few places but so far have got no response...

Andrew.