Why Choose Power 4 Economy and Viezu Technologies
FAQ's
Chipping / Remapping or Plug In Box.
Firstly chipping and remapping are two different methods of achieving the same ends. Basically within the ECU of a vehicle is a programmable chip which holds the files or maps that control various parameters such as fuelling, boost, torque, emission control, timing etc required to produce an effective tuning map. In early ECU's it was necessary to physically open the ECU and re move the programmable chip. When removed the chip could be placed into a reader to extract a copy of the required file. When modified the chip could either be reprogrammed or replaced depending on the specification of the original chip and re fitted into the ECU. This is where the term CHIPPING comes from. Getting modified maps into the ECU via removing the chip & re fitting. REMAPPING is used in later vehicles where the manufactures of vehicles incorporated a method of being able to update an ECU via the onboard diagnostic port (OBD). This was required as not only does the ECU control the engine but in many cases the ABS , airbags ,climate control system etc that are found in modern vehicles . The leading remapping companies developed methods of using this to allow reprogramming of the chip via the OBD port. Hence the term REMAPPING.
This hopefully explains the chipping and remapping are two methods of achieving the same goal and we can look at the difference between them and the "Plug in" tuning boxes.
Remapping uses the manufactures chosen method of controlling the engines various parameters IE the software within the ECU and altering them within the predetermined boundaries of that software.
The "BOX" style method works very differently. The box is fitted "downstream" of the ECU and intercepts signals on their way to a limited number of components. As with all things there are different qualities of tuning boxes. Many of the tuning boxes work by simply plugging into the end of the common rail sensor and modifying a voltage signal sent to the common rail pump. This fools the pump into increasing the pressure within the fuel rail and delivering MORE fuel. No alteration / consideration of boost or torque maps etc just increased pressure and fuel. We would NOT fit such a device to our own vehicles and would therefore NOT fit one to a customer's vehicle.
There are some plug in boxes that we would fit to our own vehicles and would therefore recommend to our customers if a true remap not be possible. These types of units connect to each injector instead of the common rail fuel pump and alter the duration the injector opens thus increasing the fuel delivered WITHOUT over pressuring the injector. There are a number of ECU's that can not be reprogrammed (mainly Japanese & Asian variants) where we would use this style of unit. However it should be noted due to the production of the actual unit and the high quality wiring loom required these tend to be far more EXPENSIVE than a true remap.
Does Remapping really work?
Yes. There will be an instant gain in both power & torque. So confident are we in the results we offer a 14 day no quibble money back guarantee. Don't like the results, we will return the vehicle to standard and refund the file fee.
Why do the manufactures not optimise the ECU maps in the first place?
There are a number of reasons why we believe that manufacturers do not utilise the engines full potential.
Firstly the engine could end up in any part of Europe or the rest of the world with the potential for encountering many different variables such as temperature, altitude, humidity, dust, and qualities of fuel etc. Secondly many countries operate very different policies on emissions and vehicle tax bands that use power and / or emissions to calculate them. So to a certain degree the engines and the control systems are designed so that one "set up" covers all of these variables.
In addition in many cases a certain car is available in a number of different power outputs, it is not cost effective to produce different versions of each engine and the power is then controlled via the settings in the ECU
Do I have to travel to you to get the remap done?
No . We realise that this is a service that we offer to you so we decided that to offer the most convenient service we come to you. No fuel cost travelling to us , No time off work etc . We do all the work
Will re-mapping invalidate my car's warranty?
The way Viezu files reprogram a vehicle is completely undetectable by a dealer using dealer diagnostics. All codes and diagnostics that a dealer may read will remain exactly the same. We say it with confidence because of the rigorous testing regime all files go through, and we even give a 24 month software warranty to you.
But be warned - not all tuning companies can say this.
Can the car be put back to its standard BHP?
Of course it can and most Viezu dealers will offer this service free of charge. But we'll be very surprised if that's what you want after taking control of your vehicle's performance.
Should you lose your tuning files due to dealer actions or parts failure your dealer will be happy to re-install the map onto your car free of charge for as long as you own the vehicle.
Should I tell my insurance company?
Whilst the upgrade is undetectable, the responsible answer to this question has to be "yes", your insurance company should be notified. However, many insurance companies do not penalise you for upgrades of this nature, particularly if you're tuning for increased economy.
Adrian Flux is one such company.
Will my fuel consumption go up after an upgrade?
No, in fact quite the opposite. Even on a performance tune, if you continue to drive the car in the same way as you did before the upgrade, your fuel consumption will probably improve. Of course if you have a track map installed on the car and you are driving the car under the conditions with which a track map is intended you're likely to find a slightly reduced mpg figure.
Economy tuning can have a dramatic effect on fuel consumption, with considerable improvements being achieved along with huge money savings on fuel.
Will the life span of my engine be reduced?
No, not at all if you use a Viezu dealer. Sadly some engines can be over tuned, "stressing" the engine, transmission, cooling systems, etc, and reducing the life span and reliability of the car. This is why it's so important to choose the best - choose Viezu.
We take great care to ensure that all of our modifications have no detrimental effect on your car. In a lot of cases the economy tune actually helps to extend the life of components such as the clutch and gearbox by making the delivery of the power far less aggressive and smoothing the overall drive of the vehicle.