According to Forbes, there are a handful of ways to improve your car’s overall performance, from reducing its weight to boosting its horsepower to properly handling the vehicle.
But while car maintenance and repair are vital parts of the overall equation, there’s one thing you might want to consider: car remapping, which is the process of modifying your vehicle’s Electric Control Unit (ECU) in order to fine-tune the car’s engine output.
The question now is: is it worth it to remap your engine in the first place? Here’s what you need to know about engine remapping and why it’s beneficial to do so:
What you need to know about ECU
Before we tackle what car remapping is and how it works, let’s first talk about your car’s electric control unit. The ECU is the brain-computer of your vehicle. It is a chip with software installed designed to control several aspects of your engine. These include ignition timing, gear ratio, fuel flow, boost pressure, engine speed, and valve control, among others.
Vehicles have significantly developed and progressed over the years. Most cars are now automatic as the manual transmission design is gradually becoming outdated. As such, most modern cars now have ECUs installed. However, manufacturers set the ECUs of brand-new cars to a standard default. This means that when you first purchase your car, it isn’t at its optimal performance. That is where car remapping comes into the picture.
Car remapping in a nutshell
Remapping involves the process of modifying the vehicle’s ECU. At times, it entails replacing the old software altogether with a new one. While doing this depends on the driver’s driving requirements and ultimate goal, it all boils down to one thing. And that is to improve the vehicle’s overall performance. Simply put, car remapping is modifying the car’s ECU to boost its performance.
How car remapping works
If you’re wondering how car remapping works, it entails changing the computer settings of your ECU. This involves connecting a laptop to the vehicle’s OBD serial port. From there, remapping is performed quickly by an auto mechanic.
For the most part, remapping increases the default limits of the ECU set by the manufacturer. This means things, such as forcing more fuel or air into the engine and changing the turbo spool-up rates for power gains. On the other hand, older models have to resort to “chipping.” The older chips are completely replaced with a new one that has the latest software installed.
If you own a car and run a diesel engine, though, it’s best to head off to a diesel repair shop for your car maintenance and repair. While you’re at it, consider getting a car remapping as well, particularly if you want to improve your vehicle’s overall performance.
The benefits of car remapping
Now, let’s take a look at the primary benefits of car remapping. Take note of the following:
- Increase in torque and power: The primary impact of remapping relates to the power of your turbo unit, which gains around 10 to 50 additional horsepower. On the other hand, you can expect an improvement in fuel economy with an increase in torque. For non-turbo petrol cars, expect up to a 10-percent increase in torque and power. But for turbo petrol cars, expect an increase in torque and power of up to 25 percent.
- Improvement in throttle response: Throttle response simply pertains to your vehicle responsiveness. This means how quickly your car’s prime mover responds to your request for acceleration. Through remapping, expect a significant improvement in your vehicle’s throttle response.
- Smooth power delivery: Through remapping, you can expect to have a smoother and more enhanced power delivery. Not only will your car’s power spike, but it will be delivered as smoothly as possible. Smooth power delivery is vital for ensuring the overall safety of your car when hitting the road.
- Improved MPG during normal driving: MPG stands for miles per gallon. This refers to the distance your car can travel per gallon of fuel. It also measures your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. The higher it is, the more fuel-efficient your car will be. Through remapping, expect your car’s MPG to improve as well.
Remapping your ECU is a part of your vehicle’s overall performance. It will increase your car’s power and torque, throttle response, power delivery, and MPG during normal driving. That said, be sure to have your current ECU checked and work with a reliable auto mechanic to get your vehicle remapped. Ultimately, you’ll be surprised at how all these will promote the overall efficiency, safety, and performance of your vehicle!