Remap regrets

[Rock Trol]

With the proliferation of ecu remaps now days I thought I would start a thread regarding them.
A few years ago (late 2014 I think) I had my Patrol remapped and I was initially very happy with it. As time has gone by though I keep on getting told by people that my car blows a lot of black smoke. Pretty much every club trip or when mates are following they mention it.

Having the remap makes trouble shooting very difficult as this could be injector problems or the tune. My injectors are not throwing errors or failing the leak down test but there may be something else wrong with them. Or it could be the remap that was loaded as they cannot tune on the dyno and it’s a guessing game.
It’s just hard to diagnose.

If I where to do it again I would use a unichip Q4 which is fully programable and can be tuned on the dyno. You get 5 fuel maps as well that can be changed on the fly. It can also be removed for diagnosis if there are problems. Unfortunately it wasn available when I did mine.

[mudski]

Nothing wrong with a puff of the power cloud mate.
I dont know a lot about remaps and chips as I dont have need with my Patrol, but from my limited understanding of remaps, is that they are not reversible. But again from my limited understanding, you get more out of a remap than a chip. But I am not up to speed with the current array of chips available.
If it were me, I would run a chip over a remap, purely because its reversible for diagnostic reasons.

[Rock Trol]

Reversing the remap isn’t a big deal, it’s paying someone to do it. It will cost as much as the original remap. About $1500.

I agree with you on the normal chips which just add x% more fuel through the rev range. This new one though creates new maps and controls fuel, boost and timing through the whole rev range just like the factory fuel map. That’s what they claim anyway.

Some smoke when taking off or putting the boot in is ok but everyone tells me it’s constantly there.

[Hodge]

Hence why I personally would not go with a remap. If thinks go sour you're stuffed.
With a chip. You unplug it, by pass it. You're away.
That's of course providing the ecu and/or remap are the cause of fault. That's just me.

As for $1500 for reversing it . I'm sure the ECU from wreckers is far cheaper than that. If it came down to it.

While we're on smoke, my crd hardly ever blew smoke ,unless you absolutely fanged it in 3rd or 4th then it'll leave a blackish cloud behind but normally not much at all. This was before and after unichip.

Sent from Note 5 using TapaPro

[Bidja]

Black smoke all the time (more evident with time), IMO probably injectors, if you cannot see it driving it not that bad. A swb cruiser (had 30 yrs back) put a B series diesel in (petrol out) and often screw adjusted the rack on the pump for more fuel/pwr (bit of good black smoke).

Recently had ECPT at Tuggerah, NSW do a postal Remap of my 08 CRD ecu (good result so far). Cost $750 plus postage (all up $790).
Full NADS with 3" pipe. Removed / installed ecu myself turnaround 1 week. No dyno yet, may not bother at this stage, adjusted boost / spool myself (dawes/needle) and still in play phase. Max boost 21 psi good egts does well. Running Scangauge EM Plus and observing good kWs.
ECPT recommendation Max B 20-22 psi / AFR 22:1. They do custom dyno tunes as well ($1200 or so). Check them out if you want: Harley Anderson ECPT 0497 444 451
https://ecpt.com.au/products-services/

[stevemc181]

An ECU Tune can be overwritten by the dealer doing an update on your ECU , if this happens the tuners should have your custom tune on file and can flash it back to the ECU. I know Infinitech in Perth will keep a copy of your tune and re-install it for free. I've had it done on my Pajero. I'm not sure about UFI in Perth who did my Patrol as I forgot to ask if they keep a back up on file, when I had it done. I get no smoke from mine, no matter how hard I push it. Sounds like yours is over fuelling and maybe the tune needs to be redone.

[Bidja]

I get no smoke from mine, no matter how hard I push it. Sounds like yours is over fuelling and maybe the tune needs to be redone.

Can the remap paramaters change over time or is it that the reflash is required to accomidate eng spec changes?

[stevemc181]

Can the remap paramaters change over time or is it that the reflash is required to accomidate eng spec changes?

The remap parameters won't change, I'd think it would be due to other factors if it has been getting progressively worse. Usually black smoke is due to the (AFR )air/fuel ratio being out of balance, (Too much fuel for the amount of air) There could be a number of causes, injectors may need replacing, intake manifold could be gunked up and needs cleaning etc. I'd start with the cheapest option and take it from there. If it has been doing it since you got the tune, then the AFR's are probably out and it needs to be tuned properly. I wouldn't worry too much about it if it's only a small amount of black smoke and you can't see it.

[Bidja]

The remap parameters won't change, I'd think it would be due to other factors if it has been getting progressively worse. Usually black smoke is due to the (AFR )air/fuel ratio being out of balance, (Too much fuel for the amount of air) There could be a number of causes, injectors may need replacing, intake manifold could be gunked up and needs cleaning etc. I'd start with the cheapest option and take it from there. If it has been doing it since you got the tune, then the AFR's are probably out and it needs to be tuned properly. I wouldn't worry too much about it if it's only a small amount of black smoke and you can't see it.

Rock Trol has the concern (his thread).

Do agree with your comments and suggested possible causes.
Mine runs well with recent remap. I was only questioning the reasoning behind the need for a reflash if the smoke has been progressively on the increase over time (eg: IMO then, problem most likely be due to progressive change in eng condition).

[Rock Trol]

I noticed more smoke after the remap but my exhaust point downward and to the rear instead of the side like oem exhaust. I also have a fridge in the back which is high up so can’t see that much. Taking off up hill though it leaves a big black cloud so have to be careful not to lug it. Much more than before the remap.

The problem is that I don’t know if it’s getting worse or is the same. Just that everybody comments on it.

Everything else is fine. Intake has been cleaned and boost maxes at 20 but sits around 17 most times. Another ECU is a good idea but I would need to get the NATS reset to work with my car unless it’s from a Ute. Having a spare couldn’t hurt. Not sure what the cost of setting up the nats would be.