Tuning Box

[Houlamiller]

I believe KIA could be more than pleased to keep quiet about ECU remapping even when they identify that you simply made it happen - UNTIL something goes completely wrong together with your engine and also you arrived at these to claim your warranty. They'll be more than pleased then to locate a reason to ditch you saying you've remapped your ECU. Because of this I keep my vehicle @ stock 90HP and am comfortable with its energy concerning which i drive it mostly within the city.


performance brake rotors
brakes rotors

[Ceed3]

Here is a link to the FSE Boost Valve page, http://www.fuelsystem.co.uk/Power%20Boost%20Valve.pdf

It lists the benefits as:
*Suitable for Standard and Tuned Vehicles
*Quicker Throttle Response
*Faster Acceleration
*Throttle Hesitation (in most cases eliminated)
*Normal Idle (with adjustment) Retained.
*Normal Economy on Light Throttle
*General Fitting Instructions included
*Weight 300 Grams Approx.
* Manufactured to Original Equipment Specs

Nowhere does it claim to give any more peak BHP and it does not, simples.

As I said before I have personal experience of one. Had a Golf GTi, 2nd one actually but with all the emission kit fitted the later car was a shadow of the first one. Had a Superchip fitted by a local dyno company, they claimed 8 to 12 BHP. They did a power run before and after and it gave an extra 4 BHP but the CO readings were off the scale everywhere and it would have failed any MOT, they took it out and refunded me. They then suggested one of these boost valves on a sale or return basis plus a K & N filter. What a difference, no hesitation, no change to emissions, great (possibly better than first car) throttle response but only 3 BHP extra which was down to the K & N.

Kept car for 6 years after having it fitted, well worth the money but as for giving another 25 bhp you were had.

[Ace Demon]

Originally Posted by James7

Now everything else, I can appreciate everyone has got their opinions and beliefs about this subject. But from my position, a tuning box was the way to go.

It's fine expressing the opinion that you like the effect the box has on the car but you confuse a number of different things. For one, big lumps of metal with whirry bits inside only obey the laws of physics and don't respond to opinion and belief.

My argument is that I want the tuning companies to prove their claims for fuel consumption improvement. Things about getting "improved combustion" (even if there is some truth) or "spending less time in a lower gear" simply do not stack up to claims made. Granted, it is my opinion but at least I have numbers to guide me. If my numbers are wrong they should be easy to challenge.

[charlee]

without having to read all the posts are the boxes good for better mpg or not worth the hassle -money,. how many say yes or no

[Ace Demon]

Originally Posted by charlee

without having to read all the posts are the boxes good for better mpg or not worth the hassle -money,. how many say yes or no

Until tuning box manufacturers prove it on the dyno, the simplest thing to do is assume that they don't improve mpg. The principle of getting more performance by pouring more fuel into the engine is fairly sound. That this process enables the engine to use less fuel to achieve the power you had before seems rather fanciful.

[Spencernj]

I am still of the opinion that if Kia (or any car manufacturer) could make the car produce either the same power for less fuel or more power for the same fuel without impacting reliability they would do so and have every incentive in a competitive market to do so. I have also had the opportunity to look inside a few tuning boxes and some (not all) are a complete rip off and are just a few resistors designed to fool a few sensors to make the engine run richer. I can see that a full ECU re-map could produce more power and lower MPG and vice versa which is exactly what Kia do on the EcoDynamics models. But as for the claims of the tuning box manufacturers - snake oil.

There was an episode of Top Gear on which they bought an ordinary car and then bought a whole host of tuning and customising gear in order to make it faster. (on the basis that in the UK people spend about £900M a year on car tuning and customisation). After each modification it was tested on the Dyno and Track and nothing had any significant impact. After spending about £5k they ended up with just 3bhp more and 1 second on the track. Several mods actually made it worse. The most significant change was due to a good service which recovered about 20% of the power that was missing from the manufacturer stated figures!

Just while typing this there is a banner ad on this sire for TDI Tunning.co.uk that is advertising 40% more BHP and 20% better MPG. This is nonsense. Anyone for a perpetual motion machine ;-)

[Spencernj]

Originally Posted by charlee

without having to read all the posts are the boxes good for better mpg or not worth the hassle -money,. how many say yes or no

NO.

If you want to save money on fuel, you are better spending the money on energy saving tyres (proven to save money) and a tyre pressure gauge (incorrect tyre pressure can reduce MPG by 10%) and improving driving style.

[seven7]

If the people who made these boxes were the wizards they claim to be they would be working for major manufacturers and not selling boxes containing sod all for £££'s on e-bay.

None of these companies have the ability to show you how much extra power or economy you get. But if you spend £££'s it will always make it feel faster and do more MPG, if it didn't you would have wasted your money.

Save your money and next time buy a car that's fast enough or more economical.

[Ace Demon]

Originally Posted by Spencernj

There was an episode of Top Gear .... After spending about £5k they ended up with just 3bhp more

To be fair, this would have been a petrol car which can only be tuned by increasing the air supply. Usually by the traditional means of expensive rebuilds (eg, the turbocharger saga - I hope it works out all right). Diesel engines run on surplus air and it is this principle that tuning boxes try to exploit by bunging in more fuel.

So I don't think there is a particular problem of tuning box claims of more fuel = more power. How economy is supposed to drop out of this is the big mystery.

[charlee]

thanks for replys,will go for energy saving tyres