Chiptuning / engine mapping

How much engine power increase does a tuning program give? 

Chiptuning of the engine offers enormous possibilities in terms of improving engine efficiency. It can effectively increase its power, but also the torque. The only limit when modifying engine controllers is the operating parameters of such components as the injection system or turbocharging. Sometimes you can even talk about an increase in power by 50 or 60 percent. However, this does not yet mean that in every case you can drastically increase the engine's capabilities. Because you can't! We will talk more about this in the next paragraph. 

Very often it is forgotten that professionally performed software modifications increase power but also reduce fuel consumption. Lower consumption often means less toxic exhaust. After the modification, it is enough to carry out a simple diagnostic test of exhaust gas composition to check whether the power unit has become more eco-friendly due to chiptuning. 

Chiptuning and car warranty 

Chiptuning involves changing the operating parameters of the engine. It therefore interferes with the factory parameters. This, in turn, must affect the manufacturer's warranty, or rather its loss. Does this mean that in a car under warranty you can't increase engine power? Not entirely. Mechanics suggest in such a case a modification based on power boxes. The box is plugged into the cable of one of the sensors in the engine chamber or has an OBD standard input. The device still offers a power increase, but the driver can disconnect the component before the periodic inspection in the ASO. In this case, the car's capabilities return to the factory parameters, and the computer test will not show a change in the engine control program. 

Does chiptuning allow for a safe increase in power? 

Talking about the warranty is relevant because drivers, before ordering chiptuning, first ask about the safety of this procedure. They want to know if the modification will affect the durability of the power unit. Properly performed chiptuning does not in any way threaten the technical condition of the power unit. After all, the modification is based on the conviction that a safe margin or reserve for power increase created by car manufacturers is used. The limit of its definition is the durability level of components indicated by the factory and car manufacturers. 

The words "properly performed chiptuning" mean avoiding two serious mistakes. 

• Before chiptuning, you need to diagnose the engine. In order for the modified control module to have a chance to improve performance and reduce consumption, the ECU unit cannot have any readings about improper operation of the unit. Any faults should be eliminated. 

• In order for chiptuning not to reduce the life of the engine itself, but also the turbocharger, fuel injectors or DPF filter, the new software should dose the increase in power and torque. The test performed after changing the chip on the dynamometer should not show a jump in these parameters by more than 20 percent. 

As for the second mistake, the mechanic during the vehicle modification, should remember that too much increase in engine power will bring another effect. The controller, or specifically the way it works, will load the engine components. However, improved performance will affect the powertrain system, including the clutch, gearbox or joints, and may weaken the car's braking ability. With a drastic increase in power, mechanical tuning is also necessary. And the limit at some 20 percent is the safety boundary not only for the car's engine. 

Chiptuning: petrol or diesel engine? 

Changing the software allows for the improvement of engine performance, but only within the scope of two parameters. It is about setting the fuel dosing and the amount of air delivered to the combustion chamber. This way, the power curve or rotation scale changes. The key, however, is turbocharging, not the type of fuel used by the car. Therefore, chiptuning can work well in both a petrol engine and a diesel. When will it not bring significant benefits in terms of improving vehicle capabilities? Primarily in the case of naturally aspirated engines. The field for chiptuning here is rather marginal. 

How much does it cost to increase engine power? 

Professional chiptuning of the engine will be priced at an amount ranging from 250 to even 700 EUR. The amount largely depends on the type of engine, but also the type of modification. For example, at the top end of the price range are power-based modifications using professional power boxes. Chiptuning is essentially cheaper than mechanical tuning. In the case of the latter, the price can be counted in thousands of eur.