ECU remaps - be aware...

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If I didn't want to go for an annual subscription, where might I buy said magazine? Tesco?
I bought my first one while sitting bored in an airport, left it lying around at home , next thing I know I had a subscription as a Christmas present. been on it ever since. What I like about it is they do not think the sun shines out of MB's exhaust. issues are every 2 months now...covid and all that.
 
Had a chat with GAD today, sounds like he is able to sort it.
Not sure of the cost as I didn't ask so will have to see what he says when he is down this way after lockdown...
Then decide whether it is worth it or just call it quits...
 
Had a chat with GAD today, sounds like he is able to sort it.
Not sure of the cost as I didn't ask so will have to see what he says when he is down this way after lockdown...
Then decide whether it is worth it or just call it quits...
Please keep us posted of the outcome.

Anthony from GAD writes all the maps himself and comes from a strong computer programming background.
 
That's good to know, I'll have a chat when he comes down - could be a while yet but he will be spending a few days this way..
 
When the tuner says they can reload you data if it is overwritten by the dealer - don't believe them, they can't - so DO NOT have it over written by Mercedes !

I paid £400 for a remap, it ran really well for a few years. It was later updated by an indy who told me it would most likely cure my on going disapearing eco problem.

The update cost £110 + vat - it made no difference to the fault but I later found out it was the dreaded emissions update, continuous regens, worse fuel consumption and no 7th gear until 75mph.

I sent it back to the original tuner who said they could do it no problem - they charged me £150
They said they had never seen the software before..
It turnes out all they did was put another map (not my original off the Dyno) onto the same software that the Indy put on.
I still had the issues as above.

The next day it over heated stuck in a regen for 40 miles and dumped all its oil everywhere - no way to prove it was the update though, maybe just a coincidence ?

£1800 to fix the oil seal, then another £400 from a different Indy to put right the work properly.

They had the ecu back again only to again tell me they have never seen that software before (second time they have seen mine??) and there is nothing they can do with it so just charged me the postage back - Another £20 in total

I am now using a standard ecu with no remap as I had a spare.

Not only have I lost £570 on the remap, maybe also £2200 because of it.....should never had done that original update !
Hi Adam,

Found this thread whilst browsing. I'm sorry you feel the need to post up in a negative way about my business. You originally had the car tuned at MSL back in approx. 2015 as I can recall. You lost your map though your own update and decided to contact us directly at BFT. We told you at the time you should take you car back to MSL as it is better to have the car in person so all checks can be done. I do not like ecu's flying around in the post but you were extremely keen to get it done directly with us without bringing the car as you had a spare ECU.

As said I would of preferred the car to be at BFT all along, I appreciate you are in Bristol but we are in the North East. All our equipment is here and an ecu on it's own is very limited in use.

The original map was done at MSL so I don't have the full backup, only the maps with the calibrations in.

A way to move forward for you if you feel you wish to do it:

1) Send the updated ecu back to us, we can ensure this is stock and send it back to you at no charge to yourself.
2) Once you have fitted the updated ECU to keep you mobile, send me your original ECU so I can take a full backup off this (This is what we are missing to locate the map you want)
3) I will then send this one back to you at no charge to yourself.
4) Swap them over and resend the updated one I can revert it pre-update, remap it and send back. Again no charge.

For clarity, I will cover postage and remap it again for you so you have a pre-emissions update stock and tuned ecu. It would be easier to send both together if you can be without them for a few days.

This way, you are spending no more and get it all sorted for you how you wish.

Unfortunately I am extremely busy so apologies I could not take your calls. Yes I did get hit with COVID hard and sadly I can't be on the dyno, the phones and the road all at once! Hence Pip is my front of house and she does an excellent job. However, feel free to email me directly if you wish, [email protected]

Thanks,
John.
 
Sort of the full story...

On the return drive home after it was first tuned by yourselves via MSL, the eml light came back on, same issue as we had before and as requested, I sent it by post back up to you...I was told there was no problem working with the ecu out of the vehicle..

We thought there was an original tune on the ecu and the light was to do with the DPF.. This was fixed and even after asking, I was never told what the fix was - It ran great for 5 years - I never remember ever noticing a DPF regeneration..was it disabled, I'll never know.

Until the day I re fitted the ecu after getting it back in 2020 after the update and retune - it stuck in a regeneration for over 40 miles before finally overheating, engine off, fans on continuous..and dumped it's oil...£2000+

Would that make sense, would the DPF be blocked if disabled by the ecu and obviously the new tune on the updated ecu with the DPF now fully functional ? Can't help but think it was just to much of a coincidence..

Now running with the spare original ecu it would run a regen every 4 or 5 days, I would have to keep driving until it finished.. 100% it never used to do that..

I am very warey now of having any more work done, especially with the original ecu, and even more so sending it back by post again which you have now said, and I agree is now not the best option with all the problems I have had.

Thanks for the offer to put the ecu right John, I need to give it some thought but I can't afford to have anymore issues with the car and being on furlough for the last 10 months doesn't help...

I had tried to contact you on and off for over 12 months, probably more than 20 phone calls untill Pip decided it would be best to just send the ecu up and let you look at it in your own time
.
I'll send you an email if I decide to go ahead with the offer..

Thanks....
 
Now running with the spare original ecu it would run a regen every 4 or 5 days, I would have to keep driving until it finished.. 100% it never used to do that..

That doesn’t my sound right either though. Has anyone checked your DPF?
 
I purchased an iCarsoft reader as I was paranoid about the DPF regens failing again, everytime it starts I would plug it in and keep driving until it finished..It always started about 1 mile off a motorway run when doing about 20mph on the way home, typical !

The DPF has not been visually checked but the % reading does eventually drop down to zero.

Question is, what would DPF delete via the ecu do without removing the DPF ?
What would happen if it was later reinstated.

I'm only guessing here don't even know if it is possible without removing the DPF.
Just trying to get to the bottom of the failure before I make any decisions on where to go next, either on John's offer to put things right, Gad or just drive it flat as a pancake !
 
That doesn’t my sound right either though. Has anyone checked your DPF?
Cut the DPF out 👍🏼
Delete via ecu and keeping dpf means no regens and it will clogg .

The other way around , a gutted dpf with stock software is limp mode city as the ecu detects from the pressure sensor it's too low and thinks it's got an exhaust leak .
I meant gut the DPF and remove it from ecu.
 
Ok, so it would clog, would that cause an issue by itself ?, Could you keep driving with it clogged for 60k miles - the intakes were gummed up and worn so much one had to be replaced..

My theory here is my original tune may have had DPF delete - then 5 years later another tune reinstated DPF and boom it stuck in a regen and dumped it's oil..

Not sure I want to get into cutting out the DPF...
 
Sort of the full story...

On the return drive home after it was first tuned by yourselves via MSL, the eml light came back on, same issue as we had before and as requested, I sent it by post back up to you...I was told there was no problem working with the ecu out of the vehicle..

We thought there was an original tune on the ecu and the light was to do with the DPF.. This was fixed and even after asking, I was never told what the fix was - It ran great for 5 years - I never remember ever noticing a DPF regeneration..was it disabled, I'll never know.

Until the day I re fitted the ecu after getting it back in 2020 after the update and retune - it stuck in a regeneration for over 40 miles before finally overheating, engine off, fans on continuous..and dumped it's oil...£2000+

Would that make sense, would the DPF be blocked if disabled by the ecu and obviously the new tune on the updated ecu with the DPF now fully functional ? Can't help but think it was just to much of a coincidence..

Now running with the spare original ecu it would run a regen every 4 or 5 days, I would have to keep driving until it finished.. 100% it never used to do that..

I am very warey now of having any more work done, especially with the original ecu, and even more so sending it back by post again which you have now said, and I agree is now not the best option with all the problems I have had.

Thanks for the offer to put the ecu right John, I need to give it some thought but I can't afford to have anymore issues with the car and being on furlough for the last 10 months doesn't help...

I had tried to contact you on and off for over 12 months, probably more than 20 phone calls untill Pip decided it would be best to just send the ecu up and let you look at it in your own time
.
I'll send you an email if I decide to go ahead with the offer..

Thanks....

Adam, genuinely 5 years ago I cannot remember why the EML came on your specific vehicle 5 years ago. It was dealt with at the time and as you say the map that we wrote was great for 5 years.

The DPF was not disabled on the original map, I will reply to your comment below reasons why.

The original ECU will be used as backup purposes only. It will be read solely on the bench as a full backup. Bear in mind everyday we tune the original ecu of cars, very very rare someone has a spare ECU all ready to go and coded to the car. The original ECU will not be changed and I am happy to send you the full backup of the ECU so you have this saved. Once I have the original ECU we can identify the map that you are looking for. We can then use that to sort the second ECU. When I had the ECU before I spoke to Acid and spent time looking through their backups but we couldn't identify which one it 'could' be and they have changed laptops since 2015.

The post option can work as I offered above, however lots of moving through. If I can have both ECU's I can turn this around within a day and get them back to you. Alternatively if you can travel to MSL (Closest to you) with both ECU's we can do it there and then at no charge and the physical car can be checked over.

You now have my direct email, as said phone calls I am not really forward facing of the business anymore and often working til late in the night. I also need downtime at the weekends for the family! If you wish to send me an email today with your contact number I will call you today or tommorrow and discuss this in further detail if you wish?
 
Ok, so it would clog, would that cause an issue by itself ?, Could you keep driving with it clogged for 60k miles - the intakes were gummed up and worn so much one had to be replaced..

My theory here is my original tune may have had DPF delete - then 5 years later another tune reinstated DPF and boom it stuck in a regen and dumped it's oil..

Not sure I want to get into cutting out the DPF...

For clarity we would of not removed the DPF from your software when we mapped it 5 years ago. It would of clogged within a few hundred miles and eventually either stalled your engine, done damaged to the turbo or potentially alot worse. If the DPF is blocked the engine can't get rid of the exhaust gasses. And as you say, the map ran great.

The theory is incorrect for clarity.

DPF wise it's an MOT failure if it is removed.
 
"DPF wise it's an MOT failure if it is removed."

Quite a one line conservative answer John , you know it isn't always true .
 
"DPF wise it's an MOT failure if it is removed."

Quite a one line conservative answer John , you know it isn't always true .

I wouldn't want to remove the DPF Gaz, then it fails an MOT and be expected to put one back in I suppose is why I am trying to be clear on it.

DPF is checked visually only to see if it is there or I believe is the vehicle emits excessive smoke at idle? It is down to the individual tester to pass or fail the vehicle based on his assessment, however I am not an MOT tester.
 
Ex Ray eyes required for this one .

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