Engine Mapping, from Experience

[m80]

I'm interested in an economy map for the om646.
I wouldn't really expect noticable economy gains but if that's possible it's more desirable than power gains.

My concerns are if the vehicle will smoke afterwards.
My 1st Vito had been mapped from new. It was at 325k miles when I sold it so no longevity issues, but while not apparent to me driving it apparenetly did smoke .

Now and again while driving I smell, more than see, cars in front that are over fuelling, so I assume they're remapped.

So from peoples experience of having a remap how common is it that smoking and smelling occurs?

 

[Gazwould]

The days of 'No smoke , no poke' are long gone .

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I've a Euro 3 that scores sub 0.40 as a mean value on the MOT smoke opacity test.

Can't comment on NOx values but then that's odourless ?

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

If it has the dpr and egr in place (i.e. not removed) it shouldn’t smoke.

Personally think it should be 4-6 weeks in jail for having a smelly smoggy Diesel due to dpf delete but I’ve had a hard day and unfortunately I’m not in charge

 

[Bellow]

If it has the dpr and egr in place (i.e. not removed) it shouldn’t smoke.

Personally think it should be 4-6 weeks in jail for having a smelly smoggy Diesel due to dpf delete but I’ve had a hard day and unfortunately I’m not in charge

In at least some states in the USA it is something like a $5,000 fine for any individual and $20,000 fine for a garage/business found to have removed/tampered with emissions kit. I'd back the same here.
More likely we'll get a blanket ban on servicing by anything other than certified mechanics, banished prematurely from cities, a wrecked secondhand car market and the cost of the NHS fixing (or trying to) the respiratory health problems. Bargain!

 

[Alex225]

I had my E320 mapped over a year ago and with just over 125k on the clock.

MOT passed no issues, certainly no additional smoke or noticeable over fuelling etc. Car runs just how it used to just more responsive, tiny bit better on fuel and a great improvement in power/torque.

Mine was a generic map but the power claims were within what I’d consider reasonable.

I have heard if maps on these giving another 20bhp+ which seems a lot overall. Could these maps cause over fuelling? I’d imagine it’s the EGR/DPF removals that cause a lot of the smokey diesels though.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I'm interested in an economy map for the om646.
I wouldn't really expect noticable economy gains but if that's possible it's more desirable than power gains.

My concerns are if the vehicle will smoke afterwards.

If you are thinking about an economy map without expecting any improvement in economy but are worried that such meddling might make your car undesirably smoky then why not just leave it alone?

I can't see how such a thing will make you happy.

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Also, if it costs you say £350 for the map, it would be worth doing the maths to figure out how long you’d have to run the car to make that money back.

So if you save 4mpg on average, how many years before you’re in the green again?

Worth running some numbers to see if you’re actually gonna save any money or not!

 

[m80]

If you are thinking about an economy map without expecting any improvement in economy but are worried that such meddling might make your car undesirably smoky then why not just leave it alone?

I can't see how such a thing will make you happy.

I disregard remappers claims of super economy increases, 15% is often quoted. I think some of that relies on a corruption of the measuring system, so the OBD reports are artificial.

The don't meddle thinking is really where I'm coming from with the question.
'If it aint broke' sort of thing.

All remaps will increase power, and more usefully torque. As long as it doesn't cause surging that makes for an easier driving experience.
Also this is with thought for a 639, and in auto form they rev to silly levels in the 1st 2 gears. Designed for hauling any heavy weight at pull away around town I guess. The earlier gains in torque should, in theory, cause earlier gear changes.
I've only heard negative response to the thought of remapping the TCU.

Having power / torque in reserve can't be a bad thing. Even though my drive style is generally relaxed I do sometimes have use to pass dodderers on our rural roads. Getting that job done faster is safer.

I've already mentioned my 1st Vito (a 2007 115), nice power but with some smoke. A downside was that the much earlier torque would fight the parking brake, so I needed to use the footbrake more than I would prefer.

Recently, trying to resolve the 642 Viano issues with a remap I gave it a stage 1. The extra power was very noticable if I hoofed it, but again it smoked. Truth is I don't know how much of that was down to the remap or other issue. Needing to get on with life I gave up on it and sold it on.

So I think there are advantages to having are remap, and certainly as I would anticipate the vehicle being mine for a number of years. 6 years seems to be my average.
I'm wondering if others experience smoking, or smelling, post remap.
I have no interest in driving a mo mo that chokes the poor sods behind.

 

[Gazwould]

Some so called economy maps don't give better economy so it would of been best going full beans .

The drive , the effortless flexibility of the engine is what it's all about .