Tuning Boxes

[paultredgett]

Can anyone advise if the tuning boxes that are sold on ebay actually make any difference to performance and mpg?
Thanks,
Paul

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

I had a tuneit fitted to my VW Phaeton. Best part about it was it took minutes to fit, there were 9 positions on the setting dial, 1 to 9 depending on if you wanted more power or fuel saving. It made a big difference to the phaeton in both fields. If you look on their website they list vehicles and the power differences it makes, you can even try before you buy. It is down wind so to speak of the ECU so does not register a fault.

PS The one for mine cost me £450 inc fitting

 

[redbaron]

you get what you pay for.. stick with the names like tunit / chipmydiesel / dtuk and they deliver.. avoid cheap resistor in a box.

 

[paultredgett]

Hmm the boxes on Ebay look very substantial, they are guaranteed and only cost £90 ish, maybe not a good idea ?

 

[redbaron]

Hmm the boxes on Ebay look very substantial, they are guaranteed and only cost £90 ish, maybe not a good idea ?

you need to be paying 200-300 for a decent one that actually works with the car properly.

 

[Dieselman]

you need to be paying 200-300 for a decent one that actually works with the car properly.

I wouldn't bank on that, the components cost about £5.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Kleemann KD boxes are worth a look at £400 and as they're an MB tuner, they have decent resale value too - try MSL Centre in Birmingham

 

[redbaron]

tunic are very good.. Performance & Economy Diesel Tuning by Tunit - Work, Play & Save

 

[MrMotul]

I bought a "Cheap Chip" off of ebay, from MCB Electronics for about £70 delivered, have used it on C220 CDI, E320 CDI, and 2 E220 CDI's and it has worked on all of them cars a treat, the only fault I found was turning it up a little too much and the car started to hunt (which they actually describe in the paperwork you get with it) so I turned it back down again and all's well. Tried to attain a best ever mpg on a 300 mile round trip and I am amazed at what the obc was telling me. I am sure someone will say thats not possible, but if its anywhere near to the obc reading, that cant be bad, can it???

 

[paultredgett]

Thanks for the replies!

After servicing and driving for 250 miles I am finding that she is doing approx 30 mpg average, the computer is saying 28+ ish around town and 38-40+ on the motorway at speed limits, am i asking too much for more mpg?
The car is in my estimation awesome, and having come from an MR2 roadster doesn't seem to be doing much less to the gallon to be honest!
Would a tuning box make all that much difference to economy?
I really only do approx 100 miles per week, maybe a bit more when I feel like a run out.
I would appreciate anyone adding there own realistic mpg with this engine.

I have not forgotten she has done 195,000 miles but am trusting everything is in order with the full service history........I have taken the engine shields off and it all looks like new, no leaks etc,etc,anywhere!

Cheers

 

[paultredgett]

wow!

that is impressive......30 mpg more than I have seen up to now, where exactly was it from?
thanks

 

[redbaron]

I wouldn't bank on that, the components cost about £5.

in the ebay resistor ones... not in the decent digital multi sensor tuning boxes.

 

[paultredgett]

did you calculate it at all........diesel in as per the mileage?

 

[Dieselman]

in the ebay resistor ones... not in the decent digital multi sensor tuning boxes.

Rubbish, all they are is a Pic and an amplifier on a board.

 

[Dieselman]

I am sure someone will say thats not possible, but if its anywhere near to the obc reading, that cant be bad, can it???

It won't be anywhere near the true figure.
The greater the % of fuel delivery the greater the error on the OBD, so 25% additional fuel means ~25% better reading shown.

 

[MrMotul]

wow!

that is impressive......30 mpg more than I have seen up to now, where exactly was it from?
thanks

It was from Chipping Ongar, Essex, to Wisbech St Mary (M11-A14) road was surprisingly empty for a Saturday afternoon, tried to use the cruise as much as possible at about 65mph, but like I said, I tried really hard to get this type of mpg, but was very surprised to achieve the figure the obc says, but even if it isnt getting that mpg, to see it just makes you feel better anyway:bannana:
and btw, when the chip was used on a 2001 E320 CDI Estate done 166,000 miles the mpg went from around 28-35-mpg, to 38-45mpg (obc reading that is) and a couple of times I managed to get it over 50mpg (trying hard once again though) and the power increase was very noticable!!

Hope this helps,

Terry.

 

[Dieselman]

^ Didn't he mean which seller?

 

[MrMotul]

^ Didn't he mean which seller?

I told him that in my first post?

 

[paultredgett]

so Dieselman,

Are tuning boxes worthwhile for someone like me that only does minimal mileage with the odd long run, I guess I am getting 100-120 miles to £25 of diesel so far in normal driving conditions with a usual right foot, I have no idea how these tuning boxes work except that they either and/or, retard the timing, add air to the fuel mixture and retard the fuel timing??
I have a friend who fitted the ebay one I mention to a 2006 honda civic 2.2 and he got 10% more to the tank full (long journeys to portsmouth every week), he took it off the car when he gave the car to his missis because she complained it was too fast??

 

[Dieselman]

A diesel tuning box just increases the fuel delivery per injection pulse.

There are two things to think about when adding more fuel.
1. The combustion temperature will increase dramatically.
2. The gearbox will be under a lot more stress.

Will it save fuel...I doubt it.