Performance Tuning Myths

[Bob]

I have no problem with any Volvo related link being posted on this forum. The purpose of the forum is to share information and to mull over a few issues.

[noiseboy]

I think my ;) has been missed by a few peeps..... Except for Adam who seemed to get it.

Dan - take easy dude! And.... yes suppliers responding to questions is great (both your examples were replies not starts of threads).

My more general point (perhaps not too well made) was this:-

Not all of the points made are totally accurate for all volvo cars. Some older cars respond very well to more traditional tuning methods, wheras some newer cars (particularly fly-by-wire models) really are a chip tuner's domain.

I wanted that cleared up, as not many of us are around any more from the old days of this forum, and some "newbies" who purchase an old T5 might think that the only option open to them is what they see in print now, without searching back.

I have nothing against the more modern methods adam - if my car had any of the original volvo electronics left then I might consider serial reprogramming.....

Clearly we have a really good community in this country, with a good choice of suppliers in all areas of modding, many of whom have 20 years experience in the game.

You can find multiple suppliers and methods of achiving braking, handling, engine tuning and other mods - all of which need to be represented, but at the same time, someone needs to point out when perhaps, sometimes, and with the greatest respect to all parties, someone's opinion comes across as a gospel truth fact.... Thats all.

It is inevitable that there are satisfied and disatisfied customers for every supplier in the business - past & present. The fact that you chose who you go to is the whole point - as long as that decision is made in the light of totally unbiased information, which is what genuine choice is.

I hope thats set a few minds at rest - and may I take this opportunity to invite Adam, and his crew to the Rolling Road shoot-out that Iain Collinson has so kindly organised for the 13th Dec so that everyone might actually meet up and compare notes (as thats after all what it's all about)??

Phil :)

Hi Phil,

I have to admit that you are right in saying that the we have a great Volvo community. I would say the problem sometimes is Volvo itself!!!

I would like to add to your comments that people also need to distinguish between performance parts suppliers and performance tuners. Like you say, people's choice is precisely that, but this difference alone is important to consider. And the more information they have, the better informed the choices are. I do agree that some of the old cars respond well to correctly implemented old school tuning (from personal experience). But I was also trying to make people aware that new school tuning works even better if done correctly. Note the importance of the word "correctly"!!! Anyway, I know that we can all live happily together in the tuning world, both new and old school alike. And the result should be that everyone benefits in the end.

Thank you for the invite to the RR session. Although I can't actually make it to this one, it would be great to meet up some time. I know there will be other such events, and we are organising another one on Feb 28th 2004, to which I would like to invite yourself and everybody else!

Adam.

[Dan F]

>I think my ;) has been missed by a few peeps..... Except for
>Adam who seemed to get it.

Hi Phil.
I saw your ;-) and I got it but I just thought that it should be pointed out that solicitation is already present on the board. :)

>
>Dan - take easy dude! And.... yes suppliers responding to
>questions is great (both your examples were replies not starts
>of threads).

Taking it easy as we speak! ;-) Also you didn't mention a distinction between starting a thread or not, plus Adam started a thread but still didn't blatantly advertise, unless you call a link at the end a blatant advert. The point was that Adam is/should be at just as much liberty to post and add a link as anyone else, whether it is at the start of a thread or the end of a thread. Indeed where on the thread it occurs is largely immaterial. :)

>
>My more general point (perhaps not too well made) was
>this:-
>
>Not all of the points made are totally accurate for all volvo
>cars. Some older cars respond very well to more traditional
>tuning methods, wheras some newer cars (particularly
>fly-by-wire models) really are a chip tuner's domain.

This is true and my T4 responded very well to the bleed I had on it. But my current car with the drive by wire is a pig to tweak. Read that to mean you can't realistically do anything to it without 'changing the brain'.

>I wanted that cleared up, as not many of us are around any
>more from the old days of this forum, and some "newbies" who
>purchase an old T5 might think that the only option open to
>them is what they see in print now, without searching back.

True, I definitely agree there.

>I have nothing against the more modern methods adam - if my
>car had any of the original volvo electronics left then I
>might consider serial reprogramming.....

:)

>Clearly we have a really good community in this country, with
>a good choice of suppliers in all areas of modding, many of
>whom have 20 years experience in the game.

>You can find multiple suppliers and methods of achiving
>braking, handling, engine tuning and other mods - all of which
>need to be represented, but at the same time, someone needs to
>point out when perhaps, sometimes, and with the greatest
>respect to all parties, someone's opinion comes across as a
>gospel truth fact.... Thats all.
>
>It is inevitable that there are satisfied and disatisfied
>customers for every supplier in the business - past & present.
>The fact that you chose who you go to is the whole point - as
>long as that decision is made in the light of totally unbiased
>information, which is what genuine choice is.
>
>I hope thats set a few minds at rest - and may I take this
>opportunity to invite Adam, and his crew to the Rolling Road
>shoot-out that Iain Collinson has so kindly organised for the
>13th Dec so that everyone might actually meet up and compare
>notes (as thats after all what it's all about)??

Cool. As long as the RR is set to exactly the same parameters for every car that would be good!
Are you going to that session Phil?

Cheers,
Dan.

[basher]

For those of you that like good old fashioned tuning look at this.

http://forums.vptuning.com/viewtopic.php?t=3008

Basher,

Not quite! If you read the whole story, this engine will be custom remapped on the standard ECU. The engine mods themselves are not the tuning part - it's merely to make stronger foundations and a more capable engine for the ECU tuning afterwards.

So it's actually new school tuning, with good old fasioned engineering to make a stronger engine CAPABLE of producing more power. But the actual power it eventually develops will be determined mainly by the ECU remap.

Adam.

[basher]

Hi Adam,

I have read the whole story, It is so easy to see how people go round and round in circles, It's a chicken and egg scenario. The ECU can't give the extra power with out the enhanced components, and the components can only do what the ecu tells them.

Any how I was only showing what happens when you get bitten by the tuning bug hard.

So chill and stop hammering hard, afterall we are all potential cumtomers, right? ;o)

Best Wishes

Hedley

Sorry Hedley,

Wasn't the intention to hammer hard. I didn't mean to cause offense.

Chill pill has been taken!! LOL

You're right about the chicken-egg thing though. And matters are made worse by the fact that the power also depends on the fuel. Rob will need to use race fuel to get the most out of it. It is a very interesting project though.

Adam.