MTE back in the UK.

[bobcat]

Originally Posted by s40R

I was hoping for a reply to issues I have raised here, no response leaves us guessing that you don't have a reasonable answer for my questions I have asked?

welcome to VOC, we do have a few commercial parties that dont like responding to probeing questions.

[Traduk]

[QUOTE=bobcat][QUOTE=Traduk]Bobcat,
You state that you would rather your ECU wasn't dismantled and then in the same post state that you are going to get Stuart to open it up on Wednesday. I guess that you are selective as to who opens it and why?.

Hi Traduk,

I regards to dismantling, i was talking at a component level, and not that of just popping the case off.

Bobcat,

It is easy to end up at cross purposes within communications via the typed word and your focus and mine may differ.

I would consider the dis-mantling of a black box electronic component as in accordance with many consumer components whereby the removal of protective covers (which often also involves the breaking of a manufacturers seal) is dis-mantling which is often described as tampering. As it usually voids a warranty I would describe that as dis-mantling in least in common consumer parlance.

For most people opening a black box with nothing other than solid state boards inside would also be a pointless act. Generally the electronic industry appear to consider that the opener is going to do something and thus the all embracing warranty void.

This thread has some extremely concerning side issues and although the detectability and invisibility of upgrades has long been heralded as a plus, I fail to see why. The only logical reasons I can imagine are for vehicles under manufacturer's warranty and I have read of Beemer drivers who inadvertently left a piggy back plugged in and had their warranty voided on the spot.

Obviously in most instances other than perhaps (after-market warranties) this doesn't apply to older Volvos. If the apparent concern with invisibility is to conceal an upgrade from the remaining likely candidates which number no more than the thumb on one hand then it is worrying. As I have previously stated, I wouldn't have cared if VT had welded "RICA modified" to the top of my ECU because I did insurance first, mods afterwards.


Surely all of this fuss cannot be about the wish to fail to declare to an insurance company?. No it can't be because we are all responsible adults aren't we?

Reference to other related posts where there appears to be a declared public right to know exact procedures, methods employed and associated risks. Gee take time to do a reality check!. I have had dozens of services and repair jobs done over the years in a multitude of different garages and I never knew how they did the work, with what tools or what risks were associated with the procedures employed. They did their work as I requested and I paid them what they requested and we were all happy (most of the time). On the very rare occasions that something was not right it was aways corrected at nil cost and to my satisfaction. I do however have an attitude of you break it, you own it :-) What more can be asked for?.

[sholtby]

Whose software does Stuart use when he replaces the eprom in the ecu? Or has he developed his own?

Thanks
Simon

Originally Posted by bobcat

welcome to VOC, we do have a few commercial parties that dont like responding to probeing questions.

Hi bobcat

Thanks for the welcome and the reply I was beginning to wonder why the silent treatment to the questions I asked. I will admit I am biased towards flash ECU upgrades like TME and MTE since I have had programs from both companies work flawlessly with my Volvo. I think pending some research I migh even lean towards BSR ppc too as long as it's a flash upgrade. Here's my reasoning for the bias: I know of 3 different people with Volvos whom have had big problems with their ECU's not working after they have sent the ECU to different Tuners that use soldered chip method. The story goes, they get the upgraded ECU back from the tuner via express mail and plug into their car and then they have to be towed to the volvo dealer since the car won't start. If the tuner has a proprietary mechanism in place the dealer cannot overwrite the chip back to stock to get the car running with Vadis aka Vida. If the tuner doesn't step up to the plate then customer is stuck with $1000USD = 574.599 GBP bill. Not exacly chump change. The issue is that the customer should be educated about POTENTIAL RISKS(EDIT) and if there's a problem how it will be dealt with in advance. This gives the consumer the ability to make most informed decision possible. Just my two cents.

Best Regards
s40R

[Dan F]

Originally Posted by s40R

The story goes, they get the upgraded ECU back from the tuner via express mail and plug into their car and then they have to be towed to the volvo dealer since the car won't start. If the tuner has a proprietary mechanism in place the dealer cannot overwrite the chip back to stock to get the car running with Vadis aka Vida.

Hi S40R.
What tuner was that? Was it Upsolute?
To describe how versatile a map is when done properly using the proper methods, not long after I had my RICA map a few years back, my car developed a fault with starting.
It would smell of petrol for a small while and it would run like a dog, but only for 30 seconds after a dead cold start. I asked VT if this could have been caused by the RICA and was told on no uncertain terms that the parts of the map that are altered have nothing to do with the cold start up portion of the ECU.
And true enough this turned out to be a problem that Volvo knew about with their software. Funny how they only admitted this after stripping and checking the injectors and the ETM, and taking the associated money from me.......
Anyway, my dealer then plugged my car into VADIS and completely over wrote my spanky RICA map with a newer version of the standard ECU flash, and an ETM one too.
This could have been a problem performancewise, but I went straight back to Adam and he duly reflashed it with the RICA again FOC (as per their warranty) and all was back how I wanted it, only now, my RICA map also had the benefit of incorporating the updated part of the new ECU program that Volvo had downloaded at the dealers!
I have not had one jot of a problem with it since! (for well over 2 years now).
I would certainly advise anyone to do some research and not to use any chip tuners that tune using methods that mean you cannot get your car properly serviced (i.e. VADIS compatible) or reflashed at a main dealers.
Cheers,
Dan.

Originally Posted by Dan F

Hi S40R.
What tuner was that? Was it Upsolute?
To describe how versatile a map is when done properly using the proper methods, not long after I had my RICA map a few years back, my car developed a fault with starting.
It would smell of petrol for a small while and it would run like a dog, but only for 30 seconds after a dead cold start. I asked VT if this could have been caused by the RICA and was told on no uncertain terms that the parts of the map that are altered have nothing to do with the cold start up portion of the ECU.
And true enough this turned out to be a problem that Volvo knew about with their software. Funny how they only admitted this after stripping and checking the injectors and the ETM, and taking the associated money from me.......
Anyway, my dealer then plugged my car into VADIS and completely over wrote my spanky RICA map with a newer version of the standard ECU flash, and an ETM one too.
This could have been a problem performancewise, but I went straight back to Adam and he duly reflashed it with the RICA again FOC (as per their warranty) and all was back how I wanted it, only now, my RICA map also had the benefit of incorporating the updated part of the new ECU program that Volvo had downloaded at the dealers!
I have not had one jot of a problem with it since! (for well over 2 years now).
I would certainly advise anyone to do some research and not to use any chip tuners that tune using methods that mean you cannot get your car properly serviced (i.e. VADIS compatible) or reflashed at a main dealers.
Cheers,
Dan.

Dan,

You probably don't remember me way back when you had your S40 from vvspy. Hello again. Sorry to hear Volvo put you through the wringer before they would fess up to thier own problem. Arghh frustrating

Two of them were Upsolute and the customer had to eat the cost of getting ECU back to working properly. Third one was PES, they had some good success chipping Audis but not with Volvos. All three people told me in the end it had to do with inferior solder work on the Boards inside of the ECU. I agree completely with Vadis compatible perspective, I had my TME program on my Volvo for 4.5 years and it was never overwritten by Vadis with numerous updates from Volvo(lucky me). If it was ever overwritten I would just send it to the TME/MTE dealer to re-install the updated ECU program with Vadis upgrades. Based upon my long running with TME success I just had MTE(sister company) custom remap my ECU last Fall the car go's like mad with daily driver reliability. Very pleased!

Best Regards
s40R

[bobcat]

Hamish\HLM - you still havent replyed (not great customer service considering what i paid for the ecu upgrade), is my rica eeprom soldered?

[sholtby]

From my experience (850 T5) VT remove the flash Intel eeprom and replace it with an eprom. Earlier ecus had a socket fitted so you just pulled out the old chip and plugged in the new. With later ecus they were soldered in I believe.
With all the current interest and worries about tuners soldering abilities I cant say I've heard of any problems in this country.

Simon

[bobcat]

Originally Posted by sholtby

From my experience (850 T5) VT remove the flash Intel eeprom and replace it with an eprom. Earlier ecus had a socket fitted so you just pulled out the old chip and plugged in the new. With later ecus they were soldered in I believe.
With all the current interest and worries about tuners soldering abilities I cant say I've heard of any problems in this country.

Simon

thanks simon,

just want to see what hamish\hlm have to say first before i investigate. but its seems hamish is not responding to this post even though ive seen that he was viewing the thread with my last post about.

for anyone wanting to know about volvo tuning, this is how they treat their customers.

Im not sure is what you say is true simon, as volvotuning say their upgrades are undetectable and that they flash the eeproms, which is basically the emissions part of the ecu!!!

come on hamish dont be shy!!!

[SaffronC70]

ok, curiousity has got the better of me, would my ME7 ECU have been soldered ?

Chris