Remap via OBD port??

[111]

O.k, I sent an email To a company called Big fish tuning (BFT) that is local to me in cleveland as they have a very good reputation on internet forums, but they state that the remap can only be done by the ECU out and on the bench for £275 for a custom remap, not sure how that is done with the ecu out of the car, my car is a 2008 185 they also state they will do the DPF removal at the same time for about £50 (not sure if this includes the brick removal or just the software ??) i am sure they do a good job, but is it correct that no-one can remap via the OBD port on the later model s60's ?? because this is pushing me down the bluespark 2 channel unit for about £250 although im not sure I believe the power and torque at 239 & 506 they state, 506 sounds like a clutch/DMF killer !!

[SkintKnuckles]

Hi 111,

I tried, and failed, to walk this path very recently. Some relevant information on OBD vs ECM out tuning strategies are discussed in this thread.

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=231110

For what its worth, and this is just my own experience, I found it next to impossible to find any 'tuning' companies who were willing to get the hands dirty for any remap including EGR/DPF delete. All they want to do is sell you a plug and play remap, with no actual mechanical work involved at all. Thus, I'd be surprised if any price you have been quoted includes any actual hardware modification or spannering. On this basis, only one independent (Brotek, in scotland, an independent) was remotely receptive to doing any form of physical deletion of volvo hardware). I contacted and tried loads.....


In fact, I think if you gave most 'tuning companies' (and I use this term loosely) a carte blanche with your cheque book, they still wouldn't do any mechanical work. Why? Well, they can do the remaps in literally mins, that's it, and charge somewhere between 250 - 380 quid for it. The maths just doesn't stack up for good ol' fashioned elbow grease etc, as the tuning companies would rather get another customer/remap in the same time window. Less effort, more money. Its the way things have gone sadly

I boiled it down to MTE vs Shark based on the better testimonials on the quality of their maps. BSR and another company I cannot remember, got terrible write ups for their maps vs reliability. MTE don't do EGR deletes etc, and I found Shark basically impossible to get into phone/email dialogues with.

I qualify the above with the upfront statement that others on this forum have had good experiences with both MTE and Shark, so perhaps I got unlucky with my 8-10 emails/phone calls to Shark that always got me nowhere. I personally write this down to avarice and complacency on the parts of the tuning companies. Personally, I never made it as far as doing business with Shark (as they were so slack arsed). Worth bearing in mind?

I don't believe the bhp or torque figures for a standard remap tune with no physical changes to the hardware.

good luck!

cheers
neil

[wisc]

Hi 111,

I have just had mine MTE'd.....fantastic remap at £400.
My suggestion is speak to Don at Kalmar Union and read this thread from this page http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showpo...9&postcount=67

I spent months looking at which remap to go with.
I wouldn't do a bench remap with a volvo personally.

If you want to see what it feels like let me know as I have just moved back to my home town of Stockton.
cheers, Nick

edited - I actually got 46.4 mpg on our run from Devon to Stockton. http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showpo...3&postcount=98

[111]

Thanks for the reply guys, and thanks for the offer of a go in yours wisc, i know don has a good rep on here but £400 is out of my reach at this time of year. I am under the (possibly wrong) impression that these guys (BFT) will get their hands dirty because they have just opened a workshop in stockton to do servicing and the dpf removal i think. if you want them to!, I admit i only know 2 people that have had there's remapped by them and they are very impressed. And there website has dino maps and pics of customer cars that they have completed the dpf removal on.
And a dpf removal is really what im after, I think im going to have to email him an get a price for the full job (if they do it) then try to make a more informed decision.

[111]

Well email sent, now just a case of wait n see!! Im hoping that if they just remove the brick and do the cutting from the top then the mot testers will be none the wiser.

[111]

Anyone ever used one of these, cant work out if its a tuning box or more of a remap or some type of hybrid???
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OBDII-OBD2...item25a4dfd8e1

[ronmanager]

Originally Posted by 111

Anyone ever used one of these, cant work out if its a tuning box or more of a remap or some type of hybrid???
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OBDII-OBD2...item25a4dfd8e1

Just from reading the broken English description I wouldn't go anywhere near it. Uninstall it and 'your Engine Control Module will instantly reprogram itself back to original factory specifications' - sounds a tad unlikely.

[111]

Dont worry im not, just sounded a bit like a piggy back ecu but when i had one on my cosworth a lot of years back they were £700 and needed live mapping so they would work. I think im going blueshark with the boost control. And hope for the best !!!!

[Jim314]

Is your vehicle acting up badly? Why do you want to do this remap and DPF removal? Be sure you have sufficient funds set aside for when it goes wrong or when it fails MOT?

[wisc]

as Jim314 has said...
I would do a lot more reading before you commit.....trust me :-)
Read ALL the remap threads across all the volvo sites until you start re-reading the same ones.....then you have read enough.