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The dealership technicians can detect these boxes even if taken off when going in for warranty. They can't void your whole car warranty. Broken turbo, engine issues or clutch gearbox issues then you'd have no warranty if they look deep enough to see you had one. If your radio stops working, they couldn't refuse that.
These boxes fool the boost and fuel rail sensors generally, to add more fuel in than the car thinks it's getting (which leads to false low fuel usage and you see your indicated mpg go down, but not actual - which is where all these claims of extra mpg come from), also they overboost the turbo.
If the boxed output is too high for the engine, it may run rich, have a lumpy idle, cause more GPF regenerations, cause your clutch to slip on extra power/torque being used in a high gear. You may also find the standard intercooler struggle to do its job at the higher output.
There are good and bad boxes, but common to all, they care about output more than longevity of the drivetrain
If you're under 25 or have not a lot of no claims discount, you may also find your insurance goes up a lot (assuming you declare it).
Lots of potential issues, noticeable gains on the output.
I would give it at least a year on stock as I've had 2 VWs out of 9 bought new where the turbo went at about 6 months on standard output.
monkeyhanger wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 9:41 am
The dealership technicians can detect these boxes even if taken off when going in for warranty.
Not being funny, but how?
Do they place hairs across the existing unit, like James Bond does with a door frame?
I still intend to get the level 1 racechip box, when I can get around it.
I fully expect MPG to increase as I simply won't have to hammer the car like I am now.
Easy enough to check if the readout is being 'fooled' into telling me I'm doing more MPG, my use is pretty constant and I'd notice my refill costs going up within a week.
The ECU flags when certain readings go out of OEM parameters, boost for example. A tuning box will make the car boost beyond the limits of the stock tune.
There's a lot of debate on what information is stored, just google TD1 flag.
I had a JB4 on my golf R and can recommend that above other tuning boxes. A lot more customisation and the customer support is great.
monkeyhanger wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 9:41 am
The dealership technicians can detect these boxes even if taken off when going in for warranty.
Not being funny, but how?
Do they place hairs across the existing unit, like James Bond does with a door frame?
I still intend to get the level 1 racechip box, when I can get around it.
I fully expect MPG to increase as I simply won't have to hammer the car like I am now.
Easy enough to check if the readout is being 'fooled' into telling me I'm doing more MPG, my use is pretty constant and I'd notice my refill costs going up within a week.
Implausible readings from sensors associated with the ones the box alters the signals for. If the car thinks it is boosting 1.3 bar and it's actually boosting 1.5 bar on the turbo then the expected downstream sensors outputs don't tally, that is flagged.
You might not be "hammering the car anymore" with a map that now takes you from 95 to 125ps, but when you're going up a hill in a certain gear that requires a 60kW input, whether you've got a 70kW engine or a 200kW engine, that 60kW requirement is going to take the same amount of fuel. The economy gains from extra torque allowing you to labour the engine in a higher gear are marginal.Unless you use that extra power for a significant period of your journey, your mpg will remain about the same, but the car indicated mpg value will increase because of understated signals for fuelling.
Dan34 wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 10:08 am
A tuning box will make the car boost beyond the limits of the stock tune.
No, it will not. A tuning box does not alter the manufacturers safety limits and worst case scenario, if some crappy tuning box will boost beyond the stock limit, you will get a error code and engine check will come up, but you will not exceed the factory limits. Thus... as long as the factory limits are not exceeded, I can see no reason to be flagged TD1 Just go for a good and reputable tuning box that promises more than just big power numbers.
I have been using a certain make of a box since 2011 on something like 30 cars of different makes including MB, BMW, VW and Volvo. None of them have been traced.
No, it will not. A tuning box does not alter the manufacturers safety limits and worst case scenario, if some crappy tuning box will boost beyond the stock limit, you will get a error code and engine check will come up, but you will not exceed the factory limits. Thus... as long as the factory limits are not exceeded, I can see no reason to be flagged TD1 Just go for a good and reputable tuning box that promises more than just big power numbers.
I have been using a certain make of a box since 2011 on something like 30 cars of different makes including MB, BMW, VW and Volvo. None of them have been traced.
Spill the beans then
I might buy one today, I need more power/torque in the thing desperately.
Just go for a good and reputable tuning box that promises more than just big power numbers.