Eco remapping aka chiptuning

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Use RICA Engineering - Performance and Economy Tuning for Volvo, BMW, Audi, VW, Mercedes and most other makes and models to select your car.
Price info is in the text on the left of the power curves.
Price : €580.00 EUR + VAT (€435.00 EUR + VAT for cars over 3 years old)

Looks like they only have a power upgrade for your Svietlana though.

I missed the price, duh. I also noticed that only the power tuning is available for my model. Maybe they haven't noticed that it's the exact same engine as the 1.6D in the Volvo?

Originally Posted by euromodder

At least skin deep - their easily checked statistics are the same except for FC and emissions.

As their FC figures are very different and they also drive differently, there have to be some differences - ECU mapping certainly is one of them, but I can't tell if they also put in different camshafts and the like.

From Volvo V50 DRIVe:

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Here is a list of the CO2 reduction steps:

• 29% Reprogramming the engine
• 25% Aerodynamic changes
• 18% Longer 3rd and 4th gears
• 18% Tires
• 3% Transmission oil
• 7% Optimalization of the steering mechanism

The longer gears are probably what is most noticeable from the driver's POV. I'd like to know how the steering was optimalized... Maybe they went to electric P/S?

You're lucky, since you can swap your transmission for the DRIVe's, or get some of its underbody panels. If I were you I'd be leave my phone number and a few beers at the local scrap yards

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Vekke

If you add too much torgue to low revs like below 1500 rpm the cluth will broke and after it has been upgraded the transmission gears will broke more easily...

I'm very easy on the clutch and gears - I've never had to replace a clutch.

BTW: the extra torque only comes in @ rpm when the clutch is already fully coupled anyway.

[comptiger5000]

Worst case, you upgrade a few parts to take the stress. If you get a better, more efficient car with a more useful powerband as a result, it's worth it.

[Automcdonough]

megasquirt rules. The older the car is, the more there is to be gained by playing with the fuel+spark tables. It's also quite a bit of fun to try different AFR's to see how they drive.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by euromodder

RICA also have a box (optional) that plugs into the OBD port.
You load the box with the appropriate mapping for the car, and it'll update the car's software.

That way you can update the car's mapping yourself, and it saves a trip to the Rica dealer when their software gets written over by a factory software update.

Now that Euro got me salivating again I went to Rica's page and read about their iSoftloader box. I wonder if it is a one-timer, ie you can flash your ECU only once, or if you can keep the software and re-flash as many times as you want. The latter might allow A-B-A testing, but I think a one-timer may be safer (unless there is some way to make sure only one ECU is flashed).

The price isn't that bad, but until I start driving more (and I'm doing my best not to!) there is no way I could justify the expense in our family's budget at the moment

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

The price isn't that bad, but until I start driving more (and I'm doing my best not to!) there is no way I could justify the expense in our family's budget at the moment

Piwoslaw, even I have a hard time convincing myself that I need this

The E-Power remap is around 440 euro.
Let's say I'd get the claimed 15% fuel reduction.
That'd mean the payback time is 2 years for me (@ 27000km/year).
Fuel price is gradually going up though, so it might happen a bit sooner.

[Piwoslaw]

Could a remap lower idle speed, or would I have to go adjust that parameter in another way?

Euro, iirc you had a problem with idle speed - was it too low? Would I see similar problems if I went from 800 (760) rpm to 650 rpm, for example?

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Could a remap lower idle speed, or would I have to go adjust that parameter in another way?

Changing the idle can be done without remapping.

On my car, it took some extra software though, and the guys at the Volvo dealer had to ask how to do it.
I'm afraid it's no longer a case of turning a knob

Euro, iirc you had a problem with idle speed - was it too low?

Vibrations with the AC on @ idle.
Dipping rpm when coming to a stop - the moment you push in the clutch, it'd dip pretty low - below 600 rpm.
I had the idle increased to cure the symptoms, not the cause.

I wouldn't be surprised if these symptoms were gone after the intake path is renewed though.

Would I see similar problems if I went from 800 (760) rpm to 650 rpm, for example?

Cold, I'd expect it to run rough.

666rpm would be nice though

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Changing the idle can be done without remapping.

On my car, it took some extra software though, and the guys at the Volvo dealer had to ask how to do it.
I'm afraid it's no longer a case of turning a knob

What I meant was would a remap be enough? If I'd go with it I'd kill two birds with one stone. Of course, before I get around to remapping I may get a chance to hook up to an OEM übercomputer anyway.

I read somewhere (very probable that on EM) that a diesel doesn't need high rpms to keep turning and the only reason idle speed is ~800rpm is for noise/vibration/comfort reasons.
Mine idles >800 when rolling and ~760 when stopped, but I haven't checked with the A/C. I'd think that it would be possible to go lower except when cold or running the A/C.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

What I meant was would a remap be enough? If I'd go with it I'd kill two birds with one stone.

Don't kill birds

I don't know if the idle setting is achieved by what we refer to as remapping.
It's a pretty basic function in an engine.

The software they downloaded to adjust the idle cost 1,x euro .
You don't get remaps for that
It basically enabled them to adjust the idle.
These cars have all the potential built in, but you need to buy/install the software to actually enable them.

Next service, I'll be asking them to switch the OBC to km/L rather than L/100km.

I read somewhere (very probable that on EM) that a diesel doesn't need high rpms to keep turning

The 1.6 HDi sure doesn't.
When I'm too quick to turn the ignition back to position II when trying to kill the engine, it will drop to very low rpm, but then catch on again.