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TD5 chips/re-flashed ECUs


cols110

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G`day all, I know this thread has been covered a million times BUT I`d like some feed back on the different set up, not just this chip is good.

I am edging towards re-flashing my ECU as from what I have been able to find out is that this can have a greater control over all the engine peramiters, not just increasing the injector pulse length as most of the plug in chips do.

If anyone has had one of each, and could give me their view it would be greatly appreciated. Or their view on which one is best and for what reason, not just that I have chip X and now my TD5 flys.

Thanks

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G`day all, I know this thread has been covered a million times BUT I`d like some feed back on the different set up, not just this chip is good.

I am edging towards re-flashing my ECU as from what I have been able to find out is that this can have a greater control over all the engine peramiters, not just increasing the injector pulse length as most of the plug in chips do.

If anyone has had one of each, and could give me their view it would be greatly appreciated. Or their view on which one is best and for what reason, not just that I have chip X and now my TD5 flys.

Thanks

Hi Cols

I chipped and uprated my intercooler through Alisport after considerable research you dont get full benefit unless you uprate the intercooler at the same time

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I think I agree with you about a "proper" thing rather than just something which interferes with the injector wiring to stuff a load more fuel in, that can't be a very scientific way of doing it.... wonder what sort of EGT's etc you get, maybe not nice...

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to stuff a load more fuel in, that can't be a very scientific way of doing it.... wonder what sort of EGT's etc you get, maybe not nice...

Yes, thats one of the reason for leaning towards the re-flash.

I could be wrong here, but the I think the ECU also has an input into boost pressure, which would be another tick in the ECU box.

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i looked into this a couple of years ago and decided against the piggy big plug -ins as i feel they are a comprimise as they are just adjusting the std fueling as you state above.

my criteria not in order! were:

1. after sales backup (or expected/perceived backup)

2. company exprience/background

3. Nm and bhp gains

4. additional extras (eg intercoolers etc) from same company as an option.

5. value by bhp/££££

6. relevant experience/use/knowldge of people using the sytems

In the end i went for JE Eng at £375 for a stage 1 replacement ECU delivered. I even did it through my local LR main dealer so they were responsible for sending the old ECU back! they fitted it and ran testbook to determine all was ok etc for £20.

i fitted it in Sep 04 with approx 60k on the vehicle. Vehicle is a '99MY 90 with GKN overdrive and K&N at time of cahnging ECU, Allisport straight through pipe later added.

mpg prior to fit was avg 30.9 for the vehicles last 10k miles.

Avg since fitting is now 29.6mpg for the 14k miles it has since done.(9k on std exhaust system, 5k with an Allisport straight through).

The vehicle is used 30% of its time for towing (hence the need for upgrade)

Emmissions/MOT - no concerns, although as expected if its not opend up for a while it does chuck some sooty smoke out when you do open it up (eg over 3000rpm!)

It will pull 5th at 30mph no probs and hold overdrive at 55mph with 2T on the back of it, neither of which it would do before.

Cant comment on top speed as dont really know if thats changed but overall driveability is vastly improved, the greater torque is a real benefit. it pulls well from any gear, max torque cuts in a little lower than stock rpm wise so you end up driving it at lower revs (as a general rule).

i tend to drive it around 2-2.5rpm (2250rpm is 70mph in 5th + overdrive) and it will easily pull for here upto 85 without changing etc.

JE were superb on the phone with enquiries at time of ordering and even phoned to se if i was happy with it after fitting.

So for me it all i would want, they also offer significant diso**** if you decide to do the intercooler upgrade later.

One point to note on mine is that it is a 99 reg - hence no flashable ECU. Autologic (not an option to my vehicle and only really kicking off 2 yrs ago from what i saw) are really picking up around us and getting alot of good press, similar Nm/bhp as JE one and around £300 for the upgrade.

My only concern on a flashable system is if you ahve some work done on the vehicle and they restore the original settings you will loose the autologic upgrade (so i am told) so therefore you need the garage that do the upgrade to do any work on the vehicle so they can put it back on FOC. It may be worth checking this out first.

Only experience i know of piggy back systems is one bloke in CSW has been through most of them (4 types) and doesnt rate any of them, hes now looking Autologic route. i also have a good friend who has gone the dasteck route and although pleased with the performance isint happy on the mpg change and black smoke!!!!

The straight through pipe makes a for a much quicker pickup (although a bit too loud before it soots a little!) and mpg imporved since fitting it (slightly)

Hope this helps

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You are right Col, the remapping solutions look at boost pressures in relation to fuel mixture throughout the performance range of the engine.

JE Engineering and Superchips seem to have best reputation for remapping and Superchips don't claim outlandish results. I think JE have two maps - one for without uprated intercooler and one with. Benefit of superchips is that they probably have a dealer in your neck of the woods, don't know about JE. Overfinch have a dealer in Dubai and I'm pretty sure they use JE for re-mapping, or they used to.

There is still a good benefit in remapping without the intercooler upgrade. Granted it's going to be more powerful with the intercooler upgrade but it's not necessary if you don't want to go that far.

I would think that it would be good to go for a remap on it's own along with an air filter upgrade and see how you get on with this first before spending another 4-500 pounds on an intercooler upgrade.

Cheers

Steve

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JST and Steve thanks for that, that is exactly the sort of info I`m after.

The more I read about it the better re-flashing sounds, my only real concern is that I am probably going to have to courier my ECU to the UK and back, and if anything goes wrong I could be left in the lurch.

I`ll check out Superchips and JEs websites and see what they have to say. There is also a bloke in OZ Bruce Davis who gets very good recomendations for the OZ crowd with his ECU upgrade, and I could drop my ECU into him when we go home in Oct.

JST, does your smoke much more than before the upgrade, as all the people out here use a PSIbox, heaps of power, but they do smoke badley, this worries me a bit, as it looks to me as they are being way overfuelled, which could lead to egt and reliability problems.

Thinking about it, I havea friend working at JE, I might send him an email to see what he can dig up for me as well.

Steve an airfliter upgrade is`nt an option for me out here mate, a K&N might give me a bit more power, but with the sand and dust I`m in I would`nt want to sacrfice any filtration, as it is my paper filters get clogged with sand pretty quick.

I hope to replace the exhust with something like a 3inch jobbie when it needs doing, to help the turbo spool up a bit quicker.

Thanks again, and keep the info coming.

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i was told that as mine was 2000 model td5 (its reged a 2001) that i couldnt do the stage one?

The old ECU's aren't flash programmable only 2002 model year onwards (unless the ECU has been replaced of course...)

I guess the upgrades that are available for early ones are a soldering iron job rather than just plugging in a computer.

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JE sent me (or my dealer) a replacement ECU which was fitted and the old ECU sent back, so it was either a newer ecu reflashed or an older one that had some other form or being reworked.

It only smokes if the engine has been labouring, eg too high a gear for the speed then expecting it to pull away. you dont notice any smoking under 'normal' driving conditions.

JE would send you a replacement ECU (they need chassis no to do it though) you fit and return your old one to them.

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JE sent me (or my dealer) a replacement ECU which was fitted and the old ECU sent back, so it was either a newer ecu reflashed or an older one that had some other form or being reworked.

It only smokes if the engine has been labouring, eg too high a gear for the speed then expecting it to pull away. you dont notice any smoking under 'normal' driving conditions.

JE would send you a replacement ECU (they need chassis no to do it though) you fit and return your old one to them.

Thanks mate, smoking whilst labouring sounds about right.

ECU off ebay for 100 quid, that is good, will have to keep my eye out for one, that way I can keep the ECU when I get around to flogging it and bolt it into the next one.

Thanks again, greatly appreciated.

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Guest diesel_jim

Am i right in thinking that the latest (for example an '06 defender ECU) can be programmed to work with one of the first Td5's that came out? (say, a 1999)?

And, can discovery ECU's be made to work on defenders?

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