Fuel
All modern vehicles use an ECU (Engine Controll Unit) to control fueling. When the manufacturers write the program for fueling they tend to program around model secification rather than for maximum engine power or best fuel economy. We set the fuel ratio for optimum power at full throttle this allows us to modify the program at mid range throttle so that over all fuel consumption is improved.
Fuel ratio for best power 12.6:1
Fuel ratio for best economy 15.4:1
Ignition
Ignition (spark) timing is also controlled by the ECU this is also an area of adjustment that will release power from an engine. Years ago it was possible to adjust the distributor to adjust timing and replacing the internal centrifugal bob weight springs to help with advance curve, modern day engines no longer have distributors so the only way to optimize ignition advance is to remap the ECU to give a more advanced timing curve resulting in greater power and more responsive throttle.
Forced Induction (turbo/compressor)
Forced Induction is the process of using a mechanical system to force more air into an engine. This includes superchargers, turbochargers and other mechanical systems. Both superchargers and turbos use a compressor to force air into the engine, making it more dense (i.e. more oxygen). When fuel is added this creates a much larger explosion and more power from the engine. These mechanical compressors are controlled by the ECU, remapping the intake boost pressure gains as much as 40% more power.
ECU
An ECU (Engine Control Unit) this is the computer that controls the various operations of an engine i.e. injector duration, fuel/air ratio, ignition timing & forced induction (compressor/turbo charger). Modern ECU’s are very powerful systems calculating, processing and driving the entire engine control. Most ECU’s are now “fly by wire” so the driver of the car no longer even fully controls the throttle position. It is this total control the ECU has over the engine that makes ECU remapping so effective.
EPROM chip
The engine map EPROM chip is contained surface mounted within the ECU’s printed circuit board. It is this chip that contains the information the ECU needs to run the engine, this chip is programmed with data to instruct the ECU how and when to inject the fuel, when combustion should begin and how much charge pressure should be applied under all driving conditions.
VAG remapping specialists
Volkswagen Audi Group
performance software.
BHPtuning.co.uk
