Race-Tune.com's - Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of performance remapping my car?

• Increased Bhp across the entire power range
• Increased torque (Nm) - Especially at low Rpm
• Increased MPG through more economical use of fuel

• What is included in teh price?

All vehicles are visually inspected and road-tested prior to being remapped. Volvo cars pre-1999 will be checked on Autodiagnos equipment while post-1999 cars will be fully Volvo VIDA checked. Other makes will be fully tested on our up-to-date dagnostic tools. These include VAG COM (Audi, Porshce, Seat, Skoda, VW), Bosch KTS 570, Launch X-341.

• How are these performance increases gained?

Manufacturers have to allow for varying fuel qualities across all continents that the vehicle is sold in, this means that the engine is not optimized for maximum performance. Through remapping certain variables within the engine management system it is possible to get power and torque increases and improve fuel economy. If your vehicle is a VOLVO, it will receive full VIDA diagnostic checks before and after remapping to ensure perfect optimisation.

Some manufacturers gradually improve the power available from the engine over the life span of the model, this is usually achieved by remapping the car slightly for each subsequent model year that is released. Performance remapping simply develops this a stage further to gain greater results with due consideration to other components which may be affected by increasing power output.

• Is the ECU upgrade invisible of detectable?

The ECU upgrade is not detectable by most standard dealership servicing and diagnostics equipment. The modified ECU software is also invisible, which means it cannot be seen with a visual inspection. Checksum calculations and RSA signatures are included in all remaps offered at Race-Tune.com.

• How will if affect my dealer warranty ?

The ECU upgrade should not affect your manufacturer 3 yr / 60K mile warranty for the car as a whole, and this varies from country to country. We recommend you discuss this upgrade with a main dealer before tuning.

• Should I tell my insurance company?

Whilst the upgrade is undetectable, the responsible answer to this question has to be "yes", your insurance company should be notified. However, many insurance companies do not penalise you for upgrades of this nature, particularly if you're tuning for increased economy - Adrian Flux is one such company.

• What petrol should I use once the ECU is upgraded (petrol cars only)?

We always recommend 98 or 99 RON such as Shell Optimax / V Power. If not available, we recommend Super Unleaded, then a branded Premium Unleaded.

• How is the economy (MPG / L/Km) improved?

Increases in low-end torque allow the driver to use higher gears and therefore increase the economy of the vehicle after remapping. Your driving style will have an effect on economy and turbo petrol cars generally only see slight improvements to economy while turbo diesels can be increased by up to 20%! Obviously these increases are reliant on a similar driving style before and after tuning, this will greatly depend on your individual reasons for remapping the vehicle. Please note that due to the nature of our bespoke remaps, the economy increase will be lost if you opt for a power map rather than economy and power.

• Will remapping my vehicle damage it?

No, not at all if you use Race-Tune.com. Sadly some engines can be over tuned, "stressing" the engine, transmission, cooling systems, etc, and reducing the life span and reliability of the car. This is why it's so important to choose a reputable company with the latest technology available - Choose Race-Tune.com!

We take great care to ensure that all of our modifications have no detrimental effect on your car. In a lot of cases the economy tune actually helps to extend the life of components such as the clutch and gearbox by making the delivery of the power far less aggressive and smoothing the overall drive of the vehicle.

• How long does it take?

This will depend on which solution you opt for and any other work that is required prior to remapping. We can normally carry out all checks and upgrades in 1 to 2 hours.

• Do I need a performance exhaust, race-cat or induction kit?

No! A performance exhaust or race-cat is entirely optional. If you are planning to fit any components, please make us aware so we can taylor the remap around your modifications.

• Can I use a bleed valve with my turbo engine when the ECU is upgraded?

No. Our ECU reprogram increases the boost, and therefore no bleed-valve is required. If you have one fitted, it must be removed before the ECU is upgraded.

• Are plug and play re-maps and files sold on E-bay any good?

There are a number of basic power upgrades available in a plug and play format or are downloadable from the web. Whilst some of these items can offer slight increases in power, they operate by merely adjusting a specified signal within the ECU by a set tolerance. It's impossible to compare these inferior upgrades with a full rolling road re-map which measures and adjusts hundreds of signals and data files within the ECU.

We advise that these generic files and unsupported devices for sale on the web should be avoided at all cost. We've seen too many customers come to us after a bad experience - and there was no one else to turn to either. We're always happy to advise on your tuning needs.

• What are the terms and conditions of the remap solutions?

Tuning will be organised at a mutually agreed time and date and be covered by a 14 day money back guarantee if not completely satisfied. Any fuel required for road testing will be supplied by the customer or invoiced to the customer if insufficient fuel is supplied when the vehicle is handed over to Phil Whitaker Cars for remapping. We reserve the right to refuse tuning to vehicles we feel would not benefit from ECU software upgrades.

Didn't find the answer to your question here? Contact us and we'll do our best to answer all your questions and add them to these pages.

Race-Tune.com
Beaconsfield Road, Farnham Common, Slough, Buckinghamshire, SL2 3NE

V-Card01753 647777