TRUCK TUNING NEAR YOU

Truck owners should be aware that the factory settings provided by most mainstream manufacturers are designed to be conservative to suit a variety of needs, such as gas quality, altitude, weather conditions, driving styles, and emissions regulations. Additionally, these settings are meant to protect engine components from additional strain. It should be noted that any changes to these settings may affect the composition of the exhaust gas, so California has now enforced a ban on non-approved engine tunes.

Truck owners can benefit from an aftermarket tune to increase spark plug timing for improved combustion efficiency and power. This tuning can also result in more fuel being injected under load to regulate cylinder temperature with higher timing. Additionally, some commercial tuning solutions can adjust the sensitivity of the accelerator pedal allowing the throttle plate to open sooner, which may result in higher fuel consumption depending on the driver’s habits.

Truck owners could ask what changes have been made to their vehicle’s ECU, although the answer may not be exact since much of the work on stock ECUs relies on time-consuming reverse engineering. ECUs are composed of thousands of lines of computer code, maps, and variables that are configured differently even among similar model cars depending on year and region. It is unlikely that anyone outside of the manufacturer truly understands the ECU, and the complex dynamics between the engine, transmission, and other modules can make modifications difficult. Modifications to one area of the computer may not be compatible with other areas, potentially leading to issues.

Truck owners should bear in mind that pro tuning on a dyno with tests between changes is the best way to measure torque, power and air fuel ratios. An off the shelf chip tune may not account for all mechanical differences between cars, so it’s important to assess for potential issues such as knock and internal temperatures. Trying to tune a car with existing faults may increase risk, but it could also lead to improved power, torque and MPG.

Vehicle owners need to be aware that when a vehicle is designed for the international market, a variety of parameters such as emission standards, temperature variations, fuel types and insurance categories from different countries must be taken into account. This necessitates adapting the car to varied conditions. Furthermore, the automotive industry is highly regulated and the regulations vary from country to country and state to state. Consequently, manufacturers must meet stringent standards for fuel efficiency, emissions, and design to make their vehicles legally compliant in as many places as possible. This can often limit the optimization of vehicles. Hence, it is imperative for truck owners to stay informed about the constantly changing requirements to guarantee compliance with the most recent regulations.

The “California Corvette” of 1980 is a classic example of a vehicle that had to be altered to meet tough emissions regulations. Chevrolet had to replace the renowned 350 cu.-in V8 with a 305 cu.-in V8, which only produced 180 horsepower, and a 3-speed automatic transmission to pass the tests – a heartbreaking moment for Corvette aficionados. 

The truck market is highly competitive and cost-conscious. To stay competitive, carmakers must find ways to reduce expenses, such as sharing parts across multiple vehicles. This cost-saving measure can have a negative impact on performance. As a result, some carmakers must detune their engines, sacrificing performance in the process. As a truck owner, this could mean not having access to the full power and potential of your vehicle.

Truck owners should be mindful that while cost-saving may appear to be beneficial, attempting to alter their ECU can have disastrous consequences. Flashing the ECU can improve power output, but can also put excessive pressure on other components of the engine or drivetrain, potentially leading to breakdown. It is essential to confirm that all parts of the vehicle can manage the additional power before attempting to remap the ECU.
Vehicle makers generally do not tune all of their vehicles to reach their peak performance, as this could make them too difficult or even unsafe to drive. That is why they choose not to take the risk of over-optimizing every car they produce.
Not everyone is an auto expert, therefore automakers try and make their cars comfortable and easy to operate. To do this, they decrease the power output and make their autos more accessible to the general public. By doing this, they increase their likelihood of selling more vehicles.

To ensure the safety of the public, manufacturers must comply with safety standards and create cars that are both reliable and easy to drive. This establishes a win-win situation, allowing buyers to enjoy both better performance and improved safety.

Performance cars, however, demand extra attention, as they often run hotter and rev higher than regular cars. To ensure they don’t suffer breakdowns, they need to have their fluids changed and other maintenance done at shorter intervals. While some engines are resilient, others may be detuned to make them more reliable. With the right care and regular maintenance, even fully-tuned performance vehicles can have a longer lifespan and higher performance.Manufacturers aim to maximize profits, so they tend to make the best engines and tunes available only on higher-priced trims or models. This means that if you want extra horsepower or a sportier drive, you’ll need to pay more. Performance vehicles offer a greater return on investment for manufacturers than economy vehicles, which is why they take this approach.

Flash reprogramming of an ECU that is not properly adjusted can lead to decreased power, drivability, and even damage the engine, and cannot be easily disconnected. The most common way to “improve” the Electronic Control Unit is to use Plug-In Modules or a Tuner with an On Board Diagnostics Flash Tool. These devices typically fit into the diagnostic port, though sometimes, the reprogramming is done directly on the circuit board. The Tuners provide the necessary maps.

Recently, there has been an increase in the availability of plug-in devices claiming to intercept the OBD protocol and manipulate sensor readings for improved fuel efficiency and performance. However, this is not possible due to the CAN bus mapping of the sensors, which varies from car to car and would result in issues if random data was sent into the bus. Reverse engineering has revealed that these manufacturers are aware of this and install unconnected or unused microcontrollers, leading to false claims of enhanced performance. There is no proof that these low-cost devices are effective, and instead, they are scams with flashing LEDs used to mislead consumers.

Rewriting, or ECU tuning, is the act of changing the settings of a vehicle’s ‘engine control unit’ (ECU) to enhance its performance. By substituting the existing settings with new software, the user is able to re-program the car to handle the fuel injection, airflow, sensors and other components within legal limits. The new software may be customised to the user’s demands, allowing for more control and performance than the default settings given by the manufacturer. The programming is generally connected to the car’s serial port (often referred to as the OBD port) and replaces the existing ECU software.

This method of tuning has grown in popularity in recent times, giving a simple and affordable way to maximise a car’s performance. It has also opened up new possibilities for tuning engineers and developers of tailor-made ECU software.Remapping, or ECU tuning, is the process of changing a car’s settings to improve its performance. By replacing the existing software with custom software, the owner can reprogram the car to manage fuel injection, airflow, sensors, and other components within legal limits. This process has become more popular due to its simple, cost-effective way of enhancing a car’s performance.

The degree of modification to a truck can decide whether increased wear is anticipated. If the modifications are within standard and the driving is done in a “normal” manner, then no extra wear is expected. Nonetheless, if the modifications are beyond normal limits and/or the driving style is not normal, the same level of wear as the engine would have without chiptuning can be expected.

Shortly – Yes, ECU tuning can void your warranty and insurance. This is because it requires changing the factory settings of the ECU, or uploading a new map.The factory’s issue is that changes to the ECU tuning can lead to decreased reliability, increased power, and higher risk of engine damage. Leaner fuel maps can bring more power, but also a greater likelihood of potential detonation and a higher chance of engine failure if pushed too far. Advanced timing can also increase power, but can bring a higher risk of detonation and the possibility of the knock sensor not being able to pull out enough timing to protect the engine. Raising the redline can lead to increased performance, but it also increases wear and the possibility of catastrophic engine failure if pushed too hard. All these risks can lead to serious engine damage, thus why chip tuning can void the power train warranty. Tuning is a compromise, and in the case of chip tuning, it’s usually between reliability and power.

However, It is possible to maintain your warranty and insurance without voiding it. You can retain the factory map and re-upload it when your truck requires servicing.

Our service is remote, not need to drive 1000 km, just prepare an tuning tool, laptop with installed proper software and well internet connection.

View our list of tuned trucks to see what we’ve worked on in the past. Can’t find your vehicle type? Contact us by phone or email.