TDCI means Turbo Diesel Common rail Injection. Instead of having a distributor pump with a separate pipe to each injector, the common rail is just that. A single pipe (or rail) connected to all four injectors. The fuel is allowed through only when the ECU triggers the injector. These common rail systems run at extremely high pressures (in excess of 25,000psi) so please do not attempt to dismantle one unless you have the relevant experience. You might very well seriously injure or kill yourself!
WHAT IS TDCI REMAP?
When a manufacturer develops a new car they have to take into consideration all of the conditions it may be subjected to in all of the regions in which they intend to sell this model. This means instead of just optimizing the ECU’s program or ‘map’ to deliver the best performance or the most fuel efficiency they have to make compromises to the map to take into account these potential differing operating conditions. These could include sub-standard fuels, extremes in temperature and altitude, differing emission laws and even the possibility that vehicle may not be serviced on a regular basis and in accordance with the manufacturers recommended instructions.
ECU remapping is taking a read from the ECU’s processing chip of the vehicles standard compromised map and adjusting various parameters within the map such as fuel pressure, boost pressure (on turbocharged applications) ignition advance and throttle pedal control amongst others to release the true performance from the engine. It is a completely safe process as it is just giving the engine the performance it should have had in the first place before all the compromises were applied to the original programming. Every engine will have its own unique map and by adjusting this we can fine tune the characteristics of the engine; unleashing more power and in many cases reduce fuel consumption too.
BENEFITS OF TDCI REMAP?
After your ECU upgrade to your turbocharged petrol engine, you will enjoy:
• High injection pressures independent of the engine speed.
• Good fuel atomization also at the beginning and the end of each injection due to a constant rail pressure
• Exible and exact choice of injection begin and injection duration due to electronic control
• Possibility of a pilot injection to reduce noise, particulates and NOx emissions
• Reduced need for swirl intensity at low engine speed due to high turbulence energy of the spray
• Reduction of noise and material stress due to a silent high pressure pump with low torque oscillations and low
• Increased torque
• Better throttle response torque peaks.
• Increased horsepower
• Smoother power delivery
• Improved fuel economy
• Safer overtaking
WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND TDCI?
Solenoid or piezoelectric valves make possible fine electronic control over the fuel injection time and quantity, and the higher pressure that the common rail technology makes available provides better fuel atomization. In order to lower engine noise, the engine's electronic control unit can inject a small amount of diesel just before the main injection event ("pilot" injection), thus reducing its explosiveness and vibration, as well as optimizing injection timing and quantity for variations in http://tuningsscars.blogspot.com/ occurred at a pre-determined pressure (often referred to as: pop pressure) and ended at a pre-determined pressure. This characteristic resulted from "dummy" injectors in the cylinder head which opened and closed at pressures determined by the spring preload applied to the plunger in the injector. Once the pressure in the injector reached a pre-determined level, the plunger would lift and injection would start.
SAVING FUEL WITH TDCI REMAP?
When tuners remap a vehicle, especially when fuel saving is the priority they focus on improving the low end torque in particular and widening the power-band as far as they can.
This increase in low end torque will mean less throttle pedal input is required to maintain cruising speeds, when fully laden or when on a gradient. It will also mean that the vehicle will be more comfortable in higher gears at slower speeds as well requiring fewer gear changes overall.
If you combine these factors with adjusting your driving style to make the most of the extra low end torque you will see an improvement in fuel consumption. This is most effective on turbo-diesel engines where the savings could be as much as 20%!
WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY MODIFY IN MY VEHICLE?
We do not change any hardware in your vehicle, we just modify the operating parameters in the ECU’s program or ‘map’. In many cases the map stored on the ECU’s processor can be accessed via the on-board diagnostics port (OBD) in the vehicle, normally found under the dashboard. In some newer models the ECU will have to be removed from the vehicle and the casing opened, our technicians will then use specialist tools to read the original map straight from the processing chip.
The technician will then upload the original map to our map writing team who will adjust the parameters to maximize the performance, fuel economy or a clever blend of both. Depending on the vehicle and ECU type the remapping process can take under an hour and if at any time you wish to return your vehicles ECU to its original default settings, this can be done easily and free of charge as we always keep a copy of the original software as a backup.
IS TDCI REMAP LEGAL?
YES: There is nothing illegal about remapping an ECU on an engine. Although you should inform your insurance company of any alterations made to the vehicle.
