# Engine mapping for a 2001 Dakota



## DakotaChief (Aug 26, 2009)

We have just purchased a 2001 Dakota with a Fiat Ducat 2.8 JTD engine and was wondering if there was anybody out there with experience of engine re-mapping. If so with what what was used and what was the difference if any. Would appreciate any information and help.
thanks


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

Try Cartech. Harold did mine and he has an Autotrail himself. As for the difference? excellent, but if you look in techmet/motohome performance or do a search you will find plenty of info.

Graham


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

My 2005 2.8jtd has been done for about 2 years now..
A straightforward re-map, where they plug into your system and re-configure things... Works a treat for me. Cant see any difference in MPG but has more grunt up hills, equalling less gear changes etc...

Mine was done by guy in Cannock, staffs... Just do a web search for your area.. Plenty of people about who are offering it.

You can buy plug in units as well but have no experience on these.. 
Others will no doubt be along soon..


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## b16duv (Feb 14, 2006)

I had mine done by Boosters at the first Pickering show - Alex is a good guy and did a first rate job.

Power and torque both increased and no longer any need to change out of 5th gear on motorway.

Highly recommended.

David


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## Bacchus (Mar 27, 2008)

Just two questions:

1. If you have a remap then that surely is a modification and will affect your insurance cover. Should you notify your insurer?

2. If remapping works so well then why don't the manufacturers do it in the first place? Having set that I suspect some of these mods will put extra strain on the engine. 

It's not for me.


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi.

Re-mapping does not put extra strain on the engine it makes the engine run more efficient with good fuel as we have in europe. When the engines are built the fuel mapping is designed to run the engine with very poor fuel as some 3rd world countries may have. 

I fitted a plug in box 4 years ago which made a vast improvement coupled with a lower 5th gear.

steve & ann. --------------- teensvan.


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## Bacchus (Mar 27, 2008)

Will there be an impact on emissions if you do a remap? Surely, to get better performance you'll need to burn more fuel albeit more efficiently. So you might not get much or only a little improvement in mpg but you could produce more pollution along with that increased power. Also I still have an issue about insurance. I spoke with Direct Line about remapping a car and it will definatley result in higher premiums with obvious consequences if you don't tell them. I don't fancy the idea of my £65k motohome ending up with only third party cover!


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

Bacchus said:


> Will there be an impact on emissions if you do a remap? Surely, to get better performance you'll need to burn more fuel albeit more efficiently. So you might not get much or only a little improvement in mpg but you could produce more pollution along with that increased power. Also I still have an issue about insurance. I spoke with Direct Line about remapping a car and it will definatley result in higher premiums with obvious consequences if you don't tell them. I don't fancy the idea of my £65k motohome ending up with only third party cover!


Most insurers are fine about remapping, its not the same as a car you are not increasing the speed performance of the M/H to that extent only torqe and BHP. If its not for you then don't do it, I know its made a marked difference for me.

Graham


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## Bacchus (Mar 27, 2008)

Will there be an impact on emissions if you do a remap? Surely, to get better performance you'll need to burn more fuel albeit more efficiently. So you might not get much or only a little improvement in mpg but you could produce more pollution along with that increased power. Also I still have an issue about insurance. I spoke with Direct Line about remapping a car and it will definatley result in higher premiums with obvious consequences if you don't tell them. I don't fancy the idea of my £65k motohome ending up with only third party cover!


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi 

With the remap the engine burns the fuel more efficiently which lowers emissions.

steve & ann. ------------- teensvan


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## Bacchus (Mar 27, 2008)

OK but what about the insurance? AND if you produce more torque will the drive train be able to take it? :?


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## badger750 (Nov 1, 2009)

our van has been chipped as far as we can make out as we hardly change out of 5th on motorways and when we follow my dad with his van i have to hold back at the hills as he slows us down 
most drivelines are more than strong enough to take the strain of the extra power due to the loads that are put on them when used as an original van but the extra power is not that much in comparison as motorhomes get an easy life


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Been there done that!


"With the remap the engine burns the fuel more efficiently which lowers emissions." 
Sorry but that is just is not correct. You have been given sales patter to make you feel nice and part with your money!

The re-map or add in-line boxes like the old Vanacken units do similar things. They allow the input of fuel to increase more in advance of the spin up of the turbo. Also more fuel can be put in and the rev limit also increased in some cases. Turbo boost can be increased by delaying operation of the waste gate. Yes you will get more power and more torque.

But this increase in performance is obtained by eating into the large margin between the emission limits for new vehicles by government legislation and the much lower limits set for MOT inspections.

I read the other day about a motorhomer who purchased a good condition used motorhome. "It went like a train" he said. One day the engine went B A N G and the engine was dead. It was not old, still under warranty when it was taken to the commercial dealership. "Its a new engine guv", said the man. "Only one problem, we found one of those booster boxes still wired into the engine so I a afraid there is no warranty".
Where are Vanacken now?

And those companies who charge similar money and let YOU re-map your engine, well if that goes pop it was you who did it!

You will not be suprised to learn that our new tardis is well maintained but in standard trim regarding performance.

Dont say you have not been warned.

C.


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## Bacchus (Mar 27, 2008)

Thank you clivemott I think we've arrived. I think people who tinker with their engines and believe all the hype are in self denial. I'm leaving mine well alone!! Or more correctly, to original spec and well maintained.


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## Middlepits (Nov 1, 2009)

Engine remmaping, and little boxes you buy off an online auction site and wire into your injectors/fuel pump/ecu are two totally different things.

This is a very basic description of the difference between them.

This is going to be a bit long and boring and is not at all in depth

Little boxes off online auction sites:

Normally have to be connected to injectors/fuel pump/ecu or a combination of these, or can just be plugged into the ecu in series.

They all fool the ecu ( engine/electronic control unit. Can also be called fuel control unit/ etc ) into supplying more diesel petrol as and when the particular unit decides. 
Some are very good, some are very bad.
I.e at supplying the correct amount of fuel for the given load and therefore creating, or not engine problems.

Advantages of little boxes off auction sites:

Have never used them personally. But have experience of them being used.


Engine remmaping:

Engine remmaping is actually just flashing ( Erasing data and adding data ) a chip in the ecu this is the main electronic control for the engine, remmaping is normally much safer than add on boxes as the maps are researched and tested for each particular model ( turbo models will also retain fuel cut/overboost protection ). you also have to go to a dealer with the right equipment therefore you have a come back if your engine goes pop if its not in warranty.
As for warranty the manufacturer will not know if you have had a quaility remap. ( Unless you tell them )

Advantages of remap.

Everyone thinks their van/car etc is enviromentally friendly. Especially if they bought it on that premise.

All vehicles are set up to pass emmisions testing at a certain rpm its around 2500-3500 ( I havent checked the rpm for ages so could be well out, but its still a fact ) on most vehicles this falls within the rev range that gives greatest power torque, manufacturers lean out ( decrease fuel to ) the engine at this point to pass emmisions, the engine is not running at its most efficient at this point.
Remapping normally smooths this out and can increase fuel economy.
Never had a problem with a vehicle that was mapped for road use.

Disadvantages of remap:

If you drive the vehicle as you did before you will increase fuel economy including going better up hills in the same gear.

But. If you use the extra power all the time for example, accelerating more quickly, higher top speed and increased towing power you will massively increase your fuel consumption. 

Some manufacturers actually supply and fit a factory approved chip that doesnt affect warranty and is all above board .

I dont work for anyone that maps vehicles but all of my vehicles are remmaped.

Funnily enough except the motorhome, I want to go slowly in it.

The best fuel consumption difference on my vehicles pre to post remap.
24mpg to 30mpg Ive done 20,000 miles in that vehicle this year.

I am actually boring myself now and I like this sort of stuff.

If you need any more info look on car tuning websites.

Hope this helps and sorry for boring you all to death.


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Many Vauxhall garages offer re mapping on there new cars as part of a performance upgrade.

Out Local VW dealer has just started doing the same.

That tells me all I need to know.

Don't forget a lot of Trucks are re mapped for economy as the are limited to a top speed this is far easier to achieve with a Truck, they will be doing over 2,000 miles a week and I have not heard of a problem with a re mapped Truck.


The 2.8 Fiat has 2 diffrent power output, the european one is about 20 BHP more than the UK one, how did Fiat do this? and do the have problems with them?


Richard...


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## Motorhomewales (Feb 24, 2009)

CliveMott said:


> Been there done that!
> 
> "With the remap the engine burns the fuel more efficiently which lowers emissions."
> Sorry but that is just is not correct. You have been given sales patter to make you feel nice and part with your money!
> ...


A poor, badly informed post Clive. I know little regarding tuning boxes, be it digital or analogue. However I re map plenty of vehicles each week. It is easy for my customers to re map their own vehicle, we supply the map and the customer re-maps the vehicle. This really is not a difficult job, as I have supplied the map I warrant the job. I would therefore ask you speak from direct experience.

Dan


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Bacchus said:


> Just two questions:
> 
> 1. If you have a remap then that surely is a modification and will affect your insurance cover. Should you notify your insurer?
> 
> ...


I informed mine and made sure it was in the schedule, but it made no difference to the premium, Safeguard.

Kev.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

We were offered one on our merc 2.7 for £495, why would i want to do that i said, it goes like hell to start.

Even if it didn't i,m one of those who thinks its best to leave well alone i,m afraid, i,d sooner go a little slower, you'll get there in the end.

Paul.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I don't think most peope realise that probably more than half of the newish cars around today are remapped/chipped, sprinters are almost identical except for the mapping as are most vans, you pay extra for a bit of programming.

Kev.


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