If you had £1k to spend on mods..

[MrRy]

There's plenty of posts online where people talk about TDI North mapping their K20 in 2 or 3 hours. Then also saying they offer a full day mapping session for "if you're serious" and want the most out of the map. I had an EP3 with IEH tuned by TDI and part throttle was junk, cold start was iffy.

I know Romain mapped one of my mates DC5's in just over 1 HOUR. It started throwing black smoke out of the exhaust, using oil etc. He went to a more reputable tuner after Romain trying to fix it the first time around and just getting poor feedback and guess what, all issues went and the car made more power everywhere from his feel of the car (no point comparing Dyno graphs between companies as it's like comparing apples and pears). But this new tuner took over 6 times as long as Romain, go figure.

I'm not scared about trashing these so called reputable companies as I know a fair few people have been absolutely shat on by them. Decent tuners who offer a great customer service and a great job are thin on the ground.

I guess I just want a proper THOROUGH job doing, which most don't offer as it doesn't sit with thier business model as they are there to make money, you have to search and sometimes take a gamble.

I have always wondered why these companies have been known to spend a good 20 hours + tuning K20 race cars as a "session". Our road going cars must not be worth that time. Please prove me wrong.

Ry

 

[MilanoChris]

Ry, good post.

I firmly believe that Performance Autoworks are such a company, I've always had brilliant service from them and they need a full day when mapping.

It's the same in the Evo world, it's really hard to find a good tuner. Thankfully I'm mates with one of the best engine builders in the country, so I get to find out a lot of stuff! BTW it's Tim Radley in case you're wondering.

 

[MrRy]

Ry, good post.

I firmly believe that Performance Autoworks are such a company, I've always had brilliant service from them and they need a full day when mapping.

It's the same in the Evo world, it's really hard to find a good tuner. Thankfully I'm mates with one of the best engine builders in the country, so I get to find out a lot of stuff! BTW it's Tim Radley in case you're wondering.

You know what Chris, is it THIS Tim? http://www.itr-dc2.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3575

As this thread always stuck in my mind, very informative: http://www.itr-dc2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=68703

 

[MilanoChris]

Yeah that's him. Honestly some of the stuff I hear from him when he has to clean up work from so called expert tuners/garages.

 

[420jamesowen]

There's plenty of posts online where people talk about TDI North mapping their K20 in 2 or 3 hours. Then also saying they offer a full day mapping session for "if you're serious" and want the most out of the map. I had an EP3 with IEH tuned by TDI and part throttle was junk, cold start was iffy.

I know Romain mapped one of my mates DC5's in just over 1 HOUR. It started throwing black smoke out of the exhaust, using oil etc. He went to a more reputable tuner after Romain trying to fix it the first time around and just getting poor feedback and guess what, all issues went and the car made more power everywhere from his feel of the car (no point comparing Dyno graphs between companies as it's like comparing apples and pears). But this new tuner took over 6 times as long as Romain, go figure.

I'm not scared about trashing these so called reputable companies as I know a fair few people have been absolutely shat on by them. Decent tuners who offer a great customer service and a great job are thin on the ground.

I guess I just want a proper THOROUGH job doing, which most don't offer as it doesn't sit with thier business model as they are there to make money, you have to search and sometimes take a gamble.

I have always wondered why these companies have been known to spend a good 20 hours + tuning K20 race cars as a "session". Our road going cars must not be worth that time. Please prove me wrong.

Ry

Thanks Chris for sending me this way!

When I first got my Teg I was told Romain was the man to see, I have also been told TDi north do have very customer friendly bhp figures. This is the second story I have seen about Romain now though. Again I havent used him so no hate, but someome told me they took their car to him and he said omg who mapped this its rubbish and it was him who mapped it in the first place for the previous owner And now this black smoke story is kinda freaking me out.

I'm from Portsmouth so TDi was a treck anyway. I was going to pay my deposit for my Kpro and remap today with Romain!! Who would you guys suggest I take my car to?

 

[MilanoChris]

Try Rich at Performance Autoworks mate.

 

[420jamesowen]

Try Rich at Performance Autoworks mate.

Gave them a call but they dont supply or fit the Kpro's. :/ Think it was £370+vat for a map.

 

[MilanoChris]

You could always order one from a Hondata dealer and take it with you. Or put a wanted advert on here.

Some things are worth paying for, I doubt I'd let many other people map my car, I've had far too many part throttle rubbish maps from so called reputable tuners with good forum reputations and attractive prices.

Also, don't chase numbers if you use Rich as the dyno he uses is very, very conservative. Again, a lot of figures are just inflated to make people feel happy with what they've spent.

 

[MrRy]

Gave them a call but they dont supply or fit the Kpro's. :/ Think it was £370+vat for a map.

Same here, I bought a spare ECU (which is now for sale, apologies for the plug!) so I could get my Hondata fitted to my own ECU as my tuner (Will @ RDT) doesn't supply Kpro's/K100's anymore. If RIch was closer I may have tried him, but getting to my tuner (60/70 mins drive away!) was bad enough - I left the car with him for the week as I don't like to rush anyone.

But yeah, Romain cost my mate just shy of £500 and 2x 300 mile round trips for around 2 and a half hours of dyno time in total and got nothing back.

But why would you trust any professional tuner that maps a car without doing a comprehensive pre-dyno inspection first. That's why I like Will, he won't tune you until he has checked your plugs, borescope'd the engine, pressure tester the cooling system, check the fuel pressure system, etc. I know I'd rather go away with a list of things to fix to make the car on the hub dyno produce repeatable results and get the best out of the map. The DC5 was fine, but he sent me away with a massive list on the DC2 turbo first time around...

 

[crasherkid]

Been an interesting read this about the mapping options.
That was my very first idea when I got the car but in a way I'm glad I didn't.
I was out looking for an increase in speed in a straight line but money can be spent on better/more important areas of the car where actual benefits can be had.

 

[Johngreen537]

Also, don't chase numbers if you use Rich as the dyno he uses is very, very conservative. Again, a lot of figures are just inflated to make people feel happy with what they've spent.

This. I only 'gained' 8bhp from the map done by Rich (up to 232). But, it feels like a new car and top end feels much more free. Smoother power throughout, with probably the most linear power curve I've ever seen.

Car is more driveable in pretty much every situation too. Not track tested it yet, but as soon as it's back from the insurers I will be.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[carl hammond]

Who do you guys in the south use? (I am in Kent)

 

[MilanoChris]

I use either Performance Autoworks or TGM. The former are close so I only really use TGM now for bodywork.

If I end up getting my head ported and Motec then most likely Tim Radley to do both plus mapping. That's a while off yet.

 

[carl hammond]

Hi Chris,

TGM will be doing the bodywork etc on mine I was thinking mapping etc, where it Tim Radley?

Thanks

 

[MilanoChris]

Tim is in Gloucester but he won't map KPro, or any car unless he's done the work on it himself.

I'd use Performance Autoworks for KPro mapping.