Look around online and on social media, and there seem to be no end of ECU tuning ‘experts’. The label ‘tuner’ is not a protected professional title, so anyone can buy a laptop and an ECU flashing tool and call themselves a tuner. Suddenly, car painters, vehicle wrappers and detailers are experts in engines and ECU remapping. It does make you wonder why automotive engineering degrees exist and why vehicle manufacturers employ specially trained technicians and engineers for this work.
The dangerous thing about these people is that they often buy their tunes online from dubious, usually unknown suppliers. They simply flash the software onto the car, and that’s it. The customer pays a lot of money for someone to click ‘Download’.
We regularly see customers who have already visited these ‘experts’. Their experiences range from nothing having been done, to only half the necessary calibration maps being modified, right through to knocking engines or cars that are practically undriveable. We’ve seen it all. The most worrying cases involved engines that were knocking, running too lean or overheating. Just as concerning is the fact that diagnostic and engine protection functions are often disabled. The ECU can then no longer intervene and switch to limp mode when it detects a problem. You can imagine where that might lead.
How do you spot these ‘experts’?
A few warning signs to start with:
- They only offer ECU tuning as a sideline. Their main business is windscreen repair, detailing, painting and so on. You get the idea ;)
- They don’t modify the calibration maps themselves.
- They won’t let you watch them work.
- They don’t carry out an initial logging run.
- They ‘program’ the car and send you straight on your way, without any logging runs.
- They don’t take the customer’s wishes into account.
- They often have a tuning configurator on their website covering virtually every make and model out there.
- Anything more complex is beyond them, such as modified cars with an upgraded turbocharger, injectors and so on.
So how do you recognise a good tuner?
Ideally, the tuner has relevant automotive training, although there are exceptions here too. What really matters is that tuning is their full-time job, rather than a sideline. That also gives them the experience they need. A good tuner is happy to explain what they are doing and can explain the calibration maps as well. Above all: measure, measure and measure, also known as data logging.
Adjusting calibration maps is only one part of the job. What matters even more afterwards is checking the engine data. Is it knocking? Is it running too lean? Is fuel pressure dropping off? In practice, that means adjusting the maps, carrying out a logging run, checking the parameters and then making further changes based on the results until the target is reached. This can take several rounds.
An experienced tuner usually has a suitable database to use as a starting point. The customer’s wishes are naturally taken into account to create an individual tune. Some want more power in the lower rev range, others want gains across the whole rev range, while others want the absolute maximum. Diagnostic and engine protection functions are adjusted where necessary, but are not disabled, so they still work when needed.
Because good tuners leave diagnostic and engine protection functions active, they may occasionally intervene after the car has been handed back to the customer, for example by illuminating the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) or reducing power. That may be frustrating at the time, but it is not a disaster. A good tuner will usually make a further adjustment to the tune at no extra charge. The upside: it shows that the protection functions are still working.
There are also good tuners who offer off-the-shelf (OTS) tunes. These are ready-made calibrations, such as a Stage 1 tune for a particular engine or vehicle. They are generally well tested and, as described above, diagnostic and engine protection functions remain active. They are particularly suitable for stock engines, specific hardware upgrades such as a Stage 2 setup with a downpipe and intercooler, or a different fuel such as E85.
Even then, make sure you choose a good supplier or tuner.
If you buy an OTS tune from us together with the KM eFlash Dongle, you can easily flash it to your car using the app. If we improve and optimise the OTS tune over time, you can install the update free of charge through the app.
