# Best Diesel that's "chippable" and affordable.....



## Stu-Oxfordshire (May 7, 2002)

Thinking of changing Amanda's Focus Zetec 2 ltr for a diesel.

V impressed by a friends Bora TDI and also hugely impressed with Carl's 330d + tuning box. 330d way out of price range for us for the next few years at least.

So.....what are the options? Leon TDi? Bora, A4 tdi? Don't want to spend more than 8-10K max...........

Oh, and it needs to be remappable! Advice please!


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## p4ul (May 14, 2003)

Don't forget the Skodas - all the TDi's are very peppy at performance; Amanda won't be disappointed in any of them from spec or performance (having moved from a 2.0 zetec focus to a 180 TT myself (but also test driving a 110bhp Golf TDi))!.

Seat or Skoda for less $ but same spec is how i understand it.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Why remap? Tuning Box is just as effective. And far more stealthy... 8)

The Focus TDCi is actually a smoother engine than the VAG PD units as it uses common rail technology. Otherwise it's any of the VAG TDi variants. A 130hp PD engine will respond well to a fuelling box.

None, alas are going to be as smooth as the BMW 6 pot engine.


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## himpe (Jun 11, 2002)

stay away of tuning boxes !!! 
i heard very bad things about them, engines going into safe mode etc. !

go for a remap instead !!!


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Gary - do you have any details of the tuning box?

Friend of mine is changing jobs and giving up her 150PD GTi Golf, and taking a Beetle Cab for her next car. (Tried to tell her not to, but hey...)

Anyway, to make it as affordable as poss, she's going for the diesel, but I believe it's only the 110hp unit, rather than the 130 or 150.

She a little worried about the performance though so I wondered if you could give me any details so I can pass them on.

How does it work, what gains can you expect and most importantly, just how stealth is it?

PS - sorry to hijack your thread Stu.


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## NickP (May 6, 2002)

Kell, may also be worth having a look here....

Also note the part that they will revert it back to standard for you FOC up to three times 

http://www.jabbasport.com/mods/tdi.html


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

himpe said:


> stay away of tuning boxes !!!
> i heard very bad things about them, engines going into safe mode etc. !
> 
> go for a remap instead !!!


My experience has been very postive - 36K hard miles in a year - not a single glitch or problem. As they work on fuelling after the ECU rather than boost, so internal pressures stay the same.

Carlos has the sam on his and and far as I know without any problems.

Various modules are available. Tuning Box seem fine as an organisation.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Kell said:


> Gary - do you have any details of the tuning box?
> 
> Friend of mine is changing jobs and giving up her 150PD GTi Golf, and taking a Beetle Cab for her next car. (Tried to tell her not to, but hey...)
> 
> ...


Plus 25-30 hp and plus 50ft/ilb extra torque seems to be the norm on 110, 130 and 150hp PD units.

The fitting and how it works blurb is here:
http://www.tuningbox.com/ANG/p5frmodeIPang.php

Fitting and removing from the BMW could not be any quicker <10 secs.

No changes are made to boost or ecu. Signals to electronic injection are piggy-backed and fuelling is increased and that is where the power/torque increases come from. I am told that any irregularities sensed and the unit reverts to the stock fuelling map. Because nothing changes in the management system, no trace logs are generated keeping the stealth factor.

Some TBs have an adjust screw to alter fuelling (not mine) turning these up too much can apparently lead to excess smoking as too much fuel than can be burnt is pumped in. My soot levels havn't changed. The only problem with BMW I have heard of is increased liklihood of fuel pump failiure at higher mileages -but I think this is inherent to the older 185hp 330D even without a TB fitted.

Lots of companies now make plus in diesel Tuning modules. Tuning Box I think are the originals and have been making them since 1988.

I am in no way connected to Tuning Box, just a fan of their product and how it cheaply and stealthily transformed enjoyment of my car.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Hmmn, not convinced - anyone that uses that many exclamation marks in their copy can't be all good.



> THE TUNINGBOX
> 
> Thanks to the Tuningbox, it is now possible to increase the performance of the new turbo diesel engines by 25 %.
> You appreciate your turbo diesel for the fuel economy it provides, but you find it a little lacking in power! The Tuningbox is just the solution you were waiting for! This revolutionary little unit increases the power and torque by 25% without increasing the injection pressure!


Will pass on the info. Cheers.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Kell said:


> Hmmn, not convinced - anyone that uses that many exclamation marks in their copy can't be all good.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well they are Belgian...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

I'd still go remap over a tuning box. Much more precise control over the engine than a box fooling the ECU. Re-maps tend to be smoother with a flatter torque curve even though they may run a touch more boost.

James.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

coupe-sport said:


> I'd still go remap over a tuning box. Much more precise control over the engine than a box fooling the ECU. Re-maps tend to be smoother with a flatter torque curve even though they may run a touch more boost.
> 
> James.


I like the stealth route that boxes allow.

James, what would be effect if one fitted both? Not double bubble I presume...


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

Gary - true - it's very stealthy, although a system like AmD's one click where only one set of maps is installed at a time would be just as stealthy. Combining a remap and tuning box together ? - i'd reckon they work against each other - fuel timing would be too far advanced and it would overfuel - results - smoke and higher EGT which would in time damage the turbo.

I think the tuning boxes are a good quick solution and suit the bigger engined cars as you've found with the 330. Peakier engines such as the VAG PD unit really need a remap for smooth useable power. The torque figures for a tuning boxed PD engine sound great - torque curve is awful though when you look at it on the rollers :?

James.


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

Stu - Focus TDCI - Duratorq unit is a great engine. Good handling and Superchips do the blue fin serial programmer for it for more poke



James.


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## paulb (May 6, 2002)

Stu

I bought a Leon Cupra TDi about 9 weeks ago. Very comfortable and quieter than my Mondeo ST220. I popped it into AmD for the OneClick treatment after 1000 miles and it is now poking out 197 bhp and 302 lb-ft. As well as more power, the AmD map is far smoother than the original 150PD map.

Sound system isn't superb, so I spent some of the money I spent over a new A3 on upgrading the stereo.

I've done 6k miles so far and am chuffed to bits with it I have to say. I'm working in Winchester at the moment, so could meet you round Newbury way one evening if you wanted to see what a mapped 150PD is like...

Paul


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## coupe-sport (May 7, 2002)

6k miles - barely run in - another 10k on top of that and it'll be loosening up nicely.

Tempted by another VAG PD powered car. I just sold my Anni to a guy who has a Civic Type R. May handle better but what an awful sounding engine. Give me the PD any day


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## Stu-Oxfordshire (May 7, 2002)

paulb said:


> Stu
> 
> I bought a Leon Cupra TDi about 9 weeks ago. Very comfortable and quieter than my Mondeo ST220. I popped it into AmD for the OneClick treatment after 1000 miles and it is now poking out 197 bhp and 302 lb-ft. As well as more power, the AmD map is far smoother than the original 150PD map.
> 
> ...


Cheers Paul, may take you up on that. Sounds good


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## shao_khan (May 7, 2002)

I have spent the last couple of months with a Bora TDi Highline 130tdi) and like the car a lot, prefered it over the golf as I felt it hendled slightly better. One of the guys over on tyresmoke (I think he pops in here as well as a few other forums) has a Skoda Fabia VRS which is supposed to be awesome, currently 200bhp and 300Lbft makes some fairly impressive performance as its quite a small car.

Bora also for me had some very good deals around if you want to buy new, as you are looking at at least Â£1k off list with the new one around the corner, although residuals are worse than golf.


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