Chipping Ducato 2.8 JTD 2002

[Tony Norton]

Hello all,

 

has anyone any experience of chipping the ECU? Advertisers claim power increase of up to 20% (127bhp to 152bhp). Is it best to fit an interrupter type box or to reflash the ECU? This latter seems to offer the facility to set up your own parameters but sounds a bit complicated, and potentially expensive if you get it wrong, even for someone who, like me, is a bit savvy technologywise. Also prices seem to vary from just over £200 (supply only) to the best part of £500.

 

Any recommendations (?)

 

Thanks in advance

 

Tony Norton

 

[tonyishuk]

Try a search in the archives as a start :-D

 

Only thing I can add is that my insurance (Caravan Club) wanted a 25% insurance loading on the premium, which would be about £50 extra a year.

 

People who have commented seem happy with the outcome.

 

Rgds

[spartan3956]

The easy solution is a fueling box between the ecu and the common rail they cost around £250 two plugs to connect and one wire to an ignition powered live.

You will get 25% more power and the best bit more torque. It will make the vehicle a lot better to drive and will give you slightly more fuel economy as the engine will stay in higher gear longer. Acceleration is a lot better and well within the safety zone of the engine.

messing with the ecu is costly and i dont think I would go down that road.

This set up removed easily or disconnected for MOT

 

pete

[Don Madge]

Tony,

 

After having the Van Aaken smart Box fitted to my Timberland in April 2005

for £423 I decided to do a fuel consumption check on a 4200 mile trip around the Iberian Peninsula. We normally cruise at about 90/100 KPH (usually the van is fully loaded 3300kgs) and with the cruise control set we found that we did not have to change down for the hills which we would have expected to have change down on before the box was fitted.

 

I tried to keep an accurate check when refueling, It's difficult at times

when you are trying to fill the tank right to the brim. The 4200 miles on

the continent returned the following:-

 

Overall 33.08 MPG

 

Best 36.25 MPG

 

Worse 27.73 MPG

 

On a previous trip to France (1400 mile) before the Smart box was fitted our overall MPG was 30.34.

 

I must point out the smart box was fitted for convenience rather than fuel economy.

 

We have got to the stage in life now where we don't charge about anymore, well not often anyway, we also practice defensive driving. We have both found that our reactions are not what they used to be. I have been driving world wide since 1952 and Maureen since 1967.

 

We consider the smart box money well spent. We use the van a lot (50,000 miles in four years) mainly on the continent.

 

I spoke to my insurers (Comfort) before the work went ahead and they were quite happy, there was no mention of an extra premium.

 

If you want any more info see http://www.vanaaken.com/europe/?pagename=smartbox

 

I hope this helps.

 

Don