Mapping advice needed
 

I have an MY00 running a VF35 Turbo, walbro pump and FMIC.

The car was remapped by the previous owner at Zen with an ECUtek map running V-power 99. Its been running 336bhp and 298 lb/ft for around 20,000 miles but the bottom end has just started knocking heavily and need replacing.

I'm going to replace the engine with like for like to get it back up and running, either an engine swap or replacement bottom end so my question is this.

Will I need a remap once I swap engines? and if I do, should I get it mapped to 95 ron (vpower isnt available round here, or Tescos 99), 97 RON (Total and Esso available locally) or stick with putting 97+ additive in? I'd be happy to drop the power to around 300bhp if it means less stress on the transmission etc and cheaper running costs.

I've had a quote from a mapper who says they can do the map, but it would take 3 hours at £150 p/hr + vat and £500 for a map tweek seems a tad steep.

Any idea how much I should be paying and how long it should take? I need to factor this into the repair costs.

Thanks to any who reply :thumb:

Chances are that whoever maps it is going to want to do a full map and not just a tweek as it`s had a new short motor or rebuilt short motor, Been through all this a while back and its always the safer option, Dont want it knocking again so soon.

hmmm, now I know why so many Impreza get broken for spares. If I have to pay £500 for a full map thats not going to happen so it might be time to get rid and cut my losses.

Few hrs with a mapper should be <£150 all in.

TX.

where? I'm getting quotes of £150-200 if its just a tweek.

Bob Rawle? Sounds like you already have the ecutek licence so it's just the mappers time. Group buy in group buy section ;)

TX.

In my opionion speak to breakers and get a replacement long engine which will save you on labour and parts with the engine being complete, then ring ZEN as if its had a ECUtek then it should be a be of a tweak map for a third the cost (£150 ish).

OR go for a stronger newage STI bottom end with your heads and then ring ZEN, failing that ring around for an open source mapper, circ £225 - £350 for a full remap. I can recommend Andrew Carr based North West.

HTH
Rob


EDIT - I was at Brian's today (CAMS PERFORMANCE) and he has an engine in from a classic, but I cant recall what year it was that he was just about the rebuild with ACL. might be worth giving him a shout, im sure he will palletise to you at a good price.

Nice one Rob, Problem I have at the moment is that financially i've just been to the Nurburgring then had an operation a week later so money is tight. I'd love a stronger bottom end but its doubtful that will happen as I have a budget of between £3-400 for the engine. I can get it fitted no problem, full engine or bottom end swap and could afford £150-200 for the remap but if costs go higher i'll have to consider what is economically viable.

Just out of interest do you know what caused it to start knocking?

Is it not 01 onwards for open source remaps and Ecutek is late 99 onwards

combination of things. Faulty knock sensor (tempermental check engine light), proberbly running the wrong oil (5w 40 instead of 10w 60 that was in it), 118,000 miles on the clock without a rebuild etc etc. Could have been anything to be honest but I'm leaning towards the oil as I had run 250 miles on the autobahns but didnt have an oil temp/pressure guage to monitor it.

I have an MY00 with Ecutek, open source means nothing to me.

I was under the impression that the later 99 > 00 cars were now open source mappable although it seems most folk go with an aftermarket ecu, I could be wrong though.

Rob

thats a high quote..

new to me car with ecutek licence already in ecu is £300+VAT - thats mapping from scratch as I cannot access the map on the car. Dyno time is usually £75 depedning on dyno.
Never like quotes per hour, take the rough with the smooth, ie. sometimes a car takes hours and hours and other time not.

But if Zen mapped it previously and the change is only the bottom end they should be cheapest as they will have the current map in the car on file so can tweak it as required.

Simon

Thanks Simon, Jamie from Leicester recommended you as he loves the map you did on his so I might have to swing it your way for you to take a look at

no problem :)

1 quick question. At the moment the car is sat with 1/4 of a tank of 98 RON fuel from when I filled up in Germany. If I want it mapping to run on 95/97 will I have to drain this and refill or can it be done without? Sorry if thats a dumbass question

I would suggest doing a period of light driving like running in once all back together even if the bottom end is not new.. although if just the bottom end gets changes I would recommend stripping it and putting big ends and main bearings in it as these engines never like sitting around, and there will be a lot of cleaning required is sat for anytime as just a bottom end. Just double checks all is well .. therefore you can switch to what ever fuel you want it mapped for in that period.

Simon

I'm leaning towards a drop in engine, rather than having to do a strip/replace/headgasket swap. Just bolt on my VF35 and away we go kinda thing but I was wary of running 95 fuel on an ecu/engine thats mapped for Vpower.

if you can find an engine that is coming out of a running car and can see it running then removed and fitted to your car then no issue.. but if bought from a breakers you never know if it came out last week, last month, last year and where it has been stored etc.

you will lose a fair bit of power on just 95ron.. 97ron is not so bad.

Driving under 3000rpm part though would be no issue.

Simon