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The full story about the "Tuned File Development" in the Chiptuning Industry & How it is within Chipcentric.
CHIPCENTRIC ECU Remap Procedure
There is so much misinformation and stories about chip tuning and chiptuning companies on the web, especially in forums, often based on incorrect information from individuals with partial or incomplete knowledge. You will find the full truth about Chipcentric and about the chip tuning industry on this page.
1- Chip Tuning Methods
1- Replacement of OEM ECU:
This method is common for heavily modified cars, which provides significant flexibility to tune and calibrate the scalars for an engine swap or for heavily modified engine internals, sensors, and actuators. Usually not preferred for stock engines due to too much work, adaptation issues with other computers on the car, cost, and dealer warranty issues.
2- Piggy Back Tuning Boxes:
These are the electronic boxes that come with male and female sockets matching the OEM ECU plug and socket. Other than wiring work, it is plug-and-play,.
But, there is a reason why they mostly comes with turbo cars: they manupilate the signals from MAP sensor which tells the oem ECU what is the boost on engine. And, always tells the less boost, and the OEM ECU keeps sending signals to the electronic wastegate to keep the boost up.
This is not as ideal as remaping the stock ecu for engine health and safety. You may read and hear many opposite stories from manufacturers or resellers yet this is the scientific technical fact.
3- Remapping Oem ECU
This is the ideal option for cars that are almost stock (not heavily modified), as the remapping is performed using state-of-the-art hardware and software designed by manufacturers like Bosch, Siemens, etc.
And, remaping is based on the ideal settings for the nature of the engine if the tuner knows what is he doing.
2- Main Differences of Chiptuning Garages
1- Tuning Garages with In-House Tuner:
This is the type of garage where you make binary edits to the OEM ECU file. Reading the ECU, editing the binary ECU file, and writing the modified file are all under the same roof.
2- Tuning Garages that purchase Modified Files (Reseller Garages):
These tuning garages do not have an in-house tuner; they only read the stock file and write the modified file to/from the ECU.
The stock file is read from the ECU, sent to an external tuner, and the modified file is received back. And, pay the external tuner per file sold.
As long as the modified file is based on good experience and knowledge of that particular engine and ECU, there is nothing wrong with either of them.
However, most tuning garages that purchase the modified files opt for the cheapest option to maximize profit.
CHIPCENTRIC is a Tuning Garage with an internal tuner. And the tuner has owned the company since 2006. CHIPCENTRIC has built a significant advantage over the years through its knowledge and experience with GCC's popular cars. Besides the experience and knowledge on the cars, the weather, such as temperature, humidity, and altitude (for turbo cars), are extremely important while remapping the ECU.
3- ECU Remapping Procedure in Chipcentric
There is absolutely one ideal, correct procedure for ECU Remapping to deliver the best performance and safety, along with a reasonable cost, for chiptuning customers. There are so many tuning companies that do not follow this procedure and/or make exaggerated, false procedural claims (which are not commercially or technically possible) to manipulate customers.
1 - Initial Phase:
When there is a new car with a new engine and ECU that CHIPCENTRIC has never worked on before, this car gets into the workshop for a week, either on rental or from a customer (in return for free jobs or store credit). This very first car is called the Reference Car.
As none of the new ECUs on the market are completely new software designs, they are upgrades to their predecessors. Therefore, the tuner has been in business long enough, and the map structures are not all new. Even if this is the case, the DAMOS file purchased for this ECU lists all the maps and parameters, along with their formulas.
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The most common maps and parameters related to Boost, AFR, Fuel Pressure, Torque Limiters, Throttle Control, Spark Advance get modified.
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After the first initial soft modified file is made, the car needs a real road drive with attached data logging for partial and full throttle. Real-road data logging is crucial to see the modified file's AFR, Long- and Short-Term Fuel Trims, Fuel Pressure, Cat Temperature, Intake Air Temperature, Boost, Knock Retard (most important) etc. And finally, the Dyno test for this file, toif the logged data parameters are within acceptable limits. Another purpose of this road test is drivability.
2- Enhancement Phase:
The Initial Development phase gives an idea of what amount of changes yields what results on the data log. Now, in the second phase, the target is a modified file to achieve the perfect read-outs for the parameters mentioned earlier during the road data logging, and, of course, to increase the power and torque. This Phase can be repeated as many times as needed to perfect the power, log parameters, and driving experience, addressing any engine or transmission glitches (if any).
3- Long Drive Phase:
At the Enhancement phase, if it is convinced that power, datalog parameters, and drivability are perfect and there are no engine and transmission glitches, now it is the time to go for a long highway drive of at least 100 km to perform the same drivability test with data logging, at continuous partial and full throttle on high and low gear pulls, and low and high speeds. This is the test that a good level of confidence is reached for a glitch-free, smooth drive with a significant increase in power. Yet done at a rest area on the highway.
3- Track Phase:
After the Long Drive Phase is tested on the highway, the car is taken to a track day, starting with one soft lap, followed by one medium push lap, then one hard push lap, with real-time data logged in the passenger seat. If any tweak or touch-up is needed, stop in the pit and go back on the track to continue. And the final dyno test for the claimable power gain.
4-Reference Modified File:
Now the tuner reaches the final goal: a Reference Modified file for a particular engine and ECU. Reference file means: 100% helpfull for the next coming same engine and ECU. And 50-80% helpful if the next car has a different engine but the same ECU.
5- Commercial Use of Reference File:
A power and safety-proven Reference File can be a great asset, as every new car comes with the same engine and ECU, regardless of whether the new customer's car has the same Sw Id No as the Reference File or not.
6- Reference File Implementation on Same & Similar Engines / ECUs
Reference File can be used to create a new file with the same Sw Id No ECU with quick binary editing; a different Sw Id No ECU with the same engine may require longer binary editing. And finally,
6- Fine Tuning After Reference File Implementation:
But the most important requirement is (even the same Sw Id No cars with the tuners Reference File). Every single customer car needs a pre- and post-road test with data logging and DTC scan to make sure all the data logging parameters are as perfect as the initial reference car. And if minor changes are needed on the final file. This is called Fine Tuning and it is a must.
CHIPCENTRIC develops and road-tests its own ECU calibrations in-house using dyno testing, datalogging and real-world GCC driving evaluation.
CHIPCENTRIC focus is not only maximum horsepower figures, but also drivability, throttle precision, heat management and reliable long-term performance for GCC conditions.
CHIPCENTRIC Development Peocedure Foundation:
Vehicle inspection
Baseline diagnostics
Dyno measurement
ECU calibration development
Road datalogging
Heat and drivability evaluation
Final validation
4- Must-Known True Facts
1- You can not keep writing one Modified File for all similar cars:
For the ECUs (Cars) of the last 10 years, most ECUs (even with the same Sw Id No) need the Modified File to be made on the Stock file read from that particular ECU for the correct checksum calculation, as well as VIN (immobilizer) purposes. So, the idea that you keep writing one modified file for each car is a myth.
Furthermore, the same model car with the same engine and ECU comes with so many different SW ID Nos. If you write a different SW ID no mod file on an ECU, you will brick it, or if you are lucky, it just won't work. You need to implement the changes of your Reference Modified File on the new ECU with a different SW ID no. It can be really tricky in most cases because map and parameter addresses differ. Stock values for the same maps might be slightly different or in a completely different format, requiring binary editing.
2- There is NO Dyno Tune. It is Dyno Test....!
Most tuners claims they made a dyno tune on oem ECUs. It is not True.....!
No OEM ECU on the cars is technically possible to edit while the car is running ( this is only possible on the Replacement Aftermarket ECUs, which are designed for creating maps from scratch). Therefore, with any OEM ECU vehicle, you can write a mod file to the car and then run the dyno. You cannot change the parameters while the car is running, whether on a dyno or on the road. So this makes Real-Time tuning impossible.
Furthermore, real-road conditions and roller dyno dynamics with dyno room conditions are different day & night. Therefore, even with real-time tuneable aftermarket ECUs, after run-possible maps are made, fine tuning is always on the road and track.
For OEMa ECU cars, there is no Dyno Tune. It is Dyno Test after Tune. Period.....!
3- Modified File Purchasing Garages can NOT offer Fine Tuning.
They can write only one file supplied by their Modified File supplier. Besides its being almost impossible, it is not time and cost-efficient for Modified File Reseller Garages.
If the customer is lucky, they are getting a good Reference File Equivalent tuning. No Fine Tuning.
4- Even the Best Tuners Buy or Exchange Modified Files as Reference File:
Regardless of the industry, every business is after efficiency. A tuner (garage) would follow the ideal Modified File Development procedure described here in Chapter 3 only if that car has good potential for the market. For less-demanded cars, he gets a good Reference Modified File from a good resource (by paying, exchanging, or through mutual good relations) and still offers an excellent result by Fine Tuning based on road tests and data logging.
4- Conclusion:
1- Do not Believe Everything You Read or Hear
Most of the information you read or hear comes from people who are nothing more than just customers (some are not even that). They repeat what they hear or read.
2- You Do Your Own Homework.
After you short listed you options, call or visit them and ask the right questions based on the above information. And, trust your own judgement.
3- Compare:
If the power gain figures are similar to those of global players, or extremely low or high.
If they offer free conversions to stock for dealer warranty safety, or for dealer service visits.
if any sort of Satisfaction Guarantee available