159 3.2 Tuning

Originally Posted by Hotbrera

Hello everyone I am new here.
I have been down this route and had my Brera remaped.
I told my insurance company and they were fine about it, no loading on my premium.

Hi,

I suppose the obvious question is - who are your insurers if you don't mind us asking.?

Also Which re-map did you go for Autodelta? or someone else?

Did you have anything else done - filter/exhaust/suspension etc?

And perhaps most importantly - is the benefit worth it?

Thanks,

Simes.

I am insured with Adrian Flux, I had my previous GTA insured with them.

They were the cheapest company and you can speak to them openly about any mods you are thinking of doing.

As for the remap I had done at Autodelta.

My Brera was 2 weeks old and was a little unhappy with the power and response.

Its been nearly 3 months since the remap and all I can say is get it done, the improvements are more then I expected.

They said that alot of changes were done to the cam timing and I do feel a surge of power and torque coming in quicker and it gets stronger as you rev the engine.

Jano who runs the company explained to me the changes they did and it seems the technology used on the new engines is very advanced so they were able to do a lot improvements to the factory map.

My GTA was done by him which was good, but I think the Brera programme seems to be far better because of advanced technology used on the new models.

I was also lucky to have a go in the Supercharged Brera and that was out of this world, but a little too much money for the moment, maybe next year.

Originally Posted by Chris

I would say your biggest problem on a 'new' car is if Alfa decide to revise the map and wipe out your remap as a standard update during a service. Best check it won't cost you £400-odd to have it put back on again!

Is it right that a software update at the dealer could or would write over the remap? That would be bad

Banny

No idea what effect that would have, but I would expect the car to be re-maped again without any additional cost as I have already paid for the remap.
I could be wrong, but it is a valid point.

Originally Posted by Hotbrera

No idea what effect that would have, but I would expect the car to be re-maped again without any additional cost as I have already paid for the remap.
I could be wrong, but it is a valid point.

We charge £40 to come out to you, it just covers our fuel and a bit of our technicians time. UNLESS the mapping that they have flashed on is of a different software build entirely and we have to start again, then its £175 all inc. This has only happened twice in the last 12 months though.

As for the rev limit, yes we can do whatever you like, its your car and your mapping!

With regards to oiled filters - its only when they have been fitted by a muppet that it has caused an issue with a MAF. We fit 4-6 CDA's with oiled filters per week..... never have any issue with a MAF on anything. So an oiled filter will not cause you any problem unless.... you is one total cabbage without any common sense

Nige

Nige

I was speaking to you yesterday about having my car remapped.

Is there any advantage in replacing the air filter with an oiled one or a dry free flow one at all or is it not much different than leaving the original one in.

If I did have one fitted I probably wouldn't re-oil it myself, I would jut get a new pre-oiled replacement.

With the conflicting comments going on I am undecided about the filter.

Banny

Originally Posted by Hotbrera

Hello everyone I am new here.
I have been down this route and had my Brera remaped.
I told my insurance company and they were fine about it, no loading on my premium.

So what difference did it make? Where did you get it done? Was it worth it? And welcome

Oops - missed a page

Originally Posted by banny69

Is it right that a software update at the dealer could or would write over the remap? That would be bad

Banny

Yes, admitedly my car's got a couple of ECU-related problems at the moment but the dealer has updated the software on my car twice in the past 6 months with newer build versions. They get sent the CD in the post and when they upload it it will overwrite your remap.

Is there some way of reading the remap and re-remapping it after? Just a thought...

If you are London based, to ensure your remap does not get over-written by the dealer at a service, you could use Autodelta to service your car.
Unlike the stealers, they care about your Alfa, their rates are cheaper, the Warranty is not voided as they use genuine parts, and if you come to sell, their service stamp has more kudos among enthusiasts.
Simon

nOOOO!!!!!

Andy from Angel turned up this afternoon nice bloke ....

Problem is the ECU on banny's 159 and my brera are not ones that the angel tuning guys can remap at the moment... apparently certain citroens and peugots use the same protocol and these cannot be done either...

Oh well - I got a nice new BMC filter - he also reckons a CDA will go on as well and work well.

He's not had a good day - had to do this to Banny's motor as well. followed by a "nice" run down the M6 to home.

Filter gives a subtle difference on a short drive so far - better lower down.. the OE filter wasn't nice....

Simes.

Andy from Angel came today to remap my 159 3.2.

Unforuntately he wasn't able to do it as the ECU fitted is not the one they thought it was i.e. it wasn't a Motorola (I think that's what he said)

From what I can gather, it isn't as straightforward as usual on this particular type of ECU to do a remap - it can't be done via the OBD or by 'taking the lid off' the ECU.

Autodelta are able to do a remap so it mut be possible somehow.

Anyway, Andy said he will do some more research and get back to me.

Oh well, at least I got a day off work and the sun was shining

I'll keep you posted.

Banny

Paul,

It's a bosch motronic ecu - it's just a different protocol than they were expecting. Rather like buying some software for your PC that needs vista to run but you've only got windows XP.

There are four ways of doing a remap as far as I'm aware.

1) downloading a new map using the protocol in the ECU - this is the preferred way as it's the least intrusive.

2) open the ECU and talk directly to the chip finding the tables in the memory on the chip and updating them - this is a lot more intrusive and as your dealer won't ever open the ecu - generally noticable.

3) open the ECU and swap the chip out for one with a new map on it - very noticable.

4) piggyback system - whereby the new ECU overrides the signals sent from the factory ecu - think diesel tuning boxes.

I assume Autodelta are either doing 2 or probably 3 it's either that or they have information that other tuners don't and would seriously like to have...

Owners of Citroen C2's VTS/VTR's would come running...

Nice day to be sat working at home - although I trapped a nerve in my back last night and it's not comfortable going over speedbumps/potholes as a passenger in the brera.

Simes.

Simes

I had the BMC filter too - car feels a little quicker to rev at the lower revs.

Andy reckons a CDA will fit - he has taken some measurements around the airbox etc. and will get back to me.

Hopefully if they can sort a remap I will probably have the CDA fitted at the same time - fingers crossed.

At least we have the option of Autodelta doing the remap. Mangoletsi in Knutsford will get Autodelta to come up to their showroom and do the remap there.

I spoke to the guy there (Craig Aspin) a few weeks ago and he says once they get 2 or 3 remap jobs they then get the technician from Autodelta to come up from London.

The cost however is a little OTT £555 (I'm assuming this is inc. VAT!)

http://www.mangoletsi.com/alfa/autodelta.html

I'll see what Angel come up with and if they can't carry out the remap I'll get Autodelta to do it. If so I will let you know beforehand.



Cheers

Thanks for the info Simes, you probably know more about it than me!

If it's a noticeable remap (i.e. physically obvious) then I guess the warranty angle needs to be considered.

Oh well, just wait and see.

Banny

The mango's price is high for what you get... I'd want to know how they do it i.e lid closed or open?

Autodelta seem to have pumped their prices up it was about 400 + VAT I've just checked again today - 464.16 plus vat for them directly so about the same as mango's if they don't re-bump the prices.

I'm willing to wait a month or so and see what Angel can come up with - 150quid is a reasonable amount of dosh to have back in my back pocket - infact it's the CDA...

Simes.

Simes

I think Autodelta prices include VAT £395 (the price on the site a few weeks ago) plus VAT is £464.13 (the price now). Same for supercharger £5,395 plus VAT £6,339.13.

I'm the accountant you're the computer guy

Banny

Ahh..

Never expected Autodelta to start quoting with VAT they've never done it before... about time too, airfilter went up as well - it just didn't click - as you say - you're the accountant. Given that 5quid for delivery and fitting of our BMC's was a bit of a billy bargain given the work involved...

555 from mango's is still steep - I'll see what develops over the next month or so with angel but may take it directly into AD as I'm down that way not infrequently with work -

If I do go to AD I may try to schedule it with an Ace cafe italian car night - just round the corner and book into the Holiday inn at brent cross..

SImes.

I would go the Autodelta route for the re-map.

They obviously got the set up to do the re-map.

In my opinion if a company is having difficulties doing the job I would opt for someone is who is familiar with the programming and has the experience.

If they have managed to supercharge the Brera and 159 you would expect them to know the ECU set up back to front.

My Brera just took 10 minutes to programme with so hassle at all.

Better to be safe then sorry.

HotBrera

Do you know what method they used to remap your car?

If you look back over this thread there are a few different ways, some apparently 'better' than others.

Good point about using someone who has done the job before on that particular ECU.

No disrespect to Angel Tuning as they were very honest and upfront about it before they came to my car.

Banny

I remember they took the fuse box cover off and joined some wires to a plug which then got attached to their lap top.

I remember also some timer bars which showed a programme being dowloaded.

They also said that with the similar procedure they can revert it back to the factory settings.

I then paid them and drove away, the improvement was immediate and there is no way i would revert back to the factory settings.

I think they have done a very good job on my car.

I read here that Angel tuning have a good name and full credit to them, but in think as Autodelta who seem to build the fastest Alfa's means that they must know their stuff. I am not just talking about electronics side but with the engineering side also.

Supercharger conversion ordered.

After much deliberating I have taken the plunge and arranged for my car to have the supercharger/brakes/suspension conversion by Autodelta.

Jano is trying to fit me in for 2nd August and the work will take a week or so to do.

It's a bit scary really (travelling all that way from London to Wigan by train )


Banny

Originally Posted by banny69

Supercharger conversion ordered.

After much deliberating I have taken the plunge and arranged for my car to have the supercharger/brakes/suspension conversion by Autodelta.

Jano is trying to fit me in for 2nd August and the work will take a week or so to do.

It's a bit scary really (travelling all that way from London to Wigan by train )


Banny

That'll be one hell of a car