How Well Does Your Remap Work For You?

[Da Shoumi]

Hi all,I just sent my feedback to the guy who remapped my smart 2 months ago and wanted to have your opinions and experience about this subject matter.On the plus side, I would say the Upsolute tune-up works great for me as accelerations and torque have improved significantly. On the negative side, I've identified these few drawbacks:- An increase in fuel consumption (from 4.6L/100 km previously to 5.0L/100 km currently): Neither my wife or myself abuse the car, but daily trips tend to be below 10 km, under city conditions- Black smoke, especially at start-up: This tends to happen between 1st and 3rd gears, even if upshifts are done under 3,000 RPM- I suspect the engine takes more oil (200 ML of fresh oil were required yesterday to reach maximum level again)Thanks for sharing your thoughts

[Utopiacdi]

I had mine remapped in June 2012 by Glenn (smart142) and it made a really good improvement in the all-round operation of the car. I drive mostly highway (400 & 401) so I wanted a little ummph. My daily commute is 180-190km round trip. Since the remap I have driven about 60K.Since the remap, the car is running much better with a lot more pep and lots of power in reserve, if I need it. I do have a little black smoke, if I really step into the pedal but normally not. I shift at 2500rpm and set the cruise on the highway at 110km/h. I can't really say it uses more oil than it did before the remap. I check it every second fill-up and over the 5000km between oil changes, I add maybe 100ml or so...not much at all.Your less than 10km city commute, in my opinion, is why the mileage is suffering. Diesels love to run and get hot. A short commute, in city traffic, isn't the diesels ideal life. The engine and oil probably don't get up to operating temps by the time you're done the drive and things tend to clog if the engine doesn't run hot.Those are my findings and thoughts FWIW, YMMV. Good luck.

[lebikerboy]

I had our smart remapped by Eddy @ Flying Tiger nearly four years ago.Our mileage is now 4.3L/100km with wide tires and the fact Idrive it pretty hard. My son on the other hand often drives it to work whichis nearly all highway and 24 kms in distance each way.It smokes a little more than it did but for the increased performance it'swell worth it. In my opinion, this is the way the car should have beenfrom the factory. I could never go back to the stock factory settings...

[MikeT]

Another Eddy remap here.The fuel consumption is actually better than pre-remap, accounting for the far more spirited driving we do now, the L/100 has been utterly unaffected. Lifetime is 4.1 L/100 km before and after.There is no way any remap should directly affect oil consumption - there is some other reason for that. I just got back from a very hard driven 2700 km trip in ours and it used no oil at all.This particular remap does smoke a bit when running hard but that is something of an engine preservation strategy (a rich mixture cools the combustion). So there's a bit of extra cleaning needed now that I have the BRABUS dual exhaust - which discharges the exhaust higher up on the rear panel than the original peashooter, but the extra cleaning is no problem at all.

[Da Shoumi]

@Utopiacdi: I fully agree and am aware that city driving isn't ideal for diesel cars, especially when they are turbo-charged. Hopefully my EGR valve doesn't clog up anytime soon... To prevent this, I'm taking the car for a spin on the 417 Hwy between Gatineau/Ottawa whenever I get the chance.@lebikerboy: I would have loved to get Eddy remap and have this guy take care of my car for routine maintenance but in the Ottawa region, we have to look for other options.Besides, I wouldn't go back to stock settings either. One thought about driving your car hard: Have you changed your clutch since your remap was installed? In other words, how does the stock clutch manage the increased torque?

[MikeT]

So far, so good with the clutch on mine - there is a member here whose car was written off a while ago at 300,000 km, who had the Eddy remap all the time and he was still on the original clutch. If your clutch was getting tired before the remap, any weakness will be made worse by the additional torque. I would guess that Upsolute is making at least 125 Nm of torque (the Eddy map is probably over 130 Nm) and I believe the clutch and I know the transaxle are rated to 130 Nm.

[Francesco]

Considering the torque a remapped cdi makes is more than that of a fully-tricked-out gasser, I'm surprised Bonalume or Fismatek don't make a performance cdi clutch.

[MikeT]

Bil had a thread about ordering uprated clutches from a manufacturer for the cdi but sadly it went away with him.

[stickman007]

I remembered Bil saying something about the roadster's clutch can fit our cdi?

[MikeT]

The roadster only produces 130 Nm in its top BRABUS form, so I'm not sure that would help anything.

[Da Shoumi]

I would guess that Upsolute is making at least 125 Nm of torque (the Eddy map is probably over 130 Nm) and I believe the clutch and I know the transaxle are rated to 130 Nm.

According to the Upsolute web site, the torque from the remapped CDI is 139 NM and the power is supposed to reach 59 hp. Impossible for me to confirm these figures though as the tune-up was performed via a laptop, as opposed to a fully equipped shop.I know some of you guys have Scan gauge II: Does this tool allow you to access torque and horsepower data?

[Francesco]

It can calculate a horsepower estimate based on fuel metering, rpm and rpm rate of change, vehicle speed and acceleration. Their testing with a range of vehicles has shown it to be about 15% optimistic compared to a chassis dyno, or roughly similar to an engine dyno. I still question the validity of remappers' figures. Torque and horsepower are mathematically linked. I've asked before, but nobody wants to play along: anybody with a ScanGauge II, set up an Xgauge for bhp and let 'er rip. I've done it with and without the remap, and my SG reports 41 bhp stock and a maximum of 53 bhp remapped. I turned off the ESP and matted it yesterday in an empty lot at the airport. With the wheels slightly turned, the bald rear WinterContacts let go and I went right around! MORE POWWWEERRRRR!

[MikeT]

Someone should do a dyno test. Not me, I am too cheap!

[Francesco]

Does your SG do Xgauges?

[MikeT]

I don't know, I bought it in 2010 and just use it for the basics. I am not a fan of proxies to measure power/torque anyway, someone needs to do a dyno run, before and after a remap.

[Da Shoumi]

A dyno run is an attractive idea, but I'd rather save some money for a Scangauge instead.My concern right now is focused on my increased fuel consumption, as I still think 5.0L/100 km is very high, even under congested city driving conditions.I'll turn to my usual independent mechnic for his opinion about the issue, and will keep you posted if I feel the findinds of this inquiry may be helpful to the smart community.Thank you all for your great inputs!

[MikeT]

For 10 km rides in the city, 5.0 could be normal, especially if you are driving the car harder than you did pre-remap.

[krankshaft]

I'd have to echo Mike T, it's been a year and a half with the Smart CDI for myself, Month or 2 with the Remap and depending on what driving I primarily do, mileage can definitely hit 5+. In your case I'd try to take it for a few 100km and "clean out the pipes" so to speak, and I bet you'll find it's significantly better, Diesels like heat... tough to get on a city drive. If i understand remaps and fuel curves on a diesel correctly, it would only be logical to experience a higher city driving mileage. Your remap regardless of who does it, will likely increase the amount of fuel delivered under acceleration conditions, whereas under a cruise condition (aka highway) they can trim it back, those are the two principles of "more power and better mileage" claims that most chips/remaps are based upon. So for your situation (AFAIK) would likely burn more fuel, that's the function of the remap... If you're truly concerned I'd look at the basics, diesels burn blue for oil, white for cold / AF in the combustion chamber, and black for insufficient air / over-fueling. Air Filter = Clean?Air Flow = is there a restriction (plugged up intercooler?) too low of a boost pressure (Intake side leak?)Fuel Delivery = too much fuel? (drippy injector? / wore out?)Exhaust Restriction = inhibited exhaust flow? (plugged Cat? due to oil burn??)I'm hoping this isn't condescending, I do want to help, but I do believe in your situation 5.0+ would be what to expect...M2c

[dmoonen]

In the first post you mentioned you added oil to bring it to the max line It should be around the halfway mark on the stick never to the max line that's when big issues occur.

As for the remap/tune I have tunes on all my vehicles. For my smarts I have Glenns remap and have no problems with them what so ever, my fuel economy is about the same as before; driving consciously I can get better, driving with a lead foot I get worse. Even my Brabus with my 225x 17" tires with the remap staked with the TDC CR Plus tuning box turned up on the second highest level I get around 440km+- to the tank and no smoke even with the egr deleted (see video).

I know forsure a bad tune will spit out smoke aswell same as more powerful tunes. I have EFI live on the truck and can switch tunes on the fly and you can tell which ones run more efficiently.

I had one issue before on my red smart when my EGR valve was getting a plugged up (no codes) with soot that caused quite a bit of smoke. Once cleaned I had no smoke as before. If you drive in town and short distances your EGR will need servicing more often because your engine wont be up to temperature to burn off the soot.

The in town driving is whats killing your mileage I'm guessing. . .

[dmoonen]

Read the last bit on this part of evilutions page: http://www.evilution.co.uk/329

I think the smoke (and potential EGR + poor fuel economy) is part of the over filling, the tune could of been just another part.

Edited September 9, 2013 by dmoonen

[stickman007]

I have Glenn's map and stacked with a tunebox like Dillen, my average is 4.2-4.4L/100km in the city daily under 10km.The shift times is a bit faster on all gears except 3-4 which is about the same as stock.Turbo boosts faster...hit 16psi way quicker than stock. I do get a small puff of black smoke when I rev under load. Have the remap on the car for about 40,000km now with 140,xxx on the engine. Definitely worth the money.

[Francesco]

A real city? I've barely been able to keep it at 5.0 this summer, but admittedly I've been running late a lot.

[Da Shoumi]

Looking at my recent maintenance history, I've realized that I've barely put 7,000 km to my smart since August last year! (65,400 km on the odometer to date). So point taken on the plugged EGR valve, dmoonen: I'll probably go get some good injector cleaner once again to prevent and fix any carbon build-up.

As for the oil top-up, I'm confident that I did not overfill since the level on the dipstick was just below MAX with a hot engine, and then between 1/2 and MAX level one hour later, where the engine had cooled down.

Other than that, I have a clean K&N filter and the intercooler was changed a year ago.

krankshaft's theory that remaps "will likely increase the amount of fuel delivered under acceleration conditions" makes sense to me, especially when I think that my wife has to cross no less than 4 consistently RED traffic lights before reaching her final destination 5 km later every day

Maybe a Scangauge is what I need to monitor things more closely and get the most of my remapped smart after all

Edited September 10, 2013 by Da Shoumi

[stickman007]

A real city? I've barely been able to keep it at 5.0 this summer, but admittedly I've been running late a lot.

Yup! But I think I drive like grandma...Forgot to mention that my EGR is completely deleted...I wonder if that has anything in lowering my MPG.

[3UP]

I get 4.4 on my highway commute of around 75km per day round trip with Glenn's (smart142) remap ,thats travelling no slower than 110km/hr on a teribble hilly highway. Thanks again Glenn