VOLVO D5 Tuning

[StuartMackay]

Have got a 2005 163 hp V70 as the daily driver and have been thinking of having it chipped...any of you guys with experience and/or salutory warnings?

Ebay chip boxes are under a hundred...is it worth paying the hundreds for a RICA or similar remap?

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

I can recommend this guy (Jamie) for remaps. He will come to you if needed. Jeff C uses him as well I believe

[KerryS]

Nob Ravin's co-driver let me drive his re-mapped S60 with D5 once and it was excellent over my 163 D5. There's a independant Volvo specialist I have used in Nottingham who recommends some other re-map but can't remember who it is    but the RICA one seem fairly well known. My current D5 is the twin-turbo 205hp which is plent of hp for an old 'un like me  

[AdamR]

The plug in boxes are not good from what I've heard, and personal experience. Apparently they just fool the ECU into delivering more fuel, the main gains you'll get from a remap on a turbo car are from the correct combination of extra boost, timing and fuelling.

Can't speak for the Volvo lump, but I had my Octavia remapped and it drives a lot better - smoother power delivery, less turbo lag, more power and the extra torque is excellent for general driving. Economy is unchanged but with dervs you usually see a slight increase in MPG

[Dibby]

Same as AdamR here.

Don't go with a cheap box off ebay, pay a bit extra (think the going rate is around the £300 mark) for a reputable remap ... after all, £200 extra vs the cost of an engine replacement/ turbo overboost problems/ over-fuelling issues etc.

I had my previous Alfa 147 diesel done by Nigel from Angel Tuning. Had the current BMW 320d done by Simon at emaps. Would recommend both, knowledgeable guys, answer a straight question with a straight answer, they come out to you and give you a 30 day money back guarantee if you're not happy or come and do any adjustments.

The difference a remap makes to a diesel is brilliant, less turbo lag, more power, more torque and an extra 1-2mpg on the motorway. For a daily drive I'd have a remapped diesel next. Ran the Alfa for 2 years with a map, done at 40k and sold the car at 60k miles, the BMW had 150k on the clock when I had the map done, now it's on 180k and still smooth as snake s...t. Doesn't affect service schedules or anything, can't find a bad thing to say about turbo-diesel remaps TBH. Only advice would be to use someone well recommended by forums, don't chose one on price alone.

... plus it's up to you and your concience whether to tell the insurance, they don't change the date stamp on the ECU software (or firmware?) so it could have just as easily have been done by the previous owner without your knowledge.

[JeffC]

big thumbs up for Jamie at Sp tuning he has done 100s for me and my customers , but I dont think the early D5 volvos can be done, im sure ive asked before, but well worth a phone call as Im not always right