Dispelling some common myths about remapping vehicles.

Joshua • May 22, 2022

Custom or Generic?

If you’ve been searching around for a remap you would have heard the terms "generic file" and "custom remap". But what is a generic remap? There is actually no such thing; all maps are customised to the car they are intended for and then tested on a dyno.

Some companies will tell you they are doing you "a custom map on the dyno". In reality you are paying extra just for a dyno printout showing before and after figures using the same flash files you get from us and other reputable remappers. This is due to most modern ECUs which can’t be adjusted whilst the vehicle is running. The term ‘full custom map’ is based around standalone aftermarket ECUs which can only be adjusted live.


Is it Dyno Tested?

Another myth is that you can't remap a car without a dyno, this is not true. Most remaps and tuners experience is created on a dyno to start with. These skills and tuning methods are then rigorously tested on a dyno and on the road, after which, all being well, the remap files are then passed on to be sold to the public.


Dynos

Dynos, or to give their full name, dynomometers are a tool which were created to enable road testing in a safe stand-still environment; they were not originally intended for power read-outs. Their main use is to replicate driving a vehicle on the road for tuning and mapping.

It’s true, they do give you a power printout, but what’s on there is changeable as it’s not an exact science; there are too many variables that can change the power figure such as outside air temperature, time of day/year, height above sea level and overall location as well as the dyno make and model.


A dyno running the same car in summer and winter will have a different power figure due to outside air temp and density of the air. This is demonstrated on the program ‘Pikes Peak Challenge’ in the U.S. The vehicles go through such dramatic air density changes, they have different maps for each time they climb higher on the circuit, this is due to the air density changing which affects the air/fuel mixture. In fact, they actually change horsepower, the higher they go. Ever noticed your car goes a little better on a cold winter morning and not so well on a hot summer’s day?


If you were to have your car dyno tested after we installed one of our maps, don’t be surprised when the read out is exactly the same as what we quoted in the first place!

We have a 2WD dyno at our partners site in Rotherham which we can run tests on for anyone that is interested and has money to spare!


Hopefully these few priceless nuggets of information will make your decision easier when making the choice on getting your pride and joy remapped, dispelling some of the myths you read online.

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