Remapping your car’s ECU is a gateway project for car enthusiasts and if you too have the urge to remap the ECU of your car then you need to read this post.
What Is An ECU?
According to the opinion of a reputed BMW Mechanic in West Perth, ECU stands for Engine Control Unit. It is a small computer of sorts that is responsible for managing all the aspects of your car such as its:-
- Ignition timing
- Boost pressure (if your car has a turbocharger or a supercharger) and the
- Air/fuel ratio.
Benefits Of ECU Remapping:-
Remapping the ECU of your car can help you to:-
- Significantly increase/decrease the horsepower of your car’s engine
- Significantly increase/decrease the torque output of your car’s engine
- Significantly increase/decrease the fuel economy of your car
- Significantly increase/decrease the overall driving dynamics as well as the performance of your car.
Will ECU Remapping Harm The Engine Of Your Car?
Well, this is a tricky question and obviously, it won’t have a straightforward answer.
For starters, ECU remapping is mostly done by car enthusiasts who want to improve the overall performance and driving dynamics of their cars. Other times, engine remapping is done by the average Jane or Joe in order to increase the fuel economy of their car.
Either way, altering the OEM settings of your car’s ECU can have detrimental effects if the person altering the ECU settings does not have the experience needed to do such a job. This is the reason why you should never remap the ECU of your car from an inexperienced mechanic or a servicing centre that is newly established.
As per the opinion of a revered BMW Specialist in Perth, faulty ECU maps can make your car’s engine run excessively lean or rich which in turn, will damage the:-
- Engine block
- Pistons
- Crankshaft
- Fuel pumps as well as the
- Spark Plugs of your car!
In worst-case scenarios, your car can even end up with a damaged supercharger or turbocharger – and these mechanical parts are very expensive to replace.
The takeaway here is to always get your car’s ECU remapped at an OEM authorized service centre or at least by an experienced professional who knows what they are doing.
Will ECU Remapping Nullify The OEM Warranty Of Your Car?
Remapped software is always written by third parties who have nothing to do with the OEM. This is why, if you remap the ECU of your car which still has its OEM warranty intact then the modification will be nullifying the OEM warranty of your car.
This is the reason why you should not remap your car, especially if it is under warranty; but if its warranty is over, you can remap the ECU of your car either to improve its performance or to increase its fuel economy.
Either way, you should always choose a revered mechanic or a servicing centre that is recognized by the OEM of your car, for the best results.
Conclusion
Remapping can benefit your car if it is already out of warranty. With that stated, always ensure that the mechanic or the servicing centre you have chosen for remapping your car is a reputed one, for the best results.
