Focus ST3 2.0 TDCI Racechip

[matt77303]

Flicking around whilst bored at work today, came accross this. 

https://www.racechip.co.uk/shop/ford/focus-11-dyb-2010-to-2018/2-0-tdci-1997ccm-185hp-136kw-400nm.html

 

Anyone have any experience of them? not really looked into anything upgrade wise since i had my first MG ZR but these seem so say do alot for relatively little outlay. and who doesnt love 'app control' lol

 

Matt

[F0CUE]

They have good reviews but you get more for less with blue spark.

https://bluesparkautomotive.com/partfinder/product/result/?fuel_type=Diesel&make=Ford&model=Focus

[matt77303]

24 minutes ago, F0CUE said:

They have good reviews but you get more for less with blue spark.

https://bluesparkautomotive.com/partfinder/product/result/?fuel_type=Diesel&make=Ford&model=Focus

Thanks, thats a big difference in price. 

 

ill have a look.

 

Matt

[matt77303]

ive sent them a message as theres 2 part numbers for the 2.0 TDCI, thanks for the tip.

 

Matt

[F0CUE]

3 minutes ago, matt77303 said:

ive sent them a message as theres 2 part numbers for the 2.0 TDCI, thanks for the tip.

 

Matt

I noticed that when looking for yours. Maybe one is for the later revision. 

[DaveT70]

Yes, it's just an expensive cheap resister box to trick the fuel rail pressure, exactly the same inside as a Bluespark or DieselExpress (£64).

If you want to spend more than £64 get a proper remap done

[F0CUE]

1 hour ago, DaveT70 said:

Yes, it's just an expensive cheap resister box to trick the fuel rail pressure, exactly the same inside as a Bluespark or DieselExpress (£64).

If you want to spend more than £64 get a proper remap done

That used to be the case but now they are more sophisticated and tried and tested. Most will not want to get a remap due to invalidating warranty or have a lease. A remap is permanent where as this when removed is untraceable. 

[Eric Bloodaxe]

55 minutes ago, F0CUE said:

A remap is permanent where as this when removed is untraceable. 

Not sure about that one now, though in this case the OP is out of warranty anyway.

From my time lurking on VW Group forums I believe their software throws up a flag when something like a tuning box has been added/removed. Wouldn't be surprised if Fords did the same these days.

[DaveT70]

1 hour ago, F0CUE said:

That used to be the case but now they are more sophisticated and tried and tested.

They really are not, just the outer casing is more sophisticated, it really is just the same cheap chip that fools the fuel rail into giving full pressure, exactly the same way a £64 one does👍

A bluefin is a good, proper remap. Removable and un-traceable 

[fugleman]

For my experience about 3 months after buying the car new i fitted a race chip device(mid range model) in 2014 and yes it gave a great amount of low down torque it had 7 settings i think and i settled on the "mid range" setting and it made the car very responsive and more fun but didn't do much for the higher rpm range above 3000rpm as being that it just intercepts the rail pressure sensor tricking the ecu that it's lower than it should be to get it to increase it the AFR at high rpm's got a bit rich as boost never increased -DPF regened more and it never really increased much in top end HP.

So i sold the race chip 6 months later to a Mondeo driver!-bought a kess v2- took a read of the ECU sent it off for a stage 1 remap- flashed it and have never looked back-- 6 years later with 175,000km-- DPF still good -tweaked remap-lots of usable power and still going strong--ford dealer service never picked it up( or never bothered)

conclusion> race chip simple and quick low-mid torque gains--remap full rpm  HP power/torque gains- AFR good for DPF.

[matt77303]

Bit more research to do then me thinks. 

 

Thanks for all the replies. 

 

Matt

[DaveT70]

On 4/8/2021 at 2:45 PM, fugleman said:

For my experience about 3 months after buying the car new i fitted a race chip device(mid range model) in 2014 and yes it gave a great amount of low down torque it had 7 settings i think and i settled on the "mid range" setting and it made the car very responsive and more fun but didn't do much for the higher rpm range above 3000rpm as being that it just intercepts the rail pressure sensor tricking the ecu that it's lower than it should be to get it to increase it the AFR at high rpm's got a bit rich as boost never increased -DPF regened more and it never really increased much in top end HP.

So i sold the race chip 6 months later to a Mondeo driver!-bought a kess v2- took a read of the ECU sent it off for a stage 1 remap- flashed it and have never looked back-- 6 years later with 175,000km-- DPF still good -tweaked remap-lots of usable power and still going strong--ford dealer service never picked it up( or never bothered)

conclusion> race chip simple and quick low-mid torque gains--remap full rpm  HP power/torque gains- AFR good for DPF.

Exactly my point, thanks.

A race chip or any Diesel tuning box is a simple chip that just intercepts the signal from the PCM to the fuel rail sensor to give more pressure at a specific throttle input.

It WILL give improved performance lower down the rev range and absolutely does give much improved throttle response but it does NOT give more BHP as the system just tells the fuel rail pump to go higher or max pressure earlier.

There then comes the point in the rev range where you would be at full pressure anyway and the improvements die off and the car returns to standard (normally about 3,500 RPM)

The box does not increase maximum fuel pressure, that stays the same, it just tweaks when full pressure happens.

They're not bad for a slight low down gain (and, to be fair, an improvement in cruising MPG) but they don't give the figures quoted.

A proper remap increase not only fuel pressure but fuel/air ratio and amount plus boost pressure to increase performance.

Don't pay any more than the £64 for a tuning box as, apart from the casing design, it's the same gubbins inside👍