Author: Kyle Geekie

This week, we will wrap up the last two articles (here and here) with a quick and conclusive summary. What then, is the difference between a good and bad tune? We’ve covered this several times before, but for those who are interested in a bit more depth, read on. A rubbish tune (I have specifically not used the word cheap, because I’ve also seen expensive tunes which have turned out to be garbage) is usually easily recognizable. An ECU is full of thousands of values and tables or maps which are 2D or 3D (sometimes even more) which control what…

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Last week, we wrote about piggybacks or tuning boxes, and why I do not believe in them. This week, we move squarely on to flash tuning. The process of flash tuning involves connecting a computer to the ECU in the car, usually via OBD2 port, and then downloading and re-writing the software that is on the ECU. Not all vehicles can be flashed this simply; in certain scenarios, the physical ECU needs to be removed from the vehicle, taken apart and on a special bench, connected directly to specific pins on the ECU board. Manufacturers obviously do not want anyone…

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You’re looking for more power from your car and you’ve heard that the easiest way to achieve that is through what is called an ECU tune, or re-mapping. You find a ton of adverts about ECU tuning all over the Internet; boasting more power, torque and sometimes even better economy! What’s not to love, right? More speed, less fuel and sometimes for not even very much cash. Sign me the heck up! But wait, don’t be impulsive. You need to ask the few questions to better understand what is going on, before you can make the best and most informed…

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Large, stonking V10s are a rare breed nowadays. In fact, off the top of my head, the only V10s available for sale today are the Audi R8 and that Italian R8 in the fancy frock. It was only just a few years ago when several manufacturers built V10s, both in NA and boosty-licious forms. One of those very special cars was the E6x generation of BMW’s M5 with a massive 5.0-litre V10 nestled up front. The M5 was sold as three variants: sedan with SMG gearbox, sedan with manual gearbox (and for some daft reason, only in the US), and…

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Fuel ranks as possibly one of the most important components for any vehicle to run, and with so many choices of petrol and diesel found at filling stations today, which one is the right fuel for your vehicle? Our article today will focus solely on petrol combustion engines, and even something as simple as this can be confusing for some. What is your de-facto choice of fuel at the pumps? RON 95? RON 97? RON 100? V-Power Racing? In Malaysia, we use the RON (Research Octane Number) standard, and the number indicates the fuel’s resistance to knock. The higher the…

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