Defender TD5 Remap Question

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Tom591

Member
Posts
39
Location
Portugal
Hello,

I have just today purchased a 2004 90 TD5 (It won't be collected until next week). It seems to be in very good condition.

The owner says the car has been either remapped or chipped by the first owner (he is the second), gaining a few extra horsepower.

I was wondering how easy it was to return the ECU to stock settings.

My fear is that extra power leads to extra heat, and therefore a shorter engine life. Is this true?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Personally I wouldn't worry about a remap. Maybe if your hammering it foot to the floor constantly and never let off but I do doubt you'll cause problems to it with a map on it. Why not add something like a larger intercooler to keep the turbo cooler and that will also improve it
 
Keep the remap...I want to get mine done soon. Having said that, even without a remap a defender TD5 is quite nippy. I had a new radiator and uprated intercooler fitted and it's brilliant. I think the old stock intercooler had a hole in it and wasn't working properly.
 
Check out exactly what has been done mine had one of the add on chips which are just connected into the ecu wiring.
I never liked it and took it off then spent some time getting the engine into good order, frankly it works better now than with the chip.
But I understand that some well engineerd profesional re maps can make the engine better especially at lower revs. You also have to keep in mind that insurance companies think it's their birthday when you mention mods to a defender, and won't pay if you don't mention them.
Quite honestly I have no desire to go fast in a defender it is not designed to do that, if I wanted that I would look to other vehicles.
 
Thr remap is worthwhile on a TD5 Defender, it's not so much that it's faster, but it has more torque and is more flexible.
You can't do fast "0-60" anyway as the gear change is slow, and why would you anyway.
But the extra torque is really nice. Mine used to end up at 50 mph on motorway hills while now it sits easily at 65.

If you are worried get Mike from Dynachip out to reset/remap it.
Then at least you will know what you have.

I have found that insurance is not a problem with a basic remap, as in up to 30bhp extra.
My insurance company didn't charge me anything extra for what they called an "engine chip 10-30bhp"
 
Remaps are fine, when done properly. As said above check it isnt a piggy back device/plug in map. All these do is chuck more fuel in, nothing much else.

If you really want it reset a dealer can do it for around £125.
 
Its quite easy to do the reset to standard with a Nanocom, but as Tom is in Portugal may not be anyone local who has one.
Perhaps look at the cost to have it done and then consider if it would be an idea to use the dealer fee towards buying a Nanocom which would be useful if he keeps the Defender for some time.
 
Thanks for the help everyone.

I've decided to order a Nanocom Evolution. Hopefully it will arrive in the next few weeks, and allow me to have a look at the ECU myself.

I've now got the Defender, and have taken a picture of the ECU:

TD5 ECU.JPG


Until I receive the Nanocom I won't know for certain what has been done to the ECU (if anything), but I am suspicious of the mark in the top right of the upper sticker. Why have they changed the 1 to a 0 (with a biro)? Does that imply a remap?

Thanks again.
 
Once you get the Nanocom you will be able to save a copy of your present map and then upload a standard map into the ECU, at that point you can see how you like the standard version.
Don't forget before you do anything look to see if there are any faults logged in the ECU it will give you an idea of the state of play at the moment.
You also need to reset the security to put the ECU into "robust" state where it can start up.
 
While I'm waiting for the Nancocom to arrive, I had a look inside the ECU.

It has definitely been opened before (the lid is slightly bent and the they didn't replace the sealant), but inside it doesn't look like anythings been added.

Does this mean it is likely to be a remap rather than a chip? I assume a third-party chip would look a bit more flashy.

Thanks.

IMG_0161.JPG
 
Only early 2002 and pre 2001 TD5s have to be "chipped" any TD5 after late 2002 is remapped via flashing. It may have been opened for repair work or otherwise, who knows.
 
The piggy back chip I had on mine was scotch locked onto the wire harness coming out from the red plug ( outside the ECU) it was connected to the injector leads.
 
You really are better getting somebody who can tell you for sure.
Try Dynachip, loads of good reviews on the forums. He comes to you if you are in the UK.
 
bankz5152 said:
Only early 2002 and pre 2001 TD5s have to be "chipped" any TD5 after late 2002 is remapped via flashing. It may have been opened for repair work or otherwise, who knows.
Click to expand...
The ECU on the TD5 have what they call fuel map slots within the chip and they have progressed from the early up to 2002 one slot which is factory written and cannot be changed without replacing he chip (re-chipped) after 2002 and for a short period (no definite date available lets) say 2004 the chip has just three fuel slots which can be written to one by the factory and two spare, be carful if you have one of these you may have only one slot left. Then there is the later ECU after 2004 which has in excess of 150 slots which can be written to.
A standard fuel fie will be a map file and a remap could be a protected file a tun file which you will not be able to alter.
 
Last edited:
The Nanocom has arrived, and I have downloaded a copy of the MAP file.

It is .MAP and not .TUN. Does that mean anything?

I also emailed Dynachip (thanks lightning) but did not receive a reply, so I have now emailed the file to TD5Inside (thanks bankz5152). Hopefully they will be able to give me a definitive answer.

Is anyone here able to take a look at the file?

Thanks.
 
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