Re mapping. Let's sort it.

Ok guys as the title says. I'm looking at having my 1998 Range Rover P38 Diesel auto remapped. (Read on)

I've done loads of searches for information of pros and cons Etc but nothing is ever very clear. I'm Hoping that in this thread we could get to the bottom of it so everyone considering it can just do a search and find this thread so I need your help please.

What I'm looking for are people that have had it done in the past
And also
people that are currently running there Range rovers with it now how any miles you've had it any ill effects...

Try not to be to blunt lets keep it friendly if you think it' "F*cks the gear box" fine but explain why. And if there is a way to Prevent it a less torquey map maybe I don't know.

Also join in if your thinking about having it done


Will

Mine is chipped, no gearbox problems at 117,000, but it was chipped when i got it back in 2008. The 4.0 litre petrol uses the same gearbox and outputs 320 nm of torque and 190 BHP. They do not unduly knacker boxes. You will maybe get 320 nm of torque and 165-170 BHP on the diesel. However the petrol and diesel torque curves are different so the choice is yours. An old gearbox that has not been serviced to well may give up the ghost sooner with a chip. That is all i am willing to say. Over to you.

Wammers that's exactly what I'm looking for thank you very much!! Great info. What type of chip is in yours do you know what the bhp has gone to?

Anyone else with a similar story??


Will

Littelwill said:

Wammers that's exactly what I'm looking for thank you very much!! Great info. What type of chip is in yours do you know what the bhp has gone to?

Anyone else with a similar story??


Will

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It's in the ECU never seen it. Don't know BHP but it moves pretty quickly when needed. If you use the power and around town stop start it WILL use more fuel. Be ready for that, all this crap about 40 more BHP and a lot more torque and use less fuel is just total bollocks. The only way to increase power and torque is to inject more fuel. Drive it like a nun the more linear map may give you a bit, but use the power use the fuel simples.

Yeah I read a thread where you mentioned a oil lamp and wanting more light you have to turn up the oil it's not free.

Great so we are getting somewhere now. Does anyone else have a remap related question to throw in to the mix whilst we are talking about it?

Will

Littelwill said:

Yeah I read a thread where you mentioned a oil lamp and wanting more light you have to turn up the oil it's not free.

Great so we are getting somewhere now. Does anyone else have a remap related question to throw in to the mix whilst we are talking about it?

Will

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Yes, is this the UK remap

Druim said:

Yes, is this the UK remap

Click to expand...

You forgot to mark the English oil fields up near Scotland.

Superchips do a good re-map, the torque is 347Nm @ 2290 rpm which is way over the ZF4HP22's limit. You can always fit a ZF4HP24. Cost is £320 fitted.
Mine had a plug in PSI Power Box, easy to install and can be removed if you sell the car.
I removed it because of gearbox problems.

Thanks Datatek that's great,

What is the torque limit of these auto boxes?
I've been offered a remap that apparently I'll gain a extra 29bhp on top of the 135bhp I have now making it 164bhp. Obviously this will increase the torque Could You go for a less bhp remap to still improve drivability but stay within the torque limits of the box.

Thank you

Will

Littelwill said:

Thanks Datatek that's great,

What is the torque limit of these auto boxes?
I've been offered a remap that apparently I'll gain a extra 29bhp on top of the 135bhp I have now making it 164bhp. Obviously this will increase the torque Could You go for a less bhp remap to still improve drivability but stay within the torque limits of the box.

Thank you

Will

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HP22 is 300Nm absolute limit, nearer 275Nm recomended, the Superchips takes it to 160bhp I think. BHP is not the problem, it's the low end torque that knackers the box.
Most re-maps add 30bhp and around 100Nm or torque.
Not a lot of demand for such an old engine so I don't see there being many, if any, custom re-maps.
The auto is perfectly drivable as standard once you get used to the throttle action.

i toyed with the idea of chipping mine but was a bit worried after hearing about gearbox eaters and other problems but this was the company i was thinking about Car Performance Tuning Durham, Newcastle, Sunderland, North East, Middlesbough, Peterlee and they reckoned that they could produce more power, torque and fuel economy !!!

Increasing your power from 138bhp to 165bhp

Increasing your Torque from 268nm to 325nm

Also increasing your mpg -

city driving around 26mpg

Motorway driving around 30-36mpg
all for £200
thought i could just save the cash and spend it on other things like my new injectors which should give me more power and better fuel economy with out blowing the gearbox totally different motor since i put them in

mutsnutz said:

i toyed with the idea of chipping mine but was a bit worried after hearing about gearbox eaters and other problems but this was the company i was thinking about Car Performance Tuning Durham, Newcastle, Sunderland, North East, Middlesbough, Peterlee and they reckoned that they could produce more power, torque and fuel economy !!!

Increasing your power from 138bhp to 165bhp

Increasing your Torque from 268nm to 325nm

Also increasing your mpg -

city driving around 26mpg

Motorway driving around 30-36mpg
all for £200
thought i could just save the cash and spend it on other things like my new injectors which should give me more power and better fuel economy with out blowing the gearbox totally different motor since i put them in

Click to expand...

Tis bollocks, more power means more fuel on a diesel. There is a small gain due to fewer shifts on an auto, but mainly the improvement is due to the dash display no longer being accurate. Mine used to show 28mpg with the Power Box, in reality it was doing 24mpg checked brim to brim. Without the Power box, guess what? It's averages 24mpg

this is why these forums make so much sense because we have peeps like yourself and wammers that blow these myths out of the water for us unsuspecting minions and why i would rather spend my hard earned money on the upkeep of my range rover we might as well put go faster stripes on for all the good it will do

Hi Mutznutz

I'm the same the gains sounded great but the trashed gearbox doesn't seem so much fun. You can buy a lot of fuel and injectors for the price of a new fitted box.

Has anyone else had there's remapped? Get involved. Good or bad story's.


Will

Littelwill said:

Hi Mutznutz

I'm the same the gains sounded great but the trashed gearbox doesn't seem so much fun. You can buy a lot of fuel and injectors for the price of a new fitted box.

Has anyone else had there's remapped? Get involved. Good or bad story's.


Will

Click to expand...

if any one wants to waste money on one sure i could supply a old golden virginia tin full of magnets and a few wires coming out of it for a few hundred quid and call it a new age fuel saver

Littelwill said:

Hi Mutznutz

I'm the same the gains sounded great but the trashed gearbox doesn't seem so much fun. You can buy a lot of fuel and injectors for the price of a new fitted box.

Has anyone else had there's remapped? Get involved. Good or bad story's.


Will

Click to expand...

Lots of people run Power boxes and re-maps. A second hand ZF4HP24 from a P38 4.6 petrol can be had for as little as £150 it's pretty close to a straight swap, depending on the version, and will handle 400Nm torque.
depending how you use it, the box may survive if you give it regular oil changes. If you tow with a chipped engine I reckon the life expectancy is likely to be short.

Thats interesting to know Datatek.

Has anybody done this to there truck when changing a box for other reasons?

I know its not rechipping but I fitted a ronbox to my p38 diesel. Works great.seems to go faster if i boot it but i dont generally boot it. It does seem to change up better and seems to go into "direct drive" a lot quicker.
I dont tow with it and tend to do 50-55 on the motorway,ok ok im an old man, but around town i get an easy 24 and on the motorway runs she does 28.
BUT one of the big things was getting her off the cold scale on the temperature gauge to the mid range,makes a big difference as she doesnt blow black smoke when i used to accelerate after a good 50-60 miles.
Thanks to datatek,wammers etc who advised,helped with the rad change,viscous to electric fan etc.
Rover rons boxes are relatively cheap,you can fit themselves,adjust them to suit yourself and transfer them to vehicle to vehicle,I think he charges £30.00 to alter the box to another different type of diesel engine
1996 p38 auto diesel

Oh and at roundabouts its no longer a slouch

I used a ron box on my earlier rover 75 and WOW what a difference that made to its bmw powered diesel engine. Easily catches my jaguar x type diesel (mondeo powered)

Hope it helps

forgot to say,Im with admiral insurance and once id sent them the official blurb on the ron box they charged me £10.oo admin chaarge to alter the insurance to cover the "update" so to speak.
Dont forget to check the insurance surcharge if you do modify,sometimes its uninsurable with too good updates on them.
Admiral charge me £245.00 full comprehensive,unlimited mileage 3 over 30 drivers on it. Insured for work,pleasure and domesstic

My 1998 DSE running on a PSI power box, its done nearly 177k and used for towing our tourer in summer months, auto gearbox starting to show signs of clutch/valve block probs but still going strong for now..the 4.6 v8 box will fit as long as you get the later 1 with the last 3 digits on serial number ending in 065 some are 061 and think that box is 15mm too long, its defo the 1 ending 065! You need to use the diesel bell housing and torque converter and simple swap.I know as I'm just about to do same job and spoke to mr ashcroft 2 days ago to confirm info on 4.6 box swap