Superchip Bluefin remap

Mr Sambambles
Mr Sambambles Forum Participant Posts: 194
edited November 2016 in Parts & Accessories #1

Hi all. Has any one of you trusty folks got any experience with Superchips Bluefin unit. Looking to increase engine power from 129bhp to 163. Merc Sprinter 313. The advantage of this unit is that the remap can be removed if required. Be good to hear if you
have used one or similar units. 

Comments

  • Simmo2300
    Simmo2300 Forum Participant Posts: 29
    edited November 2016 #2

    I used a Superchips Bluefin on my Ford Kuga, really easy to do/un-do if needed. More power, more torque, more mpg, what's not to like. Just make sure you let your insurer know, mine wasn't bothered at all (no change in premium) but better to be safe than
    sorry.

  • Mr Sambambles
    Mr Sambambles Forum Participant Posts: 194
    edited November 2016 #3

    Thank you for that. They certainly seem good. Would have liked the 163 engine but we had no option on the van we bought. I cant see any drawbacks. I may be wrong. Be good to hear from others who may have had a remap. 

  • ChemicalJasper
    ChemicalJasper Forum Participant Posts: 437
    edited November 2016 #4

    Vehicle manufacturers work very hard to optimise the performance of their engines to get the best economy - its a major selling point, you may have noticed it!

    Whilst you can remap to get more torque (and hence power, as power is derived from torque and rpm) at any point on the fuel/air map by injecting more fuel into the cyclinder for a given air flow, it is not in any way an indication that you will get better
    mpg. If the fuel air mix moves away from the optimum combustion in favour of increased torque, efficiency will go down - If manufacturers could make your car more powerful AND efficient, why aren't they ???

    So unless your standard map is below optimal, you are likely to lose mpg when you increase the power.

    Now at the risk of upsetting Simmo (which is not my intention and I will take his statement at face value). Most people who have re-maps will, as part of human nature, experience observational bias, having shelled out £100's on a remap they will 'observe' better
    mpg, but this is only anecdotal evidence and rarely backed up with any actual scientific evidence (as who has the time to do double blind randomised trials in controlled conditions?).

    Its the same as when people say they get less mpg from supermarket fuel vs branded fuel, even though it is the same fuel, because there are no big brands making fuel in the UK! 

    I had my old D3 remapped by one of the leading re-mappers. I certainly got more power - but I also got some black smoke at high revs and over a years average motoring saw my mpg drop 2-3 mpg.

    Again though, this is merely anecdotal evidence - I may well have been driving it harder because of the increased power?

    But the basic principals and the physics of the internal combustion engine don't stack up to all the claims made - you can't often have your cake AND eat it!

    If you want the power, go for it - but go for it eyes open!

  • Mr Sambambles
    Mr Sambambles Forum Participant Posts: 194
    edited November 2016 #5

    Some very interesting points and thank you for that. The reason for considering a remap is to make the engine more torquey. 129bhp on a sprinter van I believe is fine. Add a motorhome body and total weight of 3.5 ton changes the characteristic of the power
    unit. 163bhp appears to be the engine matched to the auto box upgrade. Our is manual however. Am hoping it will give a nicer feel and less gear changes. Not too worried about mpg. If it goes up or down it is irrespective if it handles the weight better. Any
    thoughts?

  • ChemicalJasper
    ChemicalJasper Forum Participant Posts: 437
    edited November 2016 #6

    Some very interesting points and thank you for that. The reason for considering a remap is to make the engine more torquey. 129bhp on a sprinter van I believe is fine. Add a motorhome body and total weight of 3.5 ton changes the characteristic of the power
    unit. 163bhp appears to be the engine matched to the auto box upgrade. Our is manual however. Am hoping it will give a nicer feel and less gear changes. Not too worried about mpg. If it goes up or down it is irrespective if it handles the weight better. Any
    thoughts?

    If its the power you are after, then I would say go for it!

    (Assuming that you are confident that the rest of the drive train - clutch, gear box, drive shafts, diff etc. are all happy with the additional power).  

  • Mr Sambambles
    Mr Sambambles Forum Participant Posts: 194
    edited November 2016 #7

    Drive train etc should be good I assume as mercedes do this as an upgrade option. Would be good to hear from any one who has had this done. 

  • G Cherokee
    G Cherokee Forum Participant Posts: 402
    100 Comments
    edited November 2016 #8

    I've researched this option for my Jeep, and the only negativity I have come across is the rip off merchants on auction sites. my advice is go to a specialist where the remapping can be reversed.

    There is a guy not far from me who says if your not happy with the work he's done. If you take it back to him up to twelve months after'

    He will remove the map and put the engine back to stock, and! refund your hard earned £180.

    Try and see some reviews. before you buy 

  • Simmo2300
    Simmo2300 Forum Participant Posts: 29
    edited November 2016 #9

    In answer to a couple of ChemicalJaspers points.

    I'm pretty sure manufacturers do not optimise the engine maps for each vehicle, if the same engine is in two different vehicles it'll have the same generic map which may or may not be pefect for one but not the other (more likely not perfect for either)
    due to different weights areodynamics etc.

    As far as being biased with my opinion, then yes that would be possible. I do however (being the sad sort I am) have a spreadsheet detailing fuel used against mileage covered and that clearly shows that with the same car, same driver, doing pretty much the
    same routes my mpg has gone up by 2-3 minimum. I never have been very heavy footed in my cars (I even used to occasionally get 36mpg from a Focus ST) so that maybe part of the reason as I'm not using the extra power at the top end more the mid range torque.
    If you are using the engine at peak power then yes your mpg must go down, you don't get something for nothing.

  • Mr Sambambles
    Mr Sambambles Forum Participant Posts: 194
    edited November 2016 #10

    I too am quite light footed. I get ave 31 mpg at the moment fully loaded at 3.5 ton.  I get 58 Ave on my 2ltr 150 bhp Vw Passat.  It is certainly mid range torque that would make it a nicer van to drive. You are right that the same power unit is fitted to
    different models these days so are not optimised for possibly any. I have just noticed the 2017 Merc Hymers are using a 143bhp version as the lowest and 163 as the upgrade which most seem to have now. I believe that manufactures have an entry level unit and
    then sell up to higher bhp's at a premium price. Sprinter being for one. £800 ish for 163 from 129. However it is only a different map which cost them No money. Why do they charge the extra? Because they can of course. I like the Bluefin idea as you have the
    option to install / uninstall and money back return if not happy with product. Very tempted. 

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