The promise of enhancing your car with fully automatic OBD2 modules: reality or illusion?
We talked about it some time ago, but the debate is still alive; in recent years, the topic of optimizing the engine control units of gasoline and diesel vehicles has become increasingly heated. If you do a quick online search on Google, you will find numerous sellers promising to improve your engine's performance, reduce fuel consumption, and increase power using small boxes to connect to the car's OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port.
But a question arises: do these fully automatic OBD modules really work? Can they interact effectively with the Controller Area Network (CAN) communication system of vehicles? Are they truly compatible with a wide range of cars, both diesel and gasoline, and with the different versions of firmware and software in the ECU (Engine Control Unit) control units (which are indeed numerous)?
The OBD-II port and the Controller Area Network (CAN)
The OBD-II port was originally designed for vehicle diagnostics, providing a standardized interface. This port allows the diagnosis of various control systems, including those related to the engine and emissions. The CAN is the communication protocol enabling digital devices, such as the ECU (Engine Control Unit), the instrument cluster, and other components, to exchange data on a "DATA BUS." Each device possesses its own "address" in this network and can both listen to and transmit data.
The (presumed) operation of automatic OBD electronic modules
To fulfill the promises of increasing power and reducing fuel consumption, fully automatic OBD electronic modules should be capable of:
a) extracting the stock engine mappings from the OBD-II port, containing crucial information about the engine's operation under various conditions,
b) intelligently modifying these mappings,
c) overwriting the original maps through the OBD-II port.
What happens during a professional ECU remapping
On the contrary, a professional remapping of the engine control unit requires specialized equipment, complex software, and specific training. Experts know how important experience is to operate safely and effectively. Each engine is unique, with different needs and configurations, requiring a detailed knowledge of the maps and variables involved.
Recently, some automakers have introduced sophisticated systems to monitor and detect any changes to the ECU, potentially rendering unauthorized remappings useless and voiding the vehicle's warranty. Moreover, some BMW car owners who have performed unauthorized remappings have experienced the cessation of warranty coverage and already paid maintenance packages.
These considerations make it clear that these stages and the complexity of the system cannot be entrusted to small boxes connected to the car's OBD2 port, especially if the premise is to intervene entirely automatically on all types of engines, all types of internal mapping (the same engine can be introduced to the market with the same ECU but with dozens and dozens of different mappings resulting from continuous updates and improvements), and all operating parametric conditions of the engine.
How to overcome these drawbacks and achieve real power increases safely?
To obtain reliable and effective performance for your vehicle, it is crucial to turn to industry professionals. If you want to increase your engine's power, we recommend seeking safe and reliable solutions. Our CHIPBOX kit, the result of over 20 years of experience, offers a quality solution with a specific digital (external) electronic control unit for various injection and supercharging systems. Our kits are made in Italy, certified by TUV Austria, and covered by a warranty. They are chosen by owners of luxury cars and supercars seeking maximum performance with maximum reliability.
Do you want to increase your engine's power and torque while optimizing fuel consumption?
Browse our catalog and look for your car's exact model and specific engine, and you will find the available versions of the additional kit that allows these significant advantages:
- no irreversible modifications, everything can be restored to stock conditions
- no warranty loss
- configurable performance
- all safety controls remain with the ECU
- achieve high power and torque increases
- get real performance and flexibility increases
- with CONNECT versions, you can control the engine power from your smartphone
- use a kit produced in Italy with the best technologies
- have a guaranteed and TUV Austria certified product
Search for your car in our catalog > https://seletron.com/en/shop/
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