- D5chipped
- Member Since: 18 Aug 2018
- Location: UK
- Posts: 5
Chipping a D5
I am actually already registered on here, but due to this subject, I’ll remain less identifiable with this new username!
Today I chipped my MY18 3.0 HSE with a Bluespark + Boost tuning box. This will be my 6th chipped car and 2nd using a Bluespark. Prior cars were 03 2.0 Mondeo, 54 BMW 120d, 08 BMW 520d, 10 Freelander 2 & 12 Discovery 4.
Over the last 14 years I calc that have done over 350,000 chipped miles. With the exception of the Freelander 2 which occasionally threw a fault, I’ve had no issues. In particular my D4, which I chipped on new delivery, did 110,000 miles without issue.
Given the apparent DPF issue with the D5 3.0, I did wonder if chipping would be wise, but I will eventually find out!
I’ve only test driven the car so far, so can’t report anything further than, as I expected, the car still goes.
All previous chips have given me very noticeable performance increases, but never any change to mpg. I suspect this is because I’ve always used the extra performance!
Happy to provide updates and info to anyone who is interested in this subject.
- DieselRanger
- Member Since: 12 Oct 2017
- Location: God's Country, Colorado
- Posts: 768
duplicate - delete
Last edited by DieselRanger on 20th Aug 2018 4:45 pm. Edited 1 time in total
- DieselRanger
- Member Since: 12 Oct 2017
- Location: God's Country, Colorado
- Posts: 768
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Driving impressions so far? That's user-configurable - how does that work?
I'm considering a Velocity AP tune...322 HP / 608lb-ft, but I want to see how the dilution thing goes for a bit. Will especially want to add it if the new Ingenium inline-six turbodiesel comes to the US at 300/500 as anticipated.
- D5chipped
- Member Since: 18 Aug 2018
- Location: UK
- Posts: 5
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Sorry I have not replied to PMs. I will, but apparently I need to make a few more posts first.
- D5chipped
- Member Since: 18 Aug 2018
- Location: UK
- Posts: 5
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I’ve done about 150 miles so far. Roads have been very busy so not had great opportunity to judge difference in performance with box fitted. But I would say one of the biggest downsides to the D5 is its extremely sluggish gearbox. Acceleration is strong, but only after you wait for the box to respond. The single turbo may also be a factor. The D5 responds much slower than the D4 with its twin turbos.
- DieselRanger
- Member Since: 12 Oct 2017
- Location: God's Country, Colorado
- Posts: 768
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Does the chip change the shift map? The Velocity AP tune adjusts the mapping as well, supposedly - it holds gears longer and doesn't downshift almost immediately off the line as the stock map does.
- IndusD4
- Member Since: 28 Jan 2018
- Location: Sydney
- Posts: 698
From their website it seems it is just a tuning box, not a tuning map. I would be concerned about the device is good for "maintaining low exhaust gas temperatures" (from their website). Normally indeed you'd want them to be low but for a DPF regeneration you'd need them to be higher. If the device interferes with that process I could see the oil dilution issue becoming worse on a car with this device installed.
Ron
2016 D4 TDV6
IIDTool BT
- Chrismcnaz
- Member Since: 03 Oct 2017
- Location: Over Yonder.
- Posts: 193
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Interesting reading.
I always thought that plug in "tuning boxes" were not good for a diesel engine as they just increased the fuel rail and injector pressure which wore the injectors out prematurely. Obviously they have moved on a bit over the years since I was told this, your D4 doing 110,000 miles would have probably been through a couple of sets of injectors in that time.
- D5chipped
- Member Since: 18 Aug 2018
- Location: UK
- Posts: 5
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I don’t know of any tuning box that will change gearbox shift parameters. Most engine remaps don’t even do this.
The only parts my D4 had replaced in its 110k Miles was brakes. No injectors. The last 35k miles were done on max box settings. The difference in performance, chipped, was very profound.
My first chipped car was the 2l Mondeo, I only did about 10k miles in it, but my parents did a further 190k chipped miles and it’s 3rd owner drove it away. This car only ever had brakes and exhaust and multiple handbrake cables. No injectors.
Both my BMWs did 75k miles and again only ever had brakes. I actually think the 520d only ever had 2 quick services, one was done hot while I waited, it had something called a “long life” service package.
My wife did about 30k in her chipped Freelander 2. No replacement parts.
All I can say is that after 350k chipped miles, in 5 different vehicles, I’ve had no issues. Nor can I find many “a chip killed my car” threads on the net. I can confirm that the chips I’ve had did exactly what they say re performance, but they don’t give you any fuel saving, if you use the extra performance.
All my cars have been dealer serviced, minus the chip! and no issues raised.
I’ve always told my insurers and mostly this adds between £0 - 40/yr. Seems to add nothing if you start it during a policy, not at renewal.
In all cases my previous chips have taken 0.7 to 1.0 sec off 0-60 times. But that’s not the real story; higher mid range torque allows significantly improved acceleration, subject to gearbox response. This is where the D5 is disappointing. Today I did 250 miles with a lot of country overtakes, In auto, the deceptive driving dynamics of the D5 didn’t make the chipped difference very clear, but once I changed to flappy paddles and sat in 3 or 4th ready before overtake, the chipped acceleration, using the chip box in default settings, was all you needed. 50-80 was very quick, leaving you to deal with braking and the very ungainly weight transfer that the D5 seems to suffer. It misses the the weight of the D4!
- IndusD4
- Member Since: 28 Jan 2018
- Location: Sydney
- Posts: 698
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The in gear acceleration of my TD6 is hardly disappointing, In fact I find it very quick. But then again I had a D4 TDV6 2.7 before.
Comparing acceleration of a BMW 520 with a Discovery is comparing chalk and cheese. The BMW weights 1750kg, my Disco is still nearly 2300kg. Fill the boot of the 520 with 500kg of sand and then see what its in gear acceleration is like.
Having had a 2007 Pathfinder with DPF I know oil dilution is happing in other cars as well - when I sold it the oil level on the dipstick had gone from middle to max since the last service 3 months prior. It seems just that the D5 is monitoring it and tells you before it becomes an issue.
Ron
2016 D4 TDV6
IIDTool BT
- Russell
- Member Since: 26 Jun 2016
- Location: Lydd
- Posts: 1102
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D5chipped wrote:
I’ve done about 150 miles so far. Roads have been very busy so not had great opportunity to judge difference in performance with box fitted. But I would say one of the biggest downsides to the D5 is its extremely sluggish gearbox. Acceleration is strong, but only after you wait for the box to respond. The single turbo may also be a factor. The D5 responds much slower than the D4 with its twin turbos.
Think I would be taking the car back to the dealers as that does not sound right. The gearbox on mine is excellent, better than the D4 by a long way, only time it seems odd is the first few miles after I have towed the tin tent for a while as the gearbox has to re- learn without carvan in tow
Namib Orange 1st Edition with black roof and wheels.
Privacy, tow bar, drive pack, surround camera, heated front & rear seats, auto dim door mirrors, side steps, remote Pro, RSE, arm rest fridge dash cam front and rear.
- D5chipped
- Member Since: 18 Aug 2018
- Location: UK
- Posts: 5
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I was never comparing acceleration with my prior vehicle examples, just their absence of running or maintenance issues with chips fitted.
I’ve now done 1000 miles with the chip fitted in the D5. I’ve only made one adjustment, from factory setting C5, to C9. At some point I will try the D map which pushes the torque to 700nm.
Setting C9 seems to really suit the car. Very smooth and stops the car needing to change down a gear mid corner if you are early on the accelerator.
I’ve yet to retest 0-60 but the car at 1k miles was taking 8.8sec compared to 7.7sec claimed!
The car is now 6wks old and over 3k miles.
