After months of deliberation, I’ve decided to treat myself and get the NC1 tuned.
My baby is booked in for this Thursday and I’m slightly embarrassed to admit, but I’m a little excited.
Already fitted to the 2.0ltr (158) sport is a BBR header, a Cobalt rear box and a Pipercross air filter, so hopefully the tune will extract another 10-15hp, but we shall see.
In order to get some measure of the actual gains, rather than just smiles, I’ve been out with the stopwatch this evening.
Not sure if the attached is good, bad or indifferent, but I’ve put down a few times?…. Appreciate it’s not overly accurate, just me with a stopwatch, but if I apply the same level of ham fisted incompetence after the tune, it might give me some idea.
Good luck. I’m eager to see what difference it makes.
Forgive me for being naive but when you say your car is going on for a tune what do you actually mean?
Are you having a new ECU fitted or do the tuners re-map the OE ECU? Or, is it nothing to do with the ECU? If that’s the case what is involved in the tune?
Sorry for all of the questions but enquiring minds (well, mind) want to know.
Thanks for the explanation. Much appreciated.
I wasn’t aware that it was possible to re-map OE ECU so I’ve learnt something new today.
As the saying goes…“every day’s a school day”
I’m pleased to report that the new remap was professionally and successfully installed in just over an hour.
I had read up on people’s reaction to a remap, but honestly, I didn’t know what to expect.
My first impressions were a noticeable change in the power delivery and lower end characteristics of the engine. There is definitely more torque from low revs and that step at 3,000 rpm has now gone. The car now pulls quite happily from 35-40mph in sixth gear. Something it would never have done pre map. This is also noticeable when you’re going up through the gears. There’s a much more linear application of power, rather than the almost ‘off boost’ feeling I always felt below 3,000 rpm.
The exhaust character has also changed slightly. More burbles and pops on the overrun, without making any difference the volume. There is still a bit of a drone (resonance) around 4,000 on motorways, but I can drive around this. 70mph in 6th now comes at 2,900 rpm.
Time has been in short supply since Thursday and that combined with some unusually heavy traffic locally, has made it difficult to do any direct comparisons with the data I recorded last week. I did last night manage to do my first 0-60 using the GPS Race Timer recommended by MACCY (Thank you) and I’m pleased with the initial result.
0-60mph in 7.1 seconds😊 compared with a best of 8.3 (GPS Race Timer, not me with a stopwatch) pre remap. I’ll have another few attempts when conditions allow and maybe, just maybe, I might get something starting with a 6, which would be an amazing result.
I downloaded the same app after reading your post and decided to give it a try last night. I was shocked with the results. My first attempt at 0-60 was a 5.9, and my second attempt was a 5.6! Now I’m not sure how accurate the app is so it would be interesting for others on this forum to try the app too and compare results (where safe to do so of course). My car has the IL Motorsport de-cat exhaust manifold, BBR individual throttle bodies, Cobalt back box and ECUTek tune and setup by BBR.
I’m sure there is a video from BBR showing that a super 200 will do 6 seconds so that makes sense.
Do you have a dyno report on power as I assume you still have standard cams as you have not mentioned it, and would be interested in the sort of power you get?
Yes I received a dyno graph from BBR which stated 218bhp, and that’s without cams. I didn’t really believe the quoted figure of 218bhp but given the 0-60 time, maybe it has? That’s why it would be interesting to see what others achieve with their various mods. Maybe a better test would be say a 30mph to 70mph pull, as the 0-60 is highly dependant on getting the start just right, type of tyres, outside temperatures etc.
They definitely do, and that was my thinking when I decided to go down this route. It’s significant money, but as I installed the ITBs as a DIY kit it helped to bring the cost down. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. They have totally transformed the car in both sound and driveability.
