Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS CHIP TUNING AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
Every vehicle with an electronic injection engine (petrol or diesel) has an ECU (engine control unit), also known as the computer. This contains data that holds your vehicle settings for ignition, injection, air/fuel ratio, throttle control, torque management and much more, which were set in the factory when the car was produced. We’re able to reprogramme these settings in your ECU for better performance, power, torque and/or fuel economy – this is known as: chip tuning, remapping, ECU tuning, ECU reprogramming, ECU software upgrading.
WHAT WILL I NOTICE AFTER MY TU MEKE ECU TUNE?
Instantly noticeable increases in power and torque
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Better acceleration
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Improved throttle response
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Smoother power delivery
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Better fuel economy (on most engines)
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A vehicle that’s much more fun to drive!
CAN YOU TUNE MY ENGINE IF IT HAS EXISTING MODIFICATIONS?
Yes, we can tune your ECU to your existing vehicle modifications. Please mention your car’s modifications when booking in.
CAN YOU TUNE MY ENGINE IF THE ECU HAS ALREADY BEEN TUNED BY ANOTHER COMPANY?
The simple answer is yes, no problem. Please mention your previous tune when booking in.
DOES MY CAR NEED TO BE RUN ON THE DYNO?
Some ECU tuning can be performed without the use of the dyno. However, depending on the vehicle, ECU type and extent of the modification (if any) we may recommend dyno tuning. If the vehicle modifications are basic, such as exhaust system and air intake – the dyno may not be required but optional when available
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
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Chip tuning (come to us) 4 hours – 1 day typically
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Chip tuning (with dyno) 1-2 days when available
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Mail order: We aim for same day turn around, but best to allow 24 hours plus delivery.
WILL IT MAKE THE ENGINE LIFE SHORTER?
No. All of our ECU tunes work within parameters set by the vehicle manufacturer. Put simply, our tunes won’t over stress your engine as it already has the ability to make more power but is detuned from the factory.
CAN MY ECU BE PUT BACK TO FACTORY SETTINGS?
We’re confident you’ll never want to, but yes, Tu Meke Motors ECU tunes are totally reversible. We keep a copy of your original tune on our secure backup server should you ever want to revert back to the factory tune at any time. This is free of charge for 3 years from the date of your tune, see our warranty page for more info.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MY NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY?
It’s globally known that chip tuning or remapping of any kind is not permitted by the vehicle manufacturers. Does this stop anyone? Hell no!
In New Zealand, depending on who your vehicle dealer is, some will actively allow or discretely endorse professional chip tuning. How do we know this? Because we chip tune for some of the major brands on new vehicles. They want to keep their customers happy, so would prefer the job done professionally and safely rather than have their customers seek a non-trustworthy source for performance gains.
So what happens at service time if my ECU is tuned by Tu Meke Motors ? Nothing unusual. You get the service done as per routine. Our programming is undetected. Due to the way we programme your vehicle’s ECU, our chip tuning is undetectable by the dealers factory tools. So there is nothing to worry about during vehicle service.
If the ECU was forensically tested (by someone like us), it may be revealed that the ECU is modified. Would the dealer go to all that trouble? No, they just want to get the car serviced and out the door. A Tu Meke Motors tune gives the dealer no reason to go looking for trouble.
BETTER FIGURES FROM OTHER TUNERS?
Some tuning companies quote higher power gains than we do, but these figures are very often unrealistic. If they prove to be true, an engine that is subject to that level of tune is likely to become unreliable or damaged, quite quickly.
A TU MEKE MOTORS remap aims to improve the driving characteristics as well as safely gain power, so we would urge caution if a tuner claims bigger gains in performance on every equivalent conversion we offer.
Our biggest strength is in the back up support we also have In New Zealand Australia Dubai And the UK so this helps us to providing a top-quality service and also confidentially provide tuning files to many makes and models Cars, Utes ,Vans ,Campers ,Trucks ,Jet skis
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR FUTURE ECU SOFTWARE UPDATES AT THE DEALERSHIP?
We choose not to protect or encrypt our tuning maps, meaning the dealer can still make any factory updates to your ECU software if required (such as a global safety recall or similar) .If your ECU software is updated by the dealer, we will reinstate our tuned software (incorporating the dealer update) free of charge for up to 3 years if returned to Tu Meke Motors premises . Once new vehicle warranty has ended, it is highly unlikely your vehicle will receive any factory update. Vehicle / ECU must be brought (or sent) to us. We do not cover freight or transportation costs. See our Guarantee page.
HOW DO I REMOVE MY OWN ECU FOR MAIL ORDER?
We can help you with the ECU removal procedure for your vehicle, please feel free to contact us
CHIP TUNING VS “TUNING BOX”
So called Tuning Box’s and Chip Modules trick the ECU via sensor interception and manipulation into raising the common rail, turbo pressure or pedal profile. They are a plug in and leave in device, meaning it has to remain connected to work. They’re sold under many names and some companies try to make them sound like they’re doing the same job as an ECU remap – they’re not!
DOES MY CAR NEED TO BE TESTED ON THE ROAD AFTER DYNO TUNING?
A road test is advisable after a dyno tuning or tuning via remap session – if your vehicle is road legal. On the road, we perform a few more tests and adjustments to ensure you get the perfect tune.