• Brkdncr@lemmy.world
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      23 hours ago

      In many cases there’s no extra wear. I paid $800 for a Ford ecu update that improves engine output but also retains any warranty.

      I bet this has more to do with emissions.

      • DefederateLemmyMl@feddit.nl
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        3 hours ago

        In many cases there’s no extra wear

        You can’t change physics. More HP = more torque = more wear on the whole drive train. Also more boost = more stress on the turbo = it will fail sooner.

        Also, back then, cars with the higher specced variant of the “same” engine almost always had mechanical upgrades compared to the lower specced engine: usually bigger brakes, a stronger clutch, and various other drive train components.

        So while in many cases you could chip your car without much immediate harm, you were definitely cutting into various safety margins determined by automotive engineers who know much better than you and me.

    • SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world
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      22 hours ago

      Nah, some came with a little controller and you could change settings on the fly. The immediate benefit is better fuel economy on almost any mode. All it does is mess with the ecu within its limits. Doesn’t affect warranty and doesn’t cause any more wear.

      • lemming741@lemmy.world
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        22 hours ago

        I know GM and Toyota like to squirrel away a little extra fuel economy and a few extra HP because they don’t think you deserve it.

      • fishos@lemmy.world
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        19 hours ago

        Nope. With tuning you can bypass the safety limits as well. You can easily tune the car to be unsafe or suffer extreme wear.

        • workerONE@lemmy.world
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          18 hours ago

          You can damage a car with bad tuning but that’s not what he’s saying. I think the manufacturer will create an ECU map that delivers safe power, and then they will create a map with less power and then deliver the car with the underperforming map. Then, when you pay, they change to the map with higher performance.

          • fishos@lemmy.world
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            5 hours ago

            And I’m saying “you can have software A or software B(and only those choices - both approved by the manufacturer)”, is not the same as tuning each individual setting and the freedom you have in doing so. Call it what it is, an alternate approved ECU map. Calling it a “tune” is giving them WAY too much credit and overshadows the main point: lack of control. This doesn’t give you control, it takes away and charges you for the privilege.

            People mentioning classic tuning are glossing over the fact that you typically also change parts to accommodate the new tune and the new limits you are pushing. This “new tune” doesn’t do anything but allow the vehicle to do what it always could but was handicapped in software to charge you more for.

            Stop bootlicking and call this scam what it is.

    • workerONE@lemmy.world
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      19 hours ago

      They will probably just switch ECU maps when you pay their subscription, or they’ll have a similar way to perform the same function. Using the accelerator more creates more wear too.