Should I Do It

[MacXC60T5]

2001 V70T5 SE 40k. Want to add that little extra umph! What is the best road to travel down and who do I see. Hav,nt got a clue about re-chipping or where I get it done or what its going to cost and will I notice the difference.
Have noticed when I give it some stick the exhaust note does not seem to change tone to a health roar, or am I asking the impossible or talking like a ----t. The T5 has a factory fitted self levelling system fitted will that make any difference to road handling.
All replies appreciated.

[Tomcat]

There are better people than me on here to explain this to you, especially after this much beer, however...... Volvo Tuning in Bromsgrove can do an ECU upgrade that can take the power upto either 280bhp or 310bhp.

[pookie]

Well thats at least two of us who can shoot an arrow !

Cheers

Pookie

[MattV70]

Well thats at least two of us who can shoot an arrow !

3! I haven't got around to joining the local club yet but when i get the chance I'll be back at it.

Privateparts - I agree with Tomcat and i'd suggest either calling or visiting Volvo Tuning in Bromsgrove. I haven't got around to having mine chipped yet but I've been in a couple of cars that have had the 310bhp remap, and i can tell you there is a very noticable difference!

Hamish or Nat will be able to give you a better idea of price, but in terms of extra BHP for you £££ there isn't anything better! It only takes about 30 - 40 mins to get there from Leam too!

Cheers

Matt

[Wobbly Dave]

Miltec cat-back is a good solution to giving your 70 a bit more of a voice when making progress and it is not noisy when pootling about.

Handling - @ 40K you shouldnt need to change the dampers. Ride-height will remain constant with the nivomats - that's the point of self-levelling so I wouldnt worry about changing your springs - in any case it is only the rear of the car that is affected. You might wanna get the anti-roll bar drop links sorted/checked?

I believe you can get a strut brace for the phase 2, to stiffen the front.

As they said :stupid: Remapping the car will give it new legs and for you I'd heartily recommend having a chat with Adam/Hamish. They can supply the miltec too.

[MacXC60T5]

3! I haven't got around to joining the local club yet but when i get the chance I'll be back at it.

Privateparts - I agree with Tomcat and i'd suggest either calling or visiting Volvo Tuning in Bromsgrove. I haven't got around to having mine chipped yet but I've been in a couple of cars that have had the 310bhp remap, and i can tell you there is a very noticable difference!

Hamish or Nat will be able to give you a better idea of price, but in terms of extra BHP for you £££ there isn't anything better! It only takes about 30 - 40 mins to get there from Leam too!

Cheers

Matt
Just got a price of £590.00 for a re-map from bromsgrove. being a rank amature at tuning since the old mini cooper days I was amazed at the cost works out at £17.00 for each 1 bhp. I am begining to think it aint worth it.
I am happy with the way it performs all my other T5,s and T6,s have been Geartronic and present T5 is manual. I still have the urge to upgrade but £590 seems a lot for a PC upgrade.
I have given it some stick on a track and I find the manual box 100% improvement. I may look at the exhaust system in the very near future. I do however thank you for your advice.

[Engineer]

Well that’s a little bit of a silly question to ask on the VPCUK :wink: try to attend a few meets talk to peeps and get a ride or drive in as many modified cars as possible then decide what suits you best, I then doubt your car will remain standard :)

[volvotuning]

It's £531 inc VAT with the 10% discount for members of this forum.

Also, exhausts systems are extremely poor value in terms of bhp / £ because you get almost zero power gain for say £300-500.

Adam.

[bish789]

Even the 280 transformed my car, wish I'd gone the extra mile and gone 310.

Plus it would sound so much better when some pretentious a******e says "My Audi TT has 200+ H.P. and was only £20K". You can then say in your best James Bond voice, "Strange, I hope my starter motor wouldn't cost that much if I had to replace it, but with a 310 h.p. car, it just might"

[MattV70]

Just got a price of £590.00 for a re-map from bromsgrove. being a rank amature at tuning since the old mini cooper days I was amazed at the cost works out at £17.00 for each 1 bhp. I am begining to think it aint worth it.

As Adam says, you'll struggle to get a better £ per bhp ratio than that, unless you go for a cheap mod that only gives you a couple of ponies. If you consider a car such as the focus RS, my mate's been quoted over £600 to get an extra 25 - 30 hp with the bluefin chip, and then for another £400 he'll get another 10 - 15 with a full exhaust system.

Maths have never been my strong point but the Rica chip is nearly half the price, and gives the same, if not better results that both the Ford chip and exhaust together!

You'll struggle on any modern electronic engine to gain big bhp with very little cost.

[Wobbly Dave]

Just got a price of £590.00 for a re-map from bromsgrove. being a rank amature at tuning since the old mini cooper days I was amazed at the cost works out at £17.00 for each 1 bhp. I am begining to think it aint worth it.
I am happy with the way it performs. All my other T5,s and T6,s have been Geartronic and present T5 is manual. I still have the urge to upgrade but £590 seems a lot for a PC upgrade.

Worth every penny IMHO. How long has it been since your old mini cooper days. Think that the technology has moved on a bit since the stuff that used to be made around the corner from me.

Gonna try and find the quoted figures for the other remaps to give you pound for power comparison.

[Wobbly Dave]

Initially I couldn't find the quoted figs for TME remap figs for phase 2 V70, but it costs £435 @ kalmar union. (excluding VAT)
http://www.kalmar-union.com/engine_volvo_v70_s60.html
There are no quoted figs for it, there.

If we assume 247bhp peak @ the crank for your car as stock (which it may or may not be)

BSR PPC stage 1 is quoted on http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=28_270_422&products_id=2363

as + 52bhp/+55Nm for £559.00 (we'll give them the extra 3 bhp)

TME upgrade (out of the box)
Found the TME figs -

http://www.ipdusa.com/pdf/ipd_performance_upgrade_99_02_turbo.pdf










2001 V70 T5 manual trans









Stock: 247 HP, 243 lbs. / ft. torque


Upgraded: 280 HP, 302 lbs. / ft. torque


Gain is 33 bhp





RICA Figs www.volvotuninguk.com (http://www.volvotuninguk.com)


According to quoted figures
RICA will make 310 bhp/ 430Nm - so call it 63bhp gain.


In summary (based on undiscounted figures)
V70 T5 2001 MT
TME - 435/33 = £13.18 per bhp (£15.48 inc Vat)
BSR PPC - 559/49 = £11.40
RICA - 590/63 = £9.36

According to Adam
RICA inc VPCUK discount would be 531/63 = £8.43 (inc VAT)


So I am not sure where you get 17 quid/bhp from and in any case all of the above is irrelevant.


For a kick off - all these figs are quoted figs and subject to age, condition, mileage of your vehicle and so so many factors on the vehicle in question - so you may not make book figs.


Second peak bhp is a mathematical function of engine torque and rpm and as a peak figure is only made at 1 point on the rev range - so unless your car runs at that point all the time (I think you can see where I am going with this) peak bhp is irrelevant (other than down the pub)


What you want is a map that will deliver a flat torque curve that stays high, smooth and flat all the way until the rpm (and momentum) of the engine can pick up the power - giving you car universal acceleration through out its rev range/gears


Go forth and try them. I like the RICA - have used it on many occasions - others prefer TME and BSR. I have limited experience with the other maps, so really cant say which is best.


Use the same dyno (before and after) measure the difference - only then will you truly know what you power per pound is.

[Enigma666]

Lets face it, tuning is never cheap but you will deffinately find that the RICA (or alternative) is the cheapest method of big increases, next u is new turbo etc for big increases and you need a remap to take full advantage of that anyways so just do it...u know u want to.
I had my T4 done by VT....total cost including an ITG was £515 if i remember correctly and i am well chuffed with it, just wish they did a bigger increase :(

[SaffronC70]

http://www.mte.se/?mP=3&sP=8&sId=61

MTE is another alternative.

Chris

[volvotuning]

Can't find the TME remap figs for phase 2, but it costs £435

£435 + VAT according to the web site.

= £511 inc VAT.

Adam.

[Wobbly Dave]

MTE is another alternative.

Chris

Sorry Chris I thought TME and MTE were one and the same - is this not the case?

Forive my ignorance - if it is diffierent - do you know what the gains are and what the price is via a UK distributor?

[Wobbly Dave]

£435 + VAT according to the web site.

= £511 inc VAT.

Adam.

Sorry Ad, but is the £590 inclusive or exclusive of VAT?

[volvotuning]

Our ECU prices are always inclusive. £590 inc VAT retail, and £531 inc VAT with the VPCUK discount for the Phase 2 stuff.

Adam.

[Wobbly Dave]

Do you supply BSR PPC for Phase 2 stuff? (I know you have it for the phase 1). If so how much and are the book figs any different to those I found? I am not asking this question for myself but for the enlightenment of VPCUK members.

[Enigma666]

Adam, is there a reduction for members ont he Stage II T4 option at all?

[volvotuning]

Adam, is there a reduction for members ont he Stage II T4 option at all?

There is on ECU upgrades, but not on the exhaust systems.

Adam.

[Wobbly Dave]

According to my sources, BSR PPC is sold at a flat rate throughout the UK and the distributors are not allowed to discount it. Hence the only difference will be the manner in which it is installed. i.e. some will have premises - some via post etc etc.

[Wobbly Dave]

Reading more thoroughly through the pdf from IPDUSA on the TME upgrade it appears that the quoted figures are only available if you buy their exhaust upgrade at the same time...





Models we can now upgrade listed on the next page:



Note: All specs shown for upgraded models are with an ECU and Sport exhaust. If you choose to add an


ECU upgrade without an exhaust upgrade, deduct 10 units from the HP and torque specs shown below.
For best results we highly recommend that all ECU upgrades be accompanied by our sport exhaust
systems, especially if your car is driven hard under hi loads for long duration. (You know who you are!)


10bhp less without the exhaust... Revised book figs therefore (without exhaust are)
270bhp/292 lbs/ft torque
Gain is 23bhp
511/23 = £22.21 per bhp

[Mrsmopp]

My advise? Forget the number crunching and working out how many pennies each tuner can save you as its all relative to your cars condition anyway and so the figures are just guides - take a couple of remapped cars out at a meet, research your preferred product so you know what you are getting and then get it booked in!!!

x

[Wobbly Dave]

:stupid:

That's what I think too. But I've put the numbers together for the sake of it. Sorry if this gives the wrong emphasis.

As I said above

in any case all of the above is irrelevant.


For a kick off - all these figs are quoted figs and subject to age, condition, mileage of your vehicle and so so many factors on the vehicle in question - so you may not make book figs.

Second peak bhp is a mathematical function of engine torque and rpm and as a peak figure is only made at 1 point on the rev range - so unless your car runs at that point all the time (I think you can see where I am going with this) peak bhp is irrelevant (other than down the pub)


What you want is a map that will deliver a flat torque curve that stays high, smooth and flat all the way until the rpm (and momentum) of the engine can pick up the power - giving you car universal acceleration through out its rev range/gears


Go forth and try them. I like the RICA - have used it on many occasions - others prefer TME and BSR. I have limited experience with the other maps, so really cant say which is best.

Use the same dyno (before and after) measure the difference - only then will you truly know what you power per pound is.

[Mrsmopp]

:stupid:

That's what I think too.



Great minds......Cept yours is always that little more complicated and less straight to the point ;)

x

[Wobbly Dave]

and I cook too!

Think we can agree that the suck it and see approach is best.