RS Tuner - Pros & Cons ?

[Siddle]

Hiya guys,

I was looking into treating myself this Christmas (& Birthday!) and getting myself an RS Tuner.

I know all the details regarding buying second hand and unlocking etc.. but the main things i was wanting to know are what're the Pros & Cons of mapping your car?

It just seems a little too good to be true to be able to map your car on a regular basis without any consequence. otherwise surely Renault would have done it themselves? (forgive me if i'm being daft and missing something)

I would be planning on running the Performance Map (or 98ron map - are they the same?) for the majority of the time, but from time to time changing it over to pops and bangs/overrun for funsies when i go out to play.

SO - just wondering -

1. Disadvantages to mapping - i've heard about losing cruise control for instance.

2. Disadvantages to mapping & remapping on a regular basis - e.g - 98ron --> overrun. overrun --> 98ron

Any help and advice would be appreciated!

And like i said, forgive me if i'm being stupid and missing something dead simple ha ha.

Thanks in advance,

Matt

 

[imprezaworks]

Just buy one, by far the best pound per mod i have done.

 

[M@tt_182]

Loads of people rave about the RS Tuner however I don't think it does much at all. The biggest benefit for me is the higher idle on startup, it's solved all my cold start issues. I've noticed a very small difference on the rev range and it now revs into the redline (pointless). I'm also using standard 95 Ron on the 98 Ron map and it works fine with no issues.

I've more than likely set myself up for some abuse from the RS Tuner fan club but that's my opinion.

 

[yeecup]

Iv got one but still havent got round to using it

 

[Siddle]

Just buy one, by far the best pound per mod i have done.

haha! i want to!

but i love my car more than my left bolluck.. (that's the bigger one)

so i don't want to rush into something and ruin it.

 

[imprezaworks]

Well thats good to know lol. I was the same but looking back its a piece of pish.

 

[Joe R26]

You've been misinformed! You don't lose cruise control. It simply doesn't work the first time you start your car after mapping. Switch the switch on then off then restart your car and it works perfect lol.

And regarding mapping the 98ron then overrun map and vice versa, I've chopped and changed between them all including standard and I can't see any disadvantages apart from the fact it leaves a log on your ecu every time you map it so mine has about 6 logs ATM lol.

 

[scotty10]

Well thats good to know lol. I was the same but looking back its a piece of pish.

see this ive read but what if you do make a james blunt of it

 

[scotty10]

You've been misinformed! You don't lose cruise control. It simply doesn't work the first time you start your car after mapping. Switch the switch on then off then restart your car and it works perfect lol.

And regarding mapping the 98ron then overrun map and vice versa, I've chopped and changed between them all including standard and I can't see any disadvantages apart from the fact it leaves a log on your ecu every time you map it so mine has about 6 logs ATM lol.

what do you mean overrun.....going back to standard

 

[Knuckles]

im sure its an isolated incident but im sure someone recently 'locked' their car by f**king up a map... but thats one person in the amount of people who use these lol

 

[Siddle]

what do you mean overrun.....going back to standard

Overrun is the pops and bangs map as far as I'm aware mate!

Do you lads recommend it for just day to day use too..?

Because I don't technically NEED the power benefits as I won't be doing track days etc.

 

[Chip-mk1]

The 98 RON fastchip map is miles nicer on a day to day basis than the standard map.

The over-run ONLY makes noise over 4K rpm, so doesnt effect you in normal driving.

No harm swapping the map as often as you want, its only a data file.

 

[scotty10]

so the standard 98 ron map how does that effect mpg because this cold weather is making my car thirsty got the heating on full all of the time wouldnt like it to be much worse

 

[Chip-mk1]

so the standard 98 ron map how does that effect mpg because this cold weather is making my car thirsty got the heating on full all of the time wouldnt like it to be much worse

Marginally better if anything mate, certainly no worse. (unless the fact it responds so much better makes you get tempted into booting it more often!)

 

[scotty10]

The 98 RON fastchip map is miles nicer on a day to day basis than the standard map.

The over-run ONLY makes noise over 4K rpm, so doesnt effect you in normal driving.

No harm swapping the map as often as you want, its only a data file.

silly question i take it you dont need an internet connection for loading the maps......i had to ask

 

[Carbon-Rain]

I bought mine from new with the 98 Ron map and have found the car to drive better and much smoother. The mpg is better and the difference in the throttle response is very noticeable. Just make sure you read the instructions a couple of times before doing anything and follow them to the letter and you will have no problems.

 

[Siddle]

The 98 RON fastchip map is miles nicer on a day to day basis than the standard map.

The over-run ONLY makes noise over 4K rpm, so doesnt effect you in normal driving.

No harm swapping the map as often as you want, its only a data file.

are you on commission for these Chip?

i'm well and truly sold, ha!

i'll be looking for one as soon as possible really.

i know everyone normally buys second hand, but buying brand new doesn't seem TOO much more expensive. do people buy the maps or just get them emailed?

 

[imprezaworks]

Emailed ftw

 

[DaveDreads]

Loads of people rave about the RS Tuner however I don't think it does much at all. The biggest benefit for me is the higher idle on startup, it's solved all my cold start issues. I've noticed a very small difference on the rev range and it now revs into the redline (pointless). I'm also using standard 95 Ron on the 98 Ron map and it works fine with no issues.

I've more than likely set myself up for some abuse from the RS Tuner fan club but that's my opinion.

Do you not think that this may be the reason you've not noticed much difference?

I'm running the 98Ron map, have been for years, if I run my car on 95 it runs like utter sh*t.

Maybe put the OEM map back on for a day, then go back to your 98Ron RST & Cal files,
I did this as I was so use to the Fastchip map i'd forgotten what it was like before,
it felt like the car was broken. lol

If you think the maps crap then that's fine mate, your experience is your own,
but going back to standard for a comparison may be a good idea so you know for sure.

 

[imprezaworks]

Pretty much spot on that. Say you go to get a live map from the likes of rs tunning and get the car mapped on vpower, makes no sense on running the car on std fuel surely?

 

[Martin_172]

Loads of people rave about the RS Tuner however I don't think it does much at all. The biggest benefit for me is the higher idle on startup, it's solved all my cold start issues. I've noticed a very small difference on the rev range and it now revs into the redline (pointless). I'm also using standard 95 Ron on the 98 Ron map and it works fine with no issues.

why would you go to the expense of having your car remapped to run on 98 ron fuel then run it on standard 95???

thats like changing your ditch finder tyres for R888's and saying you dont think they do much at all because it doesnt feel any different on your 0.5 mile 30mph drive to work...

 

[Chip-mk1]

silly question i take it you dont need an internet connection for loading the maps......i had to ask

You need it to put the maps on your laptop. Then you can write it without one.
Make sure your battery has plenty of charge in the laptop and the car, if either go flat part way through writing the map it could brick the ecu potentially.
I always make sure both are on a stabilised power supply (battery charger will do though if you don't happen to have a few hundred quid power supply laying about. Lol )

 

[Chip-mk1]

Loads of people rave about the RS Tuner however I don't think it does much at all. The biggest benefit for me is the higher idle on startup, it's solved all my cold start issues. I've noticed a very small difference on the rev range and it now revs into the redline (pointless). I'm also using standard 95 Ron on the 98 Ron map and it works fine with no issues.

I've more than likely set myself up for some abuse from the RS Tuner fan club but that's my opinion.

When you use 95 Ron it causes detonation. The knock sensor notices this and pulls the timing out and you lose performance as a result.
The occasional cracks of det over time then help the pistons break up if they have any casting flaws near the ring lands (lottery as they as so poorly made that their standard varies) when that happens you eventually lose a bit of compression and economy and performance drop, then after a while longer the engine dies totally.

Its kind of like crossing a road without looking. Do it for long enough and statistically speaking you are likely to regret it eventually.

 

[imprezaworks]

Lol at that analogy, true though

 

[Addicted]

I can't recommend one enough, it truly is worth the money.

I'd write more, but that's really all you need to know.

 

[Gee Man]

Is there a way of finding out if my car has been mapped, it's just so much more responsive than my old 182 used to be??

 

[domjolly]

Don't think it's been mentioned but it completely smoothed out the 5k kick on my phase 1 was much better on start up and much smoother on acceleration

 

[Siddle]

so the 5k kick doesn't exist after mapping, and the 'kick' just happens all the time? (when putting your foot down)


speaking simply of course..

 

[imprezaworks]

The kick happens at 5k bit like vtec yo!. The new map smooths it out so its more free revving so to speak.

 

[r0ss172]

so the standard 98 ron map how does that effect mpg because this cold weather is making my car thirsty got the heating on full all of the time wouldnt like it to be much worse

I think i read somewhere that (if you have climate control) you dont need to put your heating on full, you just need to set the temperature to a comfortable one (mines at 22degrees) and your car wont use as much fuel as it would when your heating is set to max all the time? maybe worth a try.... Same goes for using the A/C in the winter too!

 

[MartinR]

so the 5k kick doesn't exist after mapping, and the 'kick' just happens all the time? (when putting your foot down)


speaking simply of course..

Nope not all the time lol wish it was. it just takes a bit of that "kick" and puts it lower down the rev range. Hence why it makes them more urgent and a smoother power delivery.

Great bit of kit and well worth the money!

 

[Chip-mk1]

The Kick is caused by a poor portion of the map just under 5k, after the map that section then picks up a bit better, so the kick is less obvious.

Ie if you have 150lbft at 5K and 130lbft at 4.5K you feel a kick, if you increase that 130 to be 145 then you wont feel it anymore.

Approx figures for example purproses only.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Is there a way of finding out if my car has been mapped, it's just so much more responsive than my old 182 used to be??

2 ways:

1) Rev it and see if the limiter has increased (not definitive)
2) Pay a tuner to read the file and examine it and decide if its been mapped or not

 

[M@tt_182]

why would you go to the expense of having your car remapped to run on 98 ron fuel then run it on standard 95???

thats like changing your ditch finder tyres for R888's and saying you dont think they do much at all because it doesnt feel any different on your 0.5 mile 30mph drive to work...

I didn't buy it for the 98 RON map, the only thing I wanted was the cold start fix.

When you use 95 Ron it causes detonation. The knock sensor notices this and pulls the timing out and you lose performance as a result.
The occasional cracks of det over time then help the pistons break up if they have any casting flaws near the ring lands (lottery as they as so poorly made that their standard varies) when that happens you eventually lose a bit of compression and economy and performance drop, then after a while longer the engine dies totally.

Its kind of like crossing a road without looking. Do it for long enough and statistically speaking you are likely to regret it eventually.

Long enough being 1k, 10k, 20k? I'm sure a lot of people use 95 RON and have no issues at all. I know your a very knowledgeable chap but I've not come across anyone mention this before?

 

[MartinR]

Is there a way of finding out if my car has been mapped, it's just so much more responsive than my old 182 used to be??

Can also plug any RSTuner in and you can see the software and Cal versions without it being unlocked.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Long enough being 1k, 10k, 20k? I'm sure a lot of people use 95 RON and have no issues at all. I know your a very knowledgeable chap but I've not come across anyone mention this before?

As I said, depends on how lucky you get with piston casting, depends on how well your knock sensor is working etc, impossible to put a figure on it. Plus depends on how you drive too of course, at part throttle it shouldnt be an issue really.

Why would you have heard of it? Even most people who have a problem with it wont know why there car is slowly losing power unless they pull the engine apart to see the broken ringland and even then a lot of them wont realise why.

Its a genuine risk and its entirely up to you if you keep taking it or not. You'll also find on the 98RON map you get better full throttle economy and better performance on the correct fuel.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Can also plug any RSTuner in and you can see the software and Cal versions without it being unlocked.

Not all remaps update those numbers though.

 

[Siddle]

really excited to buy one now by the way boys!

i run my car on either Vpower (if i get chance) or the premium fuel from Total.

i'm assuming it's okay to use anything other than basic fuel & supermarket fuel?

 

[Martin_172]

I didn't buy it for the 98 RON map, the only thing I wanted was the cold start fix.

then use a cold start fix map designed for 95ron fuel, as chip said, running 95 ron fuel on your car and using part throttle etc will be fine, thats what you have to do in the case you cant get 98ron, but driving it quick with 95 ron fuel in it when running a 98 ron fuel map isnt good at all, the reason the rs tuner gets gains it does is partly down to the fact the standard renault map is designed to be run on all fuel qualities, some much worse than we can buy in the UK, but this has now been removed and optimized for our high quality 98 ron fuel, but your not putting that in

 

[Joe R26]

I use tesco momentum 99

If you search on the net I think you'll find it's been tested against vpower and is slightly better