Volkswagen Golf 8 2.0 TDI
150 hp and 360 Nm as standard, 195 hp and 430 Nm at Stage 1. Diesel.
Home › Engine remapping
Dyno developed · Custom mappingEngine remapping, developed and measured on our dyno
Powerconcept has been optimising engines since 1995, in Nivelles, Belgium. Our difference fits in one sentence: we develop our own maps and measure them on our own dyno, instead of uploading a generic file bought elsewhere. Your vehicle is measured before, developed, then measured again, and you leave with both curves. That development work does not only serve our workshop: our files are used by workshops in 18 countries.
What is engine remapping?
Your engine is governed by an ECU holding maps: tables of values that decide, at every moment, how much fuel is injected, how much boost is produced and how far the ignition is advanced. The manufacturer sets them with wide margins, because the same engine has to cope with uneven fuel quality, neglected servicing and very different climates, and because the same mechanical base has to cover several power levels across the range.
Remapping, also called chiptuning or engine tuning, means rewriting those tables to use the margin that is there, without going beyond what the mechanics can take. We work on injection, boost, ignition and torque management. We never touch emissions systems, and we keep the manufacturer's safeties and protections in place: they are what makes the result last.
The levels
Stage 1 or Stage 2: which one for your vehicle?
The difference is not about ambition, it is about mechanics. Stage 1 works on the software of a strictly standard vehicle. Stage 2 assumes parts have been changed, and the map is then developed for those parts. We advise the stage that genuinely suits your vehicle and your use, and we turn down the one that does not.
Stage 1
Software only
On a standard vehicle
- No mechanical modification
- The best gain to reliability ratio
- Measured before and after on our dyno
- What the vast majority of our customers choose
Stage 2
Software and parts
Map developed for your parts
- Sports exhaust or intake already fitted
- Map matched to the actual hardware
- Validated on the dyno before handover
- Studied case by case
Database
The gains, measured on our dyno
Six engines commonly seen in Belgium, with standard power and torque, then the figures targeted at Stage 1. These come from our database of more than 13 000 engines, the one our configurator queries: they are development values, not headline percentages. On your vehicle, the figure that counts is the one from your own dyno run.
BMW 320d (G2x)
190 hp and 400 Nm as standard, 220 hp and 480 Nm at Stage 1. Diesel.
Audi A4 B9 2.0 TDI
150 hp and 320 Nm as standard, 190 hp and 420 Nm at Stage 1. Diesel.
Peugeot 308 1.5 BlueHDi
130 hp and 300 Nm as standard, 160 hp and 360 Nm at Stage 1. Diesel.
Renault Clio 5 1.0 TCe
100 hp and 160 Nm as standard, 125 hp and 200 Nm at Stage 1. Petrol.
Mercedes Sprinter 316 CDI
163 hp and 360 Nm as standard, 200 hp and 440 Nm at Stage 1. Diesel.
What those figures change behind the wheel is felt mostly between 1 500 and 3 000 rpm: pick-up is sharper, tall gears become usable, and pulling away on a hill or under load no longer calls for a downshift.
Which vehicles?
We work on five families, and each has its own priorities.
- Car: petrol, diesel and hybrid. What matters is low-end torque and the disappearance of throttle lag.
- Truck and van: economy at work. Our "Eco" direction goes for fuel consumption before peak power.
- Tractor and farm machinery: torque under load and fuel used per task, over a narrow rev range.
- Motorcycle: injection and ignition, to remove hesitation and flat spots. Our dyno is built for cars, so two-wheelers are not dyno tested.
- Boat and jet ski: response on the water, studied case by case.
How it works
From your enquiry to the road
Allow half a day for a Stage 1, both dyno runs included. Some recent ECUs have to be unlocked first: we usually do that on site, and a few specific references require the ECU to be sent away, which means about three days off the road. We check your version and tell you before the work, not after.
1
Diagnosis and quote
Electronic read-out of the vehicle, check that no faults are present, advice on the right stage. The quote is free and without obligation.
2
Standard dyno run
Your vehicle is strapped onto our rolling road. We measure the real power and torque of your engine, which are not always the ones on the manufacturer's data sheet.
3
Backup and development
The original file is saved and archived, then the map is developed for your engine, in progressive and controlled steps.
4
Optimised run and road test
A second measurement under the same conditions, a road test, then both curves and the dyno report are handed over.
Reliability, warranty and going back to standard
A remap damages an engine when it ignores mechanical limits. Ours stops at those limits: we keep the ECU protections, we respect the admissible pressure, temperature and torque thresholds, and we turn down requests that fall outside that frame. That is also why we measure: a smooth curve, with no spike and no hollow, is the sign of work that will last.
Your original map is saved before any work and archived with us. Going back to standard is possible at any time and is part of the service: before a resale, before a dealer visit, or simply if the result does not suit you. Our maps carry a 5 year warranty. The manufacturer's warranty, on the other hand, is a matter to settle with your dealer: a change to the engine software can be held against it, and we would rather tell you beforehand than afterwards. Do tell your insurer as well, that is the rule.
Remapping and fuel consumption
An engine that has torque earlier needs fewer revs for the same work. On an everyday journey, driven without changing your habits, that often shows up as lower consumption. If you use the extra performance, it will not move. That is why fleets and the farming world ask us for an "Eco" direction rather than maximum power.
E85 conversion
On a petrol engine there is another route than performance: running on bioethanol, markedly cheaper at the pump and partly renewable. The adaptation is done through the map, with no piggyback box in between.
Frequently asked questions
How long does engine remapping take?
Allow half a day for a Stage 1, both dyno runs included. Some recent ECUs need to be unlocked first: in the great majority of cases we do that in our workshop, with no extra delay. A few specific references require the ECU to be sent away, which then means about three days off the road. We check your version and confirm it before any work.
Can a dealer detect a remap?
A properly equipped workshop can compare the software present with the original version. We hide nothing: your original map is saved and can be restored at any time, for instance before a dealer visit or a resale.
What is the difference between remapping and a tuning box?
A tuning box sits between the sensors and the ECU and feeds it falsified values: the engine works blind, outside its own tables. Remapping changes the tables themselves, inside the ECU, with its protections still active. That is why we do not fit boxes. Tuning box or remapping
Can the original software be restored?
Yes, always. Your original file is archived with us. Restoring it is a simple operation and it is part of the service.
Does it damage the engine?
Not if the mechanical limits are respected. We keep the ECU protections and the admissible pressure, temperature and torque thresholds, and we measure the result on the dyno: a smooth curve is the sign of a setting that will hold. A poorly maintained engine, on the other hand, has to be put right first, and the preliminary diagnosis is there to say so.
Does the vehicle need a new roadworthiness test?
No, a remap does not trigger a new test. The vehicle must of course remain compliant: we never touch emissions systems, and the emissions check goes as before. If power is stated on your registration document, discuss it with your insurer.
What is the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2?
Stage 1 works on the software only, on a strictly standard vehicle. Stage 2 assumes parts have already been changed, an exhaust or an intake for instance, and the map is then developed for that precise hardware. Stage 1 or Stage 2
Do you work on hybrids and recent locked ECUs?
Yes for hybrids. As for the locked ECUs that appeared after 2020 on many makes, petrol and diesel alike, they need to be unlocked first, which in the great majority of cases we do on site. BMW and Mini locked ECUs
Is engine remapping legal in Belgium?
Yes, as long as the vehicle remains compliant. We never touch emissions systems and we keep the manufacturer's safeties in place. Do tell your insurer about the modification: that is the rule, and it avoids any argument after an incident.
Where to find us
Powerconcept, rue du Commerce 13, 1400 Nivelles, Belgium. Phone: +32 67 21 17 77. We work by appointment, Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. Drivers come to us from all over Walloon Brabant, from Brussels, Charleroi and Namur, and our dyno is on site.
What is your project?
Tell us your vehicle and your goal: we will advise the right stage, with a free quote and no obligation.