Which Tuningfan does not dream, if he hears messages over performance increases of 30, 40 or even 50 PS? Exactly that promise chiptuner already from only about 200,00 EUR. However, if you understand something about engines and the automotive industry, then you will certainly doubt. Even for many amateurs it becomes clear with some consideration that a car producer must have good reasons to do without such an increase in performance of his product. An extra power always means more work and so you have to expect at least with faster wear and damage to the engine.
Risks during chip tuning?
The chip tuning achieves its performance improvement by a faster supply of the engine with fuel and air. This already shows two things that you have to consider when you opt for chip tuning for your car: You increase your fuel consumption, which is more expensive because you have to refuel more often and leads to more polluting exhaust gases, and you have the speed of your turbocharger increase to get more air. The turbocharger in your car, however, is built for the speed that the manufacturer has provided for your car. A higher load he does not last in the long run. She destroys his paddle wheels. Also with the additional fuel your engine has its problems. In order to be able to inject it, the injection duration must be extended. This can result in the injection still going on when the piston is already moving downhill again. This leads to overheating and the late-injected fuel flows unburned in the soot filter, or catalyst. In combination with the excessive engine temperatures, this quickly destroys the filter and catalyst.
Other problems occur in the power transmission, the clutch and the transmission, because they have all been tuned in the development exactly to the intended for your engine performance. The first thing that usually suffers is the dual mass flywheel. The increased tensile force presses so much on its damping springs that they are pushed through to the stop and the remaining pressure can not be dampened. In the worst case, the flywheel can even burst. Your engine is so, as soon as you take advantage of the power increase by the chip tuning, often completely overloaded. Nevertheless, there are people who enjoy a chip tuned car for a long time. However, they use the increased power only very carefully and rarely. This requires a lot of self-discipline. Think about whether you have these before you decide for chip tuning for your car.
What not to forget?
Even if you don't see any change on the outside, the chip tuning is a design change that you have to enter in the vehicle documents. Alternatively, you can always have a parts certificate or an installation confirmation from your workshop with you in the car, provided that this is sufficient for your selected product. But if you forget that, you will lose the registration of your car. If you get caught with a non-registered car, you currently have to pay a fine of at least 50 EUR, but you will no longer receive the 3 points from before the point reform. At least whenever nothing happens. If you are caught a second time without the correct papers, you may be banned from driving and further penalties may be imposed. In the event of an accident, your insurance company can reduce your benefits or even seek recourse.
There can also be problems with vehicle tax. If your car was registered before July 1, 2009, everything is fine. Then your tax is only measured according to its displacement and chip tuning does not change anything. But if it was approved after July 1, 2009, the carbon dioxide emissions will also be taxed. This is increased by chip tuning - you will certainly remember the increased exhaust gases due to the higher fuel consumption. Therefore, a new tax assessment is actually required after chip tuning. Unfortunately, chip tuners usually do not take the necessary measurements and you cannot then enter the missing data. But, as is often claimed, one commits one directly Tax evasion? Here is the answer!
