engine tuning kit

Tivoli

just got a box off ebay for tuning up diesel engines for €180, its fitted inline with a few of the engines sensors and adds 30bhp

should i tell my insurance croud?

mike65

Does it actually work? If so you've just changed the insured-spec and so the answer is yes. Of course if its an invisible mod then...er....;)

Mike.

Henry Ford III

You must inform your insurer.

bazz26

Tivoli wrote:

just got a box off ebay for tuning up diesel engines for €180, its fitted inline with a few of the engines sensors and adds 30bhp

should i tell my insurance croud?

Make sure that this tuning box actually does what it says as there are alot of daft devices floating around eBay and the likes claiming miracle power increases but actually do nothing.

If it does do what it claims to do then I would advise informing your insurance company of the modification.

Tivoli

how do insurace companys react to a modified engine, will they just run me

JohnCleary

Please don't tell me it's one of those resistors? That can be bought for about 5c in Maplin

If so, throw it out, will do damage to your engine

If it's a proper box, then please ignore my post

5500

Have you got a link to it on ebay?

Id be more worried that its what it says it is first before even installing it.Its hard to say with your company too,chances are the premium may increase but the only way to find out is ringing them

Tivoli

guy emailed me asking for a load of info about the car, didnt know where to find it, so got a pretty good partial refund

If its what I think it is, judging by the price, Its usually a resistor that tricks the the engine into performing differently by sitting between different senors on the engine. Its about the most ghetto engine modification you can do.

edit: well beaten

Interceptor

A mate of mine has one of these fitted on his A4 diesel and can spin tyres in third when it is at the max. Oh it works alright and you should tell your insurance company, however you will need to provide a report from a garage or auto engineering firm detailing the work and the effect it will have. I personally wouldn't bother but thats just me.

Ebay is also full of people selling a variable resistor which tricks your ECU into thinking the engine is colder than it is and providing a richer mixture - this is worthless and should be avoided.

'cptr

VeVeX

Some of the tuning boxes available on ebay do actually work.

Every time these boxes are mentioned, people that have carried out extensive research and tests into there construction and components seem to pop up from all angles.

There are some that are rubbish granted but if you do your research on particular models you should be able to find a decent one and a good power increase for your money.

Tivoli

this is the guy that was selling it

http://stores.ebay.ie/DIESEL-TUNING-UNITS

zt-OctaviaN

That does look alot like the IAT (Intake Air Temperature) plug and socket to me, in which case a classic mod was a resister which fools the IAT sensor into thinking the engine was taking in cold air, this then causes the engine to run in a cold temperature state e.g. cold morning and that inturn allows the camshafts to lift more to generate expected NORMAL power in COLD conditions at which stage this shuts off when the engine reaches normal running temperature.
But the resistor runs all the time thus you cams lift more all the time thus greater engine wear and shorter life!!! some can causes Pinking which is where detonation occurs at the wrong time and can cause permanent damage to the pistons etc. This may also cause and engine warning light to appear from your Timing sensor.
Im not a mechanic just read a whole load on these things.
n
P.S. it maybe a similar one which fits to the MAS (mass airflow sensor)