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Does Chiptuning Save Fuel? What to Really Expect

Key takeaways
  • A remap can improve economy on some turbo diesels, but it is never guaranteed.
  • Auto Express reports claims of 7 to 10 per cent on turbo diesels, and warns that economy can also get worse.
  • Any saving disappears if you use the extra power often.
  • Do not tune for fuel savings alone. Measure your own MPG before and after.

Some tuners promise more power and lower fuel bills at the same time. It sounds too good to be true, and sometimes it is. Here is when a remap can save fuel and when it will not.

Why a remap can save fuel

Factory settings are a compromise between power, emissions, smoothness and cost. A good remap can add torque at low revs, so the engine does less work to hold a speed. You can stay in a higher gear for longer and use less throttle to pull away.

On diesels, adjusting injection timing and pressure can also help the engine burn fuel more completely when cruising. This is why most economy claims come from turbo diesels, where Auto Express reports figures of 7 to 10 per cent.

When it will not

Many newer engines are already tuned tightly for emissions and efficiency, so there is little spare efficiency left to unlock. A performance tune may even use more fuel at full load, and a cheap tune that simply adds fuel will make heat and smoke rather than savings.

Your right foot matters most. If you enjoy the extra power and use it often, you will burn more fuel, because more power needs more energy.

How to check on your own car

Before the remap, fill the tank, note the mileage, and repeat for three or four tanks on your normal routes. Do the same after the remap, in similar weather and traffic. Compare miles per gallon worked out from fuel and distance, not the figure on the dashboard.

If economy is your goal, tell the tuner. An economy focused map is a different job from a power map.

The bottom line

Treat any fuel saving as a bonus, not a reason to tune. A remap rarely pays for itself in fuel alone, so weigh it against the price in our cost guide and choose a workshop carefully.

Sources: Auto Express and Dyno Chiptuning Files.

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