Mercruiser Diesel – Chipping

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davecw000

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Mercruiser Diesel 4.2l (250 hp)

Have seen chips advertised for the above – anyone chipped their engine? – What’s the implications? – Is the Bravo III X leg up to the extra hp etc? – Is there any practical confirmation of better fuel economy? And just what the sales stuff indicate......
Your thoughts please..

Regards
David
 
one of the implications is that the insurance company will need to be informed, as otherwise they might decline any claim, or worse, refuse you cover - which you would then have to declare to other insurers.

They have you over a proverbial barrel, but there may be some discretion if the chipping only increases the power by a small amount.

Best to check with them before you lash out on a new ECU.
 
You could try these people

http://www.dte-diesel-tuning.com/

All systems are plug and play in a few mins, so if warranty work is needed you just unplug them. Over on the Navara forum a lot of us use them, i have the injector, common rail and gearbox tuned, more HP, better MPG and more driveable due to the torque increase.

These are the only company that we have experienced that dont cause the engine to go into limp mode, and VERY few have reported any increase in smoke.
 
There is clearly quite a big market for chipping auto diesels, and some can work quite well, especially if you know the base engine and transmission are designed to take higher outputs. For example BMW do the base 2.0 d in 143 up to 210ish hp, and torque increase to match.
For marine use generally the base engine is already uprated compared with the auto engine.

You could easily check the max torque that the leg is specified to, and this is the key attribute, torque, not power.

My 1.7 CMD's are rated at 120hp in marine format, with the auto version at 85 bhp. I would not up spec these any further.

Do not believe that the chip will increase power, torque and improve fuel consumption. If you increase power and torque, you will be using more fuel.
 
rafiki_ said:
There is clearly quite a big market for chipping auto diesels, and some can work quite well, especially if you know the base engine and transmission are designed to take higher outputs. For example BMW do the base 2.0 d in 143 up to 210ish hp, and torque increase to match.
For marine use generally the base engine is already uprated compared with the auto engine.

You could easily check the max torque that the leg is specified to, and this is the key attribute, torque, not power.

My 1.7 CMD's are rated at 120hp in marine format, with the auto version at 85 bhp. I would not up spec these any further.

Do not believe that the chip will increase power, torque and improve fuel consumption. If you increase power and torque, you will be using more fuel.
Click to expand...


Not sure how that statement works when it has been proven that an increase in fuel is evident, more torque means less right foot or arm in this case, the engine runs more efficiently so will use less fuel, most engines are mapped to cater for all fuels around the world and altitudes, here in the UK our fuel is good compared to other countries.

I assumed by a chip the OP meant plug and play, otherwise we are talking about a remap, a few can be done live using a laptop on the move, others are a cheap generic chip that is soldered onto the ECU, but 99/100 they all improve the drive, power and economy, if not then the diesel remapped BMW owners would not be upsetting the M series owners by out running them...fact:D
 
Having worked in the auto industry for 35 years, and knowing the ammount of effort that goes into maximising the compromise of performance, economy, refinement, reliability and durability, I am constantly amused by the claims of tuners. Yes, they can increase power or torque or fuel consumption, but not all of them. Generally there is a reliability issue as well. If you check the car forums, there are several mentions of improved performance, but when something goes wrong, no warranty with these snake oil suppliers.
 
You cannot be serious Guv.

Oooo I really fancy a go at this,please please let me practice my soldering skills at your expence. Just give me 10 mins on your engines which will cost you about £30k and up to replace.
Have all the required technical knowledge as per their website ie." phone hands-free phone installer",

Now who is going to be first,,,c,mon roll up. :(
 
oldgit said:
Oooo I really fancy a go at this,please please let me practice my soldering skills at your expence. Just give me 10 mins on your engines which will cost you about £30k and up to replace.
Have all the required technical knowledge as per their website ie." phone hands-free phone installer",

Now who is going to be first,,,c,mon roll up. :(
Click to expand...

Safe mode or limp mode, not sure if marine engines have that feature but dont see why not:confused: thats more for the safe plug and play chips, not the generic ecu chips:D
 
davecw000 said:
Mercruiser Diesel 4.2l (250 hp)

Have seen chips advertised for the above – anyone chipped their engine? – What’s the implications? – Is the Bravo III X leg up to the extra hp etc? – Is there any practical confirmation of better fuel economy? And just what the sales stuff indicate......
Your thoughts please..

Regards
David
Click to expand...

Dont even think about upping the hp its on its limit as it is, so is the drive.
 
At work our next door neighbours fix auto gearboxes.Last week they replaced (beyond repair) the auto gearbox on Audi A6 3litre Quattro.
Car had a chip upgrade a few months previously.
 
chip

The 270 Dtronic is a tweaked 250. All the parts numbers cross over. Heads, gaskets,turbos, pistons, block etc. It is purely a tweak in the ECU. Putting the chip box in shouldnt be a prob.

I have some D3 190`s running an alleged 225hp chip box. I personally noticed very little difference. Maybe a slightly smoother take off out the hole and a smoother idle and thats it.

Owner said it was "amazing" and "best thing he bought" I however had unplugged it a couple of weeks later and he still was saying the same things unaware he was back to factory settings lol
 
I have chipped several Road going cars, and all with great success.

This doesn't mean they will work with Boat engines by the way, as Car engines have their emissions screwed down very tightly to pass the relevant Eu tests, and the chip usually overfuells the engine resulting in more power, a bit more smoke, and improved economy because the engine is working the way it was intended to, which is more efficiently!

Sometimes the chip causes problems however, such as worn injectors or warning lamps coming on, but one assumes the extra power in a car will only be used on rare occasions, or not for extended use, because the car is usually too fast for our speed limits anyway!

Boat engines may be over used in some cases, and then it depends what else, such as the gearbox or leg is capable of.


So, Chips may or may not work well overall, but in some cases, such as chipping an already detuned Volvo D3 150hp to 190hp would probably be fine, but not trying to chip the most highly powered engine in a range!!
 
Tuppence worth here..... discounting if the leg can take it...

Bigger HP = More Fuel or hotter combustion

More heat = more strain on already stretched cooling system (less margin)

What's the point of more HP, if you cannot put it into the water ? ... so new props needed to take advantage of the available HP....

To me it sounds like Big Bill will come knocking soon after installation, IF you plan to take advantage of the extra HP it gives you ...if not, why do it ?

May be OK on a light craft, but on a cruising MOBO I would remain sceptical... All IMHO of course...
 
That all depends on the engine in question now doesn't it?

If the original unit has the reserves, then no problem, if it doesn't, then as you say, Mr Big Bill will visit...:p

Mercedes Benz market a range of chips under the Brabus marque, which boost power considerably, and they offer a 2 year 60,000 mile warranty, and clear statement that the chips will not cause damage.

Compare the Volvo D3 range, all the same engine but varying power outputs, which means the most powerful unit really should fail before the least powerful unit, even without chipping!!
 
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250-320

Cylinder heads are different, turbo is different, pistons are different, different piston cooling nozzles, block is different only slightly. Intercooler different.

Have one of these in at the moment with a hole in the crankcase on #6 pot

ECU different
 
upping hp

Its worth noting that the X drives have been around a while alot of so called non x`s are actually uprated drives. Boats with Bravos going back to 1999 have the same bearings, gears etc as the so called beefed up drives of today.

So we uprate a 250 dtronic. The drive unless ratio is changed the internals are ok. We are now running 350 dtronics through Bravo drives.
 
Propellers move boats not engines, unless you change prop to absorb greater power pretty pointless, better shape torque curve may help getting out of the hole.

Power equalls heat, you do not know how much heat your engine cooling system is designed to absorb so potentially dangerous game. Remember totally unlike a car, where power equalls speed, improving radiator heat transfer.

On one hand we have paranoia regarding electronic engines on the other hand we have people determined to screw them up!
 
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