Powering up the diesel.

[Sneaky Pete]

Most car diesel engines that have an electronic management system can be re-mapped to increase power and torque by 20,30,40%. Can the same be done to a marine diesel say a Penta D4 re-map it from 225 up to 260 hp or are you stuck with what you have bought.

 

[rafiki_]

If you have an ECU controlled engine then you can re-map. This question has been asked many times. However marine engines in planing boats run at a much higher duty cycle than a car engine, nearer the design limits of the components, so generally regarded that it is not a good idea. You may need different injectors to get a real power hike too, and it is torque that you really need rather than outright power.

 

[[2068]]

Most car diesel engines that have an electronic management system can be re-mapped to increase power and torque by 20,30,40%. Can the same be done to a marine diesel say a Penta D4 re-map it from 225 up to 260 hp or are you stuck with what you have bought.

Although most parts are identical, D4-260 has a supercharger, D4-225 does not, plus the turbo is different, so just applying a software remap probably won’t get you the step up you are after.

.

 

[aquatom]

Remapping a D4 or D6 is a very bad idea. I have seen it cost people a new engine. Even if you do remap it to gain more power it will still only rev to what it is designed to so won’t make any differance unless you change the props.

 

[Ian h]

Here is a link to someone that has remapped D6's with other mods

http://www.boatmad.com/forum/f3/volvo-d6-dpr-drive-huntonxrs37-10046.html

And yes he carried out modifications to the props as well

 

[volvopaul]

Here is a link to someone that has remapped D6's with other mods

http://www.boatmad.com/forum/f3/volvo-d6-dpr-drive-huntonxrs37-10046.html

And yes he carried out modifications to the props as well

Be interested to hear how long the engines have lasted since print on this and how long the drives lasted.
The motor is 435 hp now with a much larger intercooler and impeller sea water pump, hose diameter to the sea water system , I’d imagine a split sea water inlet would work better though you still must cool the drive as it was initially designed.

As good old latestarter says its props that move boats not engines, playing with pulse width modulation alone gives very limited improvement, mainly at the higher end of the useable rev range, there is no wastegate on this model of turbo so it runs out of steam very quickly , no means of lower down boost where it’s needed should you overprop , not sure if they improved the supercharger speed or not, no mention of this, that’s how it would get out the box a bit quicker . .

 

[QBhoy]

The VP D3 model variants, 110, 130, 160 and 190 hp are the same base engine just with remapped ecu and fuelling from the factory...basically. I’d imagine it’s the same with your engine. Don’t know much about the origins of yours, but I can tell you that the D3 engine is the same engine found in a Volvo XC90 car amongst others.
They have been running 163hp right up to 200hp odd very safely in standard form. Great engine and often remapped to much much more safely. I would air on the side of caution with marine applications but I don’t see the harm in an extra bit of HP from a stage one upgrade. There is a uk guy that specialises in this for marine VP engines.

 

[QBhoy]

Also note that there is a difference between a plug and play chip and a proper remap designed for the correct fuel mapping. The former just increase fuel pressure at the rail and isn’t a great idea.

 

[Fmicol]

For my experience on a D 3 it works!