Can anyone recommend a reliable & trusted supplier of a DPF removal & software update / removal for an A4 B8 2.0 tdi, Close to the north west of England . As some company's are offering it for £300 & some for around £600 can't get my head round the difference in the cost.
DPF Removal
- Thread starter johno5
- Start date
hollows wife
Registered User
ive had it done, did it myself ,removed dpf and deleted it from map. only thing what annoys me is the chrome exhaust trims been black most of the time
bertiebowser11
Registered User
had mine done on a 143 mapped to 175 with DPF removal, and entire fueling system failed 3 weeks later, got the bill today of nearly 3k. independent from mapping garage said probably not related but im how much of a coincidence? I am a noob so my first post has to go past moderator first but you can read my thread once its up titled "HELP entire fuel system blown on 2009 A4 143"
Dave The Jackal
Registered User
First post, so forgive me if I ramble on! I've booked in with Rick at Unicorn in Stockport, based on posts / reviews on forums as well as emails with him and a chat on the phone.
I was originally looking at a straightforward map, most likely Revo from Votex in Congleton for around £360 (usually £399, but they've got 20% off at the mo), but having owned the car (a 2010 143 Avant) for a week, the emmissions light (not DPF) came on, so I read up on the subject and, given my commute is 8 miles, I decided I'd be better off with DPF removal as I wouldn't be getting up to temp for regenerations that often.
Having spoken to Rick I felt assured that this was the best course of action and he said he'd charge £600 for removal and remap - more than I'd hoped, but then he does have a great reputation and definitely comes across as an expert in his field.
On a related note... what has been other people's experience as far as insurance for cars with modified ECUs? I tried to get a quote from my current insurer (More Than), but they don't insure remapped vehicles, so does anybody have any recommendations?
Also, do you inform them of just the remap, or of the DPF removal too? I'll be keeping the original exhaust and it will still appear to have a DPF, just with no insides I think.
I was originally looking at a straightforward map, most likely Revo from Votex in Congleton for around £360 (usually £399, but they've got 20% off at the mo), but having owned the car (a 2010 143 Avant) for a week, the emmissions light (not DPF) came on, so I read up on the subject and, given my commute is 8 miles, I decided I'd be better off with DPF removal as I wouldn't be getting up to temp for regenerations that often.
Having spoken to Rick I felt assured that this was the best course of action and he said he'd charge £600 for removal and remap - more than I'd hoped, but then he does have a great reputation and definitely comes across as an expert in his field.
On a related note... what has been other people's experience as far as insurance for cars with modified ECUs? I tried to get a quote from my current insurer (More Than), but they don't insure remapped vehicles, so does anybody have any recommendations?
Also, do you inform them of just the remap, or of the DPF removal too? I'll be keeping the original exhaust and it will still appear to have a DPF, just with no insides I think.
Zafi
Registered User
Hi Johno,
We aren't the cheapest, but it is a case of you get what you pay for in this case.
Lets start with mechanical workmanship. Our welder is simply brilliant at his job. You will have a very neat weld that is unnoticeable when installed back on the car.
On the software side, there are many people jumping on the band wagon to make a quick buck. Re calibrating modern engine management is not trivial. The vast majority of the cheaper efforts involve disabling engine warming lights for DPF related faults. In actual fact, it's quite hard to find just the DPF light disable in the software, so instead an entire block is wiped out! This means no engine light comes on even for faults which have nothing to do with DPF. Fuel pressure issue? ECU happily ignores it as its had the diagnostics for that fault any many others disabled!
Next, the remap, or power/economy increase. Most maps, do EXACTLY the same as cheap tuning box does - that is increase the injector opening time regardless of what the ECU actually calculates internally. Again, this is done because it is relatively easy in comparison to recalibrating the actual torque request and injection timing routines.
A lot of my time is spent writing maps for customers across Europe, the East and Australia. These are big tuning companies that need the support and expertise I provide - probably not something they can get from "more bhp tuning.com"!
Thanks, Rick
We aren't the cheapest, but it is a case of you get what you pay for in this case.
Lets start with mechanical workmanship. Our welder is simply brilliant at his job. You will have a very neat weld that is unnoticeable when installed back on the car.
On the software side, there are many people jumping on the band wagon to make a quick buck. Re calibrating modern engine management is not trivial. The vast majority of the cheaper efforts involve disabling engine warming lights for DPF related faults. In actual fact, it's quite hard to find just the DPF light disable in the software, so instead an entire block is wiped out! This means no engine light comes on even for faults which have nothing to do with DPF. Fuel pressure issue? ECU happily ignores it as its had the diagnostics for that fault any many others disabled!
Next, the remap, or power/economy increase. Most maps, do EXACTLY the same as cheap tuning box does - that is increase the injector opening time regardless of what the ECU actually calculates internally. Again, this is done because it is relatively easy in comparison to recalibrating the actual torque request and injection timing routines.
A lot of my time is spent writing maps for customers across Europe, the East and Australia. These are big tuning companies that need the support and expertise I provide - probably not something they can get from "more bhp tuning.com"!
Thanks, Rick
Hi Rick,
So the DPF removal is a case of cutting open, remove and weld back up - does the DPF "brick" come out in one piece so it could go back in in the future (if legislation were to change or the exhaust note were too loud to live with). Thats presumming its possible to restore the DPF software?
Also curious f you fit a section of similar bore pipe internally where the DPF used to be?
I contacted you earlier this year to enquire about the DPF and Remap, but had an engine light on at the time due to swirl flap linkages. Thats now sorted (thanks to an £8 linkage), so the remap is back on the aggenda. I was hoping to call by and discuss with you last Friday but had no luck finding you, have you moved premisses... or is it just my Sat Nav?
Ian
So the DPF removal is a case of cutting open, remove and weld back up - does the DPF "brick" come out in one piece so it could go back in in the future (if legislation were to change or the exhaust note were too loud to live with). Thats presumming its possible to restore the DPF software?
Also curious f you fit a section of similar bore pipe internally where the DPF used to be?
I contacted you earlier this year to enquire about the DPF and Remap, but had an engine light on at the time due to swirl flap linkages. Thats now sorted (thanks to an £8 linkage), so the remap is back on the aggenda. I was hoping to call by and discuss with you last Friday but had no luck finding you, have you moved premisses... or is it just my Sat Nav?
Ian
Hello Ian,
yes that's how it is done. but no, it doesn't come out in a nice DPF brick! That would be great though! Friday I was there pretty much all afternoon. The unit is quite hard to find and isn't adorned with huge signs so you may have struggled. It's the SK3 0BT address, Ford St. My time is split between writing maps in my home office, at the unit, on my engine builders Dyno etc so give me a call to make sure I'm around and you can come and visit
Thanks, Rick
yes that's how it is done. but no, it doesn't come out in a nice DPF brick! That would be great though! Friday I was there pretty much all afternoon. The unit is quite hard to find and isn't adorned with huge signs so you may have struggled. It's the SK3 0BT address, Ford St. My time is split between writing maps in my home office, at the unit, on my engine builders Dyno etc so give me a call to make sure I'm around and you can come and visit
Thanks, Rick
Hi Rick,
That might explain it as it was only 8am, so probably not much to see at that time then.
I was picking a coleague up from Williams BMW and got there a little early, so I thought I'd see where you were with a view to calling back that afternoon when I dropped him off.
Usually finish around 15.00 on a Friday, but I've got something on this week so I'll give you a call on the 30th to see if its convenient then- just to talk through options with you and get some more details.
Many thanks,
Ian
That might explain it as it was only 8am, so probably not much to see at that time then.
I was picking a coleague up from Williams BMW and got there a little early, so I thought I'd see where you were with a view to calling back that afternoon when I dropped him off.
Usually finish around 15.00 on a Friday, but I've got something on this week so I'll give you a call on the 30th to see if its convenient then- just to talk through options with you and get some more details.
Many thanks,
Ian
hollows wife
Registered User
the dpf on these can be removed in one peice if the cat/dpf is cut open on theseam with a plasma cutter of very fine grinding disk andthe whole dpf and cat can be kept intact .you will probably save money going to an indy for the dpf sorting then go for a remap and dpf delete afterwards sry for spelling mistakes ipad and fat fingers
I have had my A4 143 DPF removed by NV motorsport Birmingham, they seemed to specialise in VAG Cars. Mine was done over a year ago and have a lot more power and about 58mpg on a long run compared to 49mpg before. The owners are top guys and very friendly. The B8 DPF is in the trickiest of places but they seemed to be very aware. They run two A4's themselves with some awesome builds in the pipeline.
Had my last car A4 BPW Cab done at DPFDELETION.com AKA Tip top performance. I lost all faith in DPF deleting after they had the car. Ended up with a new engine and new DPF. They also seem to be thuggish in their response to my problems.. Good thing my mate recommended NVM. They've been around for a while and have a huge gallery of cars. He spoke about every part of the system and I watched the software build. Also did a lot of the VAG COM codings for me free of charge.
Do your research... and find the guys who know what they're talking about.
Had my last car A4 BPW Cab done at DPFDELETION.com AKA Tip top performance. I lost all faith in DPF deleting after they had the car. Ended up with a new engine and new DPF. They also seem to be thuggish in their response to my problems.. Good thing my mate recommended NVM. They've been around for a while and have a huge gallery of cars. He spoke about every part of the system and I watched the software build. Also did a lot of the VAG COM codings for me free of charge.
Do your research... and find the guys who know what they're talking about.
