In short
With Ford, most remaps that make sense are on working vans (Transit, Transit Custom, Transit Connect) and the Ranger pick-up, almost always aimed at low-end torque and fuel consumption rather than power. The EcoBlue diesels, which replaced the TDCi, have AdBlue, and its faults can end up stopping the vehicle from starting; on road vehicles those are repaired, not deleted. On EcoBoost petrol engines we check the timing belt and the cooling system first. ECU remapping from from €200 + VAT (€242 including VAT), in Alcalá de Henares or at your location anywhere in the Community of Madrid.
The Transit: a working tool first
A self-employed tradesperson's Transit or Transit Custom is nothing like a private car: it covers lots of kilometres, it runs loaded, often towing, and every day it is off the road costs money. What the people who use them usually ask for is:
- Not having to change down on every incline when loaded.
- The engine not always working at the top of its revs.
- Fuel consumption not going up, and if possible coming down with the same driving.
That calls for a file aimed at torque in the real-world rev range and relaxed driving, which is what we propose with the Eco remap. We are not after the highest figure on paper. If there are several vans from the same company, we organise it as a fleet: one appointment, one visit and vehicles off the road for as little time as possible.
TDCi and EcoBlue: two generations of diesel
| TDCi (previous generation) | EcoBlue (current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Earlier Transit, Transit Custom, Focus, Mondeo, Ranger | Transit, Transit Custom, Transit Connect, Focus, Kuga, Ranger |
| Emissions control | Particulate filter on many versions | Particulate filter and SCR with AdBlue |
| ECU | Varies with engine and year (Ford mixes suppliers) | Varies by version; the most recent ones are protected |
| What we check | Injectors, turbo, particulate filter | All of the above, plus the whole AdBlue circuit |
Ford does not use a single ECU supplier: depending on the engine and year you will find Continental (SID family), Bosch or Delphi units. That is why, before giving you a price, we identify which one yours has. On recent generations the memory is protected and we have to work on the bench or by opening the unit.
AdBlue: the fault that leaves the van stranded
EcoBlue Euro 6 diesels reduce nitrogen oxides by injecting AdBlue into the exhaust (this is the SCR system, selective catalytic reduction). European regulations require that, if the system is not working or the tank runs empty, the vehicle warns you and, if it is not corrected, will not start again at the end of a kilometre countdown. On a working van, that is a serious problem.
The causes we see most on commercial vehicles:
- NOx sensor giving a false reading or no longer responding.
- AdBlue tank pump or heater, often built into the tank itself.
- Crystallised AdBlue injector in the exhaust, especially on vehicles that do short trips.
- Contaminated or degraded fluid from topping up with a product in poor condition.
The right way out on a road-going van is to diagnose and repair. Removing AdBlue is not allowed on vehicles driven on public roads: we explain it, with the regulations, under AdBlue and in legality, ITV and insurance.
EcoBoost: what we check first on a Ford petrol engine
The EcoBoost petrol engines (the small three-cylinder one-litre and the four-cylinder units) are direct-injection turbo engines with room for a software tune. Before proposing it we check two things specific to this family:
- Cooling: coolant level and leaks, and that there has been no overheating. On the three-cylinder it is the first thing we look at.
- Timing: the three-cylinder has a wet (oil-bathed) timing belt; its condition and that of the oil (type and changes) matter.
If either of these is not right, the remap waits.
Gearboxes, configuration and keys
- PowerShift: some Focus and Fiesta models have this dry dual-clutch gearbox. If it judders when pulling away, it gets diagnosed first: very often it is the gearbox, not the engine. See automatic gearboxes.
- Module configuration: Ford stores each module's factory configuration for each chassis number. When an ECU or module is replaced, your vehicle's configuration has to be loaded onto it; otherwise odd faults appear (lights, warnings, functions that do not work).
- Immobiliser (PATS): Ford's anti-theft system pairs the keys and the ECU. A used engine ECU will not start the car until it is paired or cloned. For keys, see keys.
Tell us the model, engine, year and what you use it for. If you have an AdBlue warning, tell us how many kilometres the countdown is showing.
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