The stages of remaps aren’t a required order and just refer to the extent of work they entail. While most car owners start with a stage 1 remap before progressing to stage 2, this isn’t necessary – so you can theoretically take your car for whichever stage of ECU remapping you want.
Confused? You don’t need to be! In this post, we’ll dig a bit deeper into each of the remap stages and what they entail.
When a car is manufactured, ECU software settings are usually programmed to limit the engine’s performance to improve reliability, emissions and fuel consumption. It also means that the manufacturer can release a faster, more powerful model of the car at a later date without having to redesign the engine.
By remapping the software, you can fine-tune the engine and override the manufacturer’s factory settings. If the settings are changed, you can unlock more power from the car. By remapping the vehicle’s software and precisely tuning the engine, your performance can be improved by as much as 35%.
Remapping will make your vehicle more responsive and allow for enhanced acceleration. It can also give you better fuel economy. Of course, you’ll want to ensure the process is carried out by a professional so that everything is done safely and you don't risk damage to the engine.
Stage 1 is our most popular level of remap and requires no hardware modifications.
It consists of individual reprogramming of the vehicle’s ECU with slightly different software. This adjusts the settings (including the ignition timing, fuel injection and boost control) with the engine-optimised parameters. At this stage, all values of the manufacturers’ safety standards stay firmly in place.
A stage 1 remap will increase BHP and torque whilst also providing an increase in MPG. You can use our find your remap tool to find out exactly what increase you can expect for your vehicle.
Want to take it a little further? As well as software improvements, stage 2 remaps add to stage 1 by upgrading a few components of your vehicle. They typically include the exhaust, induction kit and intercooler in any order or combination.
Replacing these OEM parts with aftermarket hardware allows you to take your car far beyond stock capabilities while still keeping it efficient and comfortable enough for daily driving.
Last and definitely not least is stage 3, which is where you really start to push a car to its limits. This stage becomes much more than a file and your car can reach its aftermarket potential in terms of performance.
Stage 3 remaps build on stage 2 mods with more upgraded components required to give maximum reliability for the required power boost. Exactly which hardware needs upgrading varies from car to car and engine to engine. Typically, it includes the turbocharger, fuel injectors, fuel pump and the engine's internals.
Stage 3 is a custom package and will be personalised based on your car, needs and budget.
While this article should help to give you a rough idea of how stage remaps work, you’ll notice we’ve kept things quite general. This is because stage tuning can differ considerably depending on the car involved.
If you want to maximise your car’s performance, let our team take the guesswork out of this for you. Give us on 07377 938 688 or email [email protected] and we can help you select a suitable upgrade package for your car.
