2003 TD5 Which ECU remap/Chip/Power Box

Hi All,

Got a 2003 53 Plate TD5 Auto. want to know which is the best option and company to go with to get a little extra power from it.

Also how do the upgrades affect the Auto box.

Don't want to loose a lot in fuel economy if I can help it, going to be doing around 15-20,000 miles a year so needs to be reliable too.

I've got a year's Landrover Warranty on the car so may have to wait until that's up before I get it changed.

Serveral company's I've heard of that do them are:

Bell-Auto Services
JE Engineering,
TD5 Alive
Van Aaken etc

Do you know of anyone in Essex which does the conversion.

I take it for general on road with occasional off-road that the 170 bhp is the best option.

Which is the best option and which will be most reliable. How much difference does it actually make on the road.

Cheers
Hewey

Hewey
I can vouch for Allisport on my 97/300tdi auto. They fitted their upgraded intercooler, did the usual EGR blank, ITG air filter, silicon hoses, cat removal and modified the ECU chip. I chose modified because it is less prone to poor contact issues. I tested it to its limit on a trip to Alicante in Spain and back over Christmas over the Pyranees etc. Absolutely brilliant with virtually instant turbo. Economy obviously changed but for example: driving on A10 in France on long stretch of dual carraige I averaged 29mpg, over the mountains (what a rush) 24mpg. Pulling a 1350kg caravan 22-24mpg, general mixed 24-27mpg. Trust this convinces you.

Cheers DB,

Anyone else got any experience of any of these.

Why do you want all this extra expensive power?
Unless you drive a lot with your foot to the deck, or indulge in dodgy over-taking, is there really a lot of point?

I have a Disco TD5, manual, and from low revs, even without a trailer, it would not pull the skin off a rice pudding - it is completely gutless at low revs, and bloody LandRover set it that way because they think they are smart but don't have a clue what real people want and need. With a 4-wheel one-ton trailer carrying a two-ton tractor, it's hellish trying to move off. So, LandRover TELL YOU in the handbook to drive off in LOW RANGE, and then double-de-clutch into high range on the move! Luckily (a) not a lot of people read handbooks, and (b) most of the ones who do are not stupid enough to go down that route. Make one mistake or misjudge it, and bye-bye transfer box I say. For the 50 years before the TD5, LandRover were telling us DO NOT shift ranges Hi to Lo on the move because you will damage the transfer box. It's the SAME TRANSFER BOX! Why is it OK to shift on the move now?

However, using good techniques, especially the "no slipping clutch" starts of the lorry drivers, we can manage. The technique is to hold about 1,000 rpm, ease up the clutch and let the thing start to move still at about 1,000 rpm until you can take your foot right off the clutch. At this stage you deck the throttle and go for it. It doesn't hold you back more than a second or two, but it means you don't wreck your clutch, and you can avoid spending £500 on re-chipping now, and poor fuel economy for the rest of your time with the car.

I reckon a lot of this re-mapping and re-chipping is fashion. Leave well alone, and learn to drive the gutless brute the way it is.

CharlesY

CharlesY,

I do understand where your coming from, only as you say your Manual one is Gutless, well you ought to try the Auto, it's ever slower than the Manual, exits out of Junctions and Slips roads can be quite a leap of faith.

I would just like to make it a bit more responsive and drivable, If I'd wanted something quick I would not have gone for a Discovery but I can't help thinking Land Rover could have done a bit more on the power front.

I've read a lot of information on these upgrades and just wanted peoples "real life" opinions, hence the thread.

Hewey said:

CharlesY,

I do understand where your coming from, only as you say your Manual one is Gutless, well you ought to try the Auto, it's ever slower than the Manual, exits out of Junctions and Slips roads can be quite a leap of faith.

I would just like to make it a bit more responsive and drivable, If I'd wanted something quick I would not have gone for a Discovery but I can't help thinking Land Rover could have done a bit more on the power front.

I've read a lot of information on these upgrades and just wanted peoples "real life" opinions, hence the thread.

Click to expand...

Good grief! Are you saying the TD5 Auto is WORSE?

Hell's Bells, if it is, it must be utterly GRIM from a standing start.
I was NOT faulting you for asking about more OOOMPH by the way! I wish mine had a lot more low-down heave. My 3.0 Trooper Auto was AWESOME from a standing start - like almost incredible pull at under 1,000 revs even.

LandRover have set these engines up because some nerd clot sitting behind a desk had ideas, and went that way. The Defender TD5 is set up quite differently, and WORSE!

If your EGR has not been blanked-off, do that NOW. For a fiver and half an hour, you'll be impressed.

Best of luck!

CharlesY

CharlesY,

Yep Auto TD5 is nearly 2 secs slower to 60 than the Manual doesn't sound much but on the road it does make quite a difference, even though all the gear changing is done for you.

Don't want to start blanking things off as it's got a Years warranty on it, just putting the feelers out on what people think of the upgrades, it sounds like most people have found them good with very few having any problems but thought I'd ask anyway.

Hi all, my first post. I have just had my 2004 disco commercial auto remapped by Dynachip, he comes to you, cost £250.00. What a difference, he's turned into a rocket ship and with better fuel consumption. He reckons around 5--7miles/gal more. Depending on your right foot of course. He also recommended fitting a blanking plate to the EGR valve. Bought one on ebay with new washer and two s/s screws inc. fitting instructions under £10. Fitting it on Friday, will post any felt difference.

Dynarod

Hewey said:

CharlesY,

I do understand where your coming from, only as you say your Manual one is Gutless, well you ought to try the Auto, it's ever slower than the Manual, exits out of Junctions and Slips roads can be quite a leap of faith.

I would just like to make it a bit more responsive and drivable, If I'd wanted something quick I would not have gone for a Discovery but I can't help thinking Land Rover could have done a bit more on the power front.

I've read a lot of information on these upgrades and just wanted peoples "real life" opinions, hence the thread.

Click to expand...

Hi Hewey, I had a 2002 TD5 auto and had it remapped by Dynachip, but I'll come back to that in a second.

If you want your D2 to be quicker off the mark you should considor doing the following:

1. De-EGR - removing the EGR valve on your car will allow the engine to breath better which is good prep for the remap;

2. De-Cat - change the catted exhaust downpipe for a non-cat stainless one. Costs about £60. Improvements are imediate and better still after the remap.

3. Check your MAF is working correctly, especially if it's still under gttee.

4. Having done all the above prep, now get it remapped. You WILL notice a difference.

Mine felt lack lustre before the remap but was a smooth flyer afterwards and had slightly better mpg. Don't worry too much about the numbers these various companies quote, want you want is more torque between 1800 and 280orpm, for hill-climbing; towing, overtakes.

One final thing, if you find your car seems to rev alot but with no go, consider fitting an Ashcrofts modified torque converter. This unit is bigger and more capable of turning engine power into forward movement, so the engine has to rev out less, which is better for mpg.

Agree 100% with "thebiglad" I have a 2001 TD5 and have done all you suggested and then got TD5alive (now called Alive) to remap her. After the remap it's a different machine. I myself would never go for a clip on box but would always have a remap. I found Gary at TD5 Alive very helpful and he tuned the Disco to suit my driving and the type of roads we drive on.

Go to td5 alive web site just fantastic. several on the defender site have td5 alive more power and better mpg. if you got the money its the way to go should pay off in long run and resale later.

Getting my '99 TD5 auto remapped by Mike at dynachip next thursday, have heard good things all round, on several other forums too, google him and have a read.. will let you know once I've had mine done..

Kev