Freelander 1 Diesel chip tuning box?

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PopRivet

Well-Known Member
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I'[m looking at getting a bigger boost from my engine as well as making it more economical.
There two Chip tuning boxes on Ebay, and there may be others elsewhere.
Chip 2.jpg
Diesel chip tuning box Land Rover Freelander 2.0 2.2 TD4 SD4 2 economy
Chip.png
CR Tech 2 Diesel chip tuning box Land Rover Freelander 2.0 2.2 TD4 SD4 2 economy
My question is...
Which of the two is better, and might there actually be others that can be bought and used?
I'm sure there are some who have used such things and wonder if they might share their experiences - or perhaps nightmares?
 
I have a Synergy 2, sometimes known as Ron box. These do increase power, but I've also recorded a drop in MPG on my SE auto.
With a diesel, the more power it makes, the more fuel it has to use.

I've no idea about the two boxes you listed though.
 
I had the bottom one my advice would be save a bit more money and get it remapped,the car seems to perform better through out the rev range and I’m getting better MPG where as the chip didn’t and also caused problems the low pressure pump(could have been on its way out already)can’t comment on the Ron box though but a lot of people use them so can’t be bad.
 
Spend a bit more and go for either a Ron box or a retune. Ron is very well known and respected and his devices are known to be good. As for the others who knows? 1st choice though is a retune if you can stretch that far..
 
Just fitted a Synergy 2, and well impressed! Certainly not a neck jolter with loadsa extra horses, but from lower revs it now picks up so sweet, and greater torque through the whole range means smoother shifts and just a better ride, be hooking the holiday box on the back next week so will be interesting how it is towing.
Just fitted EGR blanking bits, yet to give it a good blast to see if that's made a worthwhile improvement!
 
I've got that to do as well as change the crankcase breather, I have no idea what it's like but I'm going to change it anyway, only a few quid for peace of mind. My Freelander is currently parked outside (too many motorbikes in the garage!), does it matter if I have the inlet manifold off for a couple of days, do I need to take any precautions leaving it without the manifold on?
 
Mick X11 said:
My Freelander is currently parked outside (too many motorbikes in the garage!), does it matter if I have the inlet manifold off for a couple of days, do I need to take any precautions leaving it without the manifold
Click to expand...
It'll be fine as long as nothing falls in to the inlet ports.
 
I stuffed kitchen paper into the ports, one sheet for each. That prevented anything from going in and peace of mind too. Cheap and very effective.
 
Having carried out some research prior to deciding if and should I tune my FL1 with a chip or mapping, I discovered the following on YouTube.
I'm including a link for anyone interested in viewing it. It's a bit concerning, actually.

Having also read what other LZone members have written, has anyone had any kind of negative or disastrous results?
All comments and info' is appreciated. I like my car too much to inflict any kind of damage.

 
has anyone had any kind of negative or disastrous results?
Click to expand...

not read of any negative or disastrous results with regards to the 'ron-box' / synergy2a module
( can't comment regarding remapping )
i wouldn't worry too much about over doing it with the FL1td4/m47r lump
LR detuned it .. i.e the same engine in the bmw 320d puts out aprox 150 bhp in stock format
i think LR detuned it to 112 bhp to be on the safe side with regards to the FL1 drivetrain
( IRD / VCU etc )

i've had my synergy2a fitted for the past 6 years .. no issues at ..
Ron customized it for me ( postage charge only ) so as .. with All the pierburg maf settings
i get the same maf map across all the pierburg option fuel settings .. ( i.e strongest maf setting )
and after much experimentation .. i just leave it on the highest setting ..

mpg? ..
deleting the EGR gave an immediate benefit to that .. about +3 mpg
the only big eater of mpg on mine seems to be the PTC heater
( i run the AC most of the time .. as it doesn't seem to impinge on mpg in my case )
so i remove the PTC relay untill the ambient temps drop below 10c .. or thereabouts

i addition to the synergy2a ..
i replaced the exhaust back box with a straight thru design ..
deleted the EGR device and modified the air intake tract
( quicker airflow over the maf sensor = quicker response from engine
( particularly within the lower rpm range ..
i get rid of the foam surround on the airfilters for the same reason ..
A.I. mod included heat insulation because engine bay heat buildup
will translate into sluggish response untill the intercooler cools the air down somewhat
( that's due to the signal from the air-intake- temp. sensor )
also fitted a DGB1 turbo controller from Ron at https://www.tuning-diesels.com/synergy-2

the only dip in mpg happened when i had the DGB1 set up partially wrong ..
( had set it for dpf vehicles .. instead of non-dpf )
and used the 'L' setting ..

the thing about getting the engine tuned up .. is that it's easy to take advantage
which means not-always-a light touch on the go-pedal ..
so mpg can suffer ..
i get an average of 40 mpg ( manual gearbox )

and btw: Ron started his tuning outfit after he tuned up his rover75
which has the td4/m47r engine fitted ..
i think he estimates the top bhp from the synergy2a to be about 150bhp
their sister company also does ecu re-mapping ..

~~~~~~~~~~~~

if you go for a remap .. just approach an outfit with a solid reputation ..
most remap web sites claim about 140 bhp for the td4 ( fl1 )
no dpf to worry about ..

afaik LZ member "JC600" does remaps .. he might be able to advise you

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
hd3 said:
not read of any negative or disastrous results with regards to the 'ron-box' / synergy2a module
( can't comment regarding remapping )
i wouldn't worry too much about over doing it with the FL1td4/m47r lump
LR detuned it .. i.e the same engine in the bmw 320d puts out aprox 150 bhp in stock format
i think LR detuned it to 112 bhp to be on the safe side with regards to the FL1 drivetrain
( IRD / VCU etc )

i've had my synergy2a fitted for the past 6 years .. no issues at ..
Ron customized it for me ( postage charge only ) so as .. with All the pierburg maf settings
i get the same maf map across all the pierburg option fuel settings .. ( i.e strongest maf setting )
and after much experimentation .. i just leave it on the highest setting ..

mpg? ..
deleting the EGR gave an immediate benefit to that .. about +3 mpg
the only big eater of mpg on mine seems to be the PTC heater
( i run the AC most of the time .. as it doesn't seem to impinge on mpg in my case )
so i remove the PTC relay untill the ambient temps drop below 10c .. or thereabouts

i addition to the synergy2a ..
i replaced the exhaust back box with a straight thru design ..
deleted the EGR device and modified the air intake tract
( quicker airflow over the maf sensor = quicker response from engine
( particularly within the lower rpm range ..
i get rid of the foam surround on the airfilters for the same reason ..
A.I. mod included heat insulation because engine bay heat buildup
will translate into sluggish response untill the intercooler cools the air down somewhat
( that's due to the signal from the air-intake- temp. sensor )
also fitted a DGB1 turbo controller from Ron at https://www.tuning-diesels.com/synergy-2

the only dip in mpg happened when i had the DGB1 set up partially wrong ..
( had set it for dpf vehicles .. instead of non-dpf )
and used the 'L' setting ..

the thing about getting the engine tuned up .. is that it's easy to take advantage
which means not-always-a light touch on the go-pedal ..
so mpg can suffer ..
i get an average of 40 mpg ( manual gearbox )

and btw: Ron started his tuning outfit after he tuned up his rover75
which has the td4/m47r engine fitted ..
i think he estimates the top bhp from the synergy2a to be about 150bhp
their sister company also does ecu re-mapping ..

~~~~~~~~~~~~

if you go for a remap .. just approach an outfit with a solid reputation ..
most remap web sites claim about 140 bhp for the td4 ( fl1 )
no dpf to worry about ..

afaik LZ member "JC600" does remaps .. he might be able to advise you

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click to expand...
Well, that's as good as any reply I expected to receive.
Thanks, Hd3. I have a much better understanding now than before.
Best regards.
 
just to add:
if i had to start again from scratch with a stock fl1-td4 ..

i'd start with the air-intake mod .. and egr delete
then swap the back exhaust box for a straight thru design

then get a synegy2a or remap .. etc

because ..
1 .. have tested it without any fuelling modification on a local uphill 1 mile run ( straight-ish 'A' road )
( synergy2a 'power' tuned 'off' but still using the pierburg maf setting )
i.e. gradient steep enough for it to be 2 lanes uphill .. one lane downhill
difference in terminal speed .. on a clear no-traffic run was about 10 mph less
the big difference was taking and exiting the roundabout in 4th gear ..
wereas with the module 'power' ( fueling) turned 'on' it would happily co-operate in 4th
( it's an uphill exit from the roundabout ) .. with the fueling 'off' it needed a change down to 3rd

( edit ) same uphill test was tried ..with ron-box fueling 'on'
in either 4th or 5th gears .. hill approach be 45/50 mph
terminal speed at top-o-hill was same ..

and btw: although i can enter - exit the average local roundabout in 4th at low rpm
i still prefer 3rd .. as it's easier on the motor ..
( i've slightly larger tyres than stock .. so slightly higher gearing )
.. in 4th that be 25mph @ 1280rpm ..

the Only reason i got into mod'ing the engine was because of the awful performance
of the stock engine at lower rpm .. which was a PITA at junctions .. especially
junctions on an incline .. top end speed never interested me ..

( if i had a motor competition hobby
( it wouldn't be the race track .. it be more like a tractor pulling contest

~~~~~~~~~~~~

have had a few compliments from the local LR techies .. re the engine performance ..
as they've obviously taken it for an extended test drive after working on it
( so sais my odometer )
"hey .. that is one sweet running motor" was the last one at m.o.t. time
( and despite me leaving the synergy2a on 'high' for the m.o.t
( they still struggle to get an emission smoke reading

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Last edited:
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