Safe power limit for standard TD5

What's the maximum power you can safely get by remapping an otherwise standard TD5?

By "safely" l mean without warping the exhaust manifold or otherwise getting the EGT too high.

I've heard around 160bhp mentioned. The reason l ask is, l currently have a mild "economy" remap, just a bit more power and torque.

This was fine and allowed motorway driving at 60-65mph without slowing down on hills. However on some hills such as the M62 over the Pennines it's still flat out at 60mph.

Now we've got a caravan it does struggle to keep the speed up and l was wondering whether to go for a full stage 1 remap.

Can the the TD5 cope with this without any other modifications.

I know nothing of TD5, only the 300.

On the 300, the point of instant failure seems to be the head / exhaust gas temperature.

And this isn't really a clear cut answer, as the egt will change according to what you're doing.

I don't know if there's sensible places to put a probe on the td5, but if there is, would you consider a proble and an alarm?

That way you could drive around without concern most of the time, but may have to (be warned to by the alarm) just curb your enthusiasm when overtaking up a hill with the caravan on tow?

Less about power more about boost.

Safe boost limit without a 3 bar sensor is around 18psi with a 3 bar sensor 22 - 24psi.

Manifolds warp on standard Td5s.

As for EGTs it depends who maps it.

My 110 was done by Empire Tuning, even weighing in at 3t fully loaded, 33s pushing 80mph+ up hill never saw the EGTs rise about 550.

However with a famous Portuguese map EGTs where in excess of 850 on the daily.

You can get around 160 - 170bhp/ 400 - 450nm on a stock TD5 with just mapping.

Madly mapped td5.

lightning said:

What's the maximum power you can safely get by remapping an otherwise standard TD5?

By "safely" l mean without warping the exhaust manifold or otherwise getting the EGT too high.

I've heard around 160bhp mentioned. The reason l ask is, l currently have a mild "economy" remap, just a bit more power and torque.

This was fine and allowed motorway driving at 60-65mph without slowing down on hills. However on some hills such as the M62 over the Pennines it's still flat out at 60mph.

Now we've got a caravan it does struggle to keep the speed up and l was wondering whether to go for a full stage 1 remap.

Can the the TD5 cope with this without any other modifications.

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Surprised is is struggling at only 60mph. A tweaked Tdi should be fine when not towing on any motorway hill in the UK at that speed.

Have you got a bigger intercooler? If not, well worth getting one and a suitable map. If you want more you'll be needing to spend a lot more and generally for diminishing returns. As for limits, kind of would depend on who mapped it and how you drive it. If it smokes a lot, then EGT's might rise high, even if it isn't making the most power.

l'll get the regular stage 1 map that everyone is offering, my local company is Mastaz, he seems knowledgeable.

l've just had the manifold replaced because it was warped and one of the bolts sheared off.

Im sorry but Mastaz are a total joke. Ive seen his work and its far from desirable. I wouldnt buy a car if theyd touched it.

Very generic, high fuelling without much else.

Speak to Gareth at Empire and get a proper map done.

Best map will be a custom rolling road one. Alive have a good reputation.
https://www.alivetuning.com/product/defender-td5-ecu-remapping/

Okay, can anyone recommend someone near to Stockport, Cheshire?

Empire Tuning are in Essex, which is a 450 mile round trip from me.

Rolling road/live map is best yes or do what I did and post your ecu to empire and get them To put ther stage 1 on your ecu, had it on my 110 great upgrade

They turned it around in good time , good communication inc confirming They received it when I posted and when they had posted it back, quick tweek on the boost to what they recommended for that map n away I went

lightning said:

Okay, can anyone recommend someone near to Stockport, Cheshire?

Empire Tuning are in Essex, which is a 450 mile round trip from me.

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Alive tuning looks perfectly doable in the day.

Just seen your other post about you buying a new defender so not much point if your selling it surely?

New Defender is now less likely.

I've finally managed to see and test drive a 90 Hardtop at a LR dealer near Coniston in the Lake District

The load area is quite small, barely any larger than my missus's Jimny.
They also had a 110 Hardtop in stock and that was much better, but it starts at £59,000 which is a lot for a van.

Driving home in our 110 made me wonder if l should be spending £54,000 on a vehicle that is actually not as practical for the work that l do.

As l am not rich, to purchase the new Defender l would have to sell the 110, take my 25% pension payout and also borrow about £10,000.

I'll make contact with Empire Tuning and see if l can send my spare ECU to them.

+1 on Alive Tuning.

I added this to: https://www.alivetuning.com/product/alive-ultimate-defender-intercooler/

What's the advantage of that, will it reduce the EGT?

lightning said:

What's the advantage of that, will it reduce the EGT?

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I did ask earlier if you had a bigger intercooler or not?

It will lower the air intake temps with a bigger IC and get a higher charge density. So more power, less smoke and less heat and more tuning ability. Generally they will make the engine feel freer and rev better and allow a better map to be applied for even more gains.

okay so a new intercooler as well then. l'll get that fitted first and then get the remap.

This isn't meant to be a sarcastic observation, but @lightning I'm puzzled by your fascination with remaps yet from what you say you're not a fast driver. My TD5 in standard tune will already far exceed all UK speed limits and some people on here consider me to be a bit of a speed merchant. So why do you bother?

The Defender is absolutely fine in normal driving with the mild remap that it currently has.

The issue is that l find performance less effortless when towing the caravan and wanted to see if any improvements could be made.

This is after reading posts on forums like these, where people say their "Alive Stage 1 remapped Defender towed their caravan like it wasn't there"