How does consumption change?
Consumption falls both in the case of petrol engines and in the case of diesel engines by approx. 1/2 l per 100 km with the same driving behaviour. This is due to the fuller use being made of the fuel by advanced ignition in petrol engines and higher charging-air pressure in the case of diesel engines. Also, specific consumption is lower with a higher torque.

Has the engine higher wear?
Higher wear in the engine is not measurable. It only occurs if the engine is operated consistently above series performance. With normal driving behaviour, no change at all is to be established.

Will the engine be hotter than before?
The oil temperature rises minimally (only in the case of full load). In the Audi A4 TDI, for example, it is eight degrees higher with continuous load. Since all of the engine’s protective functions are preserved, this presents no problems for the life of the unit.

Does the vehicle have a shorter life after the conversion?
Our increases in output are adjusted in such a way that the limit values of the vehicle or the engine and all relevant components are not exceeded. With normal driving behaviour, no greater wear is to be reckoned with.

And are there special features in an automatic vehicle?
Although automatic vehicles have another control unit, there is otherwise no difference from increases in performance. The automatic control unit is automatically adjusted via CAN bus by the new operating conditions. Exceptions are the Audi-VW models with the engines 2.5 TDI, 2.7 Biturbo and 4.2 Biturbo

Must the brake, too, be changed in the case of higher output?
Not the output, but the max. speed and the weight of the vehicle are the crucial parameters for the design of a brake system. The weight remains unchanged; the max. speed increases merely in the admissible tolerance range. This being so, TÜV accepts up to 30 % more output in combination with the series brake system.

How long do I have a guarantee on the unit?
The components used by Racimax are quality components from the computer industry. They have the same or better specifications than those of the vehicle manufacturer. This being so, a 36-month guarantee is allowed on the built-in components and the software. As extension we offer the option of a complete engine guarantee. This includes any possible damage to engine, drive or drive train of your vehicle. It is an extended factory guarantee and underscores our high aspirations in the way of high-quality product development that has proved itself a thousand times over. Read more on this in our guarantee conditions.

How is the unit installed?
In most modern vehicles, the control units are readily accessible, as in the Audi A4 or BMW 3 series, 5 series or 6 series, in a water-protected plastic chest. The cable feed to the engine is by plug with bayonet coupling and is easy to open. To enable performance to be optimised, the data can be input into the control units per on-board diagnosis or in-board programming. In the case of older vehicles (> 6 years) the storage module has to be unsoldered in some cases and exchanged for the Racimax chips we have developed. In this regard, a base is soldered in, so that the conversion can be reversed again without any problems. We do not offer, and never have offered, auxiliary control units, which unfortunately are still being offered and supply false data to the engines for an increase in performance. We consider tuning on the basis of error simulations to be dubious and dangerous.

Is the change visible from outside?
No. But the performance is measurable, of course, e.g. on the test bench. You can’t tell this from the electronics, though. The diagnostic units in the workshops can go on being used on a normal basis and do not show the change in electronics.

With a tuned Lupo, can you still use bio-diesel as well?
Of course. If the vehicle has been released by the manufacturer for bio-diesel, there are no problems.

Why does the manufacturer himself not set the optimal values for the vehicle?
In the design of an engine and the matching of the control unit, the manufacturer has to try to perform an uncomfortable splits. Insurance classes, different fuel qualities in different countries and a lack of vehicle maintenance ought not to have an adverse effect. Especially often, account must be taken of other vehicle classes in the group’s own range - engines are throttled via the software in order to preserve the price interval to the next higher vehicle class. Furthermore, manufacturing tolerance, too, may play a role. When the vehicle is on the test rig after production, performance may have to be increased again somewhat. For this, tolerances are necessary. Unlike standard software, Racimax offers an individual solution, which can be matched perfectly to the habits and predilections of the vehicle owner.

Are there test reports on chiptuning?
Yes. Information can be obtained on new tests from references/press review. There you can find a number of reports from independent magazines. Racimax provides the trade press on a regular basis with its latest developments for detailed tests.

Does the dealer notice the change, in service, say?
When it comes to diagnosis behaviour, the chip is neutral, meaning that it cannot be detected with the diagnostic instrument. The dealer can perform all diagnosis jobs needed without any restrictions.