Custom Diesel Tuners in Sydney

[fomoco_44]

Hi All,
I've just bought a white 2011 Mondeo Titanium TDCI hatch from Pickles, and am loving just about everything on the car.......except for the lag from standstill.
I've been doing a bit of research for a while now in the subject, and coming from a technical backround, I have been able to conclude that a custom tune will tick all my boxes. I don't like the fundamental principles of the diesel chips, even the upmarket ones with the extra sensors, and am a little sceptical of the Bluefin one-size-fits-all map/tune.

So, I'm looking for any advice or recommendations from members as to a good/reputable performance shop in and around the Sydney region.

I know of Tunehouse in Marrickville, from a previous thread in the Focus forum, and I even dropped in there today to have a quick chat about what they can do. Basically, they can do a custom tune for $1700, which Jim(the owner) was very confident would dramatically reduce the lag as well as helping to increase efficiency and power delivery.

So I just wanted to know if there are any other tuners in Sydney that peoples have used on their Ford TDCI engines?....I just wanted to cross-reference the price+service that Tunehouse offer before I bite the bullet.

[Binny]

Congrats on your purchase!

IMHO the lag isn't just turbo lag its the transmission as well.
If you are jumping straight from the brake pedal to the throttle you will still get that lag even if you have a custom tune.

If you are about to drive off in a manual car you engage the gear and start to take up the clutch in anticipation. A powershift has to do the same but it can't read your mind and anticipate when you are going to jump off the brake pedal and onto the throttle. If you can give it some notice it makes a big difference in how it reacts.
All you have to do is ease off the brake pressure a bit, not even enough for the car to start rolling. It will sense the change in brake pressure and let out the clutch to the friction point. You can actually feel it lean against the brakes a bit. Then when you switch your foot over to the throttle it will go straight away. It doesn't take long you just ease off the brake a second or two before you want to go.
That's what I've been doing anyway, it helps a lot.

[Franco Cozzo]

Its always worth it, can be big gains on diesels when they are tuned.

Same price as what my car cost to be tuned.

Make sure you post dyno run in here for us all to see

[fomoco_44]

Thanks for the advice Binny!

I'll give it a go when I drive it next, as my wife has decided she now likes it
I'll probably still go for a tune, as I know there is easy power+efficiency to be had from a TDCI

[fomoco_44]

Thanks Big Damo,

I noticed your post the other day with the dyno results for your Focus TDCI, which helped confirm my plans for a re-map.
I did notice a company called BSR Tuning in North Sydney that has a Stage 1 tune for the Mondeo, think I'll give them a call as well and get some info it.

[Franco Cozzo]

Any luck?

[fomoco_44]

Still having an internal argument with myself.......the 'engineer' wants the proper solution regardless of cost, but the 'accountant' wants the solution that will give me the best bang for my buck.
I haven't found any other recommended places in Sydney for the tune, so I can only go your experience in determining if the Tune House quote is good or pricey.

[Franco Cozzo]

Yep $1700 is about right, with a custom tune the best thing is if you're not happy with it they can touch it up here and there, my car had to go back a few times to get it where I was 100% happy with as mines a bit more modified with things like hybrid turbo, water/methanol injection etc.

Yours will be much more simple but there is still the option lots more fiddling if you aren't happy with the initial tune which you don't have with one of those diesel chip crap things or a plug in generic remap.

[LyleXR8]

Try castle hill exhaust/performance, they tune Rangers/colorados/dmax