MTE back in the UK.

[Traduk]

Originally Posted by pault5

Hi,
You must be mad! you did some research and you had a rica upgrade and you even let Volvotuning do the work! how on earth did you come to that conclusion!
Oh yes...... you did some research and realised they were pretty good.
Paul.

Hi, Paul

Thanks for questioning my sanity.

Over a period of three years I spoke to the available Volvo tuners (one of which has never been mentioned on any forum). Against a back-drop of dire warnings from a number of Volvo techs and posts within forums I held off from having any work done.

Fortunately the tuning industry rapidly evolved and as more people had the work done the feed-back increased. At the time I made the decision (over a year ago) one company, IMO, stood head and shoulders above the rest. The number of positive reports I read were overwhelming and when they also added pre and post diagnostics with the ability to deal with any problems found it became my cue to act.

I would never have used any of the other offerings, at that time, and would not have sent away the ECU for re-programming or used the facility to use a self flashing device. My under-lying concern was always was I going to buy more trouble than I was prepared to deal with.

I also wanted long standing handling and braking issues resolved as well. Those issues were resolved and the faults which had defied repeated requests to main dealers and an independent (that I no longer use) were shown to me and options offered on what I required as an answer.

There were a couple of performance related issues which were amplified by the upgraded power and they were easily rectified. I suppose that I had long suspected that the car was not running perfectly but although I spent money with dealers etc. they didn't take the trouble that VT did.

I wanted a find it, fix it sort it, set of solutions which is what VT offered and exactly what they delivered. What more could I ask for, all my wishes resolved in one package.

I discovered what was available, determined what I wanted and waited for someone to deliver and then acquired total satisfaction. I have no idea how you come a conclusion re: my sanity but I guess that you may not be the best person to make such a judgement.

BTW just to attempt to be even handed. The market place for upgrades has moved on in the past year and the possibilities have expanded. I do not need to bother anymore but if I was looking then I would re-visit research on TME and definitely talk to Stuart at SWAutos. The market place has changed but my desires wouldn't have and it would still be a matter of who could provide the entire package in one go.

[Traduk]

Originally Posted by bobcat

just to clarify, this is merley a technical discussion on the process of soldering and some of the risks involved. we still dont know if rica actually solder in a new eeprom on the older cars as std proceedure, so how can we be having a go at anyone, as im aware they dont solder.

all "im" saying is that i would rather my ecu wasnt soldered if the choice is availiable thats all.

regarding issues of soldering causing problem, best to do a search on volvospeed as ive read cases of chips needing to be redone, upsolute is a popular chip and it is a solder one - but that is most likely to poor installation.

Ok you have clarified your point and for you it appears one of personal choice.

For my part I care not at all whether they had to solder or not. Most of us will be surrounded by cnosumer electronics and electronic controlled white goods which individually and collectively surpass the cost of an ECU by a factor of many times. To expand the focus from tuning ECU's one would also have to question the repairs of those high value items. If the focus is purely on ECU's then it's nothing more than point over which to argue with an agenda. If the fear of soldering work on say T.V's is also in the equation then expenses for premature replacements is going to hurt over time.

[pault5]

Originally Posted by Traduk

Hi, Paul

Thanks for questioning my sanity.

Over a period of three years I spoke to the available Volvo tuners (one of which has never been mentioned on any forum). Against a back-drop of dire warnings from a number of Volvo techs and posts within forums I held off from having any work done.

Fortunately the tuning industry rapidly evolved and as more people had the work done the feed-back increased. At the time I made the decision (over a year ago) one company, IMO, stood head and shoulders above the rest. The number of positive reports I read were overwhelming and when they also added pre and post diagnostics with the ability to deal with any problems found it became my cue to act.

I would never have used any of the other offerings, at that time, and would not have sent away the ECU for re-programming or used the facility to use a self flashing device. My under-lying concern was always was I going to buy more trouble than I was prepared to deal with.

I also wanted long standing handling and braking issues resolved as well. Those issues were resolved and the faults which had defied repeated requests to main dealers and an independent (that I no longer use) were shown to me and options offered on what I required as an answer.

There were a couple of performance related issues which were amplified by the upgraded power and they were easily rectified. I suppose that I had long suspected that the car was not running perfectly but although I spent money with dealers etc. they didn't take the trouble that VT did.

I wanted a find it, fix it sort it, set of solutions which is what VT offered and exactly what they delivered. What more could I ask for, all my wishes resolved in one package.

I discovered what was available, determined what I wanted and waited for someone to deliver and then acquired total satisfaction. I have no idea how you come a conclusion re: my sanity but I guess that you may not be the best person to make such a judgement.

BTW just to attempt to be even handed. The market place for upgrades has moved on in the past year and the possibilities have expanded. I do not need to bother anymore but if I was looking then I would re-visit research on TME and definitely talk to Stuart at SWAutos. The market place has changed but my desires wouldn't have and it would still be a matter of who could provide the entire package in one go.

Hello,
My humblest apolgies. I was being sarcastic in questioning your sanity.
PM sent.
Paul

[Traduk]

Originally Posted by pault5

Hello,
My humblest apolgies. I was being sarcastic in questioning your sanity.
PM sent.
Paul

Paul,

No problem. No offence taken and thanks for your reply. PM sent

Liam

[bobcat]

Originally Posted by Traduk

Ok you have clarified your point and for you it appears one of personal choice.

For my part I care not at all whether they had to solder or not. Most of us will be surrounded by cnosumer electronics and electronic controlled white goods which individually and collectively surpass the cost of an ECU by a factor of many times. To expand the focus from tuning ECU's one would also have to question the repairs of those high value items. If the focus is purely on ECU's then it's nothing more than point over which to argue with an agenda. If the fear of soldering work on say T.V's is also in the equation then expenses for premature replacements is going to hurt over time.

Hi traduk,

i think your getting on the defensive here, we are just discussing the risk associated with soldering thats all.

whats the relivance that all the electrical goods in a typical house cost more than an ecu?

I also think your missing the point completely,we are saying that soldering is not most peoples first choice (and for good reason as mentioned earlier), if its the only choice then thats different. With an ecu costing over £500 id rather mine wasnt dismanteled.

what has repairing tv's when they break got to do with soldering work on a fully 100% working ecu??

repairing a tv by soldering is a no brainer isnt it traduk, as it doesnt work in the first place!!!

Ps- as VT havet bothered to reply to my question about, is my rica ecu'ed soldered. I will be finding out on wednesday when i get stuart to open it up. stand by for my findings. I expect to find no soldering as i was told by VT its invisable, but i was also told i would get 304bhp -LOL

[Traduk]

Originally Posted by bobcat

Hi traduk,

i think your getting on the defensive here, we are just discussing the risk associated with soldering thats all.

whats the relivance that all the electrical goods in a typical house cost more than an ecu?

I also think your missing the point completely,we are saying that soldering is not most peoples first choice (and for good reason as mentioned earlier), if its the only choice then thats different. With an ecu costing over £500 id rather mine wasnt dismanteled.

what has repairing tv's when they break got to do with soldering work on a fully 100% working ecu??

repairing a tv by soldering is a no brainer isnt it traduk, as it doesnt work in the first place!!!

Ps- as VT havet bothered to reply to my question about, is my rica ecu'ed soldered. I will be finding out on wednesday when i get stuart to open it up. stand by for my findings. I expect to find no soldering as i was told by VT its invisable, but i was also told i would get 304bhp -LOL

Bobcat,

Ok this can around in circles ad infinitum. As you yourself pulling the discussion back to soldering I could easily expand the subject more logically out to the mods we used to do on kit worth thousands individually or collectively (nationally) 100's of millions. All that kit was fully functioning and working but needed upgrading for better performance. A more direct comparison I feel.

Your logic appears to be a series of contradictions. You state that you would rather your ECU wasn't dismantled and then in the same post state that you are going to get Stuart to open it up on Wednesday. I guess that you are selective as to who opens it and why?.

I hope that you do not find what you hope not to find but with whatever Stuart is going to do for you I feel sure that you will be as happy as many others have been.

I am still bemused by this desire for the invisible because of all the logical reasons, only one stands out.

Originally Posted by bobcat

Hi traduk,

Ps- as VT havet bothered to reply to my question about, is my rica ecu'ed soldered. I will be finding out on wednesday when i get stuart to open it up. stand by for my findings. I expect to find no soldering as i was told by VT its invisable, but i was also told i would get 304bhp -LOL

bobcat

Apologies that Hamish hasn't replied to you - he is still at work (I have just left him) we have a full carpark of customers and he probably won't be home until later on this afternoon! And then HE WILL (lol) be spending some time with Marcus and myself.

I will have to check for you but if anyone opens the ecu after we have upgraded it, it might void our warrenty - so it might worth speaking to Adam or Hamish before Stuart opens it, just incase something happens (I'm sure it won't - I'm talking sods law here).

Just a thought.

Nat xx

www.chiptuninguk.com
01527 577710

I was hoping for a reply to issues I have raised here, no response leaves us guessing that you don't have a reasonable answer for my questions I have asked?

Originally Posted by s40R

By a machine not a soldertech is the point. Hand soldered ECU's can get buggered and it does happen. To deny it is just BS. My friend in Canada had to get New ECU via the Volvo dealer which cost him over $1000US = 569.605 GBP. So the risk here is if the tuner screws up your ecu while it has been taken apart, then who foots the $1000US or 569.605 GBP bill? Those are the real risks. Sooner or later people make mistakes, it's statistical. That should all be talked about before and not after the fact when your having your ECU tuned. If this happened to a customer of yours how would you address the issue?



I had an Austin Healy full of Lucas parts (a division of Lucas Aerospace) and it spent all of it's time in the shop with electrical problems. Going out on the weekends was always an adventure because you never knew if you had enough parts or the right parts to fix it to get back home. It was a fun car but I don't think my friends liked getting stranded very much. My Physicist friend affectionately and often quoted: "Lucas the company who invented Darkness"

[don kalmar union]

Good morning Matt,

There is no possibility of damaging any Motronic 4.3 or 4.4 at all if it is done carefully and correctly. The case is in no way glued to the circuit board, so it is just a question of care and knowing how to handle the circuit board once exposed.

The most visible sign is obviously going to be the quality of the soldering arround the chip. It may be that the original chip has been worked on and replaced directly to the board or another chip used and in either case there may be a protection or carrier board between the chip and the main circuit board as is the case with Superchip.

Some upgraders have in the past reassembled moded ECU's with silicone covering various delicate parts to prevent a customer doing just what is being talked about. Makes it very difficult and painstaking to clear up arround that if indeed the silicone has been applied in such a way as to damage the board on careless opening.

On the subject of soldering work on these boards, I have watched the owner of the original Superchip dealer many times working on these very boards. He is an exceptionally skilled and experienced man and he takes great care in this very delicate work which he does with very many specialist tools and under a microscope. It would be interesting if any one else has seen other upgraders actually do the work in their customer's presense. It is most often kept as a black art in an upstairs room.

The new style of Volvo referenced ME9 ECU that is in both S40/V50 T5 and the Focus ST presents a real hurdle for those unable to work on it unopened. They are assembled with an adhesive securing the main board to both sides of the casing. Even with infinite patience and various softening agents sprayed into the casing they are allways damaged in part by this dissmantling and will certainly break down with time

Regards, Don.

[bobcat]

[QUOTE=Traduk]Bobcat,
You state that you would rather your ECU wasn't dismantled and then in the same post state that you are going to get Stuart to open it up on Wednesday. I guess that you are selective as to who opens it and why?.
[QUOTE]

Hi Traduk,

I regards to dismantling, i was talking at a component level, and not that of just popping the case off.