Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ

Q - Where do I send my ECU for the Conversion Service?

Please send the ECU to the following address:

Turbo-Tuner (uLogix Ltd)
118 College Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 5AU
United Kingdom

Please note that there are no support services or sales at the above address. For technical support or sales enquiries, please send an email to info@turbo-tuner.co.uk

Make sure that you send the ECU either in an anti-static bag or wrapped in aluminium foil, and wrap this in plenty of padding such as bubble-wrap, then put it into a suitable cardboard box for posting. We will not be responsible for ECUs which are damaged in transit due to careless or inadequate packaging. Please send the ECU using an insured postal service which can be tracked to the point of delivery.

Please include a copy of your purchase receipt with your ECU so that we can cross-reference your ECU with your order, and don't forget to include your full contact details, including your full delivery address!

Q - What's the difference between the Off-The-Shelf product and the Conversion Service?

The only difference is who supplies the original ECU. With the off-the-shelf product, we supply the ECU which we convert to a Turbo-Tuner USB ECU. With the conversion service, you supply the ECU and send it to us for conversion.

Q - With the Conversion Service, how long does it take before I get the ECU back?

The total turnaround time depends on the postage. The ECU will be converted within 2-3 working days from the date of receipt. For UK orders the total turnaround should therefore be approximately 4-5 working days. For international orders the total turnaround time will be approximately 9-12 working days although this could be longer depending on the country.

Q - What about technical support?

You can contact us via email at info@turbo-tuner.co.uk and we will respond during working hours which are between 9am - 5pm GMT (UK) Monday to Friday. If you want to talk to us by telephone, please email us with a call-back request and included your name, telephone number and the hours in which to contact you so that we can call you back. Telephone call-back is only available between 9am - 5pm GMT (UK) Monday to Friday. Please note that the telephone call-back service is only available to customers who have purchased Turbo-Tuner USB and require technical support; it is not available for general enquiries.

Q - On how many computers can I install the Turbo-Tuner USB software?

The full license allows the software to be installed on a single computer only. The trial version can be be installed on more than one computer for a trial period of up to 14 days. After 14 days you must register the software by obtaining the full licence, at which point you must decide on which computer you will register for the full license. If you wish to install and use the software on more than one computer, extra licenses are available. The software initially installs itself as a trial version. When you register the software, you will receive the full single user license.

Q - How do I register the software after installation?

Follow the instructions in the software after installation. You will need either internet access to register online, or you can create a registration file which can be emailed to us and we will email you the full licence file.

Q - Can I share my tunes with other people who also have Turbo-Tuner USB?

Yes, Turbo-Tuner USB customers can share tunes amongst themselves, so if you have a nice tune and you wish to share it with somebody then you can do that. However, you cannot share a custom tune, base map tune, or your own derivative of a tune which has been supplied by another tuning company, so if other Turbo-Tuner USB users want that tune then they must obtain it themselves from the tuning company.

Q - Can I use Turbo-Tuner USB on the public highway?

Turbo-Tuner USB is not designed for use on the public highway, although it is capable of meeting European MOT emissions compliance. Usage of the Turbo-Tuner product is entirely at the owners risk. Please see our terms of use in the Terms and Conditions.

Q - How much power will the car make?

This depends solely on you and the car. The power and torque depends on the components you use and how you tune the ECU. We do not tune the cars - we are simply providing a tool for you to do that. The example tuned file that is included with the software is provided only as a sample to help you learn how to tune the car.

Q - Can you tell me exactly what values I need to set in the maps to get more power?

No, because every car is different. Also, we are not responsible for actually tuning your engine for you. If you don't know what the various values must be set to, or if you don't understand the principles of tuning then you should take the car to a competent tuning specialist so that they can tune it for you. We will assist you in how to use the software so for example we can tell you what you need to do in the software to increase the boost levels, but we will not tell you what boost pressure you should be running. If you do not know what the safe boost levels are, or what the safe ignition timing is, or what the safe AFR is for your specific engine configuration, then you should contact a competent tuner to help you remap the ECU. Please remember that we are simply providing you with a tuning tool and we will not be giving any specific tuning advice. If you need help with the actual tuning then you should contact a tuning company of your choice.

Q - I already have an ECU which has been remapped or custom mapped. Can I use this map?

Not directly, however we do provide a service which would enable you to work with your preferred tuning company. There is a small extra charge for this. Please contact us for further information.

Q - What happens if the Turbo-Tuner USB ECU is faulty?

If the Turbo-Tuner USB ECU is faulty then you must return it to us for repair. We will try to fix the fault as quickly as possible. If it is not possible to repair then we would supply you with a replacement ECU free of charge providing that the fault was attributable to our faulty workmanship or components. If the fault is caused by your misuse etc then the repair will be chargeable. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more information.

Q - Where do I source the ECUs from?

You should source your ECU from a reputable Volvo breaker specialist. All ECUs which are sent to us are tested to ensure that they work prior to being converted to a Turbo-Tuner USB ECU. If you want to source your own ECU then you should test it first prior to sending it. If you send us a faulty ECU we will return it in the exact same condition without attempting to carry out any conversion service.

Q - What warranty is included?

All Turbo-Tuner USB ECUs which are supplied as off-the-shelf products are guaranteed for one year from the date of purchase. If you supply your own ECU the we only guarantee our workmanship and the components we use for the conversion service for a period of one year from the date of purchase. We do not offer any guarantee for any ECU supplied by you. Please see our terms and conditions for details.

Q - Do we operate an ECU exchange service?

No, we do not operate an exchange service. You must either by the off-the-shelf product, or supply us with an ECU for the conversion service.

Q - Which cars can Turbo-Tuner USB be used with?

Turbo-Tuner USB can be used with the following Volvo models (Bosch Motronic 4.3 and 4.4):

• 850 T5, T5R, R (M4.3)
• 850 2.5T (M4.4)
• C70, S70, V70 T5 with throttle cable (M4.4)
• C70, S70, V70 2.5T with throttle cable (M4.4)
• S70R, V70R with throttle cable (M4.4)

Q - Can Turbo-Tuner USB be used in a non-Volvo project car?

Yes! As long as the engine you are using is from one of the models listed above and you have the correct wiring loom and components, then yes you can use Turbo-Tuner USB as a kind of standalone system.

Q - Can I used a bleed valve / MBC / EBC with Turbo-Tuner USB?

Yes you can override the ECU boost control by fitting your own boost control device. However, this could render the boost map useless resulting in either no ECU boost control, or significantly reduced ECU boost control. You would also be removing or restricting the ability for the ECU to reduce boost for engine protection under certain conditions.

Q - Does the computer need to be connected to the ECU all the time?

No, only for tuning or changing something. When you have finished tuning or making any changes, you can disconnect the computer. The ECU will remember these settings and you can drive the car as normal.

Q - Is there any data logging available?

The current version of Turbo-Tuner USB has no data logging, however data logging will be added to future versions and will include features such as preset trigger controlled data logging. Some of the data logging features will be made available via a free software update and will not require any extra hardware.

Q - Can I integrate a wideband O2 output with Turbo-Tuner USB?

In the current version this is not possible. Your wideband O2 output will need to be displayed on a gauge or plotted on a rolling road chart. Practically all aftermarket wideband AFR monitoring systems come with a gauge and some even come with their own data logger. Most rolling roads have the ability to plot AFR on the chart.

Q - Is the lack of an integrated wideband O2 sensor in the Turbo-Tuner USB a problem?

No. Turbo-Tuner USB is perfectly fine for accurate tuning. If you have a wideband O2 gauge installed then you can alter the fueling correctly by observing your wideband O2 readings as you tune. Similarly, you can also use a rolling road AFR plot to make the correct adjustments. As long as you have the means to accurately monitor or plot AFR, Turbo-Tuner USB can be used to correctly and accurately adjust the fueling as required.

Q - Will my car be emissions compliant with the Turbo-Tuner USB installed?

Yes, unless you specifically make changes which result in the car being non-compliant. Turbo-Tuner USB is fully capable of maintaining full emissions compliance for European and US markets. Naturally, Turbo-Tuner USB can be tuned so that the car will not be emissions compliant, however in most cases it is the mechanical setup of the car which causes emissions non-compliance, such as running without a catalytic converter.

Q - Is the Motronic 4.4 version available?

Yes, M4.4 is available. However, they are manufactured to order, therefore we don't normally keep them in stock.

Q - Is there a demo version of the software available to download?

Not at the moment.

Q - Does Turbo-Tuner USB work with Windows Vista or Windows 7?

Yes! Turbo-Tuner USB is supported on Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Q - Can I adjust the ECU maps with the engine running?

Yes. Even if the engine is running at full throttle you can still adjust the maps. The ECU will be updated with the changes immediately and the engine will respond to these changes instantly.

Q - Is the Turbo-Tuner USB ECU supplied ready to run in the car?

Yes, the Turbo-Tuner USB ECU is supplied pre-programmed for a stock setup so that you can plug it in, start the engine and drive the car. If you have a non-stock setup with significantly larger injectors, then the engine should still start but probably won't idle very well and you will need to make adjustments before you can start driving and tuning otherwise the injectors will be over-fueling. The injector calibration wizard will guide you through this process.

Q - Can I still use traditional chip tuning methods on the Turbo-Tuner USB ECU?

No, this is not possible at all. Even though the Turbo-Tuner USB ECU looks like an OEM ECU on the outside, the electronic hardware inside is completely different, so you cannot chip-tune it or MTE-flash it like you can with a standard OEM ECU.

Q - Can I keep my existing chip-tuned map and make adjustments to it with the Turbo-Tuner software?

No, but there is a solution. You would need to send your existing map to us so that we can extract the relevant data and convert it into a special file format which can then be used with the Turbo-Tuner software. There is a small charge for this service. Please contact us for details.