What is, how, why SM chip tuning

Chip tuning is the fastest, simplest, safest and of course the cheapest procedure by which you can give your vehicle even more strength. Depending on the type of engine (diesel, petrol, turbo diesel, turbo petrol) the tuning efficiency varies. Turbo engines (diesel and petrol) have the highest percentage of performance improvement and it is approximately 25% while ordinary atmospheric engines have about 10%. SM Chip Tuning, like all SM dealers for ECU programming, uses original highly professional equipment in both EPROM and OBD, BDM, BENCH or BOOT processes. Our experience is over 20 years in this business and we are sure that we can perform the procedure with quality and reliability.

EPROM variant >>> Some models (around 1998) have an EPROM memory circuit in their ECU. This circuit must be physically replaced with a new (tuned) EPROM which means that the ECU must be disassembled and the EPROM replaced.
OBD variant >>> Procedure where there is no disassembly of the ECU. Writing is done via cables that connect to the OBD connector that most cars have owned since 1998. The data is entered into the ECU via a laptop.
BDM variant >>> This is a procedure where the ECU must be opened and a unique interface used to write and read data from such an ECU must be connected to special connectors on the printed circuit board itself. The BDM variant is related to the generation of the EDC16 / MED9 ECU and today almost all of these computers can be done on OBD so BDM is rarely used.
BENCH variant >>> The ECU must be removed from the vehicle and connected to pins on the table, but it does not have to be opened and disassembled, so this is a very reliable and favorite option for reading / writing ECU because it allows complete reading / writing of contents in ECU.
BOOT variant >>> On some vehicles the OBD / BENCH variant cannot pass so the only option is BOOT, where it is necessary to remove the ECU from the vehicle, open it and bring it into boot mode so that it can be read / written.

Does chip tuning harm the engine? The answer is not simple because not every chip tuning is the same. There are many "hobby" tuners (cheap) that complicate this story because their maps usually lead to mechanical damage to the engine. Those maps that are placed have not been checked and tested, and usually the problem with them is not the declared power, but the problem is that the parameters have been greatly increased in order to meet the promised power. With the pro map, the turbo pressure will be minimally increased for 25% more power, while with "cheap" tuners, the same turbo pressure will be 3.4.5 times higher than the pro map. The same thing is with the clutch and gearbox, because on the pro map it will be all smooth and without sudden bursts of power and torque, while with "hobby" tuners it will be eruptive and too fierce and will quickly lead to gearbox and clutch failures. The answer from the beginning would be that the map, if it is "cheap", bad, untested, can really bother both the engine and the gearbox, and it is not recommended to work on it. A quality map cannot be cheap because the development of the map itself is expensive and takes a long time. By selling semi-finished products or cheap maps, "hobby" tuners use your vehicle to learn from it and that is why the price of a map is low. SM chip tuning since its inception has been guided by the philosophy that a good and quality map is one that does not lead to engine failures and problems for the owner and not the one that is the strongest as almost everyone else works and what they strive for. Proof of our correct and different approach is the figure of over 20,000 remapped vehicles from the late 90s to 2022.

Why didn't the factory get all the power out of the engine? There are several reasons why they don't do that, here are some. They leave spacefor themselves to be able to offer the same engine in different power variants, and they get that difference by remapping the ECU or factory chip tuning. Another reason why they do not go for maximization is because of easier maintenance of the engine because a motor that is not amplified can work ok and correctly even when the components and sensors are at 70-80% of the condition compared to new ones, but with a remapped engine it must be over 90%. tuning will not be possible. The third reason is ecology, because an engine that is made with a large power reserve (no map) will be within the limits of ecology for a longer time compared to an engine that is reinforced. The mechanical parts of the engine can withstand at least twice as much power than declared, what limits the gain after tuning to about 25% are nozzles, turbo, dpf, gearbox ....

What happens to consumption? In most cases it stays the same or even smaller if the car is driven moderately aggressively. With high-speed driving, consumption is higher than before chip tuning as a result of increased engine power. Consumption can be maximized as a percentage of power gain in extreme driving mode. In everyday driving, fuel consumption is the same or even lower because there is better elasticity and intermediate acceleration and you have less need to press the accelerator pedal hard.

Engine and map warranty? You can read the terms of the warranty and what it covers here.

There are several different maps in SM chip tuning:

SM optimum >>>  is a classic chip tuning that consists only in remapping, that is, changing the factory maps to our optimally amplified maps. With the SM optimum, the engine remains within the limits of ECO norms as well as within the limits of fuel consumption and safety for the engine and turbo, which further means that it can work on engines that have traveled many kilometers. The SM optimum does not include any special engine maintenance that would mean more frequent service intervals or any restrictions when forcing. After this remap, you need to maintain the engine as before tuning and that is why SM optimum is our recommendation for most models ...

SM ECO >>> the map is usually used in trucks or vans in combination with Vmax limiter and RPM limiter and should primarily reduce fuel consumption. The map is made on the principle of higher torque and better adjustment of the accelerator pedal, which gives a more agile engine with greater elasticity that "easier" to cope with the weight of vehicles on the road and thus can reduce fuel consumption. With this map, the turbo pressure does not change, so it is also suitable for engines with a lot of kilometers traveled. Usually, in order to achieve the right effect, the engines should be over 2000 ccm, also the effect is better at stop / start city driving conditions opposite the highway.

SM power >>> is intended for those who want more power from the engine. This kind of tuning requires that the engine and turbo be in perfect condition and SM power is often not just a classic remap but also involves changing some mechanical parts depending on the model, for some it's just a sport filter, for some intake and exhaust, and there are models where it is necessary to change and something else. In the catalog below each measurement chart, it says what needs to be changed when installing the SM power map.

SM race i SM race stage 2 >>>  these are custom maps that work on engines that have a lot of mechanical modifications. Custom maps are the only way to adjust an engine that is much modified (turbo, nozzles, camshafts, ITB ...). Mapping is done on dyn as well as on the road, with emulators and loggers, broadband probes, egt and knock monitors, mostly work is complicated, time consuming and often the vehicle has to be more working days in SM chip tuning (only in Gradiška can be do custom maps) to get it all done.