Tuning TMC tuning box in Panda TA

[TinyTurbo]

Good value alright, I checked the cost for my 500 and its 129euro. A few questions - What are the internal adjustments? Also, how does it work with eco mode or does it only replace normal mode, can you bypass? Thanks, look forward to hearing how you get on with it.

Open up the box with a torx screwdriver and there's two dials, one controls how much extra boost the box will give you. It's set to give just below 20% when it arrives, but that can be increased or decreased by roughly 1.5% per step. The amount of boost each car can take varies: too much and the power delivery becomes jerky. So you may be able to push the power up, or have to dial it back depending on your vehicle. Mine was fine at the default setting. A more moderate boost may be better for economy judging by more advanced boxes which offer multiple modes - eco (moderate boost best economy)/sport/all out race.

I've not tested fiat's eco mode with the RaceChip yet but it should show a similar percentage increase in power. Users of this type of box have reported that eco mode with a tuning box is like normal mode without it.

There's no way to switch off or bypass the tuning box - you have to remove it, but RaceChip provide a dummy bypass module that you can plug in, in place of the tuning box. This means that if you do remove it temporarily, you can leave the wiring harness in place so it's much easier to reconnect.

There's lots more info on the racechip website.

 

[theshootist]

Well, I have taken the plunge and ordered a TMC box for my 4x4 Multijet !!

 

[R1NGA]

The amount of boost each car can take varies: too much and the power delivery becomes jerky.....

.... or you blow it up with chronic detonation of course - take care with that screwdriver gentlemen! The basic TMC box for the TA Panda does not allow adjustment and the company can therefore make some quite strong, confident statements about the safety and reliability of their kit and have the stats to prove it I suspect.

I had a custom ECU fitted to an imported Impreza STi some 20 years ago (the Japanese 100+ octane fuel meant they stock JDM ECUs were running way too much boost and advance for the typically 97RON UK fuel at the time) and it was live mapped by a very talented engine builder. He wore a pair of old school HiFi headphones, modified with hose-pipe running to solidly mounted copper tubes on each cylinder bank. He could hear every part of the symphony coming out of the engine, including the very early onset of detonation - waaay before the audible to normal ears 'pinking' noise of the con-rods bending and snapping back into shape - and made sure he stopped well short of any potentially dangerous levels of increased performance. A demonstration and explanation that I've held high on my experience list for a long time....!

 

[Mercky]

Yeh you'd wonder about the big price differential between TMC and Racechip, I also worry about my DMF

 

[TinyTurbo]

.... or you blow it up with chronic detonation of course - take care with that screwdriver gentlemen! The basic TMC box for the TA Panda does not allow adjustment and the company can therefore make some quite strong, confident statements about the safety and reliability of their kit and have the stats to prove it I suspect.

A salutary warning, but I've been using the screwdriver in a downward direction rather than to push the power up! I went for their budget 'One' model not just for the price: their higher end models offered greater power gains but I just didn't want to push things that far. I'm not that dissatisfied with the TA's performance - I could live with it happily, but if a bit more torque is there for the taking I'm up for it.

RaceChip don't particularly encourage adjusting the settings in their literature.

Yeh you'd wonder about the big price differential between TMC and Racechip, I also worry about my DMF

I'm not doubting that TMC are a good company. But RaceChip are not some unknown cheapo outfit - they are the market leader by sales. As regards price they are broadly comparable with TMC which sits between their Pro 2 and Ultimate models. The 'One' is their older budget model and that lower price point is partly achieved by making the warranty for engine (i.e. not just their box) an extra cost option. Selling yesterdays models at a lower price point is common amongst many manufacturers ... see Apple's iPhone. They can do this as development costs have already been recovered. The significant indication that this is built to a price is the D-Sub connector, rather than a modern automotive plastic one.

My experience has been excellent so far. And for a german company, their communication in English has been very good.

 

[Mercky]

I find it interesting that fiat dident increase the torque output on the 105 TA over the 85 when presumably they easily could have, also the Panda Cross got 90bhp but again no increase in torque which you'd think would be a definite plus in a 4x4, so is 145nm the safe limit for a TA and it's drivetrain? It's probably conservative I'm sure but it does make you think re how far it can be pushed. I guess not slogging it too much at low revs might be wise but still enjoy the mid range punch that it offers. Keep us posted.

 

[R1NGA]

I find it interesting that fiat dident increase the torque output on the 105 TA over the 85 when presumably they easily could have, also the Panda Cross got 90bhp but again no increase in torque which you'd think would be a definite plus in a 4x4, so is 145nm the safe limit for a TA and it's drivetrain? It's probably conservative I'm sure but it does make you think re how far it can be pushed. I guess not slogging it too much at low revs might be wise but still enjoy the mid range punch that it offers. Keep us posted.

Although I am not 100% certain of the fact, but I believe that the MJ engine uses the same gearbox in the 4x4 as the TA engine, in which case the driveline should be good for up to 190Nm (140lbs/ft) without issue. That's more than the headline figure for the TMC box so I'd expect the setup to be safe.

I agree it's odd that the 105TA kept torque the same, but my suspicion is that any increase would have made the delivery feel rather more 'spikey', as is the way with highly boosted small engines. So maybe it was left at the 145Nm level for that reason.

I once drove a Mitsubishi Evo VII with a reported 600bhp and nearly 600lbs/ft of torque - from a 2 litre engine remember - and the delivery was horrific. Nothing, nothing, nothing, EVERYTHING..... It may have had 600 torques, but they came as one big lump which made it hopeless as a road engine.

 

[The Pretender]

I believe the gearbox used in the Panda TA and Diesel is good for up to 300Nm.

 

[TinyTurbo]

I agree it's odd that the 105TA kept torque the same, but my suspicion is that any increase would have made the delivery feel rather more 'spikey', as is the way with highly boosted small engines. So maybe it was left at the 145Nm level for that reason.

I think you're right. My previous car was a 500S 105TA and that was certainly spikey in it's power delivery - I didn't mind this, just saw it as part of the quirkiness and character. But the other consequence was you could feel the torque-steer.

The Panda doesn't seem to suffer from this, and it's heavier than the 500, more so in my 4x4 version, so torque-to-weight is less.

 

[TinyTurbo]

Ended up setting it one notch down. Enough pull for me and the power doesn't come in quite as aggressively.

I informed my insurance company. It took a bit of explaining what it was, but they were good about it. Approx 11% increase in the premium if it was over the year, and they waved the admin fee.