What is RICA Tuning
RICA Engineering
Since
1992, RICA Engineering has been Europe’s leading specialist in remapping engine
management systems. Using advanced techniques combined with many years of experience,
RICA can obtain the best from every car and engine type. The RICA team is always
available to give you maximum support, answer all your questions and give you the
very best in customer satisfaction.
All RICA software is written in house at the facilities in the Netherlands. All
the knowledge is under one roof, so you can always be assured of optimal performance,
quality, and reliability. RICA has the capability of measuring the performance of
all cars on any of the dyno facilities because every RICA facility has its own rolling
road dyno. The RICA main facility in Wateringen and the tuning centre in Enkhuizen
both have a 4WD rolling road where cars with up to 850 hp can be measured.
ECU Upgrades, Remapping, Chip Tuning
Remapping
or "chip tuning" as it is often known, is the art of modifying the standard software
which is stored in the factory engine management system, otherwise known as the
ECU. In order to increase the power-output of the engine, it is necessary to change
the fueling, ignition timing, and turbo boost on turbocharged engines. By carefully
adjusting these parameters in the software, the engine will have the upmost efficient
combustion required for power and ecomony. An increase in power output of about
25-50% can be achieved, combined with a smoke-free vehicle and improved fuel economy
of about 5-10%.
Why doesn't the manufacturer do this?
Believe it or not, they do! When a car is designed and built for the public, it
has to run as reliably as possible in various climates, cope with
different grades of fuel around the world, and take a lot of neglect and abuse from
the driver. The car is often desgned to fit into a particular emissions tax band,
insurance group, and is aimed at a particular buyer and so all these factors are
considered when designing the car. However, the manufacturers can save a lot in
development costs by developing a single engine which can then be used in various
configurations using different turbochargers, injectors etc. This also allows them
to tune the engine at a later stage to offer a "special" model in the future. All
this over-engineering means that there is significant scope to tune the car without
affecting the reliability or longevity.
Did you know...
Inside the engine computer is a "chip" that stores the software which controls the
engine. The term "chip tuning" originally came from the days where this chip had
to be replaced with a different one programmed with new software. Modern engine
computers do not need the chips changing because they can be reprogrammed while
still in the car.
Remapping is another term for chip tuning. The software in the engine computer
contains lots of "maps" which are basically spread sheets full of data that define
how the ECU controls the engine. Hence, the term "remapping" comes from altering
these "maps" in the software.