Chip tuning – engine power increase

Chip tuning, or an engine power increase, is an individual adjustment of the engine control unit (ECU) software. We carry out Stage 1: software only, with no mechanical changes. We work with turbodiesel and turbocharged or supercharged petrol engines of every make. Price – from €100.

This page contains more than a service description. It contains what competitors do not publish: real per-engine figures from two independent databases, an explanation of why published power-gain figures — including ours — should not be taken at face value, and an honest answer about fuel consumption.

What we actually change in the control unit

Chip tuning is not "changing a chip" – on a modern car it is the control unit's software that changes, or more precisely its maps. A Stage 1 calibration adjusts:

• Injected fuel quantity and injection timing – how much fuel is delivered and when.
• Boost pressure target and wastegate or variable-geometry control – the main power lever on a forced-induction engine.
• Fuel rail pressure (on diesels, in the high-pressure system).
• Ignition timing – on petrol engines.
• Torque limiters and torque-model tables – factory limits that prevent the engine delivering more even when it mechanically could.
• Accelerator pedal mapping – how the engine responds to the pedal.

Why the manufacturer leaves headroom

The obvious question: if more is available, why did the factory not do it? The reasons are not secret:

• Emissions standards. The factory calibration has to pass a certification cycle, not produce maximum power.
• Fuel quality varies between markets. The same software must work where fuel quality is considerably lower.
• Service intervals and durability. The manufacturer calculates for the warranty period and the worst-case use case.
• Model positioning. The same engine is sold in several power versions within one range, and the difference is often purely software. That is why a 150 hp and a 190 hp diesel can be mechanically identical.
• Gearbox torque limits. Covered separately below – it is one of the most important constraints.

Stage 1 works with exactly the headroom left between the factory calibration and the engine's mechanical capability. That is why Stage 1 by definition requires no mechanical changes – if someone proposes changing the turbocharger, exhaust or intercooler, that is Stage 2 or 3.

How much power is realistically added

The gain depends almost entirely on whether the engine is forced-induction. The reason is physical: a turbocharger or supercharger raises the density of the intake air, so more oxygen enters the same cylinder and proportionally more fuel can be burned. Boost target is a software parameter – that is the lever.

Engine type	Typical Stage 1 gain	Why
Modern common rail turbodiesel	roughly 15–40%	Factory calibration heavily restricted for emissions and consumption; the most headroom
Older turbodiesel (VE, PD generations)	similar in percent, lower in absolute terms	Lower starting baseline
Turbocharged petrol (direct injection)	roughly 10–40%	Depends on how much the factory already used; well-optimised engines leave less
Supercharged petrol	assessed individually	Separate verified data is limited – we state only what we have checked

Plainly, about percentages. A percentage misleads when comparing engines of different size: "+30%" on a 100 hp engine is +30 hp, on a 500 hp engine it is +150 hp. Same headline, entirely different engineering. So below we give absolute figures per engine rather than one percentage for everyone.

Per-engine figures – from two independent sources

This table is built differently from the norm. Most workshops publish one figure and present it as fact. We show what two independent tuning-software databases publish for the same engine – and where they disagree. The disagreement is not a mistake: it shows what level of precision these figures actually deserve.

All figures are before and after Stage 1, as published by the respective source.

VW group – PD-generation diesels

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
1.9 TDI PD 90 hp	90 hp / 210 Nm	140 hp / 320 Nm	120 hp / 265 Nm
1.9 TDI PD 105 hp	105 hp / 250 Nm	140 hp / 320 Nm	135 hp / 310 Nm
2.0 TDI PD 140 hp (BKD)	140 hp / 320 Nm	175 hp / 390 Nm	170 hp / 395 Nm
2.0 TDI PD 170 hp (BMN)	170 hp / 350 Nm	200 hp / 420 Nm	215 hp / 450 Nm

Note the 1.9 TDI 90 hp: one source publishes 140 hp, the other 120 hp. That is not a 5% difference but almost double the gain for the same engine. For the 105 hp version the sources do not even agree on stock torque (250 Nm versus 205 Nm).

VW group – common-rail diesels

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
1.6 TDI 105 hp (CAYC)	105 hp / 250 Nm	140 hp / 320 Nm	150 hp / 330 Nm
2.0 TDI CR 140 hp (EA189)	140 hp / 320 Nm	170 hp / 395 Nm	second source not verified
2.0 TDI CR 170 hp (GTD)	170 hp / 350 Nm	205 hp / 430 Nm	205 hp / 430 Nm
2.0 TDI EA288 150 hp	150 hp / 340–360 Nm	195 hp / 430 Nm	190 hp / 420 Nm
2.0 TDI EA288 190 hp	190 hp / 400 Nm	220 hp / 450 Nm	second source not verified

The 170 hp GTD case is interesting because both sources agree exactly – 205 hp and 430 Nm. When the data is real, it tends to match.

BMW – four-cylinder diesels

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
320d E46 M47 150 hp	150 hp / 330 Nm	180 hp / 390 Nm	183 hp / 390 Nm
320d E90 N47 177 hp	177 hp / 350 Nm	215 hp / 420 Nm	200 hp / 420 Nm
320d E90 N47 184 hp	184 hp / 380 Nm	215 hp / 440 Nm	220 hp / 440 Nm
320d F30 B47 190 hp	190 hp / 400 Nm	220 hp / 440 Nm	222 hp / 443 Nm
520d F10 184 hp	184 hp / 380 Nm	220 hp / 440 Nm	215 hp / 440 Nm

For the 320d E90 177 hp one source publishes 215 hp, the other 200 hp, while torque matches at 420 Nm in both. A typical example of two "reliable" figures differing by 15 hp.

BMW – six-cylinder diesels

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
330d E46 M57 184 hp	184 hp / 390 Nm	220 hp / 480 Nm	212 hp / 450 Nm
330d E90 N57 245 hp	245 hp / 520 Nm	300 hp / 600 Nm	300 hp / 600 Nm
330d F30 N57 258 hp	258 hp / 560 Nm	314 hp / 655 Nm	310 hp / 650 Nm
330d G20 B57 265 hp	265 hp / 580 Nm (up to 620 Nm on overboost)	320 hp / 720 Nm	310 hp / 720 Nm
530d F10 N57 258 hp	258 hp / 560 Nm	310 hp / 650 Nm	310 hp / 650 Nm

Mercedes-Benz diesels

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
C220 CDI OM651 170 hp	170 hp / 400 Nm	200 hp / 500 Nm	220 hp / 500 Nm
220d OM654 194 hp	194 hp / 400 Nm	220 hp / 460 Nm	225 hp / 480 Nm
320 CDI OM642 224 hp	224 hp / 510 Nm	260 hp / 600 Nm	275 hp / 600 Nm
350 CDI OM642 265 hp	265 hp / 620 Nm	295 hp / 700 Nm	295 hp / 700 Nm

On the OM642 the sources also disagree on stock torque: one states 510 Nm, the other 540 Nm. The manufacturer specification for the W211 E320 CDI is 510 Nm, so that is what the table uses. On the 350 CDI both sources agree exactly.

Ford diesels

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
1.6 TDCi 115 hp	115 hp / 270 Nm	140 hp / 320 Nm	140 hp / 330 Nm
2.0 TDCi 140 hp	140 hp / 320 Nm	175 hp / 400 Nm	second source not verified
2.0 TDCi 163 hp	163 hp / 340 Nm	200 hp / 415 Nm	185 hp / 410 Nm
2.0 EcoBlue 150 hp	150 hp / 370 Nm	195 hp / 410 Nm	190 hp / 440 Nm
2.0 EcoBlue 190 hp	190 hp / 400 Nm	210 hp / 460 Nm	210 hp / 450 Nm

On the 2.0 TDCi 163 hp the gap is large: one source publishes 200 hp, the other 185 hp. On the EcoBlue 190 both agree on power (210 hp) but differ on torque.

Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel (PSA / Stellantis) diesels

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
1.6 HDi 90 hp	90 hp / 215 Nm	115 hp / 260 Nm	115 hp / 260 Nm
1.6 HDi 110 hp	110 hp / 245 Nm	135 hp / 310 Nm	135 hp / 300 Nm
1.5 BlueHDi 130 hp	130 hp / 300 Nm	155 hp / 360 Nm	160 hp / 350 Nm
2.0 HDi 136 hp	136 hp / 320 Nm	160 hp / 380 Nm	175 hp / 390 Nm
2.0 HDi 163 hp	163 hp / 340 Nm	190 hp / 400 Nm	190 hp / 400 Nm
2.0 BlueHDi 150 hp	150 hp / 370 Nm	180 hp / 420 Nm	205 hp / 460 Nm

The 2.0 BlueHDi 150 hp is the widest disagreement in the entire table: one source publishes 180 hp, the other 205 hp. That is a 25 hp difference for the same engine. The reason is technical – some versions of this engine are electronically limited at the factory, so the baseline differs. Cases like this are exactly why a single figure cannot be promised.

The 2.0 HDi 136 hp also differs by 15 hp, while on the 1.6 HDi 90 hp and 2.0 HDi 163 hp both sources agree exactly.

Opel and Renault diesels

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
Opel 1.7 CDTI 100 hp	100 hp / 240–260 Nm	130 hp / 295 Nm	135 hp / 320 Nm
Opel 1.7 CDTI 125 hp	125 hp / 280 Nm	150 hp / 330 Nm	150 hp / 330 Nm
Opel 1.9 CDTI 120 hp	120 hp / 280 Nm	150 hp / 360 Nm	150 hp / 360 Nm
Opel 1.9 CDTI 150 hp	150 hp / 320 Nm	190 hp / 400 Nm	190 hp / 400 Nm
Renault 1.5 dCi 90 hp	90 hp / 220 Nm	115 hp / 260 Nm	second source not verified
Renault 1.5 dCi 110 hp	110 hp / 240–260 Nm	135 hp / 310 Nm	130 hp / 300 Nm
Renault 1.9 dCi 120 hp	120 hp / 270–300 Nm	150 hp / 350 Nm	155 hp / 340 Nm

On the Opel 1.7 CDTI 125, 1.9 CDTI 120 and 1.9 CDTI 150 both sources agree exactly – the closest-matching data in the whole table.

Note the ranges in stock torque. For the Opel 1.7 CDTI 100 hp the sources state 240 Nm and 260 Nm; for the Renault 1.9 dCi 120 hp, 270 Nm and 300 Nm. The reason here is different from earlier: the same engine code was certified differently from the factory in different bodies and generations. So even the "stock" figure depends on which car the engine sits in – another reason an exact gain can only be given once the specific car is known.

Turbocharged and supercharged petrol engines

Data on petrol engines is scarcer than on diesels, so where a second independent source could not be verified, this table says so.

Engine	Stock power / torque	Source A after Stage 1	Source B after Stage 1
VW 1.4 TSI 122 hp	122 hp / 200 Nm	140 hp / 240 Nm	second source not verified
VW 1.4 TSI 150 hp ACT	150 hp / 250 Nm	180 hp / 300 Nm	second source not verified
VW 1.8 TSI EA888 180 hp	180 hp / 250 Nm	220 hp / 380 Nm	second source not verified
VW 2.0 TFSI EA113 200 hp (Golf V GTI)	200 hp / 280 Nm	250 hp / 360 Nm	second source not verified
VW 2.0 TSI EA888 220 hp (Golf VII GTI)	220 hp / 350 Nm	300 hp / 450 Nm	300 hp / 450 Nm
BMW N20 245 hp (328i)	245 hp / 350 Nm	280 hp / 425 Nm	second source not verified
BMW B48 252 hp (330i)	252 hp / 350 Nm	305 hp / 455 Nm	305 hp / 460 Nm
BMW B58 (340i)	326 hp / 450 Nm	410 hp / 580 Nm	second source not verified

On the Golf VII GTI and the 330i both sources agree – 300 hp / 450 Nm and around 305 hp / 455–460 Nm. That is the most reliable petrol data in this table.

Two notes that explain discrepancies often seen elsewhere:

• The BMW 340i is not actually 340 hp. Measured to DIN, the B58 produces 326 hp / 450 Nm from the factory – "340" is a marketing designation, not a technical figure. The table therefore states 326 hp.
• The BMW 328i (N20) is quoted at either 245 or 240 hp. That is not a contradiction: 245 hp is the European DIN figure, 240 hp the US SAE one. The measurement standard differs, not the engine.

If your engine is not listed, it does not mean we do not work with it – it means we have not yet checked two independent sources and will not publish a figure from memory. We also cover Mercedes, Ford, PSA (Peugeot, Citroën), Opel, Renault, Toyota, Volvo and turbocharged petrol engines; we will give you specific figures based on your engine code.

Why published power figures should not be taken at face value

This is the most important part of this page, and you will not find it on any competitor's site. There are three independent reasons.

1. Most published figures are templates, not measurements

One of the best-known gain databases states it openly on its own site: it provides "typical performance gain estimates" for around 900 models and 7,657 engine variants, and all published gains are "typical averages observed across the tuning industry" and not guaranteed. One person could not physically have measured 7,657 engines – and the site does not claim to.

Large manufacturers behave similarly: one international company quotes the same "up to 30%" across its entire catalogue of more than 3,000 models from 60 brands. The same figure for every engine is a template, not a measurement.

2. The same database contradicts itself

Percentages published by one database for closely related engines of the same family: +33% for the 105 hp version, +27% for the 110 hp, +33% for the 90 hp. Mechanically these are nearly the same engine. That inconsistency indicates figures calculated from a template rather than measured.

3. Two dynamometers disagree with each other

This is the strongest argument. In an independent test the same, entirely unmodified car was measured on four different dynamometers – same fuel, same weather, same correction factor. The results: 420.8 hp, 425.7 hp, 430.9 hp and 465 hp. A spread of about 44 hp on an unchanged car.

Worse still: applying four different correction settings to the data from one single pull produced a spread of close to 100 hp.

The practical conclusion is worth remembering: if an unmodified car varies by 44 hp between dynos, then a published "+30 hp" gain is smaller than the error margin of the measurement method itself. The only figure with real value is a measurement taken on the same day, on the same dyno, with the same correction before and after the work – then at least the difference means something, even if the absolute numbers do not.

We do not have a dynamometer. So we do not present a "measured" result for your car and we do not promise a specific number. We publish what independent sources state, we show where they disagree, and we let you judge.

Does chip tuning reduce fuel consumption?

Almost every competitor says it does, quoting 5–10% or 0.5–1 l/100 km. The honest answer is different.

The mechanism by which it could reduce consumption is real. More torque at low rpm allows a higher gear and lower engine speed, and an engine doing the same work at lower rpm has lower pumping and friction losses.

But measured data does not confirm the benefit. Two peer-reviewed studies that measured emissions from chip-tuned diesel cars under real road conditions using portable measurement equipment found that the software changes increased harmful emissions – nitrogen oxides in particular. More CO₂ output means more fuel burned. No peer-reviewed or independent study could be found showing a real fuel saving after a power calibration.

And most importantly, the driver decides. A car that has become faster usually gets driven faster. Driving style affects consumption several times more than the calibration does.

So we do not promise fuel economy. If consumption is the actual goal, that is separate work – an economy calibration focused on low-end torque with limited power, typically used on commercial vehicles. It is not the same as a power calibration.

Reliability: what is genuinely at risk

Stage 1 is neither "completely harmless" nor "killing your engine". The risk is specific and relates to torque and temperature, which means it can be named precisely.

Component	A genuine Stage 1 risk?	Why
Clutch (manual gearbox)	Yes – often the first thing to slip	The clutch is designed with a modest margin over factory torque. Slip usually starts in the higher gears
DSG / dual-clutch gearbox	Yes, if torque is raised without gearbox software	The gearbox has its own torque limit; on reaching it the gearbox either cuts power itself or the clutch slips
Torque-converter automatic	Yes, but usually as a limitation rather than damage	The torque limiter sits in the transmission control unit
Turbocharger	Operates near the top of its efficiency range	Higher pressure and shaft speed mean more heat and less margin. Beyond that range is Stage 2–3
Exhaust gas temperature (EGT)	A genuine risk, especially on diesels	More fuel means higher temperature; sustained high EGT damages pistons, valves and the turbine
DPF filter	Conditional – worse on short journeys	More fuel can mean more soot, and the filter loads faster
Dual-mass flywheel	Contributes if it is already worn	Larger torque pulses
Injectors, connecting rods, head gasket	Mostly Stage 2–3, not Stage 1	These are limited by peak cylinder pressure, which Stage 1 raises only moderately

If the car has a DSG or ZF 8HP gearbox, the torque limit sits in the transmission control unit itself, so sometimes the answer is not a torque-limited engine calibration but gearbox software. That is separate work, worth assessing alongside.

A broader description of power-increase principles is in our post Engine power increase in Vilnius.

We will also say what the tuning industry prefers not to: there is no independent study comparing failure rates of remapped and standard engines. Both "thousands of trouble-free kilometres" and "remapping kills engines" are individual cases, not data. The honest word is unmeasured, not "safe" or "dangerous".

Requirements for the car

The main requirement is simple: the car must be mechanically sound. The calibration increases load and temperature, so anything already worn fails sooner. Worth assessing beforehand:

• Clutch condition – whether it already slips at factory power
• Engine oil condition – a smell of fuel or coolant in the oil means the cause must be found first
• Cylinder compression – a large variance between cylinders indicates rings, valves or gasket problems
• Cooling system and intercooler integrity
• Turbocharger condition – oil leakage, whistling, shaft play
• Intake tract, EGR and DPF condition on diesels

If diagnostics show the problem is mechanical, we say so and recommend fixing that first. Software does not solve a mechanical defect.

Warranty, insurance and the legal position

An important distinction first. Chip tuning, with all emissions equipment left in place and functioning, is not the same as DPF or EGR deprogramming. These are different legal categories: removing emissions equipment defeats its operation outright, while a power calibration changes a construction parameter of the vehicle. If you are looking for emissions-system work, see DPF deprogramming, EGR deprogramming and AdBlue deprogramming.

Registration. In some countries a power increase must be approved and recorded in the vehicle's documents. Germany regulates this directly: under §19(3) StVZO the modification must be inspected by an expert and entered, or the vehicle's operating licence lapses. In Lithuania, conformity assessment of modified vehicles is administered by the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration, but no clear provision could be found in publicly available legislation stating whether a software power increase counts as a modification requiring registration data to be updated. We therefore do not give a definitive answer here and recommend checking with LTSA or Regitra, rather than writing something we cannot support.

Insurance – the most important in practice. A power increase changes the risk the insurer agreed to cover. If modifications are not declared, cover may not apply or a claim may be rejected – this is not theory but standard practice. We recommend informing your insurer. No other provider of this service in Lithuania mentions it.

Manufacturer warranty. If the car is under manufacturer warranty, be aware that ECU reprogramming can be detected at a dealership. We save the original file, so the factory software state can be restored, but that is not a guarantee the change will go unnoticed. If the car is under warranty, it is worth clarifying this first.

We make no promise either way about roadworthiness testing – Stage 1 removes no emissions equipment, so there is usually no fundamental obstacle, but we do not guarantee the outcome.

Price

Stage 1 – from €100. The final price depends on:

• Control unit type – newer protected units require more work
• Reading method – through the OBD port, or removing the unit and reading it on the bench
• Engine and year – the work involved on an older diesel and a new Euro 6 petrol differs several times over

For comparison: on the Lithuanian market Stage 1 for an older diesel starts at around €100, while published prices for newer cars reach €200–400 for diesels and €250–500 for petrol. We will quote precisely based on your engine code.

How the work is done

Three things worth knowing before choosing any workshop:

• The original file is saved. Before any changes we read and save the factory control unit software. That means the factory state can be restored – before a sale, for example, or before a dealer visit. A workshop that does not save the original takes that option away from you.
• The calibration is individual. We adjust for the specific control unit and engine code rather than writing a universal file.
• Test drive and diagnostics afterwards. After writing, the car is tested and fault codes are read again.

Frequently asked questions

How much power will chip tuning add to my car?

It depends on the engine, and we do not guarantee an exact figure. On turbodiesel engines a typical Stage 1 gain is roughly 15–40%, on turbocharged petrol engines around 10–40%. The "Engines" section of this page gives specific figures per engine from two independent databases – and you will see that they often disagree with each other. That is precisely why we do not promise one exact number: without a measurement on the same dyno before and after the work, any figure is an estimate.

Will chip tuning reduce my fuel consumption?

We do not promise that it will. The mechanism is real – more torque at low rpm allows a higher gear – but measured data does not confirm the benefit. Peer-reviewed studies that measured emissions from chip-tuned diesel cars under real road conditions found that emissions and fuel burn increased, and no independent study showing a saving could be found. In addition, a faster car usually gets driven faster, and driving style affects consumption several times more than the calibration. If economy is the actual goal, that is a separate economy calibration rather than a power one.

Does Stage 1 require mechanical changes?

No. Stage 1 is by definition software-only work on factory mechanics. If someone proposes changing the turbocharger, exhaust, intercooler or intake, that is already Stage 2 or Stage 3 – different work, a different price and different consequences for reliability. Stage 1 works with the headroom the manufacturer left because of emissions standards, varying fuel quality between markets, service intervals and model positioning.

Will I damage the clutch or gearbox?

This is the most realistic Stage 1 risk, so we say it plainly. A manual clutch is designed with a modest margin over factory torque, so at higher power it may begin to slip – usually in the higher gears first. DSG-type gearboxes have their own torque limit, and on reaching it the gearbox either reduces power itself or the clutch slips; the solution is either gearbox software or a deliberately torque-limited calibration. If the clutch already slips at factory power, that must be fixed first.

Can the factory software be restored?

Yes. Before the work we read and save the original control unit file, so the factory software state can be restored – before a sale, for instance, or before a dealer visit. Worth knowing: restoring the software does not necessarily mean the change cannot be detected, as some control units log write operations. A workshop that does not save the original file leaves you without that option – one of the things worth asking wherever you go.

Is chip tuning legal?

This is a different legal question from DPF or EGR removal: during Stage 1 all emissions equipment stays in place and functioning. However, a power increase changes a construction parameter, and in some countries it must be approved and recorded in the documents – Germany provides for this in §19(3) StVZO. In Lithuania, conformity assessment of modified vehicles is administered by LTSA, but no clear provision on software power increases could be found in publicly available legislation, so we give no definitive answer and recommend checking with LTSA or Regitra.

Do I need to tell my insurance company?

We recommend that you do. A power increase changes the risk the insurer agreed to cover, so it counts as a material modification. If it is not declared, cover may not apply or a claim may be rejected – such cases do occur in practice. It costs one phone call, whereas the consequence of not declaring can be paying for the whole claim yourself.

Will the car pass roadworthiness testing?

Stage 1 removes no emissions-reduction equipment – the DPF, EGR and catalytic converter all stay in place and functioning – so there is usually no fundamental obstacle. We do not guarantee the outcome, however, because it also depends on the car's overall condition and on the specific inspection. We make no promises on this point.

Why are there no dyno graphs on your page?

Because we do not have a dynamometer, and we would rather not hide it. It is worth knowing why that matters less than it appears: in an independent test the same unmodified car read 420.8, 425.7, 430.9 and 465 hp on four different dynos – a spread of about 44 hp. Applying four different correction settings to one single measurement produced a spread close to 100 hp. So somebody else's "measured" figure guarantees nothing; only a before-and-after measurement on the same dyno on the same day has value.

Do you work with all makes and with naturally aspirated engines?

We work with turbodiesel and turbocharged or supercharged petrol engines of every make – the work involved is determined by the control unit type and engine code, not the badge. We do not offer this service for naturally aspirated petrol engines: they have no boost pressure, which is the main software lever for power, so the gain would be small. If you do not know your engine code, we will establish it during diagnostics.