EP.4 DID MY REMAP KILL MY Land Rover DEFENDER?!

[@jimmybobinny8013]

Thankyou so much for you hugely informative and honest reports. I have had some experience with relapse. I had My 110 puma I bought 5 years ago remapped by a local ‘guy’. It felt quicker but lumpy in power delivery. I took it to Alive and they confirmed it was a highly dodgy map that basically sent huge amount of fuel into the cylinders at all times, risking various problems. Alive remapped it and it is so much better since. My lesson was; when dealing with specialist/older vehicles, take it to the experts! Glad to see you truck is running still, please keep up the videos which are fantastic btw.

[@jimmybobinny8013]

Remaps obviously instead of relapse 😖

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Hi Jimmy- really glad to hear you are enjoying the videos! Yes I'm really happy with how mine is running now- Alive have been great

[@grahamclifton5849]

Im running an Alive stage 2 map on 1999 10p td5 discovery, with an allisport intercooler & Alive free flow exhaust. Its was done 4yrs ago by gary & stuart, has had no issues whatsoever.

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks for the comment Graham- glad to hear yours is still going strong!

[@grahamclifton5849]

@@thedoctorsgarage 207,000 on the clock & pulling well through the gears. What's going to be your next project?

[@nathanreid2974]

Your ECU probibly had a chip in it. I remember seeing something about the old td5 ECUs before the later ones, had a chip that could be remaped, rather than the ecu itself

[@darcybowyer5743]

We’ve got an ‘06 90 Xtreme down here in Oz with a Alive Stage 2 tune with a Disco transfer case and it’s been solid as. Decat pipe of course, just the rear resonator. Thing is a beast. Only time it’s been DOA on me was when the fuel pump relay socket went bad, no fuel pump, temp gauge straight to hot and no start. Personally myself I’m a Tdi 300 fella but dang the Td5 is a beast with a tune. Had an older Disco SII with a NNN ECU swap (I surmised it was tuned by the last owner but removed when he gave the Disco to his daughter) and besides one time the immobiliser when funky (locked and unlocked the car fixed it) it was fine. As long as oil hasn’t made it to the ECU they’re not bad at all.

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks for the comment Darcy, your TD5 sounds like a beast! Disco Transfer box sounds like a good additional for the defender

[@darcybowyer5743]

@@thedoctorsgarage Totally worth it, I've noted on the tacho 2900RPM @65MPH and now it's down to 2450~RPM on the motorway. Same low range ratio so no difference there

[@nathanreid2974]

thats probly why his ECU was taken apart then

[@jamesshaw7171]

Hi mate, you should do a cat delete and a straight through mid pipe and it won’t be boomy, but when you rev it, it will sound like an rs3

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Sounds great that, RS3 😂👌🏻 - does it pass the MOT with that set up and do you think this is something I could do myself??

[@jamesshaw7171]

@@thedoctorsgarage mine did mate, the mid pipe is very easy, however the down pipe needs the middle crossmember taken out, it’s only 4 bolts but it’s not that easy to take out, but it’s so worth it when it’s done mate. It sounds identical at tick over and low in the Rev range, but then it barks and comes alive with the sound of a 5 cylinder petrol. The tirsbeak tv video on fitting a td5 Rev counter shows Liam flooring it and it should give you a bit of an idea what it’s like

[@thedoctorsgarage]

@@jamesshaw7171 nice one will Take a look 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@jamesshaw7171]

@@thedoctorsgarage it’s literally the first 6 seconds of the video, but also when you are driving it normally and put your foot down, there is a really addictive bark

[@Peter-jm7zt]

Hi Doc. Another great video. Great filming of your 90, it looks fantastic. Great colour and fittings, well done. I might wait to see if the covid tax drops off the prices next year. A 90 would look great in my garage (Aus). Thanks for the video. All the best regards Peter.

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks for watching Peter- yes the price of them has gone crazy here too! appreciate the support

[@steveanderson2403]

Hi Doc. Interestingly I had a stage 1 remap done by Alive and 3 moths later the ECU was fried and had to have a recon ecu so at that point I went to stage 2 as I’d had the Alive intercooler full decat exhaust egr delete etc. much better now. Time for updated brakes tho! LOF vented with new callipers. Edit There was already a map done on the ECU before Alive put their stage 1 on it.

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks Steve -how do you find the decat exhaust? Does it get through the MOT?

[@steveanderson2403]

@@thedoctorsgarage louder to the point of feathering accelerator at times. But it makes TD5 feel alive and breathing. Tell you next year 🧐

[@PeakDistrict_4x4]

So I had an Alive stage 1 on my puma 2.4… after 3-4 months, my turbo actually blew… which led me to believe it was the remap… but I phoned them up and spoke to Gary about it and he said it couldn’t have been… long story short there are mixed opinions of it all.. and I had to fork out £800 for a new turbo.. perhaps I should have had fresh oil with the remap.. which many suggest!

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks for your comment Harvey- hoping my Turbo is good for a little longer 🤞 didn’t know that about the remap- fortunately had it down Around then same time 🙏🏼

[@michaelhands4142]

Interesting, did you find oil in the ECU? The red ECY connector was soaked until I changed the injector loom. I started getting all sorts of issues. Took ages to clean the wiring loom out, had to soak it in break cleaner and keep cleaning it. Love what you have done with your TD5, I have focused on the mechanics on mine, basically have a new running gear. You have given me ideas for the look.

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks Michael - I didn't find any oil in mine- but have heard of this before. Sounds like you have started the correct way around getting it mechanically sound - I need to pay a bit more attention to mine on the underside now!

[@PhilipHollowaychannel]

Good video, I used to have a 3.5 V8 in my defender and now I’m running a TD5 with a stage 3 remap and everything is fine and a lot faster than the V8. I will be interested in which suspension you go with as I’m thinking of changing mine this year. Phil

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks Phil- finalising the ride set up in the next 2 weeks so will have a video out about it all 👌🏻

[@DugatDizzyLizzys]

Hi I'm thinking about getting one as I've always wanted one, and I've had my VW Caddy Maxi for 10 years, so after spending £4k+ recently on repairs, I want a more basic vehicle. I love my Caddy, but because of the 5k miles a year I do, a lot of hot and cold cycles have put things under stress e.g. broken electrical cables (£700+ bill, mainly finding and getting to wiring loom to repair it). As for your ECU, someone's been in there obviously, so what was the quality of parts they replace, how long ago was it done and who did it? THE ECU is basically a computer, and remapping it is only tweaking the software parameters, which is like an update on a phone, pc, games console, etc. and they don't go bang afterwards. Everything will break due to age eventually. Making it of higher quality materials would make it last longer, but at least it's reparable.

[@6643bear]

Hi, nice to see your Landy going fine, nice also you gone through your update abs mods, I don’t know whether it worth you having a look in getting black reg plates surrounds iwhich I fitted to my discovery 4 , it does finish the look off, and as you have everything else in black it may enhance your Lovery defender even more . Just a thought, I bought mine from powerful 4x4 . Regards mark

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks Mark- that's not a bad idea at all- sounds like it could look good on the rear plate- I will take a look

[@6643bear]

@@thedoctorsgarage hi doc, am not sure but can also get a surround for the front, I fitted both on my freelander and my Mg zs 180 too . Kind regards mark

[@philipwhitehead1619]

I had my Land Rover discovery 300tdi auto , bought it with 74,000 on the clock twisted performance chip sold it with 178,000 on it never missed a beat never went wrong never had a problem ,I had it for 12 years , I now run Mercedes Benz ml270cdi bought it with 77,000 miles on the clock diesel express chip and the Mercedes has now done 166565 not missed A beat , this is the in my 10th year of owning it

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks for the comment Philip- Shame you sold you 300tdi!

[@bordercanoe]

Great video . My D2 2004 had this done 3 years ago when the chassis was replaced. It pulls away alot quicker but the best power comes after the engine gets to the normal running engine temp. I find the ECU damps the power down a bit until the engine is warmed up. Awesome power in 3,4, and 5th gears. 1st gear is a bit of a quick change. 3rd gear has awesome power reaching 70mph. Fuel consumption is far more economical, too.... if you do not floor it . 😏

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks Allan! It’s a great mod 👌🏻

[@crazeeplaya]

Good to see it's all sorted and nothing to do with the remap. Seems you were just unlucky with your ECU, considering it had already been repaired

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks appreciate it 🙏🏼 So glad it’s back on the road and all sorted now!

[@milliondollarwhippet8515]

Good video Need to go to alive

[@TheBendalina]

Glad your back on the road again! I’m thinking about a remap stage 1. Have you still got a working egr and do you get smoke from back when you floor it? Smoke would def put me off. Thanks

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Hi Crawford - EGR is blanked off - I get some smoke but it’s pretty mild and only under heavy acceleration - I remember alive saying they aren’t keen on them making too much smoke. I did a GoPro of the exhaust on a previous video- ‘living with my stage 2’ can see some Smoke in that

[@TheBendalina]

@@thedoctorsgarage thanks Doc. 😁👍

[@jamesattwater345]

Who did you buy it from In the first place ?

[@MohamedAttougui]

Hi can you please send me the name or code of the colour on your defender Thanks

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Keswick green LRC 799 👌🏻

[@tomnash6252]

How much does a stage 1 and stage 2 remap cost? How much does an ecu cost ?

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Hi Tom - Stage 1 is around £250-£300 and stage 2 is the same but you need to get a bigger intercooler fitted which is a bit more expensive. If you speak to Alive I'm sure they will do you a deal on a package. A newly refurbed ECU cost around £500/600

[@TheCjwright1979]

Loving the videos! Where did you get the smoked led light kit from? Looks great 👍🏼

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Hi, please see link below: *SMOKED LED UPGRADE KIT* --- ebay.us/3cXGNk

[@TheCjwright1979]

@@thedoctorsgarage Thanks so much

[@StewBro]

Any word on u buying a disco2? Not that I dont love the 90. Id just like to follow a d2 build too 😅

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks for the comment Stewart - No plans to at the moment - but I see there aren't many on YT at the moment - maybe one day!

[@takoon911]

Hey Doc! Do you think to swap engine to V8 at some point? I would loved to hear any info about. I had a chance to drive NAS 90 while ago and this is still in my mind. Nothing compares to this. Cheers

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks! Would be good to do - or an LS3 but really enjoying the Alive stage 2 I have at the moment - feels fast enough!

[@stephenbland7461]

I’m confused by the whole remap thing. If a stage 1 or 2 remap makes for a better vehicle, why isn’t land rover doing this at the factory?

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks for the comment Stephen - I think the reason is as a base spec it is designed to be used for everything and does everything ok- for me I don't do a lot of off roading or towing heavy loads so the stage 2 I have is designed to suit the style of driving and gets the best from the engine for what I use it for

[@servulominja5773]

I need to map my td5defender

[@thedoctorsgarage]

It makes such a difference!

[@smartiboo]

2007 ?

[@BigArch6564]

Doc, stop repeating all of your content!

[@thedoctorsgarage]

Thanks Arch- I have so many new people asking for a walkaround I thought I'd put a decent one in this video! (although I agree I've done it before)

[@BigArch6564]

@@thedoctorsgarage let's get cracking on that interior buddy. And I do really appreciate your content....keep it coming buddy!

[@davelock3166]

Why bother with remaps? It just seems a waste of money to me. And it creates problems. If I wanted a vehicle that performed better than a Landy, then I would have bought something else.