I have been toying with the idea of tuning my Astra 2.0DTI. I was considering either the superchip or a Bromleys plug-in uning unit. My insurance company is happy with this as long as I pay a not unreasonable extra premium, so no worries there. It's out of warranty due to high mileage so no problem there either.
I know that ECU modifications are normally safe provided proper servicing has been and continues to be performed. However, my concern stems from a slightly dubious service history. According to the record, in one case it went without servicing for nearly 30,000 miles compared to vauxhall's recommended max of 20,000 miles. I still bought the car (at 63,000 miles) because I could find no signs of excess engine wear. I'm just concerned that if the poor servicing has caused slightly more than normal wear, that putting the engine under extra strain by tuning it may cause premature failiure of engine components.
What is the group's opinion on this matter?
FWIW, while I own it I intend to change oil and filter every 5,000 miles, using a quality semi-synthetic oil and geniune filter.
Another thing I am interested in is the turbocharger itself. The standard unit is supposedly a Garrett T15. This seems to have quite a lot of lag. I've seen advertised turbocharger upgrades described as "Variable nozzle" and "Hybrid", which claim to offer reduced lag. What do these terms mean?
Thanks guys.
The Dervboy