Dan  @ In Transit Garage in Strathaven near Glasgow,  Vantuners Scottish  representative  &  true ford transit  expert , now has the latest ford tuning hardware  & can remap all current (as of Nov 2017) ford vans  via the van’s diagnostic socket, this makes tuning quicker , safer & easier to adjust .

New additions :

1.6 & 1.5 2014 onwards Transit Connect Mk2

2.0 Transit Mk8 & Transit Custom

2.2 Transit & Transit Custom from about 2012 on.

For bookings & info Dan can be reached on 01357 521531 or directly on 07872 320173

Ford’s 2017 Transit Mk8 & Transit Custom,  now has an updated engine – the “Panther” 2.0  – complying to Euro 6 emissions specifications.

Available in 3 models there’s also an auto option, finally !.

105ps 360nm

130ps 385nm

170ps 420nm

As of June 2017 , thanks to the usual Italian hacker, they can now be tuned & delimited with all models capable of great gains in power & torque. Like most Ford diesels power varies a little from 1 van to the next but 190ps  /460nm is the ballpark figure.

Many tuning companies will quote  a little more to get you in the door, i quote what they really make, measured on a top quality dyno setup,  & get customers who value honesty, over hype, just like myself. They can be tuned without opening the ECU as well now so less concern for water ingress after the tuning or warranty considerations.

Most enquires i receive ask about the safely of the engines once tuned but like many models in various manufacturers ranges , one engine is used & its differing ECU firmware that determines the output power level.

Warranty concerns are usual, but Ford, like most manufacturers, cant tell it’s been done. V.A.G & MB can currently but that’s it.

So with lumps making up to 170 stock, 190 isn’t  pushing anything. The 105 & 130 are just detuned 170’s, thats one way of looking at it anyway 🙂 another tuning option that may be unique to vantuner is a stealth factory power  level  change,  it’s not done via the switch like the factory does it during setup  , but its does not change any fuel or boost maps either. Call for more details.

As a footnote to engine specs & types, a 2.2 Euro 6 is available on a MK8 mini bus chassis – most commonly as a 125ps  –  these make 175ps once tuned & for off highway use like airports, DPF & Adblue systems removal is available.

What will my 120ps Connect new shape make ? 133ps & 335nm is the answer, measured on a good dyno , Hardware wise 100 & 75 versions are identical & the 120 uses a different turbo..

So many Euro 4 ( & 1.8 Euro 5’s ) Transit Connect owners seems to have EGR valves failing these days, with running issues & P0490, P1103, P1102 P0404 Sensor Circuit A dtc fault codes seen very often.

The 90ps, 110 & 75’s are all affected. The DTC fault codes beginning 11 are “companion” air mass faults as well, but these are often just indicative of a faulty EGR, as one of the MAF sensor’s jobs is to monitor EGR performance. Vantuner can switch of the function of a faulty or working EGR in person or by post, at about a third of the cost of a new valve, which is a pricey Ford only supplied item as it comes complete with the entire intake manifold!

Plenty of discussion about this very problem on the Ford Transit Forum ( fordtransit.org)

EGR P0490 fault code

Anyone can enter their registration number or VIN here & bring up quite a detailed spec of their van..follow this link & select vehicle.. if the option to enter reg isn’t showing, go back to the home page , select preferences  & select united kingdom. the reg number entry should now work.. if your reg wont work enter your VIN.  This is a handy service for looking up what axle ratio was originally fitted , among other things.. to search for items once the spec is shown without trawling through every entry, press CTRL F , this in many browsers brings up a search widget for the current pages shown content.

Nice result on Ian Jones’s 2007 Mk7, it was a 110 originally but is now running 115 injectors & software, & is tuned as far as possible in the 6hrs we had.. Exhaust Gas Temperature stayed nicely within limits , smoke level is zero before 2700rpm & “acceptable” after that. The curves as you can see below are very smooth &  boost still stock at 1bar, there’s room for more power & less smoke for sure, roll on the next  session 🙂 as a result of this session, a 155ps (smoke free !) option is now available  if you have a MK7 110 or 115 in perfect order.

My own Transit, a 2008 Ex RAC Short wheel base  / low roof  with a 5 cylinder 3.2l Duratorq engine, makes about 240ps & 580nm Torque, thats about 20% up from a  stock 200 Transit  & about 120% up from when i bought it 2 years back,  when it made just 105ps ( as a 2.4) .. , the plan , now pretty much achieved , was 50ps per cylinder with no hardware mods.

Here is the 1st run, bog standard,  from July 2015

& the 2nd run, with tuning reloaded via the Droid, straight after…….

A hybrid turbo is probably next, but there’s the issue of the stock boost mapping limits or MAP sensor to get around 1st.. the MAP sensor is a 2.5bar unit as used on all other lesser Mk7’s .. it maybe time to test the zener diode trick..

A new addition to the arsenal of things you can do to your Ford Transit by sending vantuner one of Your vans ECU’s is adding factory cruise control. Send in your BCM ( Body Control Module) & cruise can be activated or anti hijack locking turned off or axle ratio changed etc etc..  You need the right BCM & wiring to start with ( it varies from van to van ) so check out the main cruise control page here  & run through the checklist..