My VHPD Exige was a monster to drive with the standard ecu, bucking, stumbling and not pulling. I fitted an Emerald, verniers and had it mapped and was very pleased. The problem with simply dyno maps is they do not map in things like extreme cold, lights on, heater on, changes in pressure, canister purge, map pressure etc. Most just run open loop.
Last year I found my lambda probe was dead and it was replaced, today, for the hell of it I fitted the old ecu again. The engine has been timed on verniers and has a working lambda probe, since last time it was used. Result, it purrs along on the std ecu, lumpy idle but no bogging down etc. I think my car was so bad because the lambda probe was bust and the ecu did not switch on the check engine light.
Lesson, if you VHPD runs like a pig, it may be the lambda probe, the ecu may not detect the fault and switch on the check engine light.
I will try it for a few weeks, I may have an Emerald, ecu adaper loom, relay adaptor and map switch harness spare soon…having just given a good reason why you may not need one.
Interesting thought, though I would have expected any lambda fault to be picked up on MOT emissions as the sensor wouldn’t perform between the test limits.
You are quite right, my car has always had problems with emissions and the MOT. It passed open loop with an Emerald ok but struggled with the standard ecu. No faults from the ecu though.
I plan to take it with the new lambda and Efi ecu for a sniff test to see if it still passes.
I’m lucky enough to have a 340R and an Exige S1. The 340 is exactly the same as the Exige 190bhp, standard ECU but has verniers and runs like an absolute dream compared to the Exige. I know we have messaged before about the emerald, luckily I never got round to trying the emerald in the Exige. So I will just add verniers and hopefully it will be as smooth as the 340.
Slightly off-topic, but is there a definitive way to identify a 190 ecu compared to std? Just that I’ve had one sitting here for years that I bought off eBay described as a 190…
All it has is ‘Exige 190 ECU’ in pencil on the side!
I had mine done at auto tech in Ripley Derbyshire. I was very pleased with the result. It included mapping and power runs so I do not know how much fitting and setting the veriers cost.
I know, from experience, engine companies take weeks to fully map an engine, not just a day on them dyno. I got more power from my Exige and more low down torque after it was mapped with the emerald. Starting, running hot, cold, lights etc was never like a “production” map.
Thank you. Does he rolling road/set up Emerald ECU as well? My car is a standard 190 VHPD running an Emerald it’s not dire by any stretch its a bit lumpy at low speeds but only in the Exige tradition. However I would like to look at the set up my 160 Sport on an Emerald was fantastic in all conditions/speeds so it niggles to know if the car is at its best or not. Appreciate the advice.
Yes he does a set up with his rolling road and he really knows his stuff, I recommend him. From Oxfordshire it is a haul to Derbyshire. There is a person cell Dan Webster (mloc) who gets rave reviews, he is just south of Birmingham.
I wonder can these recommended people remap the standard engine management? I run the standard 190 VHPD and am interested in finding someone with expertise to remap that system. Just a thought…
I do not think so. Some have the calibration “burnt in” which means it cannot be changed. Others can be changed but it needs specific tools for the ecu and/or methods to overcome the techniques used to stop the ecu being reprogrammed by unofficial parties.
I am not sure of the s1 Exige ecu but I have never heard of anyone loading a new calibration.
S2 ecus can be reprogrammed, but need dealer tools.
What he says…
Emerald or other is the route HOWEVER…looking back my previous S1 experience I would NOT change away from the std setting/ECU as the rough running etc is all part of the “Exige Experience”
A change will lead on to DVA headwork/Throttle Bodies/ Wild cams etc,etc…all getting away from “The Real Thing”
Dont forget these old girls are getting a bit rare and should be preserved intact IMHO.
Believe me I know.
Never the Less ENJOY Exigeness it gets in the blood.
Have Fun
To be honest my car runs really well with sharp, crisp response from low down. It was the first thing I noticed about the car when I test drove it compared to another Exige I test drove it felt really quite torquey. And of course that simply brilliant lumpy idle which is so characteristic, almost like a little V8!
