*smut filters activated*

Not only is it pay day, but it appears that work have forgotten to slash my wages for the two weeks paternity leave I took.

Just before the price of stamps went up I bought a sheet of 100 First Class stamps (on the basis that the last time I did that they lasted for several years).
Could I find the bloody things? No I couldn't... until this morning when they mysteriously reappeared in the drawer I thought I'd put them in all along and which I had previously checked several times.

I'm so glad I hadn't put them in a 'safe place' or I would never have found them.

I fitted a "tuning" module to the car recently. It's pretty much a fancy box with an in-line resistor that tricks the engine temp sensor into thinking the engine is running cold, so it increases the fuel injection.

The car definitely has more power, though it's hard to say how much, but the big win is that the fuel efficiency has gone through the roof. Just pottering about the island I'm getting 59-60mpg, instead of the usual 45-46*. Needless to say, if I thrash it it'll drink fuel much more heavily than before; but I hardly ever thrash it these days.



* These figures are what the trip computer is reporting, but fill-up and run down tests show it to be accurate to within 2mpg.

I'd be careful about those "tuning" boxes. Insurers frown upon them (did you inform them?) and they are a fire risk. You'd be better off with a custom engine ecu remap.

I did check - they were unconcerned, especially as I told them my primary focus was fuel efficency.

That is a huge increase in efficiency. So how much did the thing cost and at that rate how long before it pays for itself?

Less than £20, and a few minutes to fit.

Just unplug the lead to the temp sensor, plug the module into the sensor, the plug the lead into the module. It only took a few minutes because I had to remove the engine cover get my hands in.

Keep an eye on your coolant temperatures, especially when summer rolls back into town.

Yep, I had thought about that. Cheers though.

Removing the ability to accurately monitor engine temps, whilst keeping the ECU thinking all is well seems downright scary to me (8-S

The difference is about 10 degrees.

My mate has been running one in his Bora since March.

You want a remap or a proper tuning box. Those 20 quid resistors are bad news. I'm very surprised it's actually doing anything for you.

As skeptical as I was when my mate told me about it. He has a 115BPH Bora, which I have driven with and without the module, and the performance difference is striking. He also claims improved economy, although not as much, because he freely admits to having a heavy foot.

I searched several motoring forums before I bought, even after I had fitted it. They're filled with claims that the modules won't work, or they'll worsen fuel economy; although I've yet to see one reply that explains why that would/should be the case. So, in light of my mate's success, I largely dismissed the opinions of doubters as motoring snobs or general ass-hats (for the sake of clarity, neither of those remarks are directed at anyone here).

The blurb said to expect an increase from the standard 130 to 159bhp on my model and, although I doubt it's that much, my Passat definitely has more go than before. As I said, I'm not much bothered about the extra power - 130bhp is enough for a family car IMO - but the extra fuel economy is very welcome.

I'll report back, once I've emptied the tank - usually around the end of the month, but perhaps longer.

Can we find out the name of this wonder device?