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Bluespark boxes

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Bluespark boxes

Postby Trendy Dave » Mon Oct 15, 2018 2:21 pm

A friend has recommended one of these over a remap, anyone got any experience of them ?
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby wild camper » Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:39 pm

Hi
I’ve had a Bluespark, I started off with Bluefin, then went to Bluespark and finally ended up with a TDI Tuning CRTD4 Tuning Box
I wrote a piece about the history of it on this forum in reply to a guys query about Bluefin
Basically Bluefin and Bluespark although totally different types of engine management “boxes” provided impressive increases in performance but not the low end torque improvement I wanted.
I bought a used TDI Tuning CRTD4 off eBay for £100 and sent it to TDI Tuning for reprogramming for about £136, any CRT4 will do from any vehicle 2 channel or 3 channel because they supply a new harness specifically for the Custom.
Bluefin and Bluespark we’re both great at giving refunds within the trial period.
I’m delighted with The TDI Tuning CRTD4 it gives great low end torque and impressive performance if you keep it above 1500rpm, I think it has the edge over Bluespark because of the third channel on the harness to the RPM Sensor.
There’s been a slight improvement in fuel economy of about 10%
The CRTD4 costs a lot more than Bluespark if new but buying one off eBay and having it reprogrammed works out about the same price as a new Bluespark
If you want to try a Bluespark they’re very good at refunding if you return it undamaged and I think they give 28 days, Bluefin only allow 14 Days
I hope this helps
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby Trendy Dave » Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:14 pm

wild camper wrote:Hi
I’ve had a Bluespark, I started off with Bluefin, then went to Bluespark and finally ended up with a TDI Tuning CRTD4 Tuning Box
I wrote a piece about the history of it on this forum in reply to a guys query about Bluefin
Basically Bluefin and Bluespark although totally different types of engine management “boxes” provided impressive increases in performance but not the low end torque improvement I wanted.
I bought a used TDI Tuning CRTD4 off eBay for £100 and sent it to TDI Tuning for reprogramming for about £136, any CRT4 will do from any vehicle 2 channel or 3 channel because they supply a new harness specifically for the Custom.
Bluefin and Bluespark we’re both great at giving refunds within the trial period.
I’m delighted with The TDI Tuning CRTD4 it gives great low end torque and impressive performance if you keep it above 1500rpm, I think it has the edge over Bluespark because of the third channel on the harness to the RPM Sensor.
There’s been a slight improvement in fuel economy of about 10%
The CRTD4 costs a lot more than Bluespark if new but buying one off eBay and having it reprogrammed works out about the same price as a new Bluespark
If you want to try a Bluespark they’re very good at refunding if you return it undamaged and I think they give 28 days, Bluefin only allow 14 Days
I hope this helps

thanks for that mate !
i'm not interested in more performance as such, i just want more low down torque and better mpg. At the minute i'm getting 39.5mpg on my daily commute of 20 miles each way, and that's driving steady away, i never rev it over 3k, i have the 125bhp 2.2 engine, my old 2008 vivaro would do 42+ all day long even with 135k on the clock.
I love my transit, but i just find it gutless and expensive to run compared to the old viv
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby wild camper » Tue Oct 16, 2018 1:09 am

Mine is a 2017 2.0 Ecoblue 130PS
I was very disappointed in the fuel consumption and it wouldn’t drive at 30mph in 4th gear, I kept getting warnings to change to 3rd, and it wouldn’t cope with roundabouts in 3rd.
It now does all these things with the CRTD4, the fuel consumption display usually shows 41mpg, but in reality when I check it at every fill up brim to brim it works out about 35mpg which is still disappointing but as the speedometer is inaccurate the mileometer is probably inaccurate too (it reads 69mph when the satnav, which is probably more accurate reads 66mph)
One disadvantage is that I now have to drive in 3rd gear in 30mph zones because I’ve recently had 2 speeding tickets for exceeding 30mph.
Give Bluespark a try, you get 28days trial period, you need 6,7& 10mm sockets and removing and refitting the 10mm bolts can be a pig but the TDI Tuning CRTD4 is very similar only another “channel “ on the harness. I personally think the CRTD4 is better for low end torque but new it’s more expensive.
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby Trendy Dave » Thu Oct 18, 2018 8:14 pm

wild camper wrote:Mine is a 2017 2.0 Ecoblue 130PS
I was very disappointed in the fuel consumption and it wouldn’t drive at 30mph in 4th gear, I kept getting warnings to change to 3rd, and it wouldn’t cope with roundabouts in 3rd.
It now does all these things with the CRTD4, the fuel consumption display usually shows 41mpg, but in reality when I check it at every fill up brim to brim it works out about 35mpg which is still disappointing but as the speedometer is inaccurate the mileometer is probably inaccurate too (it reads 69mph when the satnav, which is probably more accurate reads 66mph)
One disadvantage is that I now have to drive in 3rd gear in 30mph zones because I’ve recently had 2 speeding tickets for exceeding 30mph.
Give Bluespark a try, you get 28days trial period, you need 6,7& 10mm sockets and removing and refitting the 10mm bolts can be a pig but the TDI Tuning CRTD4 is very similar only another “channel “ on the harness. I personally think the CRTD4 is better for low end torque but new it’s more expensive.

cheers mate !
I've decided i'm gonna have a bluespark box when i get paid !
Will post the results later :)
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby amcq46 » Mon Feb 04, 2019 11:33 pm

Like some of the comments above, I am looking to get more bottom end torque to allow roundabouts in 3rd gear, and also to try and improve the turbo lag on a euro 6 170ps custom.

From what I read from wildcamper, it looks like the CRTD4 might be the best option, but I see there are 2 channel versions if I buy 2nd hand (and send back to reprogram) and 3 channel versions if I buy new.... So a question to those who have tried them, what is the added benefit of the 3ch version?
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby wild camper » Tue Feb 05, 2019 12:12 am

The 2.0 ecoblue engine needs the 3 channel harness
I was surprised to learn from TDI Tuning that any second hand CRTD4 (2 or 3 channel harness) can be reprogrammed for the 2.0 ecoblue engine, because they discard the old harness and supply a new 3 channel harness and reprogram The CRTD4 “Box”
It means that there are numerous second hand options on eBay because it doesn’t matter which vehicle it was originally fitted to
The TDI Tuning CRTD4 System takes readings from
Fuel
Boost
And the 3rd sensor which Bluespark doesn’t have is
RPM
I’m not not knocking Bluespark, it was good, very impressive increase in performance but TDI Tuning CRTD4 gave me performance and increased torque where I want it
I’m surprised that you want to improve the 170ps engine, I’d have thought it would give you everything you wanted
Check the before/after figures for the CRTD4 for the 170ps, you may find the “after” figures are similar to the 130ps
In other words there’s a better “gain” on the 130ps engine
And don’t be too disappointed if the economy gains aren’t as much as you hope for
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby Mikey msrt » Tue Feb 05, 2019 1:08 am

I fitted the CRTD4 to my euro 6 170ps and it made so much difference, loads of low down torque and power, I only had it on setting 5 which says it’s at 217 bhp and 468nm. It made it so much more drive able and wasn’t constantly changing gear. I would definitely get it with the Bluetooth option tho, allows you to turn it up and down or off with ease, it’s easy to fit, mines currently taken off as Ive had on going issues with mine and now being told it needs new injectors but will be going straight back on when it’s fixed, don’t expect any economy gains if you turn it up
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby amcq46 » Tue Feb 05, 2019 1:05 pm

wild camper wrote:The 2.0 ecoblue engine needs the 3 channel harness
I was surprised to learn from TDI Tuning that any second hand CRTD4 (2 or 3 channel harness) can be reprogrammed for the 2.0 ecoblue engine, because they discard the old harness and supply a new 3 channel harness and reprogram The CRTD4 “Box”
It means that there are numerous second hand options on eBay because it doesn’t matter which vehicle it was originally fitted to
The TDI Tuning CRTD4 System takes readings from
Fuel
Boost
And the 3rd sensor which Bluespark doesn’t have is
RPM
I’m not not knocking Bluespark, it was good, very impressive increase in performance but TDI Tuning CRTD4 gave me performance and increased torque where I want it
I’m surprised that you want to improve the 170ps engine, I’d have thought it would give you everything you wanted
Check the before/after figures for the CRTD4 for the 170ps, you may find the “after” figures are similar to the 130ps
In other words there’s a better “gain” on the 130ps engine
And don’t be too disappointed if the economy gains aren’t as much as you hope for


Thanks Wild camper, your explanation that all old boxes can be run as 3 ch with the new harness will just have saved me £200, :D

does the 170ps give me everything I should need? .... the 170 has plenty of push when you get it above 2500rpm, but at 1500 it is flat, and it has what feels like turbo lag between putting my foot down and then the revs starting to rise... So much so that I have started to apply the throttle on or before the apex of the bend, as I know it will take a second or 2 before the power kicks in.

so I am looking for a box / retune that will make it more responsive low down
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby amcq46 » Tue Feb 05, 2019 1:07 pm

Mikey msrt wrote:I fitted the CRTD4 to my euro 6 170ps and it made so much difference, loads of low down torque and power, I only had it on setting 5 which says it’s at 217 bhp and 468nm. It made it so much more drive able and wasn’t constantly changing gear. I would definitely get it with the Bluetooth option tho, allows you to turn it up and down or off with ease, it’s easy to fit, mines currently taken off as Ive had on going issues with mine and now being told it needs new injectors but will be going straight back on when it’s fixed, don’t expect any economy gains if you turn it up


that sounds like the exact same problem I see when I drive mine. ... good to hear that you have found a solution
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby Mikey msrt » Tue Feb 05, 2019 1:55 pm

Ideally I would get it remapped properly as it would work best but don’t want to jeopardise the warranty. I’m happy with the performance it gives
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby Mike » Tue Feb 05, 2019 3:10 pm

amcq46 wrote:the 170 has plenty of push when you get it above 2500rpm, but at 1500 it is flat, and it has what feels like turbo lag between putting my foot down and then the revs starting to rise... So much so that I have started to apply the throttle on or before the apex of the bend, as I know it will take a second or 2 before the power kicks in.

so I am looking for a box / retune that will make it more responsive low down

Personally I'd get that checked before I messed about with it, unless you're in totally the wrong gear you shouldn't be experiencing that much turbo lag.
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Re: Bluespark boxes

Postby amcq46 » Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:02 pm

It’s going into the garage for some checks in a couple of weeks for an intermittent engine warning lamp and loss of power problem.

I will mention the turbo lag as well.


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