ECU-SHOP New Zealand is the trusted name in modern 4WD diesel tuning. NZ4WD Editor Ross MacKay explains why.

OK, one thing that we as 4WD enthusiasts/aficionados/call us what you will, can pretty much agree upon is that ‘the internet’ has changed our lives. Largely – though obviously not universally – for the better, as well.

Whether it is for business or pleasure, Kiwis are,  apparently, spending an average two hours and 22 minutes on the internet each and every day. Not only that, but research recently published – where else but – on the internet, points to the fact that 88 percent of people who made a purchase either on-line or in a bricks and mortar store had done extensive research on what was available when, where, and for how much, before making their buying decision.

Obviously, you can buy or sell literally anything via an e-commerce web site on the internet these days. You can also do a hell of a lot of basic sector and individual product research before you buy.

What you can’t do, however, is walk into a shop, eyeball the proprietor and actually look at the thing you want to buy and decide if it is in fact what you really want.

For these reasons some things are better being bought and sold the traditional way, dealing with real people from within your own community, and from a traditional brick and mortar shop.

Which is why, when – four years ago now – Richard Fleming, the man behind leading aftermarket diesel ECU tuning company ECU-SHOP New Zealand, was looking into importing and distributing a range of ECU-based diesel tuning products from world-leading Thailand based manufacturer ECU-SHOP, he was adamant that he would only do so not via some slick e-commerce website but via a nationwide network of keen knowledgeable dealers, working out of their own ‘brick-and mortar’ premises.

“It’s the Kiwi way,” says Fleming, now back living and working here in New Zealand after spending 17 years pursuing a high-flying corporate business career throughout Asia.

“Kiwis will research a product or service till they are blue in the face. But given the chance they still prefer seeing it, touching it and talking any issues they might still have with it, face to face with another human being.”

ECU-SHOP New Zealand now has a network of 27 dealers across the country – from Whangarei in the north to Invercargill in the south plus four across territories in the South Pacific Richard Fleming also holds the master distributor rights for.

Richard has also signed up Auckland auto electrician Matt McBride as a tech specialist and trainer and as word gets out as to just how good the ECU SHOP diesel tuning products are, he is actively seeking more dealers.

Through his own efforts as a drag racer in Asia when he was living and working there in the early to mid-2000s Richard was actually an early convert to the art and science of diesel tuning. And has known and respected the work of the ECU-SHOP since seeing the ground (and with it, record) breaking work the diesel tuning specialists were doing with their own diesel drag racing utes at the time - now running as quick as 7.03 seconds over the 1/4 mile with 3 litre diesels.

“Here,” he explains, “it’s really only been in the last 10 years that we’ve seen the volumes of diesel-fuelled – mainly – double-cab Utes achieve critical mass in the market place. Before then they were just a tradie thing. Now everyone seems to be driving one.’

“In Thailand, where, remember, most of the big players have plants making the things – it’s been like that for the last 20 years, so it was only natural that the tuners like... focused on diesel.

Here, says Fleming the perennial driver of demand is a desire, a ‘need’ even – for more power and torque.

“At the end of the day,“ says Richard, “It’s what people want. Sure we can offer them a measurable improvement in fuel economy. Or a bit more snap, crackle and pop the next time they ‘stamp on the throttle.’”

But nine times out of ten, talk always swings back to how much (extra) power and torque can the owner expect to get if he purchases a particular ECU-SHOP product.

The short answer, obviously, is ‘how much do you want and how much do you want to spend? Though Richard prefers to talk of percentage gains (every dyno reads differently and every vehicle is in a different state of condition), and with them key local market price points – of which there are four.

At just $395 the first product won’t give you any more power or torque per say. By changing the response of the fly-by-wire throttle to your foot, it will certainly feel like it, however.

“We call it our throttle response controller plus a whole lot more, says Richard of the “Boost Speed Next” which comes with 14 steps of progressive throttle response, anti-theft mode switched On and Off with a PIN, economy mode, anti slip mode and ECU-SHOP’s exclusive ramble idle tuning function.

Ramble idle is tuneable via an app on your smartphone you can make your turbo-diesel idle sound like a supercharged V8 with slow loping idle, or a fast brap brap like a Mazda rotary, or anything between. Your Tune is saved to memory, comes on at a user predetermined time after stopping and switches off as soon as the vehicle begins to move. If can be completely turned off to be OEM. 

The second price point, just $795, is where the first quantifiable power, torque and economy gains can be made - up to 20 percent and 1.5L/100km according to Richard – thanks to the ability of the Cube Smart Series to tune boost and common rail pressure parameters.

Each Cube Smart unit also comes complete with a plug and play custom loom and a tuneable piggy back ECU with three different maps – OEM, towing, economy and power – which can be changed - on the fly – via a dashboard-mounted remote.

Arguably the best ‘bang-for-your-buck’ across the ECU Shop New Zealand range comes at the third price point – $1595. For that you get the UltraBoost, a plug-and-play custom loom which offers buyers the tantalising prospect of up to 60 percent Increase in power and torque, along with fuel savings of up to 1.5L/100km

As well as the ability to increase boost and tune the common fuel rail pressure across the rev range the UltraBoost package allows you to change, in real time – the duration of the injectors. Again, users are offered three different maps, OEM, towing, economy and power, plus the ability to swap from one to the other in real time via the mile app on one’s smartphone. UltraBoost also has the game changing AI (artificial intelligence) mode so that the unit can teach itself about optimising the injectors and fuel rail pressure based on the owners driving style. The mobile app contains a digitaldash displaying RPM, boost and rail pressure gauges and GPS data, and in the advanced mode there is the ability for the end user to adjust the Injector duration across the RPM range with the intuitive app by + or - 0.5 AFR from the custom tune we provide. 

Finally if you want the best of everything you can spend $2,195 and get the Junior Touch Combo, a wire-in unit which effectively aggregates all the key features from the other plug and-play units plus ads unique features like a NOS controller, aux ports, launch control, injector timing and the ramble idle for, get this – up to 80 percent increase torque. All prices mentioned include installation, tuning and GST.