I own the Dacia Logan MCV 1.6 16V. The engine has standard 105 BHP (at 5750 rpm) and a torque of 148 Nm (at 3750 rpm).

Just below this text you see the original diagram.

I received some emails from visitors if it is possible to change this values to higher ones. Because I didn’t had the answer, I mailed two companies and one of them contacted me the next day so I made the arrangement to go there and see what’s possible. Because: who else can give better information that the persons who should do the job?

In the conversation on the phone they already told me they didn’t tune a petrol Dacia but diesel dacia instead. Someone had to be the first and I decided that should be me.

The company I went to is: Vtune in Eemnes (the Netherlands). It’s a small company with people who love their job. (at the end of this article you will find the adres and phonenumber).

After arriving I could drive my car inside; next to a opel combo which was tuned also.

The work begins:  trying to read the software trough the special connector in the glove-box.

This didn’t work, so we located the ECU. That is the computer that runs the software for the engine. It is mounted just behind the battery under a black steel plate.

The battery has to be disconnected and removed; there is one screw just behind it that you have to remove to be able to remove the black steel plate cover of the ECU.

After the battery and the black steel plate have been removed, you can see the ECU, the computer that runs the software for the engine.

The ECU can be disconnected from the cable and than removed. Because the reading of the software on the special connector didn’t work the programmable chip inside the ECU had to be re-programmed outside the ECU. But in order to do it, this chip has to be removed from the electrical circuitboard. This looks dificult but with the right tools it is an easy job.(it’s the black rectangle-shaped chip; not the one with the blue dot on it)

Work in progress: removing the chip....

The chip is removed:

After removing the chip, it is placed in a special box connected to the computer. First the original program has to be stored, in case of not properly functioning of the rewritten software you have the possibility to return to the original.

Than a copy of the original settings can be changed to achieve more BHP and Nm. But you cannot  achieve a miracle with a standard petrol engine. A standard engine control software can be altered to reach about 10% more BHP/Nm without shorten the life of your engine.

Just to remember: The BHP-value given by the manufacturer is mostly measured on the crankshaft and not on the wheels. In the drive-line you will lose some BHP that can go up to 10 - 15 BHP!

What does this mean for the Dacia: If Dacia has given the value of the crankshaft, first you have to count down 10 BHP so on the wheels you have 95 BHP. With the tuning you can reach 10% more wich it makes to 105 BHP on the wheels. (on the crankshaft il will be: 105 BHP + 10% = 115 BHP).

After changing the software the chip can be placed again on the circuitboard.

The ECU is mounted again in the Dacia, and the first start after the changing of the software takes place. Without hesitation the engine starts! Stationary it runs perfectly and it reacts very good to the gaspedal, so I take the car for a testdrive.

After some time I return to the company. I’m satisfied with the result. Of course it will not drive like a Porsche, Ferrari or Koenigsegg; But there is much difference.

For example: overtaking another car goes faster when you put the pedal down because the engine react faster.

Conclusion: the guys at Vtune did a great job; I would like to thank them again for their work and the fact that I could take pictures of the work for this site and the Dutch forum.

You can contact them at:

Vtune Holland

Eemweg 31-8

3755 LC Eemnes

035-5247334