got my ecu tuned by powerchip
 

Everything went smoothly and I received my ECU today. Trav, (silvered), was extremely helpful and great to work w/ and even gave me $400 off :D ($600)


So I plugged everything back in, burnt myself FOR THE SECOND TIME on that burning hot fluorescent lamp that's behind the carpeting, and turned on the engine.


Immediately, the engine sounded a VERY TINY bit deeper than it did before. Not something you would notice unless you drive the car every day.



They told me about 50 miles would be enough for the ECU to adapt and that it would take shorter depending on how I drive. I beat the crap out of her today...


I drove everywhere I could for any reason I could. Red-line 1st, red-line 2nd, I even red-lined THIRD once!!! (5 speed)


However, my problem is that I can not tell if there are any gains or not. It sometimes feels a bit faster, but I do not want to fool myself into thinking there is an improvement when there isn't.


Does it feel different? Even that I can't tell. It seems like it does...maybe a tiny bit faster. I'm not sure. Maybe there's someone in the area w/ a 987 5 speed who would be willing to drive my car and see if there is any difference.



One thing that concerns me:

At times, it almost felt as if certain points in the powerband gained and lost power. They assured me there would be ZERO losses at any part of the powerband, but who knows?



Anyways, I just wanted to report for those who were interested. I have 2 weeks to try it and I can return if I don't like it.



If anyone in the area (50 mile radius?) wants to give it a shot and see if there's a difference, I'll drive over to you.




Thanks for letting me blab :)

Ha! Funny you mention that. I actually scard my arm pretty bad on the tiny lamp in the rear trunk behind the carpet.

Trav tried to warn me about that, but I didn't know he was talking about so I ignored him.



I have new reports...



- I do feel a bit more torque, especially in high gear


- The exhaust note does sound a bit different


- I notice that I don't always have to downshift to speed up from low RPM. It is not a huge difference but it is a difference.


- I AM GETTING INCREASE MPG. This was apparent immediately. I was driving like an ass to get the ECU to adapt and I was still getting better over-all MPG than before.



I am going to change my oil for the first time since I bought the car...and see if that helps.

Thanks for posting info!! :cheers: Keep us posted!!!

To probably get the most out of the install, maybe getting a dyno done on your car may help you see more of what you do or don't feel....although, you don't have the pre-ECU upgrade info for the car.... it may still give you more information if you compare it to the information that is out there for your model.

...btw, for a leased car, are you allowed to do that?? I am not certain about this. I have always owned my cars and could not give you definitive information on this. Maybe one of the other guys could chime in.

As long as I return it back to stock, which I understand will happen.



I am still very uncertain about this product.


In first gear, my car used to pull insanely...and now...it feels like it is losing power around mid-range as opposed to gaining it like it should be.



It is weird. There are definitely some improvements but it feels to me like there are some losses. I can't fully tell, though, w/out a comparison.



Maybe if I used it in conjunction w/ a mod such as an exhaust or intake?



Well, I still have a little while to decide.



I will record the exhaust for you guys and see if you can detect a difference.


:)

I always unplugged the light, easy and I didnt have to worry about it.

If my oil is less than half full, I should add oil? :confused: :confused: :confused:



What type of oil do I need for my car? My dealership said they charge $300 for an oil change (LOL) but also that my car burns 1/2 qt - 1 qt of oil every 1000 miles (WTF? LOL)


Is adding oil as simple as opening that little thing in the boot and pouring some oil in? :)

Yup just open up the rear and pour in. On a 987 each mark on the oil level indicator corresponds to about 1/3 of a quart.

I usually add 1/4 of a quart if it is down by one mark wait 5 minutes and then measure. After that I add very small amounts.

My car burns almost exactly one quart per 3,500 miles.

My car doesn't burn anywhere near that, I use 0-40 Mobil one.

Why are our cars burning that much oil? It burns almost as much as a two stroker engine.


Btw... what oil do we need to use for our cars? I have a feeling my dealership will charge way more than what its worth.






OK GUYS! NEWEST REPORT ON THE ECU UPGRADE!



After much careful consideration, testing and driving (at least 400 miles) I have made what I hope is to be my final conclusion.


The car is faster. You definitely feel a lot more torque, especially in 3rd gear where the car used to die off a little.


The exhaust sounds different. A little bit deeper.


The throttle response has improved by a lot.



There isn't a flat spot at around 2k RPM like there used to be. It's not so lively, but it's not flat.



Over-all, after almost returning the thing, I am very pleased. Perhaps it just needed a few hundred miles to get worked in. Whatever the case, it works now and I am still getting used to the new power.



How powerful? It isn't a HUGE boost, but it is substantial enough where you will definitely feel it and then some.



Do I recommend this product?


YES. 100% so far. Call Trav and tell him about the 986forum offer he made ... $600. He will honor it like he honored mine :)


Btw, the shipping is simple. All you do is print out the shipping label they e-mail you, bring it to fedex kinko's center, wrap it in bubble wrap (costs $2.50) and they mail it out for you. Powerchip pays for the shipping for you from your credit card to save you the hassle.


I don't want to piss off any sponsors or anything, but I just felt there was an interest in the product here that needed to be satisfied.



If anyone has any questions, I'll answer the best I can.

Hi,

Sorry, don't want to sound like a Kill-Joy, but I gotta call BS.

Less than 24Hrs. ago you were extremely hesitant with each gain you reported. Now, all of a sudden these gains (Butt-Dyno only) are Definite?

You say the car is faster? How are you measuring this? How much faster? 0-60? Top Speed?

You say there is more torque? Again, how are you measuring this?

Reported gains in MPG? How much and again, how are you measuring it, the gauge or by measuring the amount of a refill? Perhaps you're not idling as much in the past 24 Hrs. or changed your routes (Freeway vs City driving)?

In less than 24 Hrs. you put 400+ miles on the car? That's more than 6Hrs.40min. driving @ 60MPH - where'd you go? To Boston... and Back? That would be slightly less than 400 miles.

I don't mean to pick on you, but the Placebo Effect is a tremendous thing. It can make people think and feel things which just aren't there.

You're comparing the qualities of the car to a MEMORY of what your car used to be - not very accurate.

Did you record Baseline Data before installing this chip? Were you careful to drive in the exact same manner using the same routes and speeds?

If not, none of your reported gains can be verified, they're just unqualified impressions and that's waay too little for people to run off and spend $600.

I suspect that you're pushing the car harder since the chip install and it's this shift in driving style which is accounting for most of the reported gains.

The Stock DME does a pretty good job of optimizing the performance of the car with stock intake and exhaust. Re-chipping may alter the power/torque curves, but I doubt it added anything significant, if anything at all.

I think reports like this can be valuable to the knowledge base here, but only if the comparisons are real and conducted in some sort of controlled manner.

Good Luck with the chip, I hope that it's really all you report it to be, but based on what I'm hearing so far, I remain somewhat skeptical...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Ya, there either a difference or theres not. When I cold aired my BMW I could definately tell my lost power above 5 grand was there. I was hitting the rev limiter by accident because I wasnt used to it having power there. Id return it, get your money back, and put it torwards something else.

BM, I agree with MNBoxster and Boggtown. Sorry, dude.

True thats what i was thinking +1

Feels much faster than it did. I am pulled back to my seat now whereas before I was used to flooring it to redline in first and it almost seemed normal to me.



My average MPG from driving the car ALL 7k miles (before the ecu got back) was 20.1. Very low because I drive like an ass hole, but it hits the 20s because most all my miles are highway miles. I am always beating my car on the road. Of course, when I got the ECU, as I already explained, I drove it like even MORE of an ass hole to get the ECU to adapt, and still, the MPG was raising...After 400 miles and tremendous amounts of extra ass hole-ish driving, it reached 20.9 and has been steadily raising.


When I got it, I drove to my friend's house in Long Island...40 miles. Drove around town a lot... 15miles. Drove back home...40miles. Drove to school in Albany...150miles. Drove back home today...150miles. Drove back to Long Island...40 miles. Drove to autozone to find oil (they told me they had no info on my car...)... 15 miles.


That's roughly 410 miles. Approximated, of course.

Yes I completely understand and knew this before hand, which is why I was so skeptical at first. If it was a placebo effect, don't you think I would have jumped out of the gate screaming about how great it was?


Unfortunately, yes. But I will defend myself by saying I have put 7400 miles on my car since mid-november. I really know my car well, at least in terms of how it drives. I trust my claims to some extent based on that.

Negatory. I figured that if the gains were worth it, I would notice it. I apologize. :(

What have you got to lose? Shipping can be done for free..but takes 4 days each way.


Aha, I must disagree here. I ALWAYS drive my car very hard. I can't even describe to you how hard I drive. People can not drive w/ me because I nauseate them.



I thought the same myself. How can you squeeze any more power out of this car? Porsche has already done a good job. That is why I was so hesitant to buy any mods. You of all people know about me and my mod craze. I didn't want to commit money to anything w/out a guarantee. I certainly expected the worst.


My car, though...is definitely different now in a good way.



I hope so too. The best I can offer is to perhaps let someone in my area drive my car and see if THEY notice a difference. Yes, there are variables involved there as well, but eliminating all variables is virtually impossible.



I'll buy a stop watch tomorrow and time a 5-60... 5-60 to eliminate extra variables caused by launching techniques and such.



Well, like I said, I know my reports have varied so much, that's why I left the idea open that I may have a new report tomorrow.


For all I know, it was the temperature change that caused the different feel. I mean, when I last had the car, the temperatures were in the mid 40s...when I got it back Wednesday, it was 65 that day. Now today, Thursday, it is in the low 40s...


Could explain why I wasn't so impressed w/ the car when I got it back. What do you guys think?

The harsh reality is you very well may have thrown $600 down the poop shute. Without before and after dynos we will never know. Jim is absolutely right. The placebo effect is a ******************** and it's the performance aftermarket's best friend.

Read my response to Jim :P



Placebo effect is/was never an issue.

Congrats Bav, glad you're happy with it. Butt-dyno issues aside, the fuel economy increase is impressive. The figures would be more questionable if the math wasn't so dramatic, but your 20.1 median over 7K and my own observations regarding differences in 987 fuel economy under different conditions (or lack thereof) would certainly indicate that you're seeing a marked improvement there.

Bottom-line, people believe what they want to believe. I do find it a bit amusing that a few days ago we had board members ripping their snorkles out with abandon over a reported 1.9% hp gain from removal of a tube but others are singing the skeptic serenade over the remapping of the DME by professional tuners.

Hi,

Say what you will (and you will), but the majority of people doing a remap have stated that it's effects are minimal without intake/exhaust mods as well - just peruse the archives.

Again, impressions mean nothing and I'm doubting even the MPG improvements. More Power and more Torque, combined with increased MPG, all the while beating the Snot out of it? - it's all too good to be true...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

It's day 3/12 (12 because I want to allow a day to send it back if necessary) now, Jim. I will be reporting every day to see if I can get you guys the most info I can.


I have heard all of the things you say so many times. That a tune by itself will not yield much benefit..that you need to remove air restrictions...that my type of engine can't be improved that much.


That's why I am so surprised myself!




Well, I asked them what exactly they DO. They told me, and I'm not sure if this is what all ecu tuners do, but bear w/ me... that the majority of what they do is just making sure the fuel injection and spark plug ignition take place as close together in time as possible...might improve MPG? Certainly is more fuel efficient. :confused: :confused:



Do you think the dramatic temperature change made a substantial difference? Like I said, the majority of the time I've had my car it's been in the 30s and 40s...and then the day I get the ECU back, it's 65 and I am not impressed w/ the results. The very next day, it's 40 out and I am suddenly impressed.



Let it be known that I want this to be real. I don't just want to think it's real or pretend it's real. So let's hope

Not necessarily. Your first suspicions that the car is not faster or maybe even slower could very well be correct. However, to justify the money spent you might have tricked yourself into thinking something more is there when it's not.

P.S. it was really hard to read your response to Jim. It was super long and I couldn't really tell where his quote ended and your response began so I skipped over it last night. You might want to clean that up a bit.

I apologize. It's the way the forum settings are. If you quote someone and leave the name blank, it uses their actual statement as the quotee's name, so you see doubles of everything quoted.


But please don't forget I have a 2 week guarantee on this product.


I still may return it...I'd lose $80 for shipping is all.

Hi,

I think you're trying to convince yourself. What they told you they do to the Fuel Timing Maps is a very broad statement - all Maps involve syncronizing the Injector Pulse Width with the ignition (spark), but so far as taking place as close together as possible, this isn't true. And how they do what they do is just as important as the end result. Do they produce new Maps? Or (most Likely) do they introduce software to fool the DME into selecting different Maps than it otherwise would for a given set of operating parameters?

The Fuel Timing (when the Injector is pulsed) is dependent upon the engine's Duty Cycle. That is, when the Intake Valve is closed and the Piston is on it's Compression Stroke. This allows the Fuel and Air to emulsify (mix) and compress to achieve the best combustion. The length of this Injector Pulse (called the Pulse Width or Duration) determines how much Fuel is introduced into the cylinder.

Now the time interval of this Duty Cycle changes in response to how fast the engine is turning (RPMs). The Compression Stroke on an engine revving at 6k RPM is half as long in duration than one for the same engine revving at 3k RPM and the Injector Pulses (not the Pulse Width, or Duration) are twice as far apart for the 3k RPM mode than the 6k RPM one.

As far as Spark is concerned, the Duty Cycle is also important, but for different reasons. The Ignition of the Fuel/Air Mix starts at the Spark and travels (or propagates) outward to the Cylinder Walls. This takes Time (although it is measured in nanoseconds, it still takes Time nonetheless). In order to capture the maximum energy the A/F Mix contains, all the mix must be combusted just as the Piston reaches it's uppermost position - Top Dead Center (TDC). This makes the most energy available to push the Piston back down. If this doesn't occur, either some fuel is left unburned or the energy from that fuel isn't available to do Work (push the Piston). So, the Spark must occur at a precise optimal point in the Duty Cycle. But, since the Duty Cycle duration is variable (depending upon engine RPMs), this optimal point for the Spark to occur also changes. In the 6k vs 3k RPM scenario, in order for the A/F mix to properly combust, the Spark must be introduced sooner at 6k RPMs than at 3k RPMs, this is known as being Advanced (or sooner before TDC is reached).

These Optimal Points for Fuel Timing and Spark differ throughout both the RPM and Load Range and are independent of each other. This means you don't always want them as close together as possible, contrary to what you've been told. They have been determined experimentally in the Lab and are programmed as code into the ECU (DME in Porsche Parlance) and are called Maps. Using the signals from various sensors in the engine and car, the DME compares actual conditions to a set of known conditions and selects the correct Map programmed for those conditions and energizes the Fuel Injector and Spark Plug accordingly.

This is the very basic function of the DME. But, the Maps also incorporate other considerations such as Intake Valve cooling, Detonation Thresholds, Emissions, MPG (Lean Fuel Metering - Cruising), Fuel Quality, Engine Service Life, etc. which may set the Fuel and Spark introduction at other than Optimal Points (less than Optimal specifically for Performance that is).

A typical re-chip does not find some new Magical points at which to fire the Injectors or Plugs, it most often uses software to mask or alter the signals the DME receives from it's various sensors to fool it (the DME) into ignoring many of the non-performance related parameters and adjusts the firing points accordingly by selecting different Maps than those called for by the actual operating conditions. This will increase Performance, only very mildly for an NA engine - greater gains are to be had on Forced engines (such as Open Exhaust Valve combustion to maintain Turbo RPMs, etc.).

But these re-chips are dependent upon the DME's Memory Capacity. The file size for Bosch Motronic 5.2 (2.5L engines) is 16 Kb, 512Kb (or 32X more) for Motronic 7.2.2 and 720Kb for Motronic 7.8. This means that there is more to work with on the ver. 7.8 than the ver. 5.2.

Temperature has little to do with it as it is already compensated for in Air Mass determination and Engine Temp. - the DME adjusts accordingly.

Also, just as important as achieving a gain, you have to look at where those gains take place in the Power bands. If they're all at 6k RPM and above, you're rarely gonna tap into them anyway. The greatest gains to be had from a usability standpoint are in the mid-ranges and most of what you report is at the extreme.

The amount of gain really depends upon how poorly the original Software was written. These Gains are not Made, rather they are found within defficiencies of the original software.

One has to assume that Bosch/Porsche did a pretty poor job, leaving a lot on the Table, in the initial programming to assume that a re-chip can produce substantial gains.

I'm not willing to make that assumption, especially since the engine, in stock form, has such a high Horsepower/Displacement ratio as compared to many, many other Performance cars, including the famed 550 Spyder.

You may find trading $600 for a couple HP and/or Ft.lbs. of Torque (at best, if at all) as a good trade, I do not. And, I think there are many here who feel the same way. I mean that's 3/4 the cost of a new set of tires, or shocks, and such and I think most people with limited funds to spend on a fun car have to look at it this way.

Anything less than a 15HP gain leaves the car essentially as it began. You can say you have 3 more HP, Hooray for you! But that doesn't mean squat in the real world...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Hi,

That is so true, especially since Memory is fading, his original impressions are likely to be the most accurate...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

- Bragging rights...mean nothing to me.


- I have an eidetic memory. I have a specific timing in my head of how long it takes me to redline 1st and 2nd gear and what points of the powerband feel like what. This is why I was reporting a possible loss around 4-5k rpm range. I noticed a difference RIGHT THERE. A bad one at that, but then, it may have been due to the temperature increase. Time will tell. I need more days behind the wheel, though I've literally driven ALL DAY both days.


- If I was trying to convince myself that I spent the money well, why didn't I do it in the beginning? The answer to that is simply because I wasn't. I was very skeptical and in fact, I still am unsure. My reports yesterday were good but that doesn't mean they're conclusive and I believe I made that clear.


-

I can't drive my car today (tried to...drove home sideways basically) so I cannot report.



Anyhow...I might drive down to D.C. where it is warmer just to drive my car :D (family lives there)



I definitely understand the skepticism from you all, however.



Hey, does anyone know if that power v flow intake for the 987 is any good? It looks much smaller than the factory air filter.

:D

I'm running to your defense Bavarian. I think as long as you are happy with the results, then you got your money's worth on the mod. You can check the thread on the bashing I got when I posted my dyno results.

It doesn't matter if you have hard results or not, there will be people on this forum who will still be skeptical about mods.

Keep us updated if you ever dyno it.

I can dyno it for you guys if you think it will help? I mean, I don't have a before dyno to compare to, but I don't mind spending the $$ if it makes you guys happy :P



I owe at least that much to you all :cheers:

Hi,

A Dyno run without Baseline #s from the same car doesn't give you anything to compare it to.

Individual cars can vary widely in their Dyno numbers. I saw an 8 Peak HP difference between 2 Stock Boxsters (roughly the same mileage, etc.) run back to back on the same Dyno. That's probably more than any possible gain you got from the chip, so comparing your numbers even to a set of stock OEM specs still doesn't make for much comparison. I'd save your money...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

bav, congrats on your purchase and being happy yourself....listen you can't win here all the time.....I think I just saw that chip in a magazine I randomly got and was going to post on here about it....

The chip I saw claimed HP went from 240 to 254 for the base and a half second drop in 0-60...I was going to mention it to Dr Burton since it claims to take the "s" version to almost 300 horses.....so I say dyno it...I highly doubt your 987 was producing more than 240 so I would say anything above, give yourself a pat on the back......

if you only gained 3 extra hp, then I might still get one to offset the loss in speed if I get the 19 inch replica classics :D

I don't want SD and the other guys teasin me about having the slowest 987....still one of the funniest things I have read.....

Thank you sir. :)


The problem w/ a dyno is I believe they measure WHP only. I didn't know what my WHP was so how could I compare to see it now?


Are there any dynos that measure hp somewhere else?

Bavarian, contrary to what some say here, I believe your claim.
I don't know about Powerchip or GIAC, but we had a chance to drive one of local owner's REVO'd 986. It was fairly impressive. I noticed some people bash on these chips without ever driving one. Forget opinions from "internet expert" and only listen to the opinions from owners.

Have you heard about "Sprint Booster"? (not for Boxster)
So many negative and nay sayers, but again nobody never had real experience on the product. I contacted one of the owners for test drive and now I can't imagine driving my Mercedes without it. I'm not saying all chips will be like that. Even REVO was not as good as Sprint Booster. You also have to listen to the negative report on GIAC from one of 996 owners(Renntech). Just don't fall into the non owner's guessing games.

Trust what you feel, and enjoy what you have.

Bav, I hope your car is faster and making a lot more hp/tq then it did. I'm not trying to rain on your parade (too much at least). I just put very little stock into people's butt dyno claims whoever that may be. Some people may have no problem basing their decisions off what others say, but me, I like hard factual data that's not biased.

How Can You Tell If It's Been Chipped
 

I bought a second hand 2000 986 and the guy I bought it from said that he thought the guy before him had it chipped but he wasn't sure. Is there any way to tell without pluging the ECU into a PC with the software. By that I mean do they put some sort of sticker somewhere?

Thanks

I understand the skepticism.



I have not gotten a chance to really try her today. I dug her out of snow (was a nightmare) but I was afraid of the roads being icy to take her to speed.




Still, feels like there is extra pulling power in 5th gear...shrug.

Hi,

Haven't you started out claiming exactly what you're chiding other people for doing? Judging without actually driving the car? Just an observation... :cheers:

I too drove a revo'd '04 'S', side-by-side with an '03 'S' that was stock save for being de-snork'd and didn't find the difference very remarkable at all. In fact, if anything, I'd say that any differences were confined to 4.2k RPM (torque) and 6.2k RPM (HP).

The reason I didn't find it remarkable is that at 4.2k RPM, the car is already 'On Cam' and pulling already, and 6.2k RPM is pretty much restricted to Short Bursts, Freeways, and the Track. I certainly didn't find it worth the $900+ investment. Nor did the '04 owner in the end, he said it condemned him to spending another $3k to maximize the investment he'd already made and at that, you're investing a significant % of the resale value, given how soft pre-owned Boxster prices are.

You may well have had a good experience chipping an MB, but that's so much Apples to Oranges as to be totally non-relevant.

Remember, it isn't how good the Aftermarket Chip is. It's about how much the OEM Software leaves on the Table for the Aftermarket Chip makers to capitalize on. Do you think it's possible that MB purposely gelds the Base Car to prop up the AMG variants, similar to what Porsche did with the Boxster/Cayman vs 911?

So far as the Boxster, the stock HP/Displacement ratio is one of the highest out there, that says to me that with stock Intake and Exhaust, Porsche didn't leave a whole lot on the table for Aftermarket tuners to cash-in on. There's just not that much you can do to an NA car for under $1k, and even then it's limited until you switch to FI.

Also, whether it's Renntech, 986forum, or Flat6.com, there simply aren't too many people raving about the HUGE gains from chipping alone - see: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8460&st=0&p=41660&#entry41660 or http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4870&st=0&p=24325&#entry24325 and you'll see that a lot of what I'm saying has been echo'd by others as well.

One other issue not really brought up is what chipping the car will do to any warranty, New or Certified Pre-Owned. Anyone entertaining a re-chip who may still be under warranty should read this first: http://treffen.pca.org/tech/tech_qa_question.asp?id={396E4407-264B-4199-9576-F50C64C97F2B}

I'm happy the owner is pleased, he can do as he likes with his car and money. My issue is with his unqualified "100%" recommendation to others to run out there are plop down $600 - I just don't think he's made his case...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

"I believe his claim based on my experience" is very different from "I claim x whithout driving his car" Just to clarify in case you are confused :)

Well, i did feel the difference and you didn't. It's all good.
Bav felt it and reported, happy ending no? I want to hear more details.
No need to force or over-worry about other members, since they are smarter than you think.

Nobody claims it was "investment", no argument needed.

Sprint Booster example I took is about people's reaction, was not chipping comparison. (FYI it has nothing to do with chip) So "apple to orange" comparison is your misintepretation.

No offense, but I'm more interested in Bav's experience than the redundant information that we saw every forum. Let him share his experience with us.
That's all.

I am gonna have a decision by Friday.


In fact, I think I'll take her out for a drive now.



I would only recommend the upgrade on the premise of there being a guarantee to return it.


And that there is...for ALL buyers. What's the big deal then?

I don't want to piss anyone off. Please take no offence as nothing I say below is directed at anyone personally.

I think aftermarket chips definitely changes the data map so that some values are different to factory settings. As to how much improvement this change offers, I think it's best to test it with things like the Apexi RSM or an accelerometer like the Tesla. I used to do back and back testing using those when I was tuning my MX6 turbo. It shows the difference before and after intake and exhaust mods very convincingly. The Boxster, being NA, would show less measurable benefits but should still be demonstratable nonetheless if the chip does what it claims. An Apexi RSM can be had for around $200AUD or a Tesla device for around $90AUD on Ebay. In many ways, these offer more real world measurements (0-100kph, 400m) than dynos.

I own both. And intend to do some testing myself when I start to play with the snorkel removal and header installation later on.

On the issue of chips, here are two articles on an interview with the director of Powerchip in Australia you may find an interesting read.

http://autospeed.drive.com.au/A_0402/page1.html
http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_0408/article.html

I read the whole interview.


Wow, that interviewer sure did ask him TOUGH questions. No mercy.




After driving my car today, I'm not sure what to think. I'm leaning towards asking for my $$ back because it just doesn't seem like a huge difference, if any.


Better throttle response I admit. Better in 3rd gear for sure (but for some reason, doesn't feel better in 1st or 2nd)



I'm leaning against it now...but I'll see.

Can't imagine that interview doing much for his business, can you?

:)