Curious if anyone has purchased one of those performance chips available off eBay.....
And if it was really worth the effort.
I am using my 2 litre 97 Vitara as a tug for a small camper and just a little more grunt up a hill would be great.
More grunt means more fuel use, but on the flat it should hopefully remain economical.
Interested in any comments...
Cheers
Notice: We request that you don't just set up a new account at this time if you are a previous user.
If you used to be one of our moderators, please feel free to reach out to Chris via the facebook Outerlimits4x4 group and he will get you set back up with access should he need you.
If you used to be one of our moderators, please feel free to reach out to Chris via the facebook Outerlimits4x4 group and he will get you set back up with access should he need you.
Recovery:If you cannot access your old email address and don't remember your password, please click here to log a change of email address so you can do a password reset.
Performance Chips
You'll only feel the added performance on tuesdays and only if you fit a magnet to the fuel line and two hiclones.
They're not worth the money.
Steve.
They're not worth the money.
Steve.
[quote="greg"] some say he is a man without happy dreams, or that he sees silver linings on clouds and wonders why they are not platinum... all we know, is he's called the stevie.[/quote]
As steve was comically pointing out these things (as well as hyclones, fuel treatment modules etc) are just gimmicks designed to catch out poor suckers with more money than knowledge about cars.
Build Thread - http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=168546&p=1927514&hilit=GRPABT1%27s+zook#p1927514
Was silly enough to try a Hiclone in my dad's VQ Caprice (5.0L v8) some years ago on a trip to Perth. Had the Hiclone in from Adelaide to Eucla, then drove without it from Eucla to Perth. Fuel economy was about 1.5L/100k's worse with the Hiclone!
As you can imagine, it was left out on the trip home and returned rapidly for a full refund....
As you can imagine, it was left out on the trip home and returned rapidly for a full refund....
The hyclone has been known to work onm some cars, especially deisels that don't mind a little restriction. That said there is a bloody money back garuntee that hardly anyone takes them up on and that's how they are still in business.
Build Thread - http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=168546&p=1927514&hilit=GRPABT1%27s+zook#p1927514
Grizzly, just get a mechanic to advance the timing on your engine and run 98 octane fuel. On my XL-7 (2.7l V6) the spark/ ignition timing pick up is on the end of the LHS camshaft (firewall end) and is adjustable like an old fashioned distributor. I'd imagine you might have a similar pick up?
Of course you need to be careful of detonation etc, but that's basically all a chip will do. The chip is just able to control the advance at certain revs and loads rather than a blanket advance like the pick up will give.
Of course you need to be careful of detonation etc, but that's basically all a chip will do. The chip is just able to control the advance at certain revs and loads rather than a blanket advance like the pick up will give.
David
I'd be very carefull adjusting the cam pickups on distributorless engines.
The cam sensor on most engines is only used to determine which phase of the four stroke cycle the engine is performing, the crank pickup provides the baseline reference pulses.
And...... the pickups don't control the ignition timing they merely provide baseline reference pulses to the ECU which takes into account a myriad of other things - especially the knock sensors - before determining the ignition timing, particularly under full load.
If the engine is octane limited then simply by going to 98 will allow the ECU to add more advance and therefore produce more power. Octane isn't always the limit however, so some engines will run better with it others wont.
Unfortunately the "suck it and see" mechanism is really the only way to find out.
The cam sensor on most engines is only used to determine which phase of the four stroke cycle the engine is performing, the crank pickup provides the baseline reference pulses.
And...... the pickups don't control the ignition timing they merely provide baseline reference pulses to the ECU which takes into account a myriad of other things - especially the knock sensors - before determining the ignition timing, particularly under full load.
If the engine is octane limited then simply by going to 98 will allow the ECU to add more advance and therefore produce more power. Octane isn't always the limit however, so some engines will run better with it others wont.
Unfortunately the "suck it and see" mechanism is really the only way to find out.
( usual disclaimers )
It seemed like a much better idea when I started it than it does now.
It seemed like a much better idea when I started it than it does now.
all it is that the resistor does is tell the ecu there is more air going in, so it adds more fuel. it will use more fuel, but can give more power. i got a mate who uses one on his VN 5L he rekons it works killa! but thats on a completley different engine.
'Only Cheap Wine Comes in 5 Litres'
2" springs, 2" shackles, 2" Body Lift, 31" cooper st, 2.25" exhorst, extractors, pod filter, GTI engine, microtech, bullbar.
2" springs, 2" shackles, 2" Body Lift, 31" cooper st, 2.25" exhorst, extractors, pod filter, GTI engine, microtech, bullbar.
Well they are usually connected to the Intake Air Temperature sensor - to fool the engine into thinking that the air is more dense ( colder ) than it actually is thus richening up the mixture ( opposite is also possible ).
With engines that run closed loop their effect is only transient so at constant load there will be no power difference but there MAY be small differences under transient conditions if the engine has modifications that are providing minor improvements in airflow that allow the extra fuel to be burnt or was slightly lean under transient conditions from the factory.
The changes are well under what is detectable by "seat of thew pants" testing
Some I have seen use a variable resistor which provides an ability to vary the mixture slightly - but if you don't have a mixture meter and dyno then its still very difficult to tell the difference.
My gripe with them is that they are overhyped and overpriced. Small gains can be made and are possibly worth doing for the cost of a 5c resistor or $1 variable resistor but more than that no way......
With engines that run closed loop their effect is only transient so at constant load there will be no power difference but there MAY be small differences under transient conditions if the engine has modifications that are providing minor improvements in airflow that allow the extra fuel to be burnt or was slightly lean under transient conditions from the factory.
The changes are well under what is detectable by "seat of thew pants" testing
Some I have seen use a variable resistor which provides an ability to vary the mixture slightly - but if you don't have a mixture meter and dyno then its still very difficult to tell the difference.
My gripe with them is that they are overhyped and overpriced. Small gains can be made and are possibly worth doing for the cost of a 5c resistor or $1 variable resistor but more than that no way......
( usual disclaimers )
It seemed like a much better idea when I started it than it does now.
It seemed like a much better idea when I started it than it does now.
Those resistors can also be dangerous- on hot days the engine will most likely be running more advance than it should.
A friend let someone install one on his RenaultSport Clio and it showed up when a data logger was connected because his inlet temp never varied from 25 degree C. I know the RSC inlet temps can get up to 80 degrees on hot days so he's running a huge risk for negligible gains (if any?) I imagine his engine would be running more advance than it should in hot conditions which could result in detonation destroying the engine.
A friend let someone install one on his RenaultSport Clio and it showed up when a data logger was connected because his inlet temp never varied from 25 degree C. I know the RSC inlet temps can get up to 80 degrees on hot days so he's running a huge risk for negligible gains (if any?) I imagine his engine would be running more advance than it should in hot conditions which could result in detonation destroying the engine.
David
hey, im only going by what he told me. but danm that car is fastGRPABT1 wrote:BWAHAHAHAHAHA!crackatinny wrote: i got a mate who uses one on his VN 5L he rekons it works killa!
'Only Cheap Wine Comes in 5 Litres'
2" springs, 2" shackles, 2" Body Lift, 31" cooper st, 2.25" exhorst, extractors, pod filter, GTI engine, microtech, bullbar.
2" springs, 2" shackles, 2" Body Lift, 31" cooper st, 2.25" exhorst, extractors, pod filter, GTI engine, microtech, bullbar.
my brother makes these for motoguzzis/ ducati's as a direct plug in no wiring mods.
http://jefferies-au.org/MyECU/index.htm
Going to get him to do one for my Vitara over the next 6 months.
If anyones interested they should cost $500 fully programable and straight plug in ( pending plug type and availability of plug).
http://jefferies-au.org/MyECU/index.htm
Going to get him to do one for my Vitara over the next 6 months.
If anyones interested they should cost $500 fully programable and straight plug in ( pending plug type and availability of plug).
If your going to replace the whole ECU just go for a MegaSquirt - your not going to get better value for money anywhere and they have been built and used by the thousands. Support firmware and software is freely available, with loads of features.jaffazoom wrote:If anyones interested they should cost $500 fully programable and straight plug in ( pending plug type and availability of plug).
And lets not forget that tuning is where its all about - a programmable ECU is absolutely no use if you can't / don't know how to tune it - which is not a job for beginners.
( usual disclaimers )
It seemed like a much better idea when I started it than it does now.
It seemed like a much better idea when I started it than it does now.
It was probably fast before the rip off chip. Dude I am into the commodore scene and own a work V8 VN myself and his ebay chip did SFA except for lighten his wallet.crackatinny wrote:hey, im only going by what he told me. but danm that car is fastGRPABT1 wrote:BWAHAHAHAHAHA!crackatinny wrote: i got a mate who uses one on his VN 5L he rekons it works killa!
Build Thread - http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=168546&p=1927514&hilit=GRPABT1%27s+zook#p1927514
x2. A real tune on a dyno (short of finding a genuine HSV tune) costs a lot more than $20, it also gets results. My V6 is mildly amusing to drive, and the engine's standard - the V8's have up to 65kW more, and more torque, too.GRPABT1 wrote:It was probably fast before the rip off chip. Dude I am into the commodore scene and own a work V8 VN myself and his ebay chip did SFA except for lighten his wallet.crackatinny wrote:
hey, im only going by what he told me. but danm that car is fast
They should be pretty quick, considering kerb weight is sub-1400kg.
Sorry to butt in ahead of MM:
I'd say no Nicbeer. The dyno time in getting good drivability will be crippling, regardless of the cost of the ECU.
IN an offroad motor, drivability is far more important that outright power so unless your engine has radically changed breathing, i'd say no.
Steve.
I'd say no Nicbeer. The dyno time in getting good drivability will be crippling, regardless of the cost of the ECU.
IN an offroad motor, drivability is far more important that outright power so unless your engine has radically changed breathing, i'd say no.
Steve.
[quote="greg"] some say he is a man without happy dreams, or that he sees silver linings on clouds and wonders why they are not platinum... all we know, is he's called the stevie.[/quote]
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests