More power and torque ???

Freddos future · Veteran Member

More power and torque ???

dave06 · Guru

certainly not a gimmick, everything under the bonnett nowadays, including direct injection, (diesels ) is computer controlled, you are kidding yourself if you think you are in control of that noisy thing in the front, mr computer has that job firmly in hand and he wont relinquish his hold without a fight, disconnect any one of the sensors and see how far you get, just the o2 sensor (found low down on your exhaust manifold, a white wire) will shut you down

being computer controlled the engine is "tuned" regularly by a miriad of sensors. something like a thousand calculations a minute are passing through these things, little buggers are everywhere reporting back to the motherboard which by the way is located just in front of your glove box behind the firwall and can be accessed by another computer for diagnostics through your glovebox, a second "diagnostic engine management computer" for mundane running is located somewhere under the bonnett in plain veiw, his job is secondary

also by the way your transmission (if automatic) is computer controlled now as well, which can be tinkered with by geeks er sorry technicians, with chips and different "learning" strategys

your engine comes out "tuned" to average driving conditions i.e good economy with a modicum of power and torque, a "power" chip will alter your fuel injection ratio (burn more) and also your timing (slight advancement of spark) and in some cases even valve timing can be altered by computer this results in up to 30% power gain and an increase in torque (not sure of the figures there just offhand)

the downside is increased fuel usage but this can be offset if you are towing, also if you go to the extreme then rough idling (lumpy or frrummpp, frrummp, frrummp, hunting is another word for it) may be felt but only at the extreme

there is also another "chip" which will enhance your fuel economy but decrease your power

we call them chips but you are right it is a replacement module, we put them in the falcons as a part of their "tow pack" strategy to increase the towing capacity from a standard 1600 kgms to 2300 kgms

anyway I hope I havent bored the tits off you but as I have stated before I work in the industry and it is also a hobby of mine, hope I've helped to dispell a few of the misnomours floating about

Basil Faulty · Guru

They do work. They are usually piggybacked onto the EMS via a cable, they are not cheap and unless you do a few KM you may not actually benifit. The other way of doing it is with one of the OBD II diagnostic bizzos. The upmarket ones of those will allow some reprograming of the EMS to get more power vs economy plus of course they can be used in a diagnostic sense. You can get the software to run on a laptop & a USB - OBD II cable and most racing enthusiasts use them.
WOT DON"T WORK are Hyclones, fitch fuel calalysts and a few other things that for unknown reasons all seem to come out of Qld....

tonyd · Guru

Just idle curiosity: If you had a new vehicle and put a chip on it, does it have any (adverse) effect on the warranty?
Cheers, Tony

JRH · Guru

tonyd wrote:

Just idle curiosity: If you had a new vehicle and put a chip on it, does it have any (adverse) effect on the warranty?
Cheers, Tony

Would probably need to check with dealer on that one.

John

Rolly · Guru

There's a version that the trawler operators like; you know - fish'n chips wink

And another kind that gives a real blast of power; like - fission chips. confuse

twobob · Guru

My knowledge is a little outdated, but what Sir Dave and Sir Basil said, is right.
The vehicle manufacturer produces a setting for a model, that will work on all of those coming off the assembly line.

This setting is not necessarily the best for your vehicle or what you intend to use it for.

The add on chip can tune your Engine Management System (EMS) for your particular vehicle, to get the best out of it. It also can, have several settings programmed, to what you intend to use the vehicle for - load carrying, highway use and city driving.

In Europe, they have this ability built in, and there was an argument to introduce it here.

The downside is the cost to install and program. Unless you do a lot of travel or have a particular job that needs more fuel economy or power, then the cost benefit analysis is against you, or at least was.

Wombat 280 · Guru

If you fit anything during the warranty period not authorized by the manufacturer they can and usually will void their coverage if something major plays up .When you take it in for a service the tune up will not be for the chip mod you fitted but the standard vehicle at purchase.

It's a proven physics law that holds true for the internal combustion engine ' For every action in one direction there is a equal a reaction in the opposite direction . In short, stuff around with the settings and your asking for trouble.

More power required, trade up

Basil Faulty · Guru

Interesting figures..... I notice that my CRDI Diesel works most ecconomically at the peak torque revs which is around 2000rpm which equates to a road speed around the 100km/h and this seems from my experiments to be the same towing or not towing. So to drive this car at 80 does not save me over driving at 100 and 100 seems to give me the best performance and ecconomy. Diesel Mech that I know tells me that most diesels run most efficiently and ecconomically at their peak torque revs and my experiments prove this to be spot on.