Hey!

I stumbled across this just yesterday on the PSC website. They now do "Powerchip" installs for cheap... $490AUD (which is about $375USD), installed!

Here are the numbers Powerchip 2.0L numbers. As you can see, it bumps stock crank hp up to 115kW from 102kW (that's around 155bhp from 137bhp) & adds around 23 Newtons of twist! So with what I've already done so far, I'm hoping for around 175-180bhp.

I'll be booking the car in in the next couple of weeks, I think.

I'd like to know if anyone knows of any reasons why I shouldn't, as I remember reading something a while back about someone's bad experiences with the chip.

Also, does anyone know if it would be best to install it after I get other mods (such as header, 1.8L cam & maybe crank pulley) done? Or is it OK to get the chip first, then do the rest?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Should search on the site, the few folks that have got one have not been pleased with it. CEL's abound.

 

Installing it after you get all your mods is the best bet if its tuned by them for your car, considering mods like the 1.8cam will move the power up in the powerband, require slightly more fueling, etc.

If its already tuned, and they just plop it in, it shouldn't matter. Although I wouldn't get a pretuned one as they are garbage, and mess with the results from other mods.

 

Ok, I've just gone through past posts relating to the "Powerchip" & it seems as though the main issues have been to do with freighting & TCU CELs.

I suppose the fact that my car is MAP based will help things a bit as the chip is tuned here in Oz for the Australian spec Coupe.

Also, I trust Bretton (at PSC) will do a good job of it... I won't have to install it myself which reduces the chance of me stuffing it up. They'll also only need the car for an hour or two.

It comes with a 14 day money back garantee as well as a 3 year warranty.

It looks like a win/win from whichever way I look at it...


EDIT*: Sorry hamhead, I must've been typing & didn't see your post. Valid point regarding the fact that the chip is pre-tuned... I'll look into that & discuss it with Bretton next week.

 

Ehh, considering you'd have to get it retuned whenever you add a new mod, it's not worth it. Pick up a SMT6 instead.

 

^DON'T get me through this discussion again. I thought I made it clear that it's NOT TRUE that you have to "retune" your ECU in order for it to accept new modifications, once it's chipped.

The ECU is adaptative, it has ways to adjust (fuel trims, anyone?).

The primary goal of a "simple" chip like the Powerchip is just to advance timing thorough the whole RPM range (and that's ALL they did to LeadFoot's chip). Adding or removing most modifications after the chip has been installed won't affect timing.

 

^^ If it is just timing advance, as he says, and doesn't include leaning out of fuel, than yes, it shouldn't matter for 90% of bolt-ons. Didn't know that though, I probably should have looked it up.