Hack Your Ride 368
LukePieStalker writes "Monday's Boston Globe has a story on the global market for car chippers. The article describes a global subculture of "drivers who reprogram their vehicles and the companies that keep them supplied with high-performance software and silicon chips".
One nice hack: a car chipped-up for the race track can be set back to factory specs for the street simply by pushing the cruise control button."
That bowling ball! It's my wife (Score:5, Funny)
For some reason, I find that incredibly cool.
Maybe the whole purpose of these new mod chips is so drivers can make back-up copies of their cars in case they crash.
Sorry, I'll leave now.
Re:That bowling ball! It's my wife (Score:4, Funny)
Re:That bowling ball! It's my wife (Score:3, Interesting)
He started out just fixing his own...then friends of his with Ferraris would ask him to tinker with theirs...one thing lead to another.
At least this is what I remember from memory. I think it's cool also.
High end car mechanic is a great job! (Score:3, Informative)
A high-end car mechanic with a right-sized client list and his own garage can make a great living.... $100k is achievable, more in areas where the service is more in demand. (California, warm weather states, etc...) People that buy these cars will pay a premium to have an expert who knows the car inside and out work on it. For them, it is a no-brainer--make a large cash in
Re:That bowling ball! It's my wife (Score:5, Interesting)
Ironic. My first "electronics" project as a child was abusing my dad's 4-track reel-to-reel tape recorder by opening it up twisting the belt around to force it to run backwards. I recorded the "strange foreign language" in J. Geils' No Anchovies Please, unhacked the tape recorder, and played the message backwards to discover the shocking secret:
"It doesn't take a genuis to tell the difference between chicken shit and chicken salad."
I've waited most of my life to use that line in context. I am complete! w00t!
Back to the Street (Score:2)
Um, so can we get the cars to play "freeze frame" now?
Stupid question (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Stupid question (Score:2)
Re:Stupid question (Score:2)
Re:Stupid question (Score:2, Informative)
Check it out at http://www.goapr.com
And watch that knee-jerk.
Re:Stupid question (Score:5, Funny)
up, up, down, down, left, right, left right, left turn signal, right turn signal, brake, gas
Re:Stupid question (Score:3, Informative)
You press the button. I have an APR chip [goapr.com] in my car, and all you have to do is hold the cruise control button until the check engine light flashes. After you have the mode set, light goes off and the new software takes control. I like it since I don't have to put the extra stress my turbo when I don't need it.
-dk
Re:Stupid question (Score:2)
-dk
Re:Stupid question (Score:5, Informative)
The overengineered specs for the 1.8T mean HUGE boosts in engine performance can be had relatively simply. Generally, a chip in a normally aspirated car means at most 10 hp. In a turbo, it can be fairly extreme...with the Audi V6 2.7 biturbo seeing a boost of 65+ hp without adding new turbos or exhausts! VW noticed this overengineering as well (if they didn't do it on purpose) -- notice with the 1.8T that the same engine that was stock 150 hp in 1997 is now stock at 170 hp. They say it's due to DBW, but I say it's due to a better boost program.
Either way, you'd be nuts to buy the crummy 2.8 V6, which actually puts out LESS power after a boost mod than the 1.8T. And it's heavier. And it's $1800 more expensive. But I guess you get more torque under 2k, meaning you don't sound like you're gunning it all the time.
The chip is particular to the engine, but this usually amounts to being particular to model as well, because though Volkswagen uses the same basic engine, the 1.8T, on 4 models, each has a different exhaust and intake system and thus has different allowances for safe boosting.
A quick primer in speed: your engine has three main systems: air intake, combustion, and exhaust. Your car can only be as fast as the weakest of these three. Chipping takes advantage of down-speccing that goes on with the intake and the engine to reduce warranty requests -- the exhaust, at least on modern german autos, is usually good enough for up to 230-250hp. Chipping is a much more effective AND cost effective means of gaining speed out of a stock automobile than slapping on a big exhaust system or a body kit. It's why my Passat has been known to smoke Integras and Mustangs (though, to be honest, that's more likely a combination of good reflexes and shitty driving on the Ford's part).
Not the same thing. (Score:3, Informative)
The wastegate serves to limit the boost pressure.. if pressure rises too high the wastegate vents excess pressure to atmosphere. By raising the release pressure on the wastegate, you allow the turbo to generate more boost. On some vehicles, this is electronically controllable, so in theory (and practice) the ECU can adjust the boost on the fly.
A blowoff or diverter, serve to let air flow cleanly when the throttle is cl
Re:Stupid question (Score:2)
If you want to see an example, here's a video [goapr.com] from APR's site:
Re:Stupid question (Score:3, Informative)
I have one of the APR chips for my Audi and use it regularly.
In my case, I have 4 different programs for my ECU. Holding down one of the buttons on my cruise control stalk for 5 seconds, the check engine light starts flashing (yes, poor choice of lights, but it's one of the few the ECU has direct control ov
My car... (Score:5, Funny)
"Chips" (Score:5, Informative)
There's actually a large market for programmable PnP ECUs out there.
Re:"Chips" (Score:3, Informative)
Re:"Chips" (Score:2, Funny)
what?? no more Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox??!
What is the world coming to????
Re:"Chips" (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, I'd like replacement harnesses. (Score:3, Interesting)
Now, these guys weren't great, I'm sure, but there is something fundamentally flawed with the current system of electrical harness. Ideally, the harness should be easy to maintain, not requiring you to rip out molding everywhere.
So let's try some sta
News? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:News? (Score:2, Informative)
The point of this article is to show that they have gotten better at it and they hope that we will sink our money into it.
Not all chips deliver what they claim. I knew someone who had a JET chip installed in his Toyota Tundra. He had to send the whole ECU in and wait for it to be returned. It's not a simple switch of chips, but a total reprogramming of the ECU. And to boot, he
Mod chips (Score:2, Funny)
Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:5, Insightful)
That "nice hack" is more than just a cute little feature, it is required to pass your emissions inspection if you happen to live in places like the NE and the west coast. This is not to be confused with the saftey inspection that most states do, wlthough the emissions inspection almost always occurs at the same time.
Michigan (Score:2)
Re:Michigan (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:5, Insightful)
Not to mention that most of the higher performance settings can get expensive since racing gas down here in Texas can run $4-5/gallon. It may be more now that gas prices are starting to climb!
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:2)
YMMV.... alot! (Score:5, Informative)
I have an 2001 Audi A4 1.8T with a GIAC [giacusa.com] ECU chip. The car passes emissions just fine, even with an aftermarket cat-back exhaust on it. The dealership just did warranty work on my car and replaced my camshaft tension adjuster. I have *NEVER* removed the chip from my car. The dealership has mentioned that they noticed it was in there and never gave me any problems (I have taken it to 2 different dealerships w/o issue).
They have to prove that the damage is done directly from your modification, as the Magnuson-Moss Act [seniormag.com] states.
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:3, Informative)
Well, do what we do around here when fuel gets ridiculously expensive - go to a small local airport and fill up with AvGas. High octane, cool grounding strap whilst you fill, and you get to peel out on the tarmac on the way out if it's not too busy. And it's only a couple of bucks a gallon. You'll have to get permission at the flight control center before you just drive out th
Dealer Authorized Bliss (Score:2, Funny)
I've had them add some choice goodies, with no effect on my warranty. Dinan also warrantees their mods specifically. No problems yet. The "Ludicrous Speed" button is my favorite. For some reason, my wife still calls it the "accelerator".
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:2)
To get the most extreme modifications you need to make modifications to the engines exhaust system like removing the fuel return hose that returns unburnt fuel back into the intake manifold. That
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:3, Funny)
Seriously, has anyone seen that new show on MTV? I'd like to see whose pimped ride isn't stolen after a year.
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:3, Informative)
Catalytic converter removal is where you get in trouble. CA will flat out fail you on the visual inspection.
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:2)
So it's more important to have low emmissions, but who cares if the vehicle is safe for you or other drivers?
Re:Beware Emissions Inspection (Score:4, Insightful)
If you're running your car with different settings on testing day than on the other 364 days of the year, you're cheating -- and it's the environment, and all the rest of us that DO behave honestly, that suffer.
Like your Driver's Ed teacher always said, operating a motor vehicle is not a RIGHT, it's a PRIVILEGE. Treat it like one. Respect your car, respect your fellow motorists, and respect the laws that govern what's allowed on public streets.
So, how long before (Score:5, Interesting)
I want the future now!
Re:So, how long before (Score:2, Funny)
They'd be rolling Beowulf clusters.
Re:So, how long before (Score:2)
About the same time as you give up total control of your car (which is one step away from your day to day life) to a computer and to those who control the computer.
Don't get me wrong I like the idea from it's beneficial standpoint but that convenience carries with it a huge amount of vigilence on the part of the public to ensure that the technology used is not abused by those in power. Q
no no no! (Score:2, Funny)
Han: That chip goes there and that chip goes there!
Chewie: *Bwaaaaarrraaugh* (translation: Stuff it, honky.)
Expensive boondoggle. (Score:3, Insightful)
Normally aspirated: Add a small bit of horsepower (normally less than you can feel in a double blind test) and lose significant mielage.
Turbocharged: turn up the boost, wear out the engine in a hurry.
What the article doesn't point out is that over-boosting your engine will cause it to wear out in a hurry. The engines in today's cars are built to handle a specific amount of power, and when the power is increased the wear on components is exponentially increased.
For those curious, our head engineer tells me that there is a cubic relation between engine RPM's and stress. Stress causes wear, and that's not a linear only relationship either.
When stress exceeds a certain value, BANG + expensive crunching noises happen.
----
Back in the good old days, re-chipping your ride could actually help (though not always). However, as the engineers learned more and more, the cars got better and better. Also bear in mind, performance is very important nowadays. The factory is getting all the performance it can out of tuning cars, while keeping mielage and wear in check. Also remember that these engines were designed for performance from word one.
The only reason to start reprogramming the engine controls is when significant hardware changes have been made.
As to the "Premium Fuel" thing, I'm doubtful, since all engines i've ever worked with use knock sensors, and are always running at the ragged edge of detonation anyway. There's quite a bit more involved than just fuel octane. Different formulations of fuel from different gas companies burn differently (gas is actually about ~40 or so chemicals in a cocktail). Altitude, engine temperature, air temperature, humidity, air filter cleanliness, RPM, engine load, and spark plugs all play important roles in detonation.
Consequently, the chips are continually adjusting for all that. Supposed octane levels are just one more factor. Granted, some cars, like the Acrua NSX
Like our head engineers always says: It takes a lot of work to outsmart factory engineers. And several million dollars.
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:3, Interesting)
You can get an extra 30-35 HP out of the Evo 8 right off the lot with a reprogramming of the ECU. Many performance cars are the same way though this is an extreme example.
My WRX has 3, count 'em, 3 catalytic converters. These are not needed, either. Many of the overseas versions come stock with one cat only. But if I take them off, I may be putting them right back on next time I
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:2, Interesting)
A friend of my Grandfather has a Skyline which can be chipped for an extra 100hp. This is because they are intentionally derated to allow them to be exported.
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:2)
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:3, Interesting)
Your point about the WRX (essentially a factory rally car) is that Subaru engineers decided to add two extra cats for the fun of it. I find that doubtful. Subaru won't be adding platinum plated mufflers just for ballast.
As to 35 HP in the Evo, aren't they turbo'd? That's a matter of trading engine life for power. An extreme example of this is in the more expensive classes o
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:5, Informative)
Those two extra cats in our WRX-es are not needed, once the engine warms up. The first cat in the pipe up to the turbo charger is just there for cold start, as is the second cat. The sucky thing is that once it warms up and they aren't needed, they still present a parasitic loss in the exhaust that hinders performance in a big way.
A VW beetle would run 11s with a JATO booster, maybe. Be reasonable here.
Retuning for maximum durability? (Score:3, Interesting)
It's a Honda Accord V6, so I'm guessing it already is tuned that way, and that manufacturers probably favor durability over high performance anyway.
Re:Retuning for maximum durability? (Score:3, Insightful)
It's already tuned for maximum mileage and reliability. You just have to keep up your end of the bargain.
Re:Retuning for maximum durability? (Score:2)
If you change the fluids at the proper intervals, take it easy on bumpy roads, and not rev the engine too much, you'll be fine.
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:5, Insightful)
The tuners are getting very adept at reclaiming the extra power that the factory left out due to emissions and fuel quality problems. They spend days reverse engineering ECUs and trying things out on the dyno. It's very complex, but the rewards are numerous.
I have a Subaru WRX with a remapped ECU. With no other mods, I get 30 extra WHP from this. I do have to run 93 octane, but I did anyway because 89 is pure, unadulterated turpentine. The WRX is turbocharged, but interestingly enough they only increased the boost pressure by about 1PSI (from 15.1PSI max). Everything else comes from the timing and environmental correction maps. I also get slightly better gas mileage, as long as I'm not running wide open all the time.
When an engine detects knock, it will retard the ignition timing, which decreases your power output. By running better fuel and reflashing the ECU to take advantage of it, you can run hotter timing and get around in a hurry.
The Audi A4 1.8T is in a similar situation, where a chipped car will be significantly faster than it was from the factory, with no real decrease in engine life or reliability. The factories are leaving a lot on the table because they have to deal with a wide range of horrible fuels, awful drivers, and insurance companies.
Note that both of these cars are meant to be fast. Reflashing a Taurus or Civic doesn't really do crap, because they were designed to be efficient and unexciting, so there isn't much left to do but add a lot of external modifications. There are also some cars that are tuned to the ragged edge, like the Nissan 350Z. No one has managed to get significant gains without major modifications, such as forced induction.
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:3, Interesting)
I really like my job.
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:3, Insightful)
Either way, that's a cool job.
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:2)
OK, 25.5. Let's call it a rounding error. 4.5HP difference could be attributed to different air temps or humidities or crappy gas or any number of things.
This is also on an AWD car with relatively large (30%) drivetrain losses, so the increase at the crank is even higher.
Re:Expensive boondoggle. (Score:2)
With one car, my dad did find the most bang for the buck at midgrade, by I think 5% or so versus low and premium grades.
Self Tuner (Score:5, Insightful)
If you're a hardcore racer, you could have optimised settings for different humidity/temperature conditions, switchable at the touch of a key. Maybe save a set of baseline settings for each race locale and modify for the conditions on race day.
We could be about to regain the tuning freedom that went away when cars switched from carburetors to fuel injection. Everyone can benefit from this, even if you don't race. Most cars today are comprimised for green emissions, even if you live somewhere without smog tests. With a little retuning, you can have more power AND better fuel economy. (Ohh, look out for flames from the green set
Re:Self Tuner (Score:2)
It's a tuner's wet dream. What's that? Switched to larger injectors? No problem, let's load the program and update it for 550s....
Re:Self Tuner (Score:3, Informative)
My car needs to be rebooted (Score:5, Funny)
Perhaps it's because it's a French car and takes itself too seriously.
Anyhow, I'm now going to look for someone who can rechip it and give it a new personality, something a little less brie and baguette, more Yvette Lopez, "where d'ya wanna go today?"
Try that on a honeymoon! (Score:2)
Ha, ha, ha, ha!!!
A bit off topic, but my wife and I rented a car on our honeymoon around Ireland a few years ago. We arrived on a Saturday, and that "Overspeed Warning Off!" warning started flashing on our rental (goofy looking French Minivan thingy) on Sunday morning. Driving in Ireland is...well...a little different for US drivers. The wrong side of the road, hedges and walls within inches of you every mile, and hairpin turns every few feet with to
... more than meets the eye ... (Score:2, Funny)
When NOT to hack (Score:4, Insightful)
Medical instruments? Factory spec is good enough for me. Microwave? I like to keep the RADs down. Cars? I like arriving in one piece.
I can understand this as a hobby, but why mod your day-to-day car so heavily? You probably break several laws in doing so, you definitely invalidate your car lease or warranty, and you probably invalidate your insurance as well. Besides, how confident are you that you'd never screw up?
I'll take the bus thank you.
Re:When NOT to hack (Score:3, Insightful)
Basically, it comes down to: If you have to ask, you'll never understand.
You probably break several laws in doing so, you definitely invalidate your car lease or warranty, and you probably invalidate your insurance as well.
For the most part, modding your car is perfectly legal, as long as you use a little common sense. As long as you can meet the safety, noise, and emissions standards, you can pretty much do what you
Re:When NOT to hack (Score:2)
Yeah, but my fried Athlon won't kill anyone. My engine exploding while I'm doing 75MPH on a crowded interstate at rush hour, causing me to lose control of my car, is a little different.
Why not? (Score:4, Insightful)
Car Lease? Warranty? What are these? I buy cars for cash (usually used, or occasionally built from 2-3 salvages) and drive the suckers into the ground, then repeat. My Blazer died at 190,000 miles (original engine, third tranny), my del Sol is still good at 160k and should live to well over 200k, and my Yukon is at 110k and is only three years old (only vehicle I've ever bought new). Yes, I drive a lot. Greatest feeling in the world to me - open road, open windows (or open top), radio cranked up, going places just to see what's over the next hill.
Also, how exactly do I invalidate my insurance? I don't carry coverage for repair on any of these, except the Yukon, and that's only because it's new enough to be worth fixing. The rest, after any wreck my insurance would have to pay to fix, I'd either cut up for scrap or fix them myself anyway. If it's the other guy's insurance, obviously I'm going to make them fix it (or just take the money and scrap the car). It's not like I'm stupid enough to ask the insurance people to fix something mechanically that's my fault through stupidity.
Chips are just a new piece of everything that's been done for years - overboring cylinders, performance cams, high flow exhausts, aftermarket blowers, etc. That said, though, chips on normally aspirated cars are usually a waste of time these days. Don't bother - work on the other upgrades instead.
Guess it all comes down to if you know what the hell you're doing, go for it. If you don't, don't be a wannabe wanker that complains when it doesn't go right.
Disappointing (Score:5, Funny)
I thought a 'car chipper' would be something like a wood chipper, only *much* more ferocious.
Ah well.
Car chippers... (Score:2)
And yes, they're much more ferocious than wood chippers...
Obligatory Monkey Island quote (Score:3, Funny)
That's nothing... (Score:5, Funny)
Drag Racing (Score:3, Informative)
Take Andy Robinson's doorslammer Stude [robinson-race-cars.co.uk] for example.
Most chips are scams (Score:3, Informative)
Some cars react very well to them. Many cars don't.
And if you get the wrong programming, you can ruin your car.
When they claim 50hp you might only get 15. YMMV. Literally.
DSM (Score:5, Interesting)
obd-2.com (Score:4, Informative)
The best 120$ I ever spent.
I can now see everything happening in my car in real time, and if I get the right program and know what the hell I'm doing, I can reprogram it aswell.
lame article (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:lame article (Score:2)
Re:lame article (Score:2)
Why a chip ??? (Score:2, Funny)
Windows BMW (Score:5, Funny)
Windows Mobile has detected unidentified hardware, and is unable to find a driver for it.
Restarting...
The similarities escape some.... (Score:5, Funny)
Somewhere right now, a Slashdot reader is saying to himself "What a dumbass."
And somewhere a Cobra owner is reading about an overclocker who cooked his Athlon and is saying to himself "What a dumbass."
Re:The similarities escape some.... (Score:2)
The Athlon owner can replace the component for less than 200 dollars.
Just got this for my WRX! (Score:2, Informative)
Link to the ddevice http://cobbtuning.com/wrx/accessport.html
An ad you won't see for this (Score:2, Funny)
The seals won't hold,
My oil gauge is stuck on cold,
This chip has cracked my manifold,
This chip has cracked my manifold...
I have a chip... (Score:2)
Why bother with chip mods? (Score:2)
A chip-modded turbo Civic on nitrous might hold up against 350 hp @ 5200 rpm [pontiac.com] for one pass at the dragstrip. (Sorry for the Flash animation, but it's pretty inspiring.)
Of course, if money is unlimited, I saw one of these [musclecarcalendar.com] auctioned for around $150K on the "Speed" channel a couple weeks ago...
The worst thing about hot-rodding front wheel drive cars is that no matter how hard you try, they simply won't pop a wheelstand. But those old 'Cudas wo
bad info in that article - we use ls1edit, efilive (Score:5, Informative)
i'm using ls1edit and efilive to tune my 580 HP blown c5 corvette.
http://www.kcpimp.com/cars/c5.html
ht
http://www.kcpimp.
links:
ls1edit: http://www.carputing.com/
EFILive: http://www.efilive.com/
FAST: http://www.fuelairspark.com/
DFI: http://go.mrgasket.com/
hptuners: www.hptuners.com
Regards,
kw
p.s. and only an idiot would pay $17k to replace a blown 03 cobra motor. you can get short blocks all day for well under $5k.
Not as bad as it really seems (Score:3, Insightful)
chipping a car mostly involves re-doing the fuel injector maps and spark timing control for certain rpm ranges to increase torque and horsepower. This has the added benefit of also increasing fuel mileage in many cases, since it's set to be very rich from the factory. When you lean it out a little, you use less fuel, get more power, and have fun in the process.
Most factory turbo cars that I know of don't really use electronic boost control mechanisms, they actually use wastegates and compressor bypass valves to maintain boost in a mechanical/pneumatic fashion. Electronic boost controllers are pretty expensive, anyway.
but just reprogramming the existing chip in a car is nowhere near as good as installing a complete standalone Engine Management System. With an EMS like a Haltech (produced in AU, btw), for example, you can actually adjust fuel, timing, boost, etc literally on the fly, unlike a reprogrammed ODBII type computer found in most cars. This allows you to fine-tune your car for maximum efficiency or power, or whatever you're looking for. (power, of course, duh!)
You'd be really suprised how over-engineered a lot of cars are, and what they can take. Hmm.. sorta like overclocking a processor, really. If you take the proper precautions with each (better cooling, faster ram, good power supply, for the computer, or higher-octane fuel, good lubricants, and regular maintenance for the car)
So before we get our panties in a bundle and start completely ranting on the car tuner demographic (but it wouldn't really be slashdot without it) just keep in mind that it's the same sort of compulsion for car tuners as it is for overclockers, or mod-chippers, or kernel-hackers...
Re:Not as bad as it really seems (Score:3, Insightful)
Nope. But it's like overclocking without attending to CPU cooling.
I'm going to show my age, but "back in the day," one didn't do serious cam or intake mods to a 2-bolt main small block Chevy. One sought out the tougher 4-bolt main blocks.
Same applies to a Civic or Eclipse. You can get them to pump out horsepower far beyond what their little crankshafts & main bearings were intended to support. Throw a nitrous bottle in the back & you're talkin
how these work ... (Score:3, Insightful)
The new devices effectively clamp around your Engine Control Unit (ECU) by intercepting it's inputs and outputs: the box modulates the signals coming to and from the real ECU: for example, the ECU will usually consider it an engine fault if (say) emission is too high, so the purpose of the device is to (a) alter the fuel mix ratio output on the one hand, but (b) fool the input back into the ECU that the emissions aren't as high as they really are. There are many variables, the ones I've seen take up to (say) 16 different variables that can be manipulated.
I'm told that the devices need to be tuned for the specific model of car, and preferably, the specific car itself: as individual cars each have different variances and tolerances within the scope of the model itself; and the tuning software isn't released to the public (even though it may escape
This definitely voids your warranty, not to mention probably breaking environmental and other regulations, if you do it to street machines. That doesn't stop some people though. (there's a good analogy here to the issue over releasing drivers for 802.11g chips: because the software in the driver is part of the overall FCC emissions approval, so altering the software potentially voids the approval of the device -- similar concept here in that manipulating your ECU voids the grounds upon which various approvals were made)
However, it also has more legitimate applicability to track machines (based on stock cars) where it's not an infringement of the regulations because these are on private raceways and with specific exclusions and so on (and, these cars are usually modded beyond the limits of the warranty in the first place).
The manufacturers are getting wiser and building in measures to defeat the devices, but it seems to make these guys money, and in the same way that you can often safely overclock your CPU, you can often do it to your engine: just need to be aware that (a) it depends on the specific car itself, (b) it doesn't always work, (c) when you do it, you're taking a lot of risk as by definition you may be working outside of the engineering tolerances/limits of the engine [unless the engineering is there, but commerical and marketing considerations limited its scope].
Arg! How many of these are we going to get? (Score:2)
Hacked 2004 Prius (Score:2, Interesting)
MINI One Tuning (Score:2, Interesting)
Owen.
Car Virus! (Score:3, Funny)
NEWS FLASH:
The HondaVirus/B will be striking at Midnight, June 4th, causing infected brake systems to lock up (or fail).
How about when they start adding WiFi systems in the car systems? Then you drive-by-infect.
Ok fine, I'm a few years early, but does anyone **really** trust car company software any more than Windows?
PCMforLess.com (Score:3, Interesting)
Change the fan turn on temperatures for a 160 thermostat
Program the transmission to perform similar to a shift kit (1994 and newer)
Power program the car for use with premium octane gasoline
Remove the top speed limiter
Correct the speedometer and transmission for gear and tire changes
Correct for the use of a larger throttle body.
Change idle settings and restore drivability with cam installs
Correct for larger injectors
Correct for larger displacement (383, 396, etc....).
:)
Unfortunately, he only does GM cars and I own a Ford. Oh well... If you do own a GM car, check out his site... He may be able to help you and and you may be able to help him pay for college!
Re:Car chippers (Score:5, Informative)
In short, your cruise control works just fine with the switchable programs.
Re:Car chippers (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Suping Up Cars (Score:3, Insightful)
Sorry, but no "button on the dashboard" is going to give you the sensitivity and responsiveness of an engine management computer which is adjusting boost, fuel, and spark timing on an indivudual, every time the engine fires, time frame.
There is a device you can by for any modern car that connects up to