Does anybody have a powerchip installed in their car? Is it worth the $700 that they claim is worth spending? What experiences have you had?
I'm looking at getting one next week but am a bit sceptical since it will be my first time in getting a chip. Any experienced owners of chips would be welcome to lend me an opinion or two!
Here is car specs: EB XR8 series 1, auto, 65mm T/B, pacemaker extractors, cold air.
Had a PowerChip installed in my NCII Fairlane Sportsman ( ED XR6 motor).
Had nothing but trouble with it and since returning it have been battling to get all of my money back. Have since installed UNICHIP and got 20 extra KW's and much better driveability.
My advice, stay away from the Powerchip. And if you do buy a chip, insist on a guaranteed level of improvement from the installer/agent!
thanks for your reply sportsman. Sorry to hear of your experience. I suppose it goes to show that not every thing is as it seems. I had a look at their website, and they have a 14 day money back guarantee on their product with the oportunity of getting and extended warranty.
I've looked at UNICHIP and they seem pretty good also. My main objection with them is that when ever you make improvements to your car you are at the mercy of your installer to re-program the chip to get best results from the added mod. Which I feel is a dissappointment if you dont have the cash to keep going back.
Tweecer sounds like a good thing for EEC CPU's but I dont have a lap top let alone the product.
With a Powerchip they set it once and in theory thats it, at least with the Unichip you can reprogram it!
The Powerchip warranty sounds good, but as I mentioned earlier, I have had too commence legal action to try and get my money back!! And I had "before and after" Dyno's and receipts for fitting it and lots of other evidence to support my claim regarding the failure of the chip to meet the manufacturers claims!!
Sorry, can not endorse the product or the company at all!!
I really wouldn't look at running a chip of any sorts. If you have running or idle problems get the tweecer and borrow a laptop to program it in.
The factory v8 eec is great at adjusting itself, and with your mods so far, there really isn't any point. The main problem comes when going to larger injectors (which can be sorted out using a calibrated MAF) or wild cams. With all the mods I recently did to my engine, the eec still is able to cope and after about a week of driving has a great idle and no surging etc.
Just save your money and put it into the porting and intake and see how it goes.
EDXR8 might be right, I don't know much about the V8 EEC, but in my car, the Unichip provided 20 extra RWKW with no hassles. The Car idles and drives better than before and I have slightly better fuel efficiency as well. My chip was installed after headers and 2.5 inch cat and exhaust mods and provided the best results overall!
Thanks grant, yeah you maybe right considering the things you have done to yours and all. I might put the cash toward either an LSD with 3.45 gears or like you said, intake manifolds and porting.
Tell me, is the Tweecer program interchangable with other cars or is it designed to suit the car of the person who owns the program? What I'm trying to say is, do you know anybody who would program my car with their existing tweecer program and laptop? (cash involved of course!)
Thanks for your input sportsman. You prolly saved me some heartache and dosh in the end. I'll do some more homework on the subject and keep ya posted as to what I've done.
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