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Powerchip - worth the cash?

3K views 28 replies 5 participants last post by  blueoval 
#1 ·
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.

Future mods: Chip??? 3.45 diff gears, EL2 upper & lower intake, ported heads.


Cheers
blueoval
 
#2 ·
Been there - Done that!

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!

Good Luck
 
#3 ·
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.

It seems like I'm at lose/lose situation here.

Any other suggestions?
 
#4 ·
Chip

Blueoval,

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!!
 
#5 ·
fair enough mate, I'll except that. Pity though, it's a shame they cant produce a decent product aswell as they can market it!

UNICHIP ay? How much did that set you back sportsman? Any major hassles?
 
#6 ·
Hey blueoval,

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.
 
#7 ·
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!

Good Luck!!
 
#8 ·
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!)
 
#9 ·
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.

Cheers
blueoval
 
#12 ·
The hardware is all the same, but the software used is based on the EEC you have (there are quite a few). The main things you want to generally set is the injector size (if larger than stock), fuel maps and ignition maps, which you will probably need to do on the dyno for best results. Most chips set the engine to run a bit richer and advance the timing a little, so you can just play around using small increases to see how the car reacts, or get it on the dyno and set it up properly (probably an hour or two). Any dyno opperator should be able to work their way through the software, it is just so easy. If you get one, I can arrange a laptop fo you. I would do the intake and all the other stuff first, and then try the tweecer if you want a bit more powerand driveability.
 
#13 ·
tweecer

:hy: That sounds like a plan grant. I'll prolly talk to ya on the night of the cruise to arrange details. In the meantime I'll hunt around for the intake manifolds and get those put on for the cruise. You wouldn't happen to know of anyone who has an EL2 XR8 intakes just lying around do ya? You actually told me what cfm they were putting out against the stock EB XR8 intakes, what was that again?:bump:
 
#14 ·
These are average cfm ratings per runner

Stock 5.0L HO Intake - 136cfm
Explorer (EL2 and AU XR8's) - 178cfm
GT40 - 197cfm
Cobra - 198cfm
Edelbrock 210cfm

When you get the intake, get a set of cartridge rolls and a drill or die grinder and clean out all the ports paying attention to the first runner (the number one runner on the explorer only flows 169cfm). It is an easy job which takes an hour or two and greatly increases the flow. With 2 hours work, my cobra flowed 235cfm per runner. For the intake, give Mick Webb SVO a call on (03) 9876 8586, he may have some laying around, or he can port the stock manifold to flow quite well I have been told. He is also a good guy to talk to, he knows what he is talking about.
 
#15 ·
Is there much difference in port size between the inlet (explorer)and the head ports (E7 EB XR8)?

This is the next option I am looking at for my EB XR8. A friend of mine has a set of Dart GT40 heads (bare) sitting in his garage. They were another option after the inlet manifold was done.
 
#17 ·
Thanks ED,

I thought there may have been a difference and match porting may have had to be done between the inlet and heads.
 
#18 ·
intakes

thanks for that info grant, I went this morning to check on the price for the EL2 intakes and I can get them for around $195. Does that sound right to you?

I'm getting an ED XR6 LSD with 3.45 gears supplied and fitted for around the $500 mark next week too. Hope that will make a difference down low. I find my take off from the lights a little plain in my opinion so I hope that getting lower gears in it will bring my power range down to a more usable level. I'll have to wait and see.:and?:
 
#19 ·
$195 for EL2 intake is a great price, where is that from? The cheapest I ever saw was $400, just make sure it is the EL2 explorer style, not just the stock one. Also where did you get the diff from, that is also a really good price. The difference with the diff won't be huge, but you will feel it.
 
#20 ·
That was from all panels and parts in lonsdale. I'm not sure if that was for both upper and lower though and I think the price could be for stock only. The EL2 explorer styles are from where exactly? and what difference do the 2 styles make?

Diff is from the same place and I know another wrecker who will fit it for me for that price coz I did some work for him in exchange.

As far as the feeling of the diff is concerned I'll be happy with it either way, not just coz I'll get off the lights a little quicker but coz I'll ltd slip to enjoy too. It's gotta be better than the stock one surely!

If you need anything grant just let me know I'll have a chat to the dudes.

blueoval
 
#22 ·
Oh now I get it. Fair enough. The ports look heaps bigger on the explorer. Which part of the intake would you recommend porting, upper or lower or both the mating sides that connect to each other? KNow of anyone that has one to sell in the future? What would they sell for at a wrecker?
 
#23 ·
The explorer upper flows around 230-240cfm so there is no need to port the upper. The lower is the part to work on, especially number one runner. While at it, port match it to the heads and you will have a great performing intake. The cheapest I have seen one for is $400, most seeming to go for around $600-$800. They are really hard to get from wreackers because they try to sell the engines as a whole. The only place I think you will get them is from Herrods or Mick Webb SVO, from when people upgrade their intakes.
 
#24 ·
That's fine. When I'm ready, I'll look into it with more detail and give Mick Webb a call. Thanks for your advice grant and I'll chat with ya on the night of the cruise.
 
#25 ·
Oh one other question I hav to ask is, is it worth me porting my stock manifold and heads to give similar flow characteristics or would I be better off waiting and getting the explorer intake?
 
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