Steve -
There is a South African company - Dastek on the outskirts of Pretoria that has developed, manufactures and fits a programmable piggy back computer that gets fitted into your vehicle's wiring harness.
All the Dastek chip does is to optimise the various settings for your specific vehicle, there are no disadvantages. It fits onto your existing wiring harness and is programmed for your specific vehicle with a laptop computer whilst the car is on a dynamometer. Removing the chip returns the vehicle to stock.
The only risk is that your vehicle is one of the very, very few that come from the factory optimal and you gain little, very unlikely.
The whole point the Dastek chip it is customised (programmed) for your specific vehicle and its own individual harmonics. Off the production line manufacturers fit a hard coded generic chip set for reasonable averages, this by definition is rarely optimal.
The analogy I like to use that perhaps doesn?t resonate so well in the UK where sports shooters seem to be pariahs?. but I?ll use it anyway is handloading ammunition for a rifle. You can get good results from factory ammunition in a good rifle but handloading ammunition yourself - in effect tuning the load to the harmonics of your rifle will virtually always give better results still.
Check their website www.dastek.co.za
Note that they have dealers in the UK.
I recommend this totally, I know a goodly few that have this done, including myself on 2 vehicles - gains in power and torque are typically around 10-12%, often you get better fuel consumption too, vehicles also run a lot smoother too, the closest thing to a ?free lunch? you?ll ever find!
Costs about £150 here in the ?regime?; suspect it'll be a tad more in Blighty.
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Just wondering (and this is a genuine question, no attached agenda) but if it is so easy to either make a car more powerful, or reduce fuel consumption, with a chip change, why don't the manufacturers do it?
Is this some kind of trade off versus long term reliability, or does it put vehicles outside the emissions/sound regs?
Anyone out there know?
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Vin
I guess its a cost/ time/ hassle thing.
Here in South Africa I think a couple of manufacturers fit Dastek piggy back computers to cars on import ? Alfa spring to mind (as an aside what is it with the bouffant hair of Alfa male drivers, seems to be a statutory requirement??) to make the most of our lower octane petrol and to run optimally in the Highveldt. Johannesburg and vast tracts of South Africa are at 5,500 feet so the air is distinctly thinner, our petrol is 93 octane.
The Dastek chip will if anything improve longevity because the vehicle is running optimally.
Again if anything the vehicle will tend to be quieter after the Dastek unit is mapped because its running smoother. As for emissions one of the parameters they measure when mapping the Dastek chip on the Dyno is the exhaust gas. Again if anything an optimally tuned vehicle will have fewer emissions as a result of more complete combustion.
Because the chip is programmable throughout the rev range you can set for optimal economy or performance. Even better you can set it for different things at different parts of the rev range....hell this thing's 'sexy', absolutely brilliant?.cant recommend it strongly enough and no I don?t have any ties with them.
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With reference to an earlier post about induction kits etc.
I am currently driving a rental E-Class E240 and it was performing like an absolute dog but sounding like a beast.
I looked under the bonnet today and found the air filter cover open with the filter hanging out. Replaced the filter, replaced the cover and the car is going so much better but has now stopped making the great noise it did before.
As its a rental should I remove the air filter again and sound like a boy racer or would I be better off with more performance and a car that sounds like a merc should?
Is the noise that I was getting an induction noise?
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www.imoc.co.uk/technical/article/unichip.htm
Contact details in UK for Dastek Unichip programmable computer
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Vin I guess its a cost/ time/ hassle thing. Here in South Africa I think a couple of manufacturers fit Dastek piggy back computers to cars on import ? Alfa spring to mind (as an aside what is it with the bouffant hair of Alfa male drivers, seems to be a statutory requirement??
It's not bouffant hair - it's hair standing on end in terror!
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Vin -
"Anyone out there know?"
No, but I know a man who does:-
www.pumaracing.co.uk/chip.htm
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In case anyone is interested, I have just had my car chipped by Upsolute, through their UK agent Simon Coe.
So far, so good. There is far more throttle response and the engine seems to rev far more freely. Judging by the last tank of fuel, economy has increased to the better by about 6%.
I'd highly recommend it...
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DB,
This is for your 406hdi, no?
Can you let us know what the cost was and do you have any figures for hp & lb/ft?
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Had my Rover 75 chipped, a factory approved MG XPower upgrade on the stock 118ps 2.0 Turbo-diesel, it retails at £450.
I drove that one and despite a pick up a 2000rpm - 3000rpm it was flat and not that much punch despite 250Nm of torque.
And then a drive in a chipped 'here's one we did earlier'.
Big difference, 131Ps and 300Nm of torque. Still a bit slow to 1700rpm but the punch up to 3500rpm was much improved. The power band is wider and therefore it's easier to stay there with the gears. As the MINI Cooper that tried to undertake me on the motorway slip might testify, the fourth gear pull in mine had him struggling to keep up, he eventually dropped behind having to change up. However, it's very flat in fifth at 30, only 1000 rpm showing, it picks up but I get the feeling there's a sacrifice in low-end torque to more mid-range power. I can live with that though.
The insurance company said there was no difference in premium, still measely group 7.
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Indeed it is a 406HDi. The cost was £305 fully inc. It took Simon just less than two hours to carry out the upgrade in my front room.
Figures are:
Power increased from 90hp to 116hp
Torque increased from 151 ft/lb to 187 ft/lb
I'm looking to break the 55mpg mark, from my usual 51-52mpg.
I've been just out on my lunch hour, purely to drive my car as it behaves like a completely different beast now!
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Just wondering (and this is a genuine question, no attached agenda) but if it is so easy to either make a car more powerful, or reduce fuel consumption, with a chip change, why don't the manufacturers do it?
What about VAG and their stock 1.8 20v turbo unit. It comes as 150, 180, 210 or 225bhp from the manufacturer. And it is all done through electronic tuning. And once you've bought it you can still chip it up to approx 265bhp!
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Just wondering (and this is a genuine question, no attached agenda) but if it is so easy to either make a car more powerful, or reduce fuel consumption, with a chip change, why don't the manufacturers do it? What about VAG and their stock 1.8 20v turbo unit. It comes as 150, 180, 210 or 225bhp from the manufacturer. And it is all done through electronic tuning. And once you've bought it you can still chip it up to approx 265bhp!
No it isn't 220/225 BHP version has larger turbo. I think the 150 and 180 bhp may share the same turbo which is a low pressure type to achieve a nice flat torque curve. There's a chip for the 180 engine that gives a good increase of low-down torque but only gives an increase of 10 bhp at peak power suggesting that the turbo is being stretched to its limit somewhat....
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A far cheaper way to raise the boost on a turbo car is to bleed off some of the vacuum from the wastegate actuator pipe. I have done this to my Rover Vitesse 2L Turbo. The precision valve cost £15 against £hundreds for a superchip. The superchip does not remap the management, it only raises boost. A bit of a con really! You need to fit a boost gauge though to see how much extra you are gaining. My Rover normally runs at 6psi - now it is set at 10psi. The engine management will cut the fuel at 13psi to stop it running lean. If anybody wants any info on this I will happily email a full description and pics.
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I believe that the turbo-diesel engines (VW 110 hp onwards, BMW et al) with variable vane turbos don't have wastegates, nor need them. However, maybe petrol engines with turbo have them.
Take your point about the chip price though! OK if they stand behind the mod in the event of failure. See Freds TDI site forums.tdiclub.com/ubbthreads.php?Cat=&C=2 for much debate!
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Hi
I am just about to buy a P reg Vitesse Turbo Fastback as a family back up to my Lotus Elise(upgraded)
I was interested in your posting of the bleed valve as an alternative to a chipped upgrade, so would be grateful for any further info that you could send me.
Cheers
tut
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A far cheaper way to raise the boost on a turbo car is to bleed off some of the vacuum from the wastegate actuator pipe. I have done this to my Rover Vitesse 2L Turbo. The precision valve cost £15 against £hundreds fora superchip. The superchip does not remap the management, itonly raises boost. A bit of a con really! You need to fit a boost gauge though to see how much extra you are gaining. My Rover normally runs at 6psi - now it is set at 10psi. The engine management will cut the fuel at 13psi to stop it running lean. If anybody wants any info on this I will happily email a full description and pics.
V8man, would this work on the rover 2.0 litre L series turbo diesel? If so it sounds quality, is it easy to do? Any pics etc would be much appreciated
cheers
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Steve S
in reply toV8man, would this work on the rover 2.0 litre L series turbo diesel? If so it sounds quality, is it easy to do? Any pics etc would be much appreciated cheers
You can fit a bleed valve to the 2L sdi L-series but you MUST fit a boost gauge first, also dont open more than 1/8th of a turn or you will be running near 2 bar pressure !! and your MAP will have a fit (not to mention bits of engine going into orbit)
IMO its better to got for a chip change, and at the very least an iTG air filter.
btw if anyone knows which is the best "Black Box" i am all ears.
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No it isn\'t 220/225 BHP version has larger turbo. I think the 150 and 180 bhp may share the same turbo which is a low pressure type to achieve a nice flat torque curve. There\'s a chip for the 180 engine that gives a good increase of low-down torque but only gives an increase of 10 bhp at peak power suggesting that the turbo is being stretched to its limit somewhat....
This is all true. I also believe the 225 bhp version as fitted to cars like the TT has a different intercooler.
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the manufacturers don't do because of reliability. There has to be a margin built in. My Rover Vitesse engine can be run reliably at 17psi boost. It was not sold in this state of tune because Rover were concerned about gearbox warranty claims.
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No it isn't 220/225 BHP version has larger turbo
I stand corrected. It's still the same 1.8 litre lump though. Bolt on a few high spec bits and it goes faster.
I'm amazed at what can be achieved with turbos. The mid 80s F1 cars only had 1.5 litre engines, but they strapped on huge turbos and got 1500bhp! OK so they rarely lasted more than 200 miles, but it was quick while it lasted.
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The 225 has 2 intercooolers, the 180 and 150 have only 1
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Yep 150/180 have K03 Turbo and 210/225 have a K04 different pistons etc.
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Jabbasport in peterborough www.jabbasport.com will chip the 156 bhp version to 200ish, with a custom remap for about £400. Or REVO www.revotechnik.com/ will upload new software to the ECU via the OBD2 diagnostic port, to about 212 bhp for a bit more cash. Revo can supply a removable device that enables you to switch between standard power, hot for 95RON and hot for 98RON, or even choose numerous combinations of timing and boost. It\'s also a \'stealth\' mod (no physical alterations are made to the ECU), and thus popular with those that don\'t want to tell their ins co. I\'ve thought about both options for my Ibiza Cupra, but 1) my ins co won\'t cover an increase above 20%, and 2) I\'d also need to upgrade stoppers and suspension etc.
Think I will save up for a Leon Cupra R (210bhp from the box, for under £17k. Apparently outsprints the S3).
For those not of a nervous disposition, Jabbasport supply a turbo kit that takes that engine to 360bhp. Rumour has it that they have a golf that\'s pushing 460! Yikes!
Dr Alex Mears
Seat ibiza Cupra
Yamaha RD350YPVS
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I'm looking at getting my Rover 75 2.0 CDT upgraded with the official Rover ECU re-programming to the 131ps CDTi but I'm having problems convincing inurance companies to be reasonable about it. Premiums for factory CDTi 131s are in many cases (and certainly with Direct Line) no more than for the CDT 118. However they want and additional £85 premium hike if I go throughwith it after purchase because it is a "modification".
Does anyone (eg post from 3500S 11 Jun 03) have any experience of successfully convincing an insurance company, if so which and how as on principle I resent Direct Line's stance on this.
Thanks
Chris.
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Liverpool Victoria do not charge any additional premium for my chipped VW.
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I can confirm that one. Liverpool Vic don't charge extra for my chipped 156 JTD
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Had my Rover 75 chipped, a factory approved MG XPower upgrade on the stock 118ps 2.0 Turbo-diesel, it retails at £450.
In reply to \"3500S\"
i have just bought a 75 and have looked into having it chipped,but no insurance will touch me. i have only got a sp30 (like most) and a full 19yrs ncb. which insurance do you use? i\'ve tryed to explain to the companys that its rover approved and that it not going to give it f1 performance. your feed back may help me \'get in the fast lane\'..
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