this is a article from
www.auto-mark.com
Invariably, in the multitude of discussions that arise when one discusses how to unlock more horsepower from one's engine, the subject of chips comes up. As a former engineer with GM, and also being old enough to remember the "points, plugs, & condenser" routine involved in tuning the cars prior to HEI, I wholeheartedly support the improved reliability and flexibility that the engine controls of today offer.
However, I'm not so hot on the idea of the aftermarket chips that are being promoted, along with their claims of significant horsepower gains.
Personally I've always found it to be an artificial method - and the true HP is the marketing Scheisse around these - as whatever gains are realized are
1) limited;
2) usually just at the extremes of operation, i.e. high RPM; and
3) at the peril of potential engine damage as the software in these chips are just throwing more fuel, spark, and in the case of a turbo, boost, at the hardware; and I'm sure that the purveyors of such have never run durability tests to validate their concoctions....at least not to the degree that the OEMs have performed.
So my words to the wise here are:
1) it is possible to get more horsepower out of an engine using a chip;
2) this is simple thermodynamics (more fuel+air in = more HP out);
3) chipping a turbo or otherwise supercharged motor will generally get more power (so in the "bang for the buck" category, at least you're getting something more here);
4) more power means more strain on the hardware . . . and eventually in the end the old saying of "the pen is mightier than the sword" may be an obtuse analogy to "the software is mightier than the hardware"! See photo above, if you need further clarification;
5) if you insist on chipping, be sure to run premium gas, be diligent about all the other things one must do when running more highly strung engines (e.g. more frequent oil changes with high quality oil), and use the power judiciously as each excursion beyond what the manufacturer validated the car with is that much less reserve/life in your powertrain;
6) and finally, if you must buy one, get your chip from a respected supplier.
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