Where Is My Chip?

[bmwpip]

I've recently read a bit about chips (not the sliced deep fried potato type) :P

Do they make a lot of difference to a cars performance, and do they make the car more fuel thirsty? (and are they legal? ... i.e. would my insurance be void?)

Lots of questions there eh? Oh - and where abouts on my car does a chip fit?

Can you tell i'm a newbie?

Cheers for any suggestions/help

Phil.
(ps. car is a 1994 318is coupe)

[mrkbik]

Depending on the chip, an 8-10hp increase is around what you should expect. However, if you are planning to do other mods, you should install the chip last, to get the most benefit out of it. Your insurance would not be void but if you have a warranty, it may be if they find out about the chip. You can always put your old chip back in for an inspection or something though.

[bmwpip]

so my insurance company would not mind that the car is modified? I thought they would kick up a fuss about 'non standard' blah blah blah....... Boy Racer..... blah blah blah, then promptly send me to prison for a very long time?

Cool!

(oh - and I have found out where the chip is hidden now by looking in the 'how to do' part of the forum --- I was expecting it to be in a little black box maked 'CHIP INSIDE' under the bonnet

[mrkbik]

Don't worry, you will be insured for the car, they justr wont give you money if the chip is damaged. If they withheld insurance from this kind of thing, every ricer and modified car you see would not be insured, and that would be illegal.

[jshearer]

Different chips give different performance numbers also depends ont eh year and model of the car.

My 1994 325is.....put in the conforti chip and it claims 22hp and 20 torque at peak.

The fuel consumption is really about the same. You have to use 91> octane. If you are using 89 like I was and switch to the chip and 91 you will be close to the same. This also depends on how you drive the car. If you are really getting on it all the time of course your fuel comsumption will go down.

This is my DIY that I wrote up and it talk about where to find the chip
http://www.bimmerwerkz.com/forum/ind...howtopic=34068

This is a review of the Conforti chip
http://www.bimmerwerkz.com/forum/ind...howtopic=34069

hope that helps if you have any questions PM me or post on here.

[bmwpip]

Yours is the writeup I found - and a dam good one it is too

Octane 91 --- Whats that in UK money? Our petrol (gas) has two ratings;
Standard unleaded is RON 95, and Super unleaded is RON 98.

RON = Research Octane Rating

Does that mean our fuel is a higher octane rating than US fuel??
(maybe that's why is 5 times dearer over here!! ghead ghead

[bigred318]

you think your insurance will drop you for having a chip in your car? .......:/

David

[jshearer]

Originally posted by bmwpip@Apr 30 2005, 01:59 PM
Yours is the writeup I found - and a dam good one it is too

Octane 91 --- Whats that in UK money? Our petrol (gas) has two ratings;
Standard unleaded is RON 95, and Super unleaded is RON 98.

RON = Research Octane Rating

Does that mean our fuel is a higher octane rating than US fuel??
(maybe that's why is 5 times dearer over here!! ghead ghead

[snapback]339604[/snapback]

I am not sure but sounds like RON 95 and such is your octane rating. You can find 93 in some places here but the chip requires a minimum of 91 so 95 should work. The best thing to do is ask the place you are buying it from. They should know and you will not have any problems.

[finite]

In the UK you *must* tell your insurance company of every modification made to your vehicle, and yes your insurance will sky-rocket as soon as you start making performance modifications.

If you are intending to modify a lot I would suggest you look at modified car insurance. Adrian Flux and Firebond both offer specific modified car insurance.

To give you an example:

Standard RX7 Turbo II (200bhp) insured through firebond as a standard vehicle. Driver 22 years old, 3 points on licence for SP30, no claims. Insurance £800/year.

Modified RX7 Turbo II (T4ebb turbo, 1000cc Blitz Fuel Injectors, Apexi Power FC mappable ECU, Cusco LSD, XT 6Puc clutch, emmisions control removed, custom inlet, custom FMIC, Greddy Profec B Boost Controller, custom exhaust maifold, Blitz Nurspec 3.5 inch Stainless Exhaust, HKS BOV, Tokico Suspension, etc etc around 350BHP) same driver insured through Firebond as a modified vehicle £300/year.

Car insurance in the UK is a con. Completely and is NOTHING whatsoever like American insurance. One thing the inusrance companies are correct about is "boy (and girl) racers". They're responsible for about 65% of insurance claims overall, and nearly 80% of all "total write-off" claims. So yes, it is their fault that young males like me who love performance cars and actually CAN drive have to suffer high insurance.

[finite]

Oh by the way

RON and Octane are not compatible ratings.

95RON is about 91 octane, 98RON is about 95 octane.

Race fuel is about 112RON but is actually about 103 octane.

Search google for a RON guide. There are plenty out there.