Chip box - opinions?

[jberks]

Found this
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-E-Cl...oryZ32094QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110086067951
but it's just a bit too cheap compared to the others. Normally that would be enough to have me running to the hills but the feedback looks good.
I've thought for a while that considering what is actually in them and the volumes sold, these gizmos are generally seriously overpriced by most manufacturers. so maybe it's right....?
What do you reckon?

 

[television]

I saw this a couple of weeks ago,can you see where it plugs in on your car,does it go in serries to something existing,could it plug into the MAF, maybe you can recognize the plugs ?. Reading the feed back does look OK, and I saw that the guy got his money back, where he said that it does not work.
Give it a go,not expensive, and you can get your money back.

Malcolm

 

[Parrot of Doom]

I would guess its a resistor worth pence that overfuels your engine to provide the extra 'performance'. Waste of money.

If you want to chip your car take it to somewhere with a rolling road that can measure before/after results and map the device specifically to your engine.

 

[psmart]

I would guess its a resistor worth pence that overfuels your engine to provide the extra 'performance'. Waste of money.

If you want to chip your car take it to somewhere with a rolling road that can measure before/after results and map the device specifically to your engine.

As per PoD, stay clear.

I have got 2 systems at the mo, 1 is a Chip Box from Austria on my 2.8JTD which splits into the MAF and taps off the Accelerator potentiometer to re-map the injection quantity. As the 2.8JTD hauls 5.75tonnes, you do notice it works, but the fuel economy is hit for six. As I need the extra power on this vehicle, Im planning to ditch the tuning box (which internally uses a PIC Microchip circuit, and supporting components - about a tenners worth but sold to muggins for nigh on EUR500) for a re-map, which I have for the ML and works extremely well and good economy. I reckon the German company on Ebay is very similar to this setup. One thing of note, for the price, I cant see them providing the correct connectors, more likely, as per the Chip Box I bought, your expected to cut and tap into the wires going into the ECU. I didnt agree with this, so opened the ECU and soldered tap wires, as its easier and not detectable to remove the tap wires than it is to repair/replace cut wires going into the connector.

As posted previously, the ML goes like **** off a shovel (easily hits 130 on the dial, will go further if pushed) so on your E, you'll see a marked improvement on acceleration (if it isnt fast enough already!!!!).

Downside though is that your injectors will wear that much more quickly and if the pistons and crank arent upto the job, an early engine rebuild. The drive chain should be upto the job though as (at least on my ML) its the same as for bigger lumps, such as the V8.

 

[television]

Looks like something fishy with these chips then.

I looked at the connectors and the only place that I could see would have been the MAF.

Be happy with the car as it is,it is after all a nice one.

malcolm

 

[124coupe]

Connects in the ECU-to-common rail pressure sensor cable and tells ECU that the rail pressure is lower than it actually is...ECU map compensates by holding injector open longer....assuming engine can take in extra air, extra power results....if it can't, extra black smoke results.

 

[psmart]

Connects in the ECU-to-common rail pressure sensor cable and tells ECU that the rail pressure is lower than it actually is...ECU map compensates by holding injector open longer....assuming engine can take in extra air, extra power results....if it can't, extra black smoke results.

Thats a novel way of doing it as well. The company that provided mine is at http://www.chip-tuning.at/english/index2.htm and I use the V-CR product. They are now offering adapters so you dont have to cut wires, but its still EUR483++ 3 years on! Thus the Ebay system is good value for money for this type of tuning product!

The re-map is better though (IMHO) because the designer can tweak all parameters, such as injection quantity, boost pressure etc, whereas these tweak boxes are just relying on tweaking one parameter and expecting the ECU to compensate.

 

[124coupe]

Unconnected but connected (!) we just had another "Tesco special" scrape on the wife's car - there seems to be a underclass of hit and run low-lifes in every Tesco car park.

First repair attempt was badly finished and so we complained and the insurer sent out an engineer to check.

First thing he did was raise the bonnet and check for a tuning box.

He explained that they are now so common and that so many fail to tell their insurers about the modification - he now has to check all cars first and then the insurer declines cover if the box was not declared.....

(re the CDI box, the pressure sensor is by far the most common method used - all the ECUs calculate fuel volume from pressure and injector open time and have a map to allow for gradual wear reducing the rail pressure - foolproof as long as the box limits the reduction in indicated pressure by a reasonable amount - most claim 20% more power on the assumption that 20% extra air (or so) is available on most diesels to use the extra fuel)

 

[psmart]

(re the CDI box, the pressure sensor is by far the most common method used - all the ECUs calculate fuel volume from pressure and injector open time and have a map to allow for gradual wear reducing the rail pressure - foolproof as long as the box limits the reduction in indicated pressure by a reasonable amount - most claim 20% more power on the assumption that 20% extra air (or so) is available on most diesels to use the extra fuel)

I fitted the V-CR 3 years ago when the 2.8JTD was new, so Im quoting from memory (I am getting old, I know, the JTD's insured with Saga!!!!), but you cut into 1 wire and splice into the potentiometer wire. When you remove the V-CR box and you dont re-splice the cut wire (via a plug I made up), then the engine runs at 2000rpm emergency mode (a very good theft deterrent, as pulling 5.75tonnes at 2000rpm means you'll block the road at 10mph). From what Ive studied, if the Rail Bar Sensor fails, then the ECU wont allow the engine to run, but Ill check the V-CR to double verify it is using the MAF sensor.

Re-Insurance, on the 2.8JTD and the ML, the insurers didnt bat an eyelid! These are heavy underpowered vehicles, so I assume the extra power makes them safer (in the insurers eyes).

 

[Hibbo]

Unconnected but connected (!) we just had another "Tesco special" scrape on the wife's car - there seems to be a underclass of hit and run low-lifes in every Tesco car park.

First repair attempt was badly finished and so we complained and the insurer sent out an engineer to check.

First thing he did was raise the bonnet and check for a tuning box.

He explained that they are now so common and that so many fail to tell their insurers about the modification - he now has to check all cars first and then the insurer declines cover if the box was not declared.....

Whilst I am in no way saying that people shouldn't be honest with their insurers, it is quite galling that they'd try and get out of paying for a car park ding because of a tuning box.

Then again, I'd expect nothing else from them.

 

[jberks]

First thing he did was raise the bonnet and check for a tuning box.

He explained that they are now so common and that so many fail to tell their insurers about the modification - he now has to check all cars first and then the insurer declines cover if the box was not declared.....

Useful info for many I suspect - thanks.
I'd always figured I'd remove the box before the assessor got there but last year I did call my insurer and ask their opinion. After a lot of emails etc, they juts went quiet. Basically they didn't understand the question and could't grasp what a tuning box was, which I figured meant that they would simply say no.
Maybe they'll wise up but I think I'll hold off for now.
Thanks for the opinions guys.

 

[psmart]

Basically they didn't understand the question and could't grasp what a tuning box was, which I figured meant that they would simply say no.

Saga went the same way, you couldnt get them to understand, just persevere! Only problem is, they think I an running an ECU re-map, but I removed it some 6 months ago.... wonder what the consequences are if you have a crash and they find that you had the manufacturers original program installed and not the re-map you quoted them?

the insurers didnt bat an eyelid!

On this comment, was referring to the fact that no extra was charged and no terms or conditions imposed.

 

[psmart]

(re the CDI box, the pressure sensor is by far the most common method used - all the ECUs calculate fuel volume from pressure and injector open time and have a map to allow for gradual wear reducing the rail pressure - foolproof as long as the box limits the reduction in indicated pressure by a reasonable amount - most claim 20% more power on the assumption that 20% extra air (or so) is available on most diesels to use the extra fuel)

Took me a while, but I eventually got to my vehicle and dug out the instructions. 124coupe, your spot on and Im in need of a memory transplant! Brain is full of numbers these days and nothing else
The V-CR box for the Ducato intercepts the Common Rail pressure sensor and also taps into the accelerator potentiometer.