# Performance Chips



## wiz2u (Mar 31, 2005)

I was wondering if anyone has tried any of the aftermarket chips that claim to increase horse power and give better gas millage. 

If so could you recommend a good chip.

I would also like to know how these chips work to improve you performance. 
or is it a bunch of crap as they are all over ebay for a few dollars.


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

They do not work, sorry. Most of those "chips" just make it run richer, therefore giving you worse gas mileage. The only real upgrade you can do is to remove the ECU and send it in to JWT or another re-chipping service and have the stock chip removed and a new one programmed then reinstalled into the stock ECU.


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## guinnessmike (Dec 20, 2006)

Any suggestions on other low cost ways to add some much needed HP? I know adding headers will help but that is a little more then a saturday afternoon project if you don't have the right tools and can be big$$.


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

You can advance your timing slightly(2-4 degrees), toss in a K&N filter, run full synthetic oil in engine, diffs, trans and t-case, keep on top of tune-ups and clean your MAF sensor and throttlebody regularly.


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## KLL (Dec 2, 2005)

how to advance timing?


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

Loosen the distributor lock nut and use a timing light to verify timing direction and degree.


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## customvq (Aug 24, 2006)

88pathoffroad said:


> They do not work, sorry. Most of those "chips" just make it run richer, therefore giving you worse gas mileage. The only real upgrade you can do is to remove the ECU and send it in to JWT or another re-chipping service and have the stock chip removed and a new one programmed then reinstalled into the stock ECU.


Actually with the past 2 custom burned chips I have bought for other vehicles, my gas mileage improved. On my 02 Explorer the chip paid for itself with an over 1mpg increase.


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

I think the key words there are "other vehicles"... 

An ECU upgrade for a Pathy runs about $500. How much was it for a Exploder setup?


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## customvq (Aug 24, 2006)

$300. So what, another couple hundred? Are you the Pathfinder chip King or something??


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

$500 for a 10 HP gain is not a good value in my book. And no, I've just been around the block a few times and have seen exactly what's out there. Aftermarket parts for Nissan trucks and SUV's are damn near nonexistent. Pick any Dodge, Ford, Chevy or Jeep and you can get damn near ANYTHING for it. Pick a Nissan and you're stuck doing everything yourself or paying out the ASS for parts.


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## 2001pathy_SE (Apr 9, 2006)

customvq said:


> $300. So what, another couple hundred? Are you the Pathfinder chip King or something??


88path is a super knowledgeable moderator on this board. i know from being here and reading his posts. he doesn't talk out of his ass.


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## amm888 (Dec 10, 2006)

there's a lot of mention of stuff coming (or not coming) out of asses here

...this is getting kinda creepy


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## Andre2000 (Oct 1, 2005)

Hey, Zdaddy here. Saw the post and decided to do a quick reply.
basically these "chips" are just Rom memory that has different fuel maps on them. Your ecu microcontroller reads the various sensors like your 02 sensor, then looks up in a table on your "chip" for different fuel values and controls your injectors by making them give more gas or less depending on how it's programmed. I would NOT recommend just swapping in a "chip" without modifications. The most common end result is running rich everywhere and wasting gas. I wouldnt doubt if sometimes they just sell you a stock fuel map, you plug it in, it works right and your not running rich. You'd have no idea that nothing is different...and the placebo kicks in and you start going easy on the peddle...and you might notice a 1mpg increase because of it. 
Swapping in a "chip" with different fuel maps would really require you to tune your _engine_ in order for it to match up to what that chips fuel map says in order to benefit from it. Thats not easy. You need new hardware in order to give you feedback as to how your tuning is going...like an A/F guage and MPG gauge and relevant sensors. Tuning an engine to respond to an ECU is not easy....and most of the time it requires you to first find a way to increase it's breathing ability (like a turbo or aggressive cams), then tuning is required....
Dont expect to just get better gas mileage or more power out of some random fuel maps you buy for hundereds of dollars. You need to have a reason for it. Like if you decide to go turbo. You need more fuel or you'll run lean. So you need a turbo "chip" or turbo ECU i.e. rom with fuel maps that support your new turbo injectors (higher cc injectors). 

If you arent looking to change your engine, but want better gas mileage or more power, what you really want to do is tune your _ECU_ to fit the conditions of your engine. Not the other way around. To do this you can get some sort of programmable ecu...like Megasquirt, or find a way to use Nistune. You can send the Nistune folks a spare ECU and they can find a way for you to use the Nistune board on it. You then use gauges like A/F and wideband 02 sensor for feedback to help you adjust the fuel maps on the "chip" in order to get the ideal 14.7 A/F ratio, and to program when and how your engine will run rich (like on acceleration). 

None of these are an easy task. There is a ton of info on tuning and I suggest if you want to get into it to start reading about it. 

More info on Nistune and wideband 02 sensors can be found here 
VG Powered Community :: View Forum - Fuel & Engine Management


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## Cornelius.shrek (Oct 3, 2021)

Hi sorry to revive an old thread but have opinions changed for performance chips in 2022? I'm specifically looking at Customisable Tuning Boxes | Unichip Europe , and their claims are quite impressive.


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