What Does a Performance Chip Do?
Believe it or not, the idea of a performance chip came about in 1958 when a man named Jack Kelby put an integrated circuit on a small silicon chip. In modern times, that old invention now allows millions of circuits to be integrated into a chip the size of a fingernail.
What does that mean for your vehicle? It means that the powerful engine under the hood isn't the most important part of your car's performance. Instead, it's the ECU (Electronic Control Unit), and that's where a performance chip comes in.
ECU (Electronic Control Unit) Source: www.cherokeeforum.com
How Does a Performance Chip Work?
The concept of a performance chip is the same as your ECU. Automakers create performance maps for every vehicle to include in chips for your ECU. These maps are typically pretty conservative, which means there's often a lot of room for customization.
In other words, you can potentially get a lot more performance out of your powertrain by changing the car's programming.
When automakers program the ECU chips, they're more focused on efficiency than performance in most cases. Emission control and fuel efficiency are two areas that get more attention than performance.
Performance chips are used to bypass factory limitations and settings. These chips can send new signals to your ECU to increase horsepower and torque. You can also optimize your engine for towing to get more power and ensure that the added stress of towing doesn't damage any other components.
A performance chip can also change shift points in an automatic transmission to eliminate gear-hunting.
Source: www.thehulltruth.com
What Kind of Performance Can You Get?
Performance chips are capable of increasing horsepower and torque, but they can also be used for even more customization. For example, you can calibrate your speedometer based on tire size.
If you have a truck or SUV and switch to larger tires, you can adjust the speedometer to accurately show your speed. As mentioned above, you can also calibrate your transmission to allow for more aggressive shifting.
Performance chips often make a lot of claims, so it's important to ensure that those claims apply to your specific vehicle. It's also important to ensure that you can reset the ECU to factory default if you need to take your vehicle through emissions testing or get scheduled maintenance.
Is It Easy to Install a Performance Chip?
Installing a performance chip is fairly easy, but it depends on the type you get. Some simply plug into your OBD2 port, which is usually located beneath the dashboard on the driver's side of the car.
However, other types of performance chips require installation beneath the hood and you'll need some tools and wiring know-how. It's important to check the product description or installation instructions if you're not sure.
OBD II Port. Source: www.fordtremor.com
Will a Performance Chip Void Your Warranty?
In general, the automaker cannot just void your warranty over aftermarket accessories. However, it's important to check the conditions of your warranty and ensure that there's nothing of that nature in the fine print.
A good rule of thumb is to remove the performance chip before any manufacturer-recommended service at the dealership while the car is still under warranty. This should head off any conflicts that might arise while protecting your warranty.
Top Brands of Performance Chips
As with any other part or accessory, there are some top brands to consider when shopping. Some of the top names for performance chips include Hypertech, Superchips, and Bully Dog.
Hypertech makes several types of tuning chips and most are geared toward specific vehicles, so it's important to check fitment when shopping.
One example is the ThermoMaster Power Chip made for GM vehicles between the years 1981 and 1995. This chip claims possible improved fuel economy as well as spark advance for maximum power and better air-fuel ratio. The chip can be installed in less than 30 minutes and doesn't require any wiring or soldering.
The Bully Dog Thruster Throttle Booster is designed specifically to increase acceleration and reduce lag time. You can also use it to adjust performance on the fly.
The waterproof design makes it ideal for off-road vehicles, but these are made for specific models, so be sure to check fitment. The thruster is installed between your vehicle's pedal position sensor and the wiring harness.
Superchips makes a wide variety of performance chips, tuners, and programmers. The company also makes throttle boosters and sensor kits. Finding what you want will depend on your vehicle and what type of performance you're looking for. As you might expect, throttle boosters are among the most popular performance modules.
When you want to increase your vehicle's performance, you have several options that include performance chips, tuners, and programming modules. Choose from a wide variety of top brands at H&H Truck Accessories, and you can also get professional installation at any H&H location.