318iS Chip Testing - dyno graph

[M5pilot]

First and foremost many thanks to Arron Green (agreen) for volunteering his low mileage 318iS for the chip testing we are carrying out here at Evolve Autmotive.

The day started with the first dyno run at just under 136 bhp which is bang on the power for one of these.

We then moved onto testing a few chips.

The first test showed an abismal gain of 4 bhp when the quoted chip should have given an amazing + 18 bhp!

Had a look at some other chips we got hold of and compared them on our program and there was little point in trying them out as the ignition timing and fuelling values were pretty much the same and in some cases exactly the same (ie: Copies).

We then went about testing two of other chips which are under the Evolve Brand that had never been tested but the feedback was very high from customers.

We do quote around 7 bhp from one of these so we didn't really expect anything more.

To our surprise the gain was just under 12 bhp.

The second more agressive chip ws a little too agressive and we decided on not dynoing it at all.

Arron was with us all of the time and we done every test in the same way with intake and ambient temps very close to each other.

Graph of Before and after with the Evolve 318iS Chip:



On the road Arron gave the same feedback as others who have used this chip - considerably better part throttle power especially at low rpms, smoother power delivery and a noticeable gain under full load driving.

I'm sure Arron will give his own comments.

[Gussy]

Excellent. Great gains in torque too it would seem.

[Dave_M3]

Cool, Amazing how much the low down torque is improved.
Any reason for the slight drop between 1500-2000?

It's good to see that the tests were carried out on a standard M42 that was running the way it should from the factory.

How much are these chips? (PM if you prefer)

What are the details on that agressive chip? I need a chip for my iS track car at some stage.

[uzdubmwe30]

I would like some further details too

[M5pilot]

Hi Guys,

the slight dip at the bottom end on both curves is to be ignored, this is just a fluctuation when the dyno loads up.

From experience of mapping many cars including old and modern + 12bhp is pretty much as much as we are going to get. Any more timing and your really chasing a few horses which is not worth the risk.

Sal

[jam172]

Can you tell me Sal, is this the same chip that you recently sold to me, now that i have replaced the AFM it really has made a huge difference.

[Dave_M3]

Good to see the Torque and HP graph crosses exactly at 5250 too

Seen one or two that haven't


Would you think, with a few of the cheap mods that you can do to the M42 like the ones Kos did to his car have much of an improvement now with this chip over the figure you got on this car. Or would you really need a second map to make use of them?


It's nice to see what a standard iS does with a chip in black and white, Fairplay to ye

[feens]

I got one of these of you guys for my is and am well happy with it! surprised with such a gain its very noticablle over 3500rpm

[schuey]

Is this the chip advertised in the evolve shop then or do you have a few?

[320Touring]

Good work Sal!

Any chance of creating a table with

Chip Name

"Claimed performance"

and

"Actual Performance"

?

That way, folks can see at a glance whether the chip they are considering is worthwhile...

[Dave_M3]

That would be a great idea if he doesn't get any law suits from the people with the makers of the 4HP chip


Would like to see what the SUPERCHIP and VIPER 2 chips are like as I thinks its one of these I have in my road car

[Ajay325]

Very impressive results here, i'm surprised that after 17 years this iS still pushes out its original power. What was the mileage on this car, if you don't mind me asking?

[Dave_M3]

Ah sher, everybody really knows the M42 was BMW's best E30 engine. lol

[Sparkysparks]

I had a chip put in my computer when i inherited the car, i have no idea what it is or what gains im getting, but i should be coming to the rolling road day in my 318is on the 25th november, It's gonna be interesting to see what power figures it'll get.

[tim_s]

What were the wheel figures and the AFRs like Sal? This tallies ish to the gains I got using megasquirt to richen up the AFRs, although didn't quite get 12hp.

[jam172]

I had a chip put in my computer when i inherited the car, i have no idea what it is or what gains im getting, but i should be coming to the rolling road day in my 318is on the 25th november, It's gonna be interesting to see what power figures it'll get.

Don't turn up on the 25th Nov, no one will be there it's on the 24th Nov

[Sparkysparks]

ok maybe the 24th

still dunno what time that is btw

[M5pilot]

Can you tell me Sal, is this the same chip that you recently sold to me, now that i have replaced the AFM it really has made a huge difference.

You have the Evolve chip which is the one tested in the dyno graph.

Sal

[M5pilot]

Good to see the Torque and HP graph crosses exactly at 5250 too

Seen one or two that haven't


Would you think, with a few of the cheap mods that you can do to the M42 like the ones Kos did to his car have much of an improvement now with this chip over the figure you got on this car. Or would you really need a second map to make use of them?


It's nice to see what a standard iS does with a chip in black and white, Fairplay to ye

Hi Dave,

the other mods like BBTB do not warrant a change in the map.

Sal

[M5pilot]

Good work Sal!

Any chance of creating a table with

Chip Name

"Claimed performance"

and

"Actual Performance"

?

That way, folks can see at a glance whether the chip they are considering is worthwhile...

Without authorisation from the other chip suppliers I cannot put these results up.

The 4BHP chip (which had way too much ignition timing) was from a well known supplier of chips.

Sal

[M5pilot]

What were the wheel figures and the AFRs like Sal? This tallies ish to the gains I got using megasquirt to richen up the AFRs, although didn't quite get 12hp.

Hi Tim,

I can most certainly put up the wheel figures and AFR's, will do it tommorrow.

Sal

[320Touring]

Good work Sal!

Any chance of creating a table with

Chip Name

"Claimed performance"

and

"Actual Performance"

?

That way, folks can see at a glance whether the chip they are considering is worthwhile...

Without authorisation from the other chip suppliers I cannot put these results up.

The 4BHP chip (which had way too much ignition timing) was from a well known supplier of chips.

Sal

Understood- Can you try to get autorisation from the suppliers?

Just tell them you want to publish the info to allow your customers to be better informed etc?

[agreen]

MY car is SOOOOOOOOO good now its amazing 12bhp what a diffrence the torque is the most impressive thats what you feel and bot do you feel it now

in answer to the question there is a gain all the way threw the rev range a really noticeable one the half thottle resonse has been transformed and under full load the diffrence is emense

the car is now smoother more responsive and alot more fun to drive wheater your pottering around or canning the tits of it thanks sal

Evolve automotive chips are now proven to be the best no one can offer a proven gain on chips just unrealistic claims well now they can 12 bhp from my 318is i am chuffed

you need chips, tunning remaps anything call these guys !!!

[Dave_M3]

I think he deserves a second chip for that plug


Well, If the chip suppliers did feel abit worried about the results up on a public forum, would you be able to PM somebody if we asked what gain a chip made?

Be cool though, if you were allowed to put up a post showing a RR graph of each chip

[hammoj28]

Nice one. Is that the same chip as i have sal?

It would be really interesting to see what all the different chips are like.

[Pal318is]

I ain't got one yet

Very impressive figures tbh...looking forward to it already...and seeing as i only live in Bedford, just down the road

Pal

[agreen]

the onl one that is proven to work are evolves we know this now

148 bhp now whooo i want more though what next i wonder ? lol 12bhp from a chip Power for ya money nothing else comes close mate

Evolves chips are tested beause they work other chips are not tested becuase they are sh~t

[ShepsEvo3]

Good to see the Torque and HP graph crosses exactly at 5250 too

Seen one or two that haven't

If they don't, check to see if the dyno has auto scaled the torque and power graphs, as not always you will see them on the same scale. If they are not, or measured in another unit, then they usually don't cross at 5251 RPM. It has to be BHP v lbs ft on the same scale ie starting from 0.

Hope this helps.

[Demlotcrew]

Come on Sal,

You can hardly conclude from one car that the chips you tested were only able to produce 4bhp and yours did 12!

Its more than likely the chips could have been issued for a different M42 as we both know there's plenty variations whether the engine idles or not!

I would not draw any conclusions from one car on your own Dyno with your own chip!

Also why would changing the TB to a BBTB not need a chip to compensate the extra air now entering the engine?

Andrew

[HartgeH27]

Gentlemen.

A polite discourse and debate would be appreciated.

Thankyou.

[ShepsEvo3]

Not backing up certain chip companies claims, as I actually condone anyone who "claims" a certain increase due to just a chip "change". Every car/engine is different, some run better than others and some standard 318is's actually make more than 140BHP. It all depends on how well the engine has been made, how it was run in during the early years, how hard its been driven, how much carbon build up is in the combustion chambers and on the piston crowns, how well the valve timing has been set up, or how worn the valve gear is, how much carbon build up is in the exhaust and mufflers, etc, etc. Every car will be different. So Sal's remapped 318is from 136 to 148 BHP is a great result from that particular car, but it may give less power on another car... or more even. Although I suspect, knowing Sal and his products, it will certainly be in the bullpart figures.

Sal, what I am interested in is what was the maximum increase in power and at what REVS over standard was the chip that only gave another 4BHP at max power? It may have been at 3500rpm or something or at light throttle In which case, and I aint saying it is the case, but they could back thier claims by stating that 18BHP increase was not quoted for max power increase. Can be extremely misleading.

[M5pilot]

Here are the graphs of standard vs "other" chip and Evolve Chip.

Sheps - I hope the graphs show consistency in our testing from flywheel to power at wheels and also answer your question. As for putting the same chip in two different cars and getting two very different results - that only really happens when one of the engines is worn out somewhere or something is out of spec. The whole point of us asking for a lowish mileage engine was to get something that was good and in this case it put down pretty much close to what we expected.

Demlot, as for testing on different cars - not really required from our point of view. We remap loads of ZM's, E36 M3's, E46 M3's and we always get within a few percent of the gains on different cars. Why should this be any different on a relatively simple 318iS?

If anyone suspects our results to be bodged in any way then bring down your cars and we'll do the testing again and Ant can use the dyno. If the tests are consistent (and they will be) then you'll be handed a bill for our time and dyno time.
It is not in our interest to BS our figures. Alot of people buy chips from us and anyone could go to a dyno and have a before and after test done.

The graphs:





Note: AFR's on standard and both tuning chips are very close to each other. Most of the changes that are made are to ignition timing as the fuelling is pretty spot on from the factory.

After looking into the various files we have here it is clear the reason why they don't make much power is because the ignition timing is way over advanced. Not to the point where the engine will detonate but not far off.

Sal

[M5pilot]

Also why would changing the TB to a BBTB not need a chip to compensate the extra air now entering the engine?

Andrew

Because after fitting an M20 with a BBTB and changing nothing else the fuelling did not change. The AFR's were exactly the same.
There's obviously not enough of a difference in air flow to warrant a change in the fuelling.

Sal

[M5pilot]

Sal, what I am interested in is what was the maximum increase in power and at what REVS over standard was the chip that only gave another 4BHP at max power?

From the above graphs you can see that the "peak" power gain was only 3.3 bhp. At around 4750 rpm the "other" chip gives around 4bhp at the most.

Sal

[M5pilot]

Also,

while the 318iS was here we tested the BMC, ITG and a Simota intake (only fits cars without ABS)..

The BMC gave a embarrassing reduction in low end power and lost a couple of BHP, the ITG didn't really do anything at all along with the Simota but the throttle response was way better. Simota made an evil induction noise.

Conclusion - there are probably no induction kits that give you anymore power on a 318iS.

Sal