Is it a good idea to chip my 325

[xsstigger]

Hi all E30 Nuts, i have a 1990 325 tourer with oxygen sensor - cat removed.I am past my boy racer days and now cover 12k miles a year, so top end hp is not priority.What would be useful is more midrange power and/or better MPG.With the miles i cover i do not wont to loose any MPG.
I thought that perhaps with modern tecnology in the ecu (chip)
the motor would be more effecient therefore more powerful and economical.
Any suggestions/recomendations on whats available and how it affects power and MPG would be very welcome,i hear Fritz Bitz do chips - anyone had any experience
Happy motoring - Rob

[e301988325i]

contact 'speedtouch' on here

[tomti]

ive got a mild chip fitted from Speedtouch (a member on here) and i noticed a bit more midrange. Only 30 quid too. Well worth doing imo

[Brianmoooore]

I thought that perhaps with modern tecnology in the ecu (chip)
the motor would be more effecient therefore more powerful and economical.

It's not modern technology that makes the difference, it's exploiting the fact that (assuming you're in the UK), you will not want to run the car on 91 octane fuel at altitudes from sea level to 10,000 feet, and in temperatures from -60C to +60C.
If you accept the restrictions of 95 octane minimum, o to 1500 feet, and -10C to +30C, then the fuel and ignition maps can be changed to give more power or economy, or a combination of both.
Speedtouch and Ant (one of the moderators on here) are the recommended suppliers, if for no other reason than if their products didn't work, everyone on here would know about it!
If you're doing 12000 miles a year in an E30 325, then my recommendation would be to look at investing £500 in a LPG conversion, like the red touring in my sig. has, and has had for the last 100,000+ miles

[murran]

i wouldnt chip it expecting more mpg! its not like chipping modern car systems with ecu controlled active detonation control, air mass sensors, adjustable fuel maps/mixture control, 6 wire lambda sensors etc etc.

an e30 chipped will use more fuel, fact.
i have a wild chip in mine seems to be 4mpg down on what it was. it goes better tho!

[hazd31]

contact speed touch, his chips are good value, and his service is fantastic, flat spots removed and hight rev limit, mpg goes up as the 3-4k flat spot is cured so it is easy to accelarate in 5th between 50-80, great if your doing motorway miles!

[e30shed]

Any ideas on bhp increase with one of these chips?

[Brianmoooore]

Any ideas on bhp increase with one of these chips?

A few BHP and better "drivability". Beware of anyone who makes excessive claims!
The only way to get large gains is to improve the engines performance as an air pump, and a chip does nothing for this.

[saphireblue]

I have a chip bought of ebay which claims to be an Alpina item capable of delivering 192bhp! Being honest no idea what the actual increase is if any but the car revs far more freely and the rev limit is increased. No idea about the fuel comsumption as you tend to drive harder anyway.
Had no problems with it and the car has had some hard trackday driving.
It only cost about £30.00 so i thought it was worth a try as its a quick job to return back to standard but so far its been perfect.

[N00b]

There's no way you'll get an extra 20bhp from just a chip change. Does the chip claim these gains in conjunction with other mods?

[murran]

any more than a claimed 8 - 10 bhp increase on any n/a engine is v doubtful indeed.

[N00b]

any more than a claimed 8 - 10 bhp increase on any n/a engine is v doubtful indeed.

Especially when you figure that 20bhp is an increase of over 10% on standard power. For reference, a good exhaust system will add 10-15%.