chip?!

[redshanx]

can anyone help?
I'm looking to get a chip for my 325i SE 91 model & keep coming across the viper2, what difference would it make? are there any recommendations for a decent supplier or source and are there any other adjustments/mods i should carry out once ive fitted a chip?

[E30Mark]

email ant@e30zone.co.uk a lot of people here have his chips and are very pleased with them.

I also had a viper2 in my iS and was pleased with that aswell.

[Ant]

Thanks Mark

mail recieved, reply sent

[Adammcf]

Im looking out for a 325 Sport at the mo. Are your chips re-programmed standard ECU's? What kind of power gains do they give? Id be interested.

[Jackle]

Slightly off topic, but the same subject - I've just replaced the chip in my 325i SE with a Viper2 chip. I think the one I took out was a standard chip, but could someone confirm this - the number on a sticker on the top of the chip is 1 267 356 203.
I can't say I'm all that impressed with the Viper2 chip at the mo, I put one in my old 325i and it seemed to work better than this one although they both seem to have the same problem - they are a bit rough at low throttle at low revs. Is there a cure for this or is it a "feature" of the chip?
Probably not the best place to ask for an unbiased opinion, but is the zone chip better than the Viper2? If so then ant will probably get an order for one from me when I've got some spare cash...

[m3wanabee]

Idle control valve ?

[hogweed]

I've had one for about a year now - it showed no gains at all when we put the car on a dyno. I'm really not sure to what extent chips can create extra power in a normally aspirated car. With turbos they can turn the boost up, whcih is easy if you don't mind your car being undrivable.

But as regards the rough idle etc, that will clear in time - the ECU has to learn the new map first. It's quite alarming at first when you're not expecting it, but it will settle.

[Jackle]

I think the ICV is fine, it ran ultra smooth with the original chip in, there's nothing wrong with the idle anyway, its just when going along with low revs and low throttle - eg coasting at 30mpg in 5th..

[e30_Turbo]

I found that after the initial ticking over for 10mins after fitting the chip, you need to bounce the limiter in 3rd gear to burn in the new map to the ECU. Now how this works or why is beyond my brain skills, but it DID work on mine and never had a issue since.
I have a ZONE chip, specially mapped by Ant, slightly more aggresive than most and I get the KICK at 3.5k and boy does it kick in!!
It's pretty docile below 3.5k, but in town it's all you need. I'm sure Ant will be able to help with any queries....as for the Viper2 chip performance....I aint gonna touch that with a 40ft pole mate....

[cypression]

Hi all,

I'm still having problems with mine. Originally I unplugged my ECU to see how easy it would be to replace the exisiting chip (didn't actually replace it) and ever since, my car's been behaving as so many other people have described on the forums (funny idle, stalls at low revs etc.)
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... light=idle
and
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... light=idle
to name but 2.

Ant was helpful in a reply to one of my other posts and E30Mark actually had a look at my engine and was also very helpful, suggesting the whole carb cleaner option, which I did, but to no avail.

My ICV and all the air intake pipes must be gleaming by now! lol But I'm wondering if I've somehow b*ggered up one of the components like the ICV. Is there any way I can test any of this, as I didn't want to fork out for a new ICV and discover it wasn't that at fault!

Does any one know of anyone in the Bmth area with the diagnostic stuff or would that not help?

I only seem to have the problems once the car's warmed up.

And finally, what did you mean by 'bounce the limiter' fozzymonster? Did you mean stick your foot on the throttle in third so the rev counter just touches the redline a couple of times?

Cheers

Danny

[E30Mark]

hmmm,


did the car run any different with the ICV disconnected?

'Bounce the limiter' means just that, drive the car until you hit the rev limiter... do this after resetting the ECU to reteach it somehow...


hope you get to the route cause of this

[cypression]

Hi Mark,

As I left your place, with the ICV still disconnected, I went to pull away and it stalled. I got it started again, but it cut out as I got to the bottom of your road . So basically, I reconnected the ICV and it seemed a lot better. In fact I thought the problem had gone completely, but unfortunately once it was warm again, the problem came back

Doh!

[hogweed]

Guys guys guys... the engine won't tick over without the ICV. When you take your boot off the pedal, one of two switches on the TPS (throttle position sensor) closes and tells the ECU you've done so. The ECU then works with the ICV rather than the rest of your fuel injection gubbins Ԛ—a opening it and letting a little air past the throttle if rpm falls below whatever itÔš's pre-set to (I think about 750 in non-chipped cars), and cling it again if the idle rises too far.

These ECUÔš's have a Ԛ“limp-homeԚâ€a feature which lets you run the engine Ԛ—a sort of Ԛ—a if a componentÔš's faulty. I donÔš't know if this extends to the ICV, but itÔš's a fair bet Ԛ—a if so, you might get some kind of tickover if you disable the ICV, but I imagine itÔš'd be crap.

If the problem is heat-dependent, it might well be the water temp sensor. It might even be the atmosphere temp sensor, but thatÔš's bad news as youÔš'd probably have to replace the AFM. They donÔš't seem to fail as often though.

Your absolute best plan when running an E30 is to accumulate a spare set of Motronic parts from breakers Ԛ—a swapping them out one at a time is by far the easiest and cheapest way of finding problems. YouÔš'll need, I would suggest, an ECU, ICV, AFM and TPS (or a whole throttle body Ԛ—a much easier).

As regards the water temp sensor, I wouldnÔš't mess about Ԛ—a theyÔš're cheap, just replace it.

Pay particular attention to the quality of contacts where the wiring loom joins all these components Ԛ—a I've seen my idling transformed from a total pig to perfection just by cleaning and greasing the contacts between the loom and the TPS.

[Rosc0PColtrane]

I purchased the Alpina chip for my 320i cab. Settled really quickly and there was a subtle improvement in performance.

As the engine is so smooth its difficult to notice power gains, but they were there. Am well used to them and possible looking to do another mod.

Have a K+N filter fitted but feel I really need heat shielding to reap more benefit from it. I couldn't believe how restrictive the original box was when I looked at it once I'd took it off. Somewhat like a "kissing gate" you see in the country!!

Throttle body was the next cost efficient mod I could consider. Not convinced entirely about exhaust mods unless you go full system and manifolds.

Anyone give me their experience on what next?

[chipuk]

This thread really does show how many people listen to bad advice on forum.
You should NEVER drive the ICV disconnected, your engine wont add the fuel as you raise rpm (appart from the fact it will cut out at idle) and you will run lean and pop the pistons.

This is not a thread to tell you to buy my chips, in fact as members here you should buy direct from the zone to support it but trust me, dont do as above, your car depends on it.

"bouncing" the limiter in 3rd will just do harm to the engine.
PLease please, confirm this with ant ant@e30zone.co.uk and he will verify.
you fit the chip, turn the ingnition over with absolutely NO throttle and leave idle for 10 minutes.
Even if the car runs rough, DO NOT REV THE CAR IN THE FIRST 10 MINUTES.

Then go for a drive and you will notice the gains.
Also the chip will give more power over the next 50 miles as the ecu resets to the new code.
I hope people take notice of this and not from the foolhardy reply above.


p.s) msg to mods, i only posted this here as a stark warning, i wont post again but please dont delete my reply, you know what i say is correct and the members and there cars should come before your feelings towards me.

[Guest]

has anyone bought one of those cheap chips off ebay? if so is it any good??

[Paul325i]

No need at all to bounce the car off the limiter, especially when it's running rough with a new chip fitted. I found the best way to run the car with a new chip after fitting several was to just drive it gently, give it a good run for about half an hour, this allows the ECU to return to normal.

The ICV valve on the M20 with motronic actually does very little, just allows a little more air past to enable the motor to idle, there would be no need for it if the idle wasn't affected by electrical loads from headlamps screen demister etc, as the revs drop the ECU simply opens up the ICV and allows more air in.

With idle problems don't always look to the ICV, if they're dirty they just need a good clean out but the rarely break other wise. Vacuum leaks are the major cause of a ropey idle, also leaky seals around the injectors can affect it to, as can dirty or clogged injectors (but these tend to have an effect across the entire rev range).

[Richy325iTouring]

I purchased the Alpina chip for my 320i cab. Settled really quickly and there was a subtle improvement in performance.

As the engine is so smooth its difficult to notice power gains, but they were there. Am well used to them and possible looking to do another mod.

Have a K+N filter fitted but feel I really need heat shielding to reap more benefit from it. I couldn't believe how restrictive the original box was when I looked at it once I'd took it off. Somewhat like a "kissing gate" you see in the country!!

Throttle body was the next cost efficient mod I could consider. Not convinced entirely about exhaust mods unless you go full system and manifolds.

Anyone give me their experience on what next?

my car is more responsive without the k&n, I have now gone back to a standard airbox
decent panel filter next though

[cypression]

Oops look like I opened a whole can o' worms here!

Think I'll do as hogweed says and get a set of 2nd hand parts and swap them out one by one. Although I think the TPS is beyond my ability.

I don't spose anyone here has a spare TPS, Motronic ECU, ICV and AFM? I will ask in the wanted section too

Thanks for all your advice anyway.

The latest news is that a bloke from a Ford garage put a snap on diagnostics thing on it, but still couldn't find anything wrong. Only that the mixture was always lean when he was expecting it to change to rich when he gave it some gas

[hogweed]

I accumulated my supply gradually - breakers, people on here etc. Don't pay too much for them (eg I'd say Ԛ£50 max for either AFM or ECU, possibly less...) and I wouldn't go swapping the TPS if you can avoid it, get yourself a whole throttle body with the switch in situ. Better still, buy a big Zone one