I own an Impreza GT, 00, 218hp, here in Brazil and I´m interested in giving it more power and torque. Superchips has a dealer here and I´ve read in their site that their conversion offer more 40hp, simply by reprogramming the ECU.
Does anyone know something about it? Is it a good idea?
We have 98 RON premium gasoline here: will it be necessary?

 

Dont do it!!!
Super chips and subaru's dont mix, they increase the boost which aint good i would go with a PPP chip if you can get one if not go for a link, but super chips aint the way to go!

Tony

 

Superchips get a bad press on here! Has anyone got actual first hand knowledge of a blow up using one? I suppose if you have a boost gauge and tweak it you would be ok?

MB

 

Let's not confuse things here ...

Superchips setup works with a higher boost ... so does the PPP ... and most other tuning "chips" that want to claim more than 10-15 bhp (which you could gain on a very careful map using ignition/fuelling and nothing else). Higher boost in itself is not really the problem.

PPP might alter ignition/fuelling (does it ?), but most UK cars (mark the "most") can handle a bit more boost (with stock turbo & ECU) without too many problems (hail to the MAF sensor )

I won't make the mistake of quoting actual pressures, but 1.1 and in a lot of cases 1.2 bar (limit ?) will not immediately destroy your engine if you run SUL + octane booster, do regular services and use good oil.

What has been suggested is that the Superchips setup removes the "overboost" (not the right term) protection. If that is true, I don't know. They do obviously clamp the MAP sensor output, but you could do so without removing the ultimate boost protection.

Superchips indeed has a bad rep on this bbs, but that is more because of "what he said" / AOL type of comments than it is about having first hand data. It may well be a very bad product (I honestly don't know), and if it removes the protection I would steer clear from it.

Did anyone ever really examine the addon chip to see what it does and what it doesn't ? I'm assuming that it is just an FCD using a bleed valve to raise the boost, but I could be totally wrong ?

Just curiuous.

Theo

 

To my knowledge at least one car has been fubar'd here in Sweden (I don't think there's that many Superchipped ones...so the failure precentage should be quite nasty.. ).

Anyway, it's quite expensive isn't it? WHy not go for a Unichip instead?

/J

 

Jerry, one car that blows up is not exactly proof on anything. Standard cars do the same

Expensive ... I don't even know the price of the thing.

Look, I'm not trying to defend Superchips. Maybe they are evil and have '666' written on top of them

It's just that I see so many comments on the bbs lately without too much factual information, that I feel a bit uncomfortable with it all. If I'm not mistaken, there is just a Link/Unichip thread going with a lot of t*sh in it actually

Theo [went for the Unichip because of the mapper available, not because of the hardware]

 

Evil,
To my knowledge the PPP chip doesnt increase the boost, it still sits around 15-16psi which is normal but it does change the fuelling, thus the reason its so safe and good fun!
Jose,
Id definately go the PPP chip way if you can, ive had the PPP fitted to my car and its just improved the car soooooooooooo much and it also doesnt invalidate your warranty

Tony

 

Tony, than your knowledge is ... wrong.

Standard car = 0.9 bar boost, ppp = 1.1 bar (ish).

Edit to say that also the warrenty comment is wrong.... only valid in UK, not in the rest of the world.

Not trying to start a fight, just want to see the facts.

Theo

[This message has been edited by EvilBevel (edited 22 July 2001).]

 

DOH!!!!!!!!!
depending on the fuel too, your boost will increase but most cars will push out between .9 and 1.2 anyway, these engineering guys and their tollerances eh
But as far as i know, 1.1 bar is around what the jap imports push out anyway, but if in doubt buy a boost guage just to be on the safe side

Tony

 

STi's have a different turbo, ECU, and RPM and no PPP is available for them (P1 owners might disagree )

No bog standard UK car I have seen ever pushed out 1.2 bar, unless there is a problem with the restrictor or the boost solenoid. 1 bar, yes, if the wheather is cooperative. This all varies across MY's, I'm only familiar with MY99/00's BTW

A 'self respecting Superchips dealer' - if that is not an oxymoron - will probably set the bleed valve to 1.15 / 1.2 bar, right within those "engineering tolerances".

 

i kmow if one or two engines that have blown up with cars running superchip. obviously can't mention any names due for warranty reasons.

there is a difference between raising the boost just below the boost limiter, therefore the ecu is still measuring air/fuel/timing. this is kind of safe you would need some sort of boost controller but do not remove the turbo limiter.

supership fools the ecu to think it is running lower boost than it really is, now that is not very safe.

 

I don't know about superchips but go for the PPP - huge difference!
Just to mention:
PPP increases the boost (1.1 bar, irrelevant to external temperatures - in Greece we have about 40 degrees everyday).
Of course PPP alter fuelling, look at your pocket !
"Edit to say that also the warranty comment is wrong.... only valid in UK, not in the rest of the world."
Doesn't invalidate your warranty here, don't know around the world.
Cheers Jim

 

Sorry, double posted!

[This message has been edited by JIM THEO (edited 22 July 2001).]

 

Theo>>I agree with you.

Still...it's a good way to make sure to get rid of all chances to have a long lasting happy engine, isn't it?

I think it's silly expensive for what you get (here in Sweden a Superchip costs ~400 squid..which is almost as much as a Unichip).

/J

 

I had a 309GTI, "Superchipped" about 10 years ago. It was awful and a waste of money. Even when working correctly, it gave no increase in anything, except fuel consumption. I had 2 of them and both went wrong within hours of being fitted. I got my money back.

Never again...