E.L. PROTO ECU upgrade chip

[basil_75]

Ok, I'm an engine dummy so can someone fill me in on whether or not this chip is actually worth it. Next, where is the computer? Like I said, I'm an engine dummy on our beloved mx-3's.

[pelado]

Most, if not all, chips are not worth their silicon. I've read magazine articles, looked at websites, and they've proven to my satisfaction that the chip makers are telling fibs about their product.

[white fish]

the ECU is located in the center console all the way at the bottom next to the passengers feet, small panel the comes (4" x 8") you will see a bright yellow harness pluged into it <BR>Sorry for being confusing

[Sonic]

They are worth it if..... You have a number of upgrades. Such as a bunch of air mods like intake, porting, headers, t-body, exhaust...The PRM chip JUST does timing and dynoed giving 10hp in an MX-3. The E.L. Prototypes upgrade does timing AND fuel maps. Defniatly noticable.<P>Ever since I started getting on these boreds I've read people say that you can't gain anything from ECU upgrading. But the people that say that usually have never tried it or have never even seen dyno plots of what they can do for performance. They usually just see in a magazine where they've tried to use one and gained little to nothing,then they think they are an expert on ECU's and say they can't do anything for you... When the fact of the matter is they can.<P>Chips that are NOT worth it are ones like JET. They don't really do anything and have shown to give no gains.<P>I personally have been to E.L. Prototypes. I watched him mess around with the mapping of a B-series engine's computer. Pretty interesting! Eric knows his stuff.<P>Other things that can be done are VRIS point changing and EGR. <P>That should probably be one of the last things you do. Then you can have a program custom made to the setup you have. To go with the upgrades you have. Yeah, it's all going to be pretty close, but with a list it's more for the programer to go by when he's designing a program for you.<P>I know a girl in VA who's got extensive porting done in her MX-3. She's actully running REALLY lean do to all the mods she has done most likley. Her car dynoed out at 148 or 149whp. She has plans to get her chip done. She'll dyno again after that. If I ever hear what she gained I'll post it. <p>[ December 08, 2001: Message edited by: Sonic ]

[Esper]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> Most, if not all, chips are not worth their silicon. I've read magazine articles, looked at websites, and they've proven to my satisfaction that the chip makers are telling fibs about their product. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>it just depends on what kind of car you have...if its a Volkswagen 1.8T, you can gain up to 40HP with a chip...if its a pretty much stock MX-3, you're not gonna get much.

[Sonic]

It also depends on what your definition of "much" is...<P>If you can get a chip that ONLY does timing and gain around 10whp then I definatly consider that a GOOD upgrade. <P>Think of this... You can spend $400-6 on an exhaust system and gain like 5-7hp. Same with headers, spend $450-$550 and gain like 4-6hp. Or you can spend $240-$270 on ECU upgrading and gain $10whp? What's a better bang for your buck?

[pelado]

Astute statement there, if your MX-3 is stock then you're not going to see any gains. In fact, you might even lose HP.<P>I'd love to see a chip manufacturer do some dyno tests demonstrating a modded engine withOUT their chip and then a dyno run with their chip. Most show dyno runs of stock engines and then dyno runs with their chip PLUS air and exhaust modifications. Tough to tell whether the results are from their chip or the other mods.<P>Visit E.L. Prototypes website and check out their warranty info, it reads like they don't give refunds if you're disappointed in the results. If their product was worth a sh**, then their warranty would be as well.

[Sonic]

E.L. is a Toyota performance shop. Corksport actully contracted them out to do the ECU repgrograming because they do not have the equipment to. But my question is... Why would a company allow you to return something if you didn't like the performance of it? It's ECU upgrading. It's not a built race engine! I was actully going to do a back to back for them, but my car did not quiet make it to the dyno. Tech problems lol. It's all part of tuning.<P>Advancing your timing will increase hp regardless your upgrades. <P>Dyno with one on a car that has no mods? Go back up and read my first post about this. It should be one of the last things you do to get your fuel to match your mods basically I said. A chip, I guess you could call 'tuning' rather than 'modifing'...