I know everyone says the first mod should be a chip but im a person who is just getting into cars and performance upgradding my friend owns a SRT-4 and knows quite a bit about cars and i showed him the chip and he feels that i should better learn my car and start with intake and then exhaust then DV then boost controller then maybe chip then get tunned to those mods and it will be overall better. while i agree with him i still think the chip might be the best mod to start with. im looking for opinions on this. And i tried to find a DIY for installing the chip and failed can anyone help me better understand it?

 

I use to think like your friend.. do exhaust, FMIC, DV, etc.. than get the chip tuned to that. It seems general concensus on here will tell you to get the chip first anyway. From what i was told if you put an exhaust on later the chip should adjust accordingly with air/fuel mixture. Since exhaust isn't a huge difference in relation to air/fuel (only net around 10-15hp) the chip can handle the timing, etc.. that u need. Now if you went BT, bigger injectors, etc.. than youd need to get a file upgrade on the chip, i think most the companies will let u get a file for around $50 after u buy their chip but don;t quote me on that.

I say get the chip, btw the dealer you buy the chip will solder it for you.. it's not really a DIY but i'm sure you can do it with the right tools.

 

Chip is def. the best first mod. Helps gas milage, increases horsepower by around 40-50 and torque by around 50-80. Then after that go with a boost gauge, exhaust, intake (with proper shielding)

 

what year is your car?

what are your future plans as far as hp?

chip is the best first mod you can do, but depending on your hp goal, you'll want to think about what chip you will be wanting to get.

 

how do you better learn your car by doing intake and exhaust first? all thats gona do is make your car sound a little nicer, and your pockets a lot emptier. and a boost controller is not the way to up the boost. you need adjustments to the timing and fuel too. if you go outta the range of what the maf can correct you will **** up your engine. a chip raises boost safely. the only thing a boost controller should be used for is to stop surging and up the boost a few psi. the chip will automatically adjust to mods you put on later like exhaust (the stock intake is as efficient as most intakes, so its pointless to buy one unless you want your dv to be louder). get the chip first. and as for installing the chip, most shops do the install themselves. some are soldered on, while others are flashed. if you get one from the classifieds then you just open up the ecu box and swap out the ecu.

or if you have a MAP you can do the diode mod for a lot cheaper than a chip, and 18psi safely

 

Disown your "friend". He's obviously worried that with a chip he will no longer be able to completely dust you in his Dodge.

 

Ide say ur safe to get a new intake very first b/c its cheap, it'll keep u satisfide till you can afford the new chip. Does a chip really improve mpg??

 

intakes are completely useless... and he does realize that the chip isnt a vehicle specific ture that takes into account the other mods, correct ?
its a base program that is the same for all cars it is written for
i can get on board with the exhaust, you will see a small gain from that after the chip... and the dv of course is a must
fmic really not nessecary on a chipped car, it wont net you any power

this has all been proved time and time again

 

If you stay out of boost, yes the chip will help your gas mileage. Intake is a worthless first mod on a stock 1.8t, you will gain no more then 5 hp.

 

an intake on a b6 is completely worthless and will gain you ZERO hp, members have dyno'ed the carbino or whatever it is...

it does make a cool sound.. he will hear it when he is smoking that a4 but all the girls will still be wanting in yours because no matter how fast that neon is........


its still a neon