A very good friend of mine and fellow MINI5280 member posted this query on "The Other Site". Any feedback/experience on this would be greatly appreciated. MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring - UniChip versus dyno tuning Thanks, Bryan
The questions in that other thread on that other site are as follows 1. Should I install the UniChip and forget about the dyno tune? 2. Should I just do the dyno tune and sell the UniChip? 3. Should I install the UniChip first, and then have the dyno tune? My thoughts... 1. No, the Unichip is not going to do much for you at all. 2. Yes to the dyno tune, no to selling the Unichip. Why foist that garbage onto others? 3. No, it's a waste of time and again will do very little for you. The ECU will adapt around it and over time any gains will be lost. Oh yeah, and since you posted a link to "that other site" did you post 2 links on there back to here?
Adding to the fuel, I suggested to Bahman that he hold off on installing the unichip before the August tune. My gut feel about chips on cars are they are window dressing. Nate, good list of responses. Now I know why my gut kept saying no to chips (car type chips). :lol:
OK, you guys have made your point (at least for now.) TO old81: Here's what I propose. 1. Install the UniChip before the scheduled Aug 15 dyno tune in Parker, CO 2. In the first dyno run, take readings of the car's performance with UniChip on it 3. Remove the UniChip, back to stock ECU 4. Make multiple dyno runs and dyno-tune the engine to optimum, and record the results 5. Compare the readings This test may have been done by others before (any links out there?) Regardless, I am willing to do it this way. Any thoughts? Bahman PS, Nathan, I used to be GM at Autoscope, and met you during the dyno runs on Minis in Plano. At the time I did not have a MINI.
Go for it, be sure to put the UniChip on well in advance to allow the ECU to adapt around it so we can see if all that has been said that the UniChip is a waste of time is really true. BTW, I never did understand why Autoscope didn't learn to use the Dimsport they have to tune MINI's. It's a lucrative market...
Bahman should do a search on the other site regarding UniChip and spend his money on a dyno tune. But really do a search function on the other site, it is an old question and well "debated"
It all doesn't matter now that Uni chip gave up and no longer make them for the MINI. I've tuned 3 or 4 cars that had Unichips on them. Funny thing was I would do a base run with it, then remove it and even without a tune every car gained power by taking it off. So it was actually costing HP. Then I would do a custom tune and holy crap the power is unleashed.
I had one on my car for a very short while & felt it was stinky. For a while there were loads of those for sale used. After I installed mine I understood why that was. If Jan ever gets close to my little town I'll be getting one of his tunes.