CaNNaVaR0

how much to install unichip + tuning?

lohsk

I think about $850. I was suppose to go and get mine fixed but chicken out last min.


Not too sure if it's really an air/fuel mixture overider or one of those advance timing chip.

cuscorex

it's both...

sandman369

some comments on unichip:

- need a good tuner to max out result and safety
- there are reasons why manufacturers tune to that mapping/ignition timing. it's for safety be careful on running too lean.
- if you are always busy with work, suggest not to touch unichip.
- fixing rx8 with unichip? it's like matching giordano jeans with an armani shirt. comon guys. if you are on a rx8 go for HKS FCon, or at least greddy emanage... go check out the latest piggybacks, any good brands/model, not been in touch with the latest for a while. unichip is defintely out...

EBS

The HKS FCon series (SZ and V Pro) are no doubt much more capable chip. If your car is mostly stock, why would u want a V Pro?? U are playing beach volleyball with ur Armani suit!

The bro installed unichip and is very happy with the result. I have 6 other friends who installed unichip on their Jap performance cars (not 8) with similarly good results (dynoed bhp increase of 15 horses minimum) for $800 bucks (they did it in JB). The Sz cost $2600 and the V Pro $5600 so compare the price differences.

If u are on a GTR 32, 33, 34 V, EVOs, STi's with multiple injectors, turbo blowers, multiple intakes etc, use the F Con V Pro but on stock RX8??? I beg to differ.

ethan113

Yep yep I totally agree. Stock car don't need so high power stuff man and it costs a few grand difference. The unichip tuner I went to is an excellent tuner and I was really pleased with the dyno results as well as the perfomance when I tested it with sgflyer the other day. But i guess everybody is entitled to their own opinion

morganoh

Can u advice me on how is the fuel consumption like after u install the unichip?

Required more fuel? or the same?

Thanks

ethan113

Yep . I supposed the Unichip will restore the "lost power" in the Euro spec. But an additional advantage is that it allows the tuner to improve the low end torque as opposed to just restoring hp across the bands, so there is a definite improvement in the low revs .

Morgan: I haven't calculated fuel consumption yet...too lazy...but will do it sometime this week...so will update you on this. But so far, I have been topping up half tank twice a week just like before...so maybe its about the same. But will make an objective calculation asap and will post it here.

dru8999

Ethan has better be at Kallang tonight as he mentioned to be a few months back that he prefer meet-ups on non- Sundays!

sandman369

for unchip, functionality wise, yeah why not. my point was why compromise? pretty much like fixing up bodykits in JB as opposed to getting better quality kits. bet you have not heard about stories on unichip huh? or for that matter stories on various tuners in singapore. nothing wrong with using unichip, just trying to share a view: why one could spend so much on a car and compromise on something relatively lower quality to modify an important part of a car: the ECU.

not so much as playing beach volleyball with armani suit, but rather playing beach volleyball at an exclusive private beach in armani swimwear. well there are better piggybacks that are comparable in pricing, as mentioned previously, the emanage for example.

btw i was a user of unichip on my previous car. on a 8? no way....

sandman369

generally, one should see improvement in fuel consumption. there is an optimal air/fuel ratio that maximises power and fuel consumed. ideally all cars should tune towards this number (thinnk is 14-16). however there is a downside, ie it is safer to run rich in fuel but not lean as running too lean will damage engines. hence maufacturers tend to play safe by tuning it slightly richer, in case some sensors fail to perform as expected, causing cars to run lean. what unichip does is to optimise the air/fuel ratio, drawing it closer to the optimal range, running it leaner, esply for the lower range, and richer for the higher range to maximse power and not fuel efficiency. hence the danger if tuner is not up to the task, tuning too aggresively (sometimes even unknowingly, if he is not competenet) and too close to the range where damage to engine may occur.

it is good to do your research, talk to tuner, know what you want and what to expect. esply for such an important modification to the car.

EBS

Tks bro for sharing. Like u said, the tuner is the most important factor. Not too sure where u did ur Unichip the alst time and whether the tuner has experience tuning for ur previous car (yes they can be good tuning 1 type of car only!)
This is diff when u compare bodykit. U get original, better quality and u use it all the time on ur car. U get V pro, I am not too sure how many % of its capacity is used! Its not design for stock car but for highly tuned cars (race/street). Of course if u have the $$, go get it and just adjust the fuel/air mix.
Not too sure abt emange though. Maybe some bro has it and share??
For me, my pals are all very happy, very obvious improvements and bang for the buck. The tuner has tune abt 7-8 cars of the same made and has 'improved' his tuning for the make.
I agree with u, don't compromise. Get original bodykit, brake calipers etc and get the best u can afford for the objective u want.
Cheers

coupe07

knight sports cannot just sell the 4beat ecu rom to you and u install in urself, unlike the rx7 ecu whereby u can tell them ur car probs and they can tune for u without ur car..... for rx8, u have to bring ur car over for them to tune, this is told to me by the technical guy over there (masaki kanai) when i was at their workshop this january.....

if they sell juz like dat, i wld oredi fix it on my ride oredi...... i have all the info of knight sports ecu in either catalogue form or brochures..... :D

maybe few yrs down the road, they can make it in such a way that they can juz tune the 4beat ecu rom for us without our cars......

sqflyer

Quite frankly, the power difference doesn't FEEL like a lot, but maybe it's just my butt falling asleep. It's really more evident only when you run head to head (and Kallang isn't the place to do it) or on a dyno or if you have a g-meter. I suppose we can always try. See how it goes 2nite.

sandman369

yup agree on your point on vpro, and i do agree to a certain extent unichip is value for money. I do not have a extremely bad experience on unichip (my missus would not agree on this point tho. generally ok until it broke down real bad one day.) and main intention was to warn bros on the downside before everyone jumps into the unichip. most importantly, do know what to expect.

on bad tuners, would not be naming names as dont think it's fair to do so.

EBS

Wow thats new. Didn't know ECU chip can 'break down'. I was thinking of trying out the unichip as well. Can u share what exactly happened?? As it is a piggy back, u only need to disconnect and everything will return to stock so even if it 'broke down', there shld not be a lot of prob rite?? or am I missing something here??
Can u share ur experience??? Tks

ethan113

Hehe Dru88, sorry...had to work at night on Friday...too tired and have to work Saturdays also, so couldnt make it for the meet. Will really try my best the next time.

Hm....as for the Unichip, I have heard stories about the Unichip but this involved some other tuners who also sold and did the Unichip. I had the Unichip in my previous car for 2 years and had no problems. But I think this applies to every other chip as well. Put it in the hands of a bad tuner and you're going to get a lot of problems or even blow your engine, be it FconVpro or Emange or Unichip. So do your research and get a reliable tuner. I've been with my tuner for 3 years now and i totally trust him with my car. In fact, when I first got my RX8, I asked him to install the unichip for me but he refused because Unichip did not release the version for the RX8 yet. He could have pulled a fast one on me, but he didn't.

Anyway, do your research well, ask other people who have fit other chips...haven't heard much feedback about other chips in Singapore as of yet though, and select what you think is best for your car.

ethan113

Hey sgflyer, how was the test drive on the JDM? Any difference?

sqflyer

Paiseh... I had friend's birthday dinner to attend before the meet, so by the time I arrived everyone already there waiting to convoy to Marina South. Didn't get to test drive. Maybe at the next local meet.

sandman369

just to further add to previous post, what happened was one if the sensor was not working well (think was the crank or O2, either one) hence car kept dying. wnet back retuned but didnt quite got it working at its best. just to reiterate that generally the experience with unichip was great. on the point of disconnecting, you need to get a socket to "close back" the loop. without it you cant unplug the unichip.

ever since i had the problem with the sensor, car developed further problems which not sure whether if it was due to unichip. anyhow didnt have time to play with it hence went back to stock.