Chip the engine

By James Baggott

October 2006

	Chipping is the grown-up way to increase your car’s performance – and it’s not all about going faster. The procedure can improve throttle response, as well as economy and towing ability

Engine ‘chipping’ is regarded by many as a dark art. Med­dling with black boxes and deciphering reams of computer code may sound like something out of The Matrix, but often the results are more a case of ‘chip and win’ than ‘chip and sin’...

There are times when we could all do with a little more ‘poke’ under our right foot. Yet most motorists wouldn’t dream of bolting on boy racer extras such as exhausts or induction kits for the small power gains they offer.

Chipping is the grown-up way to increase your car’s performance – and it’s not all about going faster. The procedure can improve throttle response, as well as economy and towing ability.

So what is chipping? Well, for a start the term is rather out of date. When carburettors were replaced by fuel injection and engine control units (ECU), the art of tuning became more complex. Instead of fettling with a screwdriver, a computer and software were needed to tell the ECU what to adjust. These new programs were installed on a micro­chip which plugged into the car’s circuit board – hence the name.

Remapping
But as vehicles evolve, so has the technique. Now, most tuners plug in a laptop to the diagnostics port and upload software to adjust the fuelling, drive-by-wire throttle response, turbo control, engine load and torque limiters. This is commonly known as remapping, but the chipping term has stuck.

It’s true that most buyers are interested in the performance gains chipping offers, although it’s not only supercars that respond well to the modification. Diesels – especially those fitted to VW Group models – benefit greatly, with typical power and torque gains of 30 per cent. Petrol units can also see improvements, with the largest increases found on turbocharged engines.

Each ‘chip’ manufacturer writes its own software after studying a vehicle’s standard data using a rolling road. Installations can be fine-tuned to the buyer’s requirements, and often take only a couple of hours to set up correctly. You can even buy products which allow you to download the software yourself by connecting to the car’s diag­nostics port and pressing a button.

There are downsides, though. Your manufacturer warranty won’t cover any damage caused as a result of chipping. Many suppliers claim their software is ‘undetectable’ to main dealers, and some even offer a warranty, but you need to consider this carefully before shelling out. Trade-in values can also be affected, and you’ll need to inform your insurer – it’s very likely your premium will rise as the potential perform­ance gains can be significant.

Click on the images on the right for information on the remap masters.

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