What do you guys know / think about the Unichip? (The Racer's Group)
From what I understand it's a "piggyback" computer that you install "downstream" from your stock computer(s)which allow you to tune and fine-tune your car. It seems to allow you to adjust timing and fuel by rpm and there is some level of boost control for turbo cars. I'm a little fuzzy on how the boost control works.
This seems like an ideal mod. for someone who has already invested in chips / MAF etc. and/or wants to keep the stock engine management system vs. aftermarket. It allows you to fine tune the "problem" areas or less than ideal fuel / timing / boost settings per rpm.
I would very much like to hear opinions pro/con.
more info: www.racersgroup.com

 

Wow, just read the bit about it on their website...sounds very good. Perhaps something I might look at myself if I can't cure my fuel curve problems with fuel pressure, injectors, and my ARC2.

 

Ian-
"Dyno" Alex @ ECS in Kirkland, WA (i.e. Seattle Dyno Day w/ Skip) is a UNICHIP dealer ... hmmmmm

 

Well, this looks like the next generation of their "The Program" product. It's a digital version of the ARC2 unit which intercepts sensor inputs before it gets to the computer. Then it massages the sensor inputs and sends a modified signal to the computer, effectively fooling it into thinking environmental conditions are other than what they truly are. The ability to do discreet mapping at specific points is interesting. So if you wanted more fuel at a certain RPM range, you modify the airflow sensor signal to say that more air is flowing than actual at that RPM, and the computer would add more fuel.

While this piggy-back signal-massager lets you have finer control than, say an ARC2, it still has to work within the limits of the stock computer. And on older computers like ours that ignores sensor inputs when it goes into open-loop mode at full-throttle/high-RPM, no massaging of the sensor inputs is going to make a difference. As many of us who've tried the ARC2 with high-flow turbos have found out. For even better control over your car's performance and even better performance increases, you want to go with an aftermarket EFI system that completely removes the stock computer from the equation. For the money, you can't beat the SDS EFI system. And hooking it up looks about as easy as an MAF kit too: SDS install manual.

Knowing what I know now about MAF kits and bolt-on upgrades that try to fool the stock computer, I should have listened to the wizard tuners like Garrity or Scott Gomes and gone straight to an aftermarket EFI system that completely replaces the stock computer.

 

Danno,

Are you sure the Unichip works on the sensor inputs? What if it works on the ECU outputs? Wouldn't that make more sense for a piggy back system? Not disagreeing with you, just wondering is all.