Pro-max ECU Chips

[Tam Lin]

ORIGINAL: awattam

Sounds like it may be worth it for £100.

I don't like the idea of having to use 98+ octane fuel all the time though.

I don't think you're even risking £100. In my experience Promax aftersales is pretty good, and I'm sure if you agree it beforehand, they would refund the cost if you're not happy and want to swap back.

98+ octane?! The Tesco stuff is 99, and reasonably priced (5 p off) if you buy £50 worth from their wine counter beforehand... []

 

[dlknight]

ORIGINAL: Diver944

There are dyno charts for a number of cars with and without Promax chips here:

http://www.cannell.co.uk/944%20UK%20League.htm

Several were all tested on the same day 04/10/07 and in general, all the S2's with higher figures had a Promax chip (apart from Olis coz he uses special Vauxhall oil [] ). These chips are mapped for 98RON fuel, so to get the best results you should use it or the ECU will detect knock and retard the ignition and lose you power

Here is my old 944S with promax chip - http://www.cannell.co.uk/UKL%20E735BCN.htm

It was definetly much smoother than stock.

 

[MRGT]

Am I missing something here, but why the 30HP difference between the one on the left and the one on the right ? is it calulated engine BHP(on the left) against Wheel BHP (on the right) ?

 

[mik_ok]

Correct - as stated in the notes under each graph.

 

[mik_ok]

I fitted a Blitz chip to our S2 ~ I'm told this was the original basis for the ProMax map but don't know for sure.

It made a big difference to the car IMHO - I understand the Blitz mapping is identical to the std map below 3000rpm, but it really smoothed the step in power which previously occured around 4200rpm, and pulled noticably harder at the top end. My *rse dyno suggested the engine was certainly giving more ~ I never felt the need to verify this with a real dyno.

You do need to run the car on SUL to realise the benefits though.

Fitting wasn't difficult, but as others have suggested - it was time consuming to get to the ECU - mainly because I hadn't been there before. Splitting apart the PCBs within the ECU also had my brain cells burning, until I spotted the clips inside the face of the main connector block - at which point it became very easy indeed.

Original EEprom is a leaded item inserted into a chip carrier, so the blitz chip replaced this with minimal fuss, and I swapped over the labels for stealthiness. [8|] [8D]

 

[MRGT]

ORIGINAL: mik_ok

Correct - as stated in the notes under each graph.

For some reason my browser shows the text and background as the same colour, so didnt see the notes until highlighted. []

 

[awattam]

I'm more and more inclined to try this chip now. I might even try and get some time on a rolling road and do proper before and after runs so I can see where it affects power.

One question I'm unsure about -

My car originally had a CAT and lambda. I've now removed the cat and plan to also remove the lambda. When I do this I'll put a jumper accross two pins of the ECU to run the non-CAT, non-lambda map.

How is this affected by the chip? As far as I understand there are 4 maps within the ECU and which you use is affected by the choice of jumpers, as described here http://www.motronic.ws/4in1.htm

Does the chip replace all 4 of these maps, or change each by a set % or assume that you're running no cat and no lambda?

Maybe this is a question for Promax but I thought some clever person on here might know!

 

[awattam]

Just had a nosey on ebay and found these : http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m38.l1313&_nkw=944+chip&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Basically 3 chips for the 944 S2 which claim similar things to the Promax one but for less cash (£30, £45 and £70). Anybody ever dared try one?

Each chip raises the rev limit, which I can't say I like the idea of. I don't think this is something the Promax one does.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Could be a dodgy rip-off copy, and as such might be fine. Could also be complete rubbish. Personally I'd rather stick with a trusted supplier, the difference in cost over the life of the car isn't that great to be worth the risk IMO.

 

[awattam]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

Could be a dodgy rip-off copy, and as such might be fine. Could also be complete rubbish. Personally I'd rather stick with a trusted supplier, the difference in cost over the life of the car isn't that great to be worth the risk IMO.

My thoughts exactly, if it's a direct copy and paste of the Promax chip then it's a bargain, if not then it's a risk. I don't think the saving compares very well with the peace of mind of knowing people who've done thousands of miles on the promax one.

 

[Copperman05]

ORIGINAL: awattam


Each chip raises the rev limit, which I can't say I like the idea of.  I don't think this is something the Promax one does.

I think this is something most chips do including the promax one, its not by much and its still safe, apparently...

Edd

 

[sawood12]

ORIGINAL: mik_ok

I fitted a Blitz chip to our S2 ~ I'm told this was the original basis for the ProMax map but don't know for sure.

It made a big difference to the car IMHO - I understand the Blitz mapping is identical to the std map below 3000rpm, but it really smoothed the step in power which previously occured around 4200rpm, and pulled noticably harder at the top end. My *rse dyno suggested the engine was certainly giving more ~ I never felt the need to verify this with a real dyno.

You do need to run the car on SUL to realise the benefits though.

Fitting wasn't difficult, but as others have suggested - it was time consuming to get to the ECU - mainly because I hadn't been there before. Splitting apart the PCBs within the ECU also had my brain cells burning, until I spotted the clips inside the face of the main connector block - at which point it became very easy indeed.

Original EEprom is a leaded item inserted into a chip carrier, so the blitz chip replaced this with minimal fuss, and I swapped over the labels for stealthiness. [8|] [8D]

I thought the Promax chips were based on the old Guru chips. They used to sell Guru chips before Promax branded ones and I seem to remember that for a while after they started to brand their chips as Promax chips they carried over the descriptive text that still referred to Guru.

 

[Peter Empson]

I think it's an option on the Promax one (I seem to recall I was offered it at one point when I bought mine). THere's a 7100rpm chip that is seemingly very popular with 968 owners.

With the S2 engine there seems little point raising the rev limit to me, the power is tailing off and the gearing is good so you end up straight back into the meaty bit of the torque curve. The only reason I'd consider it would be if it stopped me having to change gear at the end of a straight, but that could be considered slightly excessive for anything other than a race car.