Would it be a good value to get a TBIchips.com hot chip for $75. It works best with a stock or slightly modded engine, I only a a flowmaster catback.

Nope, an open element air cleaner will give you more performance for your money. I've heard all he does is advance the timing up a bit, which you can do at the distributor for free.

Save the money, add some to it, buy the stuff to burn your own chips, add a Vortec/LT1 roller cam, new gaskets, do a full exhaust from the head's exhaust ports back and 200 RWHP is on its way.

Im not trying to spend over $100 the new motor is not gonna be cheap I just wanted to be a little quicker until it goes in.

I've dealt with Brian at TBI chips dot com and think he's a great guy. However, I do not believe that his chips are that great unless he burns you a chip using a datalog from your car.

For example: I had a stage one chip from him in my car at one point. Although I loved the fact that the speed limiter was gone (actually went past the stock limiter once -- whoop dee freakin' hoo) the results of my engine on the dyno were not that satisfactory. I beleive the quote from all there was:

"Cadiilac, you are throwing enough fuel for 3 cars! LOL"

I took it out later that week.

That's all I got other than to add that I have a similar car to yours (likely)

What about the ones that come with new cooler thermostats and all?

Assuming you can get him to burn you a chip - I paid him up front, sent datalog after datalog, and waited 3 months, emailing every week, and got nothing - I finally got my money back in the 4th month.

My advise is do not mod a TBI car beyond stock chip programming (ie no mods) until such a point that a) you can get all the knowledge and gear to program your own chips, or b) you can ditch the ECM altogether and go carb.

Not everyone can do option B due to smog laws. Nothing like swapping, then finding out you fail smog.

Technically even choice A is illegal under the clean air acts.

I am not even going to get into discussing TBIchips.com

Is there anybody here that would burn a chip based on datalogging results?

I have an LT1 cam with everything I need to put it in... and its either spend the next couple of months learning how to burn chips or pay somebody to do it for me... which is what I would rather do.

I was gonna do TBIchips.com but after this thread I think ill pass.

YES ! we will help YOU burn a chip after datalogging results !!

Huh? What do you mean?

My ECM doesn't control any aspect of the engine temperature although I know it takes and uses that reading to adjust timing, A/F, and that sort of thing.

The DIY boards are full of guys who will teach you how to do your own chips but they are tight with their secrets (as they should be). A custom chip is like a fingerprint... unique to the car it's going to be used in.

He sells a chip that comes with a cooler than stock thermostat.......called the tempmaster chip.

Oh right... I remember.

It's a 160 stat. Pick one up at any parts store.

~shrug~

wont just throwing in a colder thermostat mess up all kinds of stuff without changing the computer?

No. The fan just won't turn on until ~220 degrees F. The modified chip will turn the fans on at a lower temp (Maybe ~190 F, I'm not sure).

The only problem is I have an LT1 cam waiting to be installed and the only thing holding me back is this chip crap.

Thats why I wondered if there was somebody else with an L03 who had an LT1 cam and they could just burn me the same chip or something. I'm sick of waiting, I want it to go in, and all I need is this dumb PROM.

Incorrect.

Heres some things Vader from the TPI board said affects a stock chip with a 160 thermo. This is in a TPI engine but alot still apply to a TBI motor.

Open Loop Mode AFR % versus Coolant Temp - Threshold @ 154°F
Warm IAC Park Steps Vs. Coolant - Threshold @ 176°
LV8 Accel Enrichment Vs. Coolant - Threshold @ 176°
Accel enrichment Decay Factor Vs. Coolant - Threshold @ 176°
Idle RPM Vs. Coolant - Threshold @ 176°/154°
Rich/Lean Offset Vs. Coolant - Threshold @ 176°
Startup Spark Decay Delay Vs. Coolant - Threshold @ 176°
IAC Minimum Keep Alive Learning - Threshold @ 185°
Minimum CTS for Highway Fuel Mode - 185°
Hot Closed Loop Timer Threshold - 159°
Coolant Temperature Sensor Related Parameters
BLM enabled between 50°C (122°F) and 140°C (284°F)
Cold spark advance disabled above 56°C (133°F)
Hot spark retard begins above 116°C (240°F)
Highway Mode spark advance > 59.8°C (140°F)
Knock sensor disabled below 66.5°C (152°F)
Power enrichment at base A/F ratios > 56°C (133°F)
Target IAC idle RPM >80°C (176°F)
IAC multiplier at 1.0 (base) > 32°C (90°F)
Knock Control enabled > 67°C (153°F)
EGR Duty-cycle enabled at 56°C (133°F)
EGR Duty-cycle at MAX >80°C (176°F)
TCC lockup enabled >50°C (122°F)
SHIFT light enabled >50°C (122°F)
Diagnostic communication enabled at 70°C (157°F)
DTC 43 enabled > 90°C (194°F)
Cooling fan #1 enabled at 107°C (226°F)
Cooling fan #1 off at 104.7°C (220.5°F)
Cooling fan #2 enabled at 115.2°C (239.5°F)
Cooling fan #2 off at 110°C (230°F)
Cooling fan duty cycle at 100% at 80°C (176°F)
Acceleration enrichment multiplier at 1.00 below 80° C (176°F)
Acceleration enrichment multiplier at 0.75 above 80° C (176°F)
Acceleration enrichment multiplier at 0.50 above 104°C (220°F)
Acceleration enrichment decay factor at 25% below 80° C (176°F)
Acceleration enrichment decay factor at 40% above 80° C (176°F)
Acceleration enrichment decay factor at 50% above 104° C (220°F)
Acceleration enrichment decay factor at 60% above 128° C (262°F)
Fuel limiting factor timer at 217 counts below 80° C (176°F)
Fuel limiting factor timer at 169 counts above 80° C (176°F)
Code 13 (oxygen sensor fault) enabled above 70°C (157°F)
Code 14 (CTS high fault) enabled above 130°C (266°F)
Code 32 (EGR fault) enabled above 30.5°C (87°F)
EVAP canister purge enabled above 70.3°C (158.5°F)
Hot closed-loop timer enabled above 70.3°C (158.5°F)
Rich/Lean O2 offest at 16 counts between 20°C (68°F) and 92°C (197.5°F)
A/C clutch disabled above 150°C (302°F)

So a hypertech chip with a 160 F thermostat corrects allllll those parameters?

BTW, the FANS are not controlled by the ECM on a TBI car. The fans are controlled by a temperature switch in one of the heads.

a 160 term may not be a good idea. it may prevent or delay closed loop opeeration wasting gas. i am in cool climate. that was my experience with 160. also prevented my overdrive to move to 5th gear. or forced downshift unexpectedly. not good.

ok so i have a new motor with about 400miles on it but i have a 5.0 TBI what can i do that is a good price to get me up a lil faster??????