Hey all, I have an 89 IROC-Z, with 2.77 rear, 350ci, 700R4, ram air, cat back flowmasters, and k&n filters. I figured the next mod I could put on it would be a chip, possibly a JET chip. I don't have enough money or time, for headers and such. I have 107,000 miles on the engine and tranny. I believe the stock chips, like all stock chips, are made to keep the car well, like good gas mileage, good endurance (it's still runnin good at 107k), and emissions, etc. Now with performance aside, would the new chip make my car less endurant, meaning it wouldn't last as long as it would with the stock chip? I'd have less gas mileage too right? I'm just curious, if anyone could enlighten me to aftermarket chips. I want some cheap (meaning price not quality) performance, I figured a chip would be a great mod. But I don't want it to jeopardize the longevity of my car. Whats the good and bad points of an aftermarket performance chip? I don't think I'll ever sell my camaro, I want to keep it forever.

If anyone has any experience with chips, is using them, or used them, please post.
Thanks, Tom

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6 months and counting... the search for a Camaro goes on...
... and now finally I got one, hell yeah!!!

Would you like it if the next generation of kids, start sayin daddy, daddy buy me a fast and powerful car, like a Honda Insight?! NO!
Muscle is muscle, stop this fighting between american cars, we must join and defeat the world!

1989 IROC-Z Camaro
5.7 Ltr
Ram Air
Cat-back Flowmasters
K&N Filters
-my first car, my dream now reality

 

I don't know much about chips, but I thought that most people say they're a waste of money, but I could be wrong.

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2 Tickets to game= $250
Gas= $20
Sitting 20ft. from MJ= Priceless
'86 IROC T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK HEADERS Hooker CatBack
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat, just switched to 180* b/c of winter coming and going to college in the mts.
3:73 Posi Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

 

I think I'd leave it in there and just advance the timing some with a mostly stock car.

 

With all aftermarket chips being equal. I
would get Ed Wright's Fastchip stage 2.
Might be the best of the aftermarket chips.
My opinion.

 

Yep, Ed Wright Fastchip.Very happy with mine.
-Rich-

 

Ed's is the best your going to get short of burning your own.

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1985 Iroc-z, 14 second 305, new engine in the works.

 

Ed Wright Fast chip? Where can I get it, how much is it? How does it affect my car? How does it affect my car better than JET?

 

I have a performance resource chip,gained 2 tenths in the 1/4 mile.I have 88 IROC,350,auto,2.77 rear end.

 

TPIS Level 3.

Works great for me.



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Mike L.


1987 IROC Z 5.7 TPI A4 3.27 Borg-Warner
four wheel disc

Mods:[i] 2300-2500 Stall Converter, Shift Kit(GM parts), TPI Specialties Stage 3 PROM, Modified Airbox w/ K&N's, homemade cold air, Relocated MAT sensor, Gutted MAF, 160* thermostat, MSD 6A, Accel 8mm Wires, bypassed TB coolant, Flowmaster 3 chamber single 3" in/out muffler,cutout. 3" MAC mandrel intermediate, custom dual !cat Y-pipe. airfoil, ported plenum. !smog, few others I forgot...???

**BOYCOTT LAPEER DRAGWAY**

 

www.fastchip.com , cost about $159 which is less then others for more performance. Check Posts.

 

Thanks for the advice, but... Alright, looks like I need to ask my question simpler. HOW DOES A CHIP AFFECT A CAR'S PERFORMANCE? (top end, low end, rev limiter, speed limiter, fill me in on why a chip is important) SHOULD I GET THE JET CHIP OR NOT? Y OR N, WHY?

 

Thanks for the advice, but... Alright, looks like I need to ask my question simpler. HOW DOES A CHIP AFFECT A CAR'S PERFORMANCE? (top end, low end, rev limiter, speed limiter, fill me in on why a chip is important) SHOULD I GET THE JET CHIP OR NOT? Y OR N, WHY?

 

There are two primary reasons people get a custom eprom (note I am not saying "off-the-shelf").

1) You have modified your engine to such an extent that it just won't run right.

2) You want maximum performance from your eninge.

There are other things you can do with a custom prom, like attain better driveability, pass emissions and better gas mileage. Perhaps turn off VATS, disable the EGR, or alter the temperature the fan comes on. But generally, people do it simply to attain performance.

Can you get better performance on a basically stock engine by altering the eprom? Yes. Can you do it with an "off-the-shelf" eprom like Jet, Hypertech, ADS or SLP? No. Can you get with a custom eprom from a place like Fastchips? Maybe.

To get max performance you must get the fuel mixture and spark right. You and I may have an identical car. But due to wear and tear, and differences tolerances I might not be able to run the same amount of spark advance as you without detonating or having the knock sensor pull a ton of timing out. Conversely, the eprom for my car is a far advanced as it can go and your engine can handle a tad more.

To get the spark advance and mixture right requires a LOT of hands on testing. There are no easy short cuts. Yes, if you have an obvious problem with your eprom a scan tool will often show you the problem. But a scan tool reading by itself will not help you tune your engine optimally for WOT.

When you purchase an eprom from an "aftermarket" eprom writer, they will burn you a new eprom until your engine appears to be running right. But running right and running optimal is different. Only by trying different AF ratios in WOT and different spark advances will you find that magic combo. +/- 2* of spark advance doesn't sound like much, but it often is the difference between an engine that is not performing as well as it should, versus detonation.

A custom "aftermarket" eprom writer will generally burn you a few chips to get the engine running "right". But if you were to constantly call him, asking him to add a little more spark or a little less fuel to the next eprom so you can see the performance differences and get the "optimum" eprom, I think you can tell what he is going to say.

So, where do you get this eprom where you can continually alter the fuel or spark in order to get an "optimum" eprom? Only if you do it yourself. Because only YOU will care enough about the performance differences and will be willing to spend the time to get the "tune" optimal.

People talk about "tuning" their engines all the time. But if it is EFI, the ONLY way you can tune it is by altering the eprom. Altering the eprom is the equivalent of altering the jets on a carb or recurving the distributor in the old days. That was "tuning" then. Burning your own eprom is "tuning" now.

My advice, unless you are going to get into Eprom Burning, don't waste your money on a chip for a basically stock engine. The difference will be minimal (if that). The only SOTP difference you'll feel will be a lighter wallet.