FAO Anyone who has a Superchip fitted to their EFI BX

[Kitch]

Get rid of it!!

I'm working on a program that can read the maps on the EPROM chips and adjust them on Motronic 4.1 ECUs. I had to have a file downloaded from a spare chip I had (which had a Superchip map). I'd already removed the chip as it was doing some strange things on the rolling road - the chap who plugged it in to download the file was startled to find it was running 19:1 AFR at certain points
The timing was advanced so far it's a wonder I haven't melted something in the 4 or 5 years I've had it fitted (and driven it like a bastard in that time I might add!)

Here's a link to a PH thread were I've been going through the process:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topi ... E%2E%2E%2E

Basically......they're awful, get rid!


On the plus side, I may soon be able to offer proper remaps on the standard ECU of a BX 16v on my rolling road at work. Watch this space!

[mat_fenwick]

Interesting stuff. I might be wrong, but can't see what the benefits of remapping would be on a standard engine? Or are you mainly aiming it at people who have made modifications and are perhaps running on the edge of the factory map?

[docchevron]

On the plus side, I may soon be able to offer proper remaps on the standard ECU of a BX 16v on my rolling road at work. Watch this space!

This would be interesting. Since I replaced the ECU in mine (which was a standard unit) with another completely standard ECU (long story involving being dense and welding...) mines seemed very lathargic untill it hits 6200RPM which doesn't leave much!

[Philip Chidlow]

I had a manual GTi with Motronic injection that had been fitted with a BBR Starchip. It was allegedly giving a power increase to 140 bhp. Certainly felt like it - once, Liz tried to keep up in RLO and couldn't. And it was a good drive generally. As is often the case, sold it to fund something else and although it went locally I've never seen it since

[Vanny]

I assume your on the Motronic mailing list Kitch? It has one un bearably complicated specification, with a huge number of turn on and offable options. Personally i gave up with it once i started to find how incredibly integrated all the little modules are. I sumised that simply trying to modify maps wasn't going to achieve anything as there are numerous counter maps that will modify the base before they are output. ie the base map might call for 90% duty on an injector, but then get modified down to 80% by the time it actually drives the injector. The only way to figure out all the ins and outs is to either have a copy of the spec, or an EEPROM emulator.

I'm off to read the PH thread.

If you need them i have stock rom images for both the 2 and 3 row ecu (both non cat, non ac) and either a starchip or super chip (i forget which) might be interesting for comparing?

Have you considered having a switching EEPROM? Stick both a standard and modified image in one rom and switch to the one you need? Very easy to do, i have one on the Beeb.

[Dollywobbler]

Interesting stuff. I might be wrong, but can't see what the benefits of remapping would be on a standard engine? Or are you mainly aiming it at people who have made modifications and are perhaps running on the edge of the factory map?

I'm hardly an expert, but a good remap can make a huge difference even to a standard engine. There are compromises built into the standard map that can be tweaked - the sort of thing that's built in to perhaps make things smoother, even with someone with the pedal control of a three-year old on a tricycle. There are some very impressive remap options available for the Rover K-Series for example, even before you introduce any other mods.

The more I hear about these chips, the less I like them though. They do sound like a bit of a bodge - same as chucking a huge carburettor on an older engine. If you don't do it right, the effect might be negated or actually make it worse than it was before.

[Kitch]

I assume your on the Motronic mailing list Kitch? It has one un bearably complicated specification, with a huge number of turn on and offable options. Personally i gave up with it once i started to find how incredibly integrated all the little modules are. I sumised that simply trying to modify maps wasn't going to achieve anything as there are numerous counter maps that will modify the base before they are output. ie the base map might call for 90% duty on an injector, but then get modified down to 80% by the time it actually drives the injector. The only way to figure out all the ins and outs is to either have a copy of the spec, or an EEPROM emulator.

I'm off to read the PH thread.

If you need them i have stock rom images for both the 2 and 3 row ecu (both non cat, non ac) and either a starchip or super chip (i forget which) might be interesting for comparing?

Have you considered having a switching EEPROM? Stick both a standard and modified image in one rom and switch to the one you need? Very easy to do, i have one on the Beeb.

We have an EPROM emulator and there are now some chips available which can store two maps I'm informed, meaning you could have a switch (one for MOT and town work, the other for POWAHHHH!) so the best of both worlds?

No expert on them yet, but I have a mate with an Alfa 75 TS which also runs ML4.1. We've got some blank EPROMs and we're going to playing on the rollers for a day

[Kitch]

Interesting stuff. I might be wrong, but can't see what the benefits of remapping would be on a standard engine? Or are you mainly aiming it at people who have made modifications and are perhaps running on the edge of the factory map?

Because the factory map has to cover all bases (economy, refinement, reliability etc). When your car is a toy, you can afford to be a bit more aggressive with it.

[Vanny]

there are now some chips available which can store two maps I'm informed

Oh there about all right, and have been since the 80's if not before. You apply +ve to the 'magic' pin with a switch, easy on a computer, but i've always been concerned about how to put the switch in a safe place where it won't get knocked while the engine is running!

I'll be interested to see the base map shape once you get them plotted.

I'm still tempted to stick a Walbro Dev ECU onto the car, they come with a huge host of tools to map the car, and are self mapping which is rather clever.