How Detectable Are Unichips?

[FORDTECH]

After attending a drag meet today and being given the oppertunity to hook a WDS to an XR6T with a stage 2 APS kit (Thanks to 100% for the donor vehicle ) the results were good.The kit itself was very unobtrusive and the only real noticable thing in the engine bay (and it isn't that easy to see) was the fuel pump mounted to the LH chassis rail and the intake duct on the air cleaner(and that's only noticable because the original is gone).The injectors themself dont look any different than the originals.The Unichip itself is hidden well and takes a bit of effort to find.All in all it's a very impressive modification.However,and this is where the dealers may be able to figure things aren't quite kosher,the codes that I retrieved with the WDS point toward some sort of modification.The 3 codes that were retrieved were to do with excessive fuel pressure,excessive exhaust emissions and turbo wastegate management interference.While the codes dont leap out and say there is a severe modification on the particular vehicle,with a bit of diagnosing and a thorough search of the vehicle would soon show them up.So for some people to sit back and say that these things are not detectable,they're right.But the variables in the diagnostic codes says otherwise.

Food for thought.

[aps]

FORDTECH, what you have stated is fair comment thought the point is the ford diagnostic tool does not detect the unichip computer, the stock computer does log some unusual codes such as high torbo pressure, though these codes are easily cleared through scan tools which we have. Without reverse engineering of the factory software any product which increases turbo pressure will generate the same code within the ford control unit. It's really no big deal as the issue is easy to deal with when the right diagnostic equipment is used to clear codes, this should be done previously to disposing of the vehicle.

Peter

APS

[FORDTECH]

Thanks for your response Peter.The reason I posted this info is because a lot of post I have read in the past are from people that are worried about warranty issues when fitting these sort of things.Even though they arent directly detectable the codes that are logged can indicate something is abnormal.Plus it's the first oppertunity I've had to check out this type of instalation.To be honest I'm quite impressed in the simplicity and neatness of the whole set up.It's a credit to your company.

[aaronmihe]

*nods* A Young Ford Mech noted to a group yesterday that they in his dealership had already sussed out what codes to look for to establish the possibility of an installed signal bender.

You'd wanna hope the uninstall is very neat as well or they'll still try and block a claim. Or worse still they'll start blocking claims of peopel with legit faults and not ever used signal benders... Out of curiousity how long does it take for one of these codes to pop up?

A.

[FORDTECH]

Out of curiousity how long does it take for one of these codes to pop up?

I erased the codes while I was there but didnt have a chance to recheck if they had returned after he had done a couple more runs.Didnt want to hassle him too much.Was appreciative enough that he let me look in the first place.Judging by the times he was doing the chances of the codes reappearing were pretty good.

[Falchoon]

Very interesting info.

[tupperware]

Peter,

So, the next question is will these codes be generated with just an APS Phase I kit, ie only the Unichip fitted? If it looks like they will be, are your distributers going to have the ability to remove the codes once the Unichip is unplugged?

I can't see much point in being able to unplug the Unichip if the Factory ECU is going to blab on me anyway.

Thanks again,

Cameron

[Guest PaulM]

This is probably more of a question for Lawyers than for this forum, but an issue worth raising. And I am certainly not taking a moral stance on this issue, my morals do not show up often enough to run that high.

Isn't clearing those codes in order to make a warranty claim that you are no longer entitled to "gain financial advantage through deception".

Some one sells you a product. They say "Do not do this or we will not honour any warranty for the parts affected by it". You do it. You then pretend you haven't done it and claim warranty. I am sure that this is not entirely legal: you are intentionally defrauding someone. Or is something only wrong if you get caught.

[Geeseman]

Some one sells you a product. They say "Do not do this or we will not honour any warranty for the parts affected by it". You do it. You then pretend you haven't done it and claim warranty. I am sure that this is not entirely legal: you are intentionally defrauding someone. Or is something only wrong if you get caught.

Firstly, does it say anywhere in the purchase agreement that the fitting of modifications removes warranty from the car?

Secondly, even if a person fits a chip to their ECU, it does not mean that it is responsible for a failure of a related part in the car. The gearbox could fail because of faults unrealted to the increase in KW or modifications that the chip creates.

In this case, the I believe the dealer would argue that it does. I don't think this is particularly fair.

Someone could add a chip to their car but still drive it normally and use the extra power to overtake etc, but then their gearbox suffers from a fault that is not related to the extra power of the chip. Where does this person stand in regards to obtaining warranty repairs?

I'm sure the answer will be up the creek, but I still don't think it's fair. Because of this, Id be mroe than willing to remove a chip before claiming warranty knowing that I don't thrash the crap out of my car and that the fault must be a manuafcture issue.

[Adam]

So, the next question is will these codes be generated with just an APS Phase I kit, ie only the Unichip fitted? If it looks like they will be, are your distributers going to have the ability to remove the codes once the Unichip is unplugged?

I can't see much point in being able to unplug the Unichip if the Factory ECU is going to blab on me anyway.

After seeing the above test on 100%'s ute (thanks mate, well done on the 13.17) I would say the phase 1 wouldn't be detected because the codes related to fuel pressure and the engine running rich due to the extra fuel pump and the bigger injectors and the phase 1 kit does include any of the parts that the phase 2 kit does. And as FORDTECH found the unichip itself isn't detectable.

I'm sure Peter can better answer your question.

Edited 11/01/04 10:28 PM by alxr6t