How Much Power Do You Want

[turbo4wd]

turbo4wd,

you can buy just the piggyback ECU on the APS kit. This is call the APC ecu only pack and is about $1650. If you want the (new) stage 1 kit it is about $2650 and includes injectors and ecu.

All of the above is needed if/when you go to stage 2-3

What I mean is can I buy just the unichip on its own for say $1100 but with a suitable map already loaded so I can just plug it in and get say 270kw?

[geea]

Im thinking now that unichip (and Xede I think?) have plug in modules whats the possiblity of buying it "pre loaded" with apropriate maps - even if they are a little more conservative than the custom ones?

This would be a great toe-in-the-water aproach that means if the customer wants to go further they can buy the injectors, exhaust ect and then have a re-tune or if they dont like it they can just take it off and return it to standard. The other area it would be good as a kit that can just be instaled by any good mechanic as no dyno tuning would be needed as long as you stuck the whole kit on and didnt do any other mods.

I think that if you do some research on previous threads that there is agreement from all the tuners that each car is better off being individually tuned. I think I read on one of the posts about someone fitting pretuned Unichips and Peter was very unpleased and was/already has, rectified this.

It could be a good idea to PM Peter or Lachlan and get there views or even start a new thread with any questions you may have rather than buried here in this thread.

Geea.

[aps]

Im thinking now that unichip (and Xede I think?) have plug in modules whats the possiblity of buying it "pre loaded" with apropriate maps - even if they are a little more conservative than the custom ones?

This would be a great toe-in-the-water aproach that means if the customer wants to go further they can buy the injectors, exhaust ect and then have a re-tune or if they dont like it they can just take it off and return it to standard.  The other area it would be good as a kit that can just be instaled by any good mechanic as no dyno tuning would be needed as long as you stuck the whole kit on and didnt do any other mods.

turbo4wd, It would be excellent to be able to deal with engine tuning on this basis, though I am sad to say I dont believe that it would be possible and achieve 100% customer satisfaction.

Certainly the Unichip plug in loom adaptor to suit the xr6t would make this possible in terms of easy/quick installation, though in reality it's the individual custom tuning which delivers the best possible result in terms of increased power, torque, and improved fuel economy.

There are many possible variations from engine to engine in factory stock cars which impacts on the state of engine tune such as, turbo pressure, fuel pressure, and other small mods, which make this approach (that is preprogrammed computers) less than desirable.

And this is before you consider the huge variation in premium unleaded fuels which exists across Australia. Bottom line, custom tuning of each and every xr6t is the superior method to ensure the best and safest state of engine tune and complete customer satisfaction.

Peter

APS

[turbo4wd]

turbo4wd, It would be excellent to be able to deal with engine tuning on this basis, though I am sad to say I dont believe that it would be possible and achieve 100% customer satisfaction.

There are many possible variations from engine to engine in factory stock cars which impacts on the state of engine tune such as, turbo pressure, fuel pressure, and other small mods, which make this approach (that is preprogrammed computers) less than desirable.

And this is before you consider the huge variation in premium unleaded fuels which exists across Australia. Bottom line, custom tuning of each and every xr6t is the superior method to ensure the best and safest state of engine tune and complete customer satisfaction.

APS

Is this a technical issue or a business issue or both? I would have assumed that the unichip being an interceptor would work with the factory ECU so that say if the car was pinging it would pull back the timing or whatever?

If it is a technical issue could future versions of the unichip/xede/whatever have thoes issues resolved so that like a factory ECU they have the smarts to cope with variations in fuel ect?

As it stands is it possible to pre tune a unichip so that you can just plug it in but take into account variations so instead of 280kw you get say 270 on average? I can understand that obviously not everyone is going to be satisfied however as no custom tuning has been done then its just a matter of unpluging and returning/selling it *or* having the custom tune done. After all I cant really see any reaon why the total cost of buying a unichip with a pre-installed map and then later haing it tuned would be more than buying it with no map and having the custom tune done from the start?

I know this sounds bad for the dyno tuners as dyno's are expensive and they get cut out - however I think in the long term it would mean more business for them as thoes customers will probably want more power down the track.

[Adam]

I would have assumed that the unichip being an interceptor would work with the factory ECU so that say if the car was pinging it would pull back the timing or whatever?

The factory ECU will do this whether the unchip is fitted or not.

If it is a technical issue could future versions of the unichip/xede/whatever have thoes issues resolved so that like a factory ECU they have the smarts to cope with variations in fuel ect?

Why double up on tasks that the factory ECU handles anyway?

As it stands is it possible to pre tune a unichip so that you can just plug it in but take into account variations so instead of 280kw you get say 270 on average?  I can understand that obviously not everyone is going to be satisfied however as no custom tuning has been done then its just a matter of unpluging and returning/selling it *or* having the custom tune done. After all I cant really see any reaon why the total cost of buying a unichip with a pre-installed map and then later haing it tuned would be more than buying it with no map and having the custom tune done from the start?

Why bother then?

I know this sounds bad for the dyno tuners as dyno's are expensive and they get cut out - however I think in the long term it would mean more business for them as thoes customers will probably want more power down the track.

At a cost to reliable and safe tunes for customers, which inturn would cost them sales.

[aps]

Is this a technical issue or a business issue or both? I would have assumed that the unichip being an interceptor would work with the factory ECU so that say if the car was pinging it would pull back the timing or whatever?

If it is a technical issue could future versions of the unichip/xede/whatever have thoes issues resolved so that like a factory ECU they have the smarts to cope with variations in fuel ect?

As it stands is it possible to pre tune a unichip so that you can just plug it in but take into account variations so instead of 280kw you get say 270 on average?  I can understand that obviously not everyone is going to be satisfied however as no custom tuning has been done then its just a matter of unpluging and returning/selling it *or* having the custom tune done. After all I cant really see any reaon why the total cost of buying a unichip with a pre-installed map and then later haing it tuned would be more than buying it with no map and having the custom tune done from the start?

I know this sounds bad for the dyno tuners as dyno's are expensive and they get cut out - however I think in the long term it would mean more business for them as thoes customers will probably want more power down the track.

It's definitely more of a technical issue than a commercial isue. The entire logic behind the Unichip computer is to deliver the best tuning strategy for each and every individual engine, and this can only be achieved by custom real time dyno tuning.

When you start to make tuning comprises as you suggest (no offence intended) then you may as well go down the same path as all of the Generic chip companies, and we know this leads to a high rate of customer dissatisfaction.

It is obviously possible to do what you are suggesting, that is sell pre programmed computers to customers which simply plug in, though In my view I dont believe this is a viable long term business approach, I'd rather achieve a higher level of customer satisfaction.

Peter

APS

[CraigH]

Turbo4wd & Peter

I think the Dyno day at C&V showed why you need to do the proper tune.

The base car was a very strong example of an Xr6-t and when fitted with the UNICHIP and standard interceptor maps produced great power, however was very much on the lean side and would be unwise to leave it that way.

So after some remapping power came down but the air fuel was at safe levels.

One thing I got out of the day in Sydney was that there are lots of limiting factors with the T and they need to be considered as a whole and in the correct or appropriate order.

There is heaps of people with opinions on this but if you consider it in steps of ECU, injectors, exhaust, fuel delivery etc etc it is very effective....all depends what you want as an end point.

The other thing is that in many ways the UNICHIP is a leveller for many cars, it will have the effect of compensating for some of the variations in production T's that are out there.

My humble opinion.

Peter, Lok and others... keep answering the questions...thanks

[turb06]

I have to agree that getting an individual tune is the best way to get a phase one, as it should be keeping all customers happy and not just most of them. If you want more power down the track then pay to get the unichip re-tuned, I am sure if you take it to a tuner who is efficent at tuning the unichip it wont cost too much anyway as the dyno session shouldnt take that long.

I think its good to see APS wanting to deliver a premium product which everyone is happy with rather than another run of the mill product which may not make any difference.

[TURBO4LT]

I have to agree too as there is a big variance from one T to another, and the only way to get a good tune is on individual basis.

[aps]

The other thing is that in many ways the UNICHIP is a leveller for many cars, it will have the effect of compensating for some of the variations in production T's that are out there.

My humble opinion.

This is absolutely 100% correct. There are so many variations in high volume production cars it's really scarey.

It only takes an engine to have a little more Turbo pressure or to be down marginally on fuel pressure and the mapping of the Unichip computer varies dramatically from engine to engine, to ensure safe operating parameters.

There is no substitute for custom mapping/tuning, it's the only sure method to ensure high engine performance, good fuel economy, and smooth driveability.

Peter

APS