Steve Wong custom chip installed...

[Wavey]

I had Steve Wong (stevekw@pacbell.net) burn a custom chip for me several months ago and I just got time to install it last week. Man, what a difference! Not a huge power increase but definitely much better overall.

The car is an '88 Carrera 3.2, with Dansk euro premuffler and Dansk sport muffler with a single 84mm tip. The face has been cut off the airbox and it has a K&N filter. Those changes alone provided a very nice power boost, but the chip really woke the car up! BTW, the car originally came with the better "8" chip (same thing as a Club Sport chip but with the stock RPM limit).

I asked Steve to keep the timing a little on the conservative side because I sometimes run the car in hot weather with the A/C on, and I didn't want any preignition issues. Many of the mass-produced chips run up to 33 degrees total advance, but we held this one to 29 degrees. Otherwise the timing is more advanced throughout the range, and the fuel maps are richer where needed. I also had him hold the stock RPM limit because I really don't spend a lot of time up around redline. Most of the chip manufacturers get higher horsepower numbers by raising the RPM limit.

The main things I notice are:

Improved throttle response - the engine always feels like it's ready to go with the slightest crack of the throttle. A lot like the Saab Turbos we've owned for years, once they're up on boost.

More power down low, like below 3000 RPM - not a lot but definitely noticeable. It accelerates faster and smoother from lower RPMs than it did before.

More power from 3500 to redline - pulls smoother and harder than it did before, and right up to redline. This is especially noticeable in 4th and 5th.

Before the chip swap the exhaust made an occasional popping sound on decelleration (probably from a lean condition?), and that's gone. The exhaust note sounds healthier too.

Absolutely no evidence of preignition, even with the A/C on and air temperatures in the high 90's, oil temperature at about 210 degrees.

I couldn't be happier and I'd recommend Steve's work to anyone. You can get a custom chip burned specifically for your application for quite a bit less than what the mass-produced chips cost.

[Steve W]

Hi Wavey (Dave!) - thanks for the thorough review and plug. Glad to hear the custom chip is performing properly for you in all respects. Always good to hear customer response, and positive feedback is always a good thing. Have fun!

[Wil Ferch]

My post responding to others on this kind of topic may have been lost...my experience with a Steve Wong chip is almost identical for my 85 USA spec Carrera. I also had the car on the track at Watkins Glen for DE, and the car performed faultlessly.

My response is that this chip is not an overwhwelming change from before, but the "crispness" of the throttle response has been improved, as has idle quality, as has throttle response in low speed/ high gear situations. I beleive I'm getting better overall top end HP but this is not the main factor one notices, it's the street response mentioned. Overall, very satisfied and nice to deal with Steve one-on-one to get a custom chip for *your* mods ( or very close to it from the many mappings he's got "on file" from all his previous work). Reasonably priced too compared to the aftermarket chip market.
---Wil Ferch

[jhugh]

I had a hard time with chips, because of the mods I'd done in rebuilding the engine. C2 cams, porting, intake & exhaust all combined to make a simple chip replacement not so simple. I also have a VERY early Carrera (Oct '83), with a motronic computer that no one's ever heard of before.

Steve W is just a fabulous guy who does excellent work. After Autothority chips wouldn't even start, Steve and I tried multiple versions of a custom chip. Because of the tricky nature of my setup, I ended up having to go with a locally dyno-tuned Dastek piggyback computer, but Steve W burned me a copy of my original chip in order to raise the rev limiter to 7400 rpm (racing valve springs & rod bolts). I absolutely LOVE the extra rpms. My car feels like a real exotic now and goes like hell (217 rwhp).

Cheers,

[carreradpt]

Must throw my 2 cents in here as well. I too have a SteveW installed masterpiece. My 85 has the Dansk premuff and when I get home, stuck in Guam w/broke jet, I have the Dansk sport muffler 1in/1 out waiting for me. Steve will I need to update the chip by adding the muffler?

The car does all of the above. It just seems to perform so much more efficiently with Steves Chip. I have been extremely pleased. If you make changes to your cars setup, Steve will "update" your chip for a nominal fee. Great to deal with.

[CrossT]

I have a different, yet at least as positive comment about Steve's work. I bought one of his 'stock custom' chipsa few months back and - well, I'm having strange problems with the car. It stalls and the idle fluctuates and it predetonates [at high oil temp and A/C on]. It has the problem both with the stock chip and Steve's. To help me with my peculiar problems, and since I think I have gone through all the likely suspect parts [as far as my capability allows], he has sent me two more chips of different parameters [aggressive; less so], this after a lot of talk understanding the issues with the car.

His help has been invaluable to me and very much appreciated -- I hope I am close to resolution. I drove a bit today after 'refurbing' the AFM wiper contacts and tightening the clock spring a bit to compensate for aging, and with the more aggressive of the new chips Steve sent, the car did not stall. The idle fluctuated at operating temp, but I do not have the CO mix properly set. So, if I can get good running off idle I will be happy and take it to a shop with the proper equip to set the idle mix.


General note;

Kudos are deserved to Wayne; without this board and Pelican Parts, how many of us would be as well off as we are with these old cars. I know mine would be in much lesser shape and I'd be out a bunch more bucks.


todd,
86 cpe

[ricwon]

hi dave, nice to read your report on the steve w chip. i was curious if the modded chip made a significant difference in performance. i'm also glad to hear you can upgrade the chip as you upgrade the motor. another item to be added to my must buy list for my car. ric

[Steve W]

Guys, thanks for all your input and support. I try to get each chip optimized for each owners specific application and it seems to be working well. Occasionally there are issues where it's difficult for a chip to cure, such as in Todd's case. Todd, have you check your car's running voltage? John Walker has noted recently that a bad voltage regulator in the alternator creating a system voltage above 14 volts through the car will cause unusual idle stability problems. If the last two chips I sent you did not help much, there is most likely some external issue as the culprit.

Hey Dan, good to hear the upgrade chip has worked out well for you. The revised chip I sent you is already customized to work with the increased flow of the Europremuffler and sport muffler combination. I've programmed it to provide about 5% more fuel at high loads and full throttle to take advantage of the increased volumetric efficiency, in fact the full throttle maps bear a close resemblance to the factory European 3.2 chip, which you have basically converted your exhaust to. As the premuffler generally nets you a 8 hp gain, and a dual out sport muffler about 3-4 hp, the extra fuel is already provided for your setup. There would be little to no difference in the chip mappings for a premuffler setup with a stock or sport muffler. It's only when you go to the next significant exhaust change - SSIs would I provide a different chip setup.

Todd, I agree with you, Wayne and this board deserves mucho kudos. The members, support, and respect here is unmatched by any other, and is leaps and bounds superior to the Rennlist forums.

[Wavey]

Originally posted by ricwon
hi dave, nice to read your report on the steve w chip. i was curious if the modded chip made a significant difference in performance. ric

Hi Ric!

Well, the chip didn't exactly turn the car into a tire-burning monster or anything, but it's definitely making more power across the board. It's hard to say how much, maybe another 8-10 hp over the exhaust mods? The real difference is in how the car responds to more throttle - the response is a lot more immediate. And above 3500 in 4th and 5th the engine definitely feels stronger. I intend to eventually do a dyno run and that will provide some real numbers.

[agabriel]

My mech told me Porsches aren't really supposed to butn tires anyway. Since there not built like a ford there designed to keep there rubber stuck to the pavement. He told me I could do alot of damage to the transmission if I burned tires (he gave me the talk since I owned a mustang gt prior...). Seems to make sense to me thou...

Sounds like that chip is right where it should be..

[cab83_750]

So, does SteveW do chips for 95' 993 engine! A fellow Pelicanite is selling a 'PatrickMotorsports-first generation flywheel' that is I believe is a 9-pound compared to the latest generatio of 11 pound or so. I am not exact about the numbers but the first generation is definitely lighter than the current one.

Anyway, I know that some 3.6 transplant have been having problems with idle. Could Steve fix the idle problem with either the 9lbs or 11-lbs?

[Steve W]

rickwon, the amount of power increase over your stock chip is dependent on which stock chip your car came with originally. The 84-87s were programmed conservatively, which is why Porsche rated those cars at a max of 207 hp. (200 hp in California in 84 with a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds) The 88-89s used a couple of different chips, with the more aggressive 358 chip probably used by Porsche to claim a peak hp rating of 217 hp. Wavey's car is an 88 3.2, so his gains are not as pronounced as what it would be with the earlier cars, but nevertheless, both cars should run equal when they have the same chip mappings and should run sub 6 second 0-60 times. When I used to run just a premuffler, stock muffler, stock air flow sensor, extrudehoned manifolds and bored throttle body and a cone air filter, I was able to hard chirp my rear tires under hard acceleration from first to second, and that is with 265 wide rear tires and a factory limited slip diff.

Hi cab83_750. The 993 idle stability with a lightweight flywheel could probably be simply addressed, since there are a couple of programmable values in its code that control the idle control valve vs. the RPM and also vs. the cylinder head temp. But since I have never worked with anyone on this before, it would be difficult to know were to start unless I were actually working on the car in front of me. You might want to check around, as I vaguely recall that someone may have programmed a chip to address lightweight flywheels, or was that for 964s (?).

[gt3r]

Hey Steve, I've been contemplating a chip swap for my 85 but somewhere in the past I recall hearing that not all the DME's had removable chips and that some were soldered in. Is this true?? If so, how can I check if my chip can be pulled out? Thanks Mike

[Steve W]

Mike, only some early 84s had a soldered in chip which normally would have a chip socket added, so you don't need to worry. But if you are interested in reviewing the procedure on removing and opening the DME, Pelican has a nice tech article here:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_motronic_chip/911_motronic_chip2.htm

or shoot me your email and I can send you detailed instructions.

[scottb]

Steve: I have an 84 that is completely stock except for a Dansk sport muffler (which is a slightly more agressive version of the stock muffler). I use the car for weekend fun up in the hills, the beach, etc. No tracking. What would you suggest I do in the way of a chip upgrade?

Thanks.

[Steve W]

Hi Scott, I would recommend going for the standard chip upgrade, your car will be a different animal. You might want to think about combining it with the Dansk europremuffler which Pelican sells and I can match it up to a chip I specially program for a premuffler/sport muffler system for a real nice power boost - at least 20+ hp and 20+ lbs of torque over what you have now. If you're around Los Angeles, you're welcome to stop by and try it out.

[scottb]

Steve: I want to keep the car pretty much stock, but wouldn't mind some performance improvements. Given that I don't want to get into modifying the exhaust, do you have a chip that will help me even though I have an (almost) stock exhaust system?

[Steve W]

Yes scott, that would be the chip programmed for the stock/almost stock configuration.

[scottb]

What kind of improvements will I get with that chip?

[Steve W]

Scott, the improvements are pretty much what some of the guys here have posted. Peak hp is increased, and even more so in the midrange, as there's a lot of range left there to optimize. Fuel economy and emissions basically remains the same, unless you like to push your car a lot. Throttle response will be like immediate when you change throttle position, like an immediate jump rather than lag, and it just pulls a little harder. I think Wil Ferch also did a very thorough subjective and objective analysis and description of the difference with the new chip, though I can't find it. You may want to try a search. Basically you releasing what power is being held back by the conservative settings in the stock chip. Best would be if you are interested, is just to try the chip, and if it doesn't work out for you for whatever reason, just return it so your risk is minimal.