[daswede]

Hello again Volvo enthusiasts,<P>Fun that my post on the S60 thread was so appreciated. On request from the S60 thread I meant to paste the post I made there also here as a new topic, but it ended up under another thread, oops sorry! Anyway, here it is, now hopefully as a new topic:<BR>/daswede<P>Hi guys,<BR>Fun to see that there are true enthusiasts in the States.<P>I'll let you in on some history and basic truths about chiptuning your volvos.<P>Most if not all of the chips or (s/w upgrades) naturally originates from sweden. And here (in Sweden) one very simple rule applies. You get what you pay for!<P>Basically you have to choose from SCT, SAM & TME (=ipd). Both SCT and SAM use soldering techniques (big risk of ECU damage in the long run). TME uses flash technology which leaves the HW intact (better). SCT & SAM have had fairly good programs for 850 and SVC70 up to 98, but driveability/reliability is better if you choose TME. In 99 when the new Engine management system (ME7) was introduced every tuner was stunned. The new system was so complex that they just could not crack it. After a while Superchips came out with a chip that promised the whole world but delivered just about nothing! SAM started to sell this chip and they still sell successors of it (so there's a confirmation of that, yes SAM = Superchips, I actually dissasembled a SAM ECU and I could read "Superchips" on the sticker under the "SAM" sticker). SCT chip hold about the same (poor) standard as SAM. Even TME (they are usually the most proffesional tuner) didn't know what to do. The result was that many really poor chips entered the market AND they are still around - so be aware. About a year ago TME announced they were finally ready to release their first ME7 upgrade and now they are unbeatable in driveability and performance. Therefore they (TME/ipd) are also more expensive <P>If you think about it for a while though it might actually be more economic to choose the high quality and more expensive upgrade anyway! <P>Experiences in sweden, by both me and poeple I know and have heard of, have proven that going with a cheaper upgrade that is soldered in sometimes provide good power but poor driveability OR ok driveability but no power increase (almost stock) but never have one provided both at the same time! With their latest tech TME was the first to provide both good driveability and significant performance increase at the same time.<P>On top of this I have also learned that the soldered in type not seldom refuse to start, lights the check engine light, runs on only 4 cans for longer periods of time etc.etc. This doesn't happen every time with a soldered in chip but how does one know if it's going to happen on my precious volvo or not?! If this happens one will have to spend three or four times the money that was saved buying the cheaper upgrade on things as new ECU, insurance liability, towing etc. etc. Most people that have had this experience get so tired of it that they simply decide to go back to stock or go with a TME type upgrade instead.<P>I guess that this may sound like commercials for ipd/TME but it's not. I just wish to share the experiences we've had in sweden since we're a bit ahead of you in this jungle and I've become so dissapointed my self from poor chips that I've wasted money on. It's just a fact - there is only one sure bet when it comes to SW upgrades for Volvo turbos - and that is TME/ipd.<P>I'm riding an R AWD 2000 with a TME upgrade and I'm pulling even with the 400hp BMW M5 on the quarter mile, thanks to enormous torque and AWD. (It's fun to dissapoint a bimmer owner)<P>I could go on and on about this, but this post already got a lot longer that I intended it to be, so I'll just say good luck with your selection of chip and remember to doubt the torque/hp number that the tuners promise you.<P><BR>

 

[Nick]

could you please send me a link or more information about installing a chip upgrade in my 2001 S80 T6.<BR>My address is:<BR>[email protected]<BR>

 

[VolvoAddict]

Hey man, what do you think about BSR?<P>

 

[Johann]

Hmmmm<P>Sounds like commercial.<BR>I know IPD doesn't have any product from their own.<BR>I have experience with TME cheaply reproducing a Ferrita exhaust system which resulted in very anoying tones inside the car.<BR>I drive with RICA chips and so does a friend with a Volvo 850.<BR>So far we outran several tuned 850's who used all kinds of chips.<BR>I changed chips several times the last few months, the soldered eeprom is replaced with a socket, and I DO notice huge differences accross the different tuning settings.<BR>Two chips ago the car dyno's 180kw at the wheels before is started slipping on the rollers, now there is a lot more high end power available also and the 19T turbo seems to have to breath left.<BR>I think the ME7.X is only discovered partially because each new setting is noticable immediately.<BR>I have seen the mods on the software being done and it takes a lot of knowledge to hack into it.<BR>The eeprom itself is the easy part, so is the soldering but this can be spoiled when some joker doesn't know what to do.<BR>Some people want to make fast money by duplicating software and just doing a lousy job.<BR>If you want a chip which runs within the safety margins programmed in the software the gain is limited and the lights will come on sooner or later.<BR>Not starting is bad programming/soldering.<BR>The big problem is that you have to drive the car an awful lot under different conditions after each change to see if the new setting is working.<BR>I ran a , heavy, modded chip for a long time during the winter and it performed very well but once the temperatures went up some adjustment had to be done.<BR>The last two months my car went from a 300 hp "feel" to a 400 hp "feel" but now it is in an area where personal preference takes over and the tuners have to make a common acceptable chip.