Unichip on the S60

1645 Views 9 Replies 3 Participants Last post by ryboj, Jul 6, 2009

ryboj

Discussion Starter · Jun 19, 2009

After reading for the last year+ on all the default staged and custom tunes from the more popular/proven tuners for these cars, how many of you are using one of the the other options, the Unichip? I believe this is the NA site: http://www.unichip.us

Your experiences with it? Regrets?

I find it a very interesting option to tuning, and it's cost effective it seems, especially if you deviate away from the norm, DP, exh, 16T, intake and go with custom setups and much larger turbos other than the "T's".

Just wanted to start a discussion and get feedback on it.

The search tool only brought up a few threads, nothing noteworthy in relation to S60's at all. Volvo Speed had much more hits on the topic, did a little reading on it there, but wanted some experience from the peeps here....

Ryan-

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chillidawg

· #2 · Jun 19, 2009

Re: Unichip on the S60 (ryboj)

Well I don't know how much feedback you're going to get about the Unitronic tunes on SS because I think I might be one of the only people here that is currently using the Unitronic tune on an S60. I got it a while back, while at the same time getting a new 3" DP, and a 3" exhaust with no cat. I was pretty impressed at with the butt dyno effect but I have yet to have the car dynoe'd to see the actual increase. I was able to break my Toyo T1R's loose from a dead stop and get a good chirp from them going in to second. I haven't ridden in any other S60's with a tune so I don't really know how big of a difference there is between Unitronic and the other tunes out there, but I do know for about $650 it's a good buy and I'm definitely happy with the results.

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ryboj

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 19, 2009

Re: Unichip on the S60 (chillidawg)

Thanks for the feedback!

I've noticed you and your car's stats in other threads. That would be a really close setup to what I would do, should I ever commit to buying one of these cars.

Why don't you think more people are running it? Easier just to plug in a PPC and pick your stage and push a button or something? Don't get me wrong, I do like that idea too!

I just assume that no specific staged tune can accommodate the variations of each unique car better than a custom tune, right off the bat. I know most of the tune vendors will do custom, but that's after doing an initial tune, at a cost, then doing additional dynoruns and then giving them feedback, then retuning, etc. It gets costly/time investment, and it's still not always precise, but close enough from what I've read in the majority I've read about.

Either way, I like the idea of the unichip because you can take your car there, slap it on the dyno, install the unichip, then get some base numbers, then start tuning until it's perfect. I did this on my supercharged mustang when I had it, but with the Autologic setup. Worked great, and no crappy FMU, all the timing/FP was done by the Chip, all around $400 total, incl dyno time.

Chilli, who did you have install/tune your Unichip?

Have you seen any negative aspects to driveability in your car?

How much boost are you cranking out these days? Do you have that set in the chip or via a MBC?

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ryboj

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 19, 2009

Also, Chilli, any issues on the smog check at all, visually? I don't know if these were 50 stage legal or not, I forget.

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chillidawg

· #5 · Jun 21, 2009

Re: (ryboj)

Well as far as getting the ECU tuned, I had a shop that deals with Unitronic take out my ECU and ship it to Unitronic in Canada so my car was down for about a week and a half. The place I went to was Exalt Customs in El Cajon, and they said that they can do Audi and VW tuning from Unitronic in house all day long but not for Volvo's yet being that there isn't as much of a following like there is for Audi and VW. Hopefully by the time I get off of deployment they will be able to do it because I'm getting a new front mount intercooler and I would like to retune it because of that. As far as drivability, I do have to watch how I drive now because my gas mileage went down from 20-21 mpg in the city to about 18 mpg, but that could be because I have a really heavy foot, especially now!! For the smog, there are really no indications that it was tuned from looking at it and I'll probably still pass smog as long as I take out my 3" DP and put the stock one back in. Last but not least, about the boost levels... I'm really not sure, I kind of jumped the gun and got the tune and exhaust with out getting a boost gauge, here again I'm going to be getting one as soon as I get off of deployment, along with a dyno session to see where my HP figures are at. Hope this all helped out and I'll post my info once I get back and get all this stuff done.

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ryboj

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 22, 2009

Re: (chillidawg)

Thanks man for the info....

I emailed Unichip.US and they gave me list of tuners in CA, but that co. Exalt wasn't mentioned, as weird as that might sound. I did check out Exalt's site, seemed like a professional place. Yeah, let me know once you get back if they're able to tune in on the spot, that's where the real benefit seems to come from with this style tune/chip.

Are you getting the FMIC from Vector here in San Diego, or Phuz's, or what? Just curious. What size you going with? Going with an aquamist or anything too while you're at it?

I wonder how much whp you'll get out of the FMIC, that's something I'm interested in knowing about on this particular car.

Yeah, have them tell you what your boost levels are. I think the BSR stg 3 is around 20-21 I think on these cars. Are you finding the car pulls nicely all the way through the top, or is it dying out any?

On your smog, why do you say you think you need to take off the 3" DP? You just have a test pipe now and no cat or something? The DP's are so hidden, so as long as you have a cat, I doubt they would care.... That's based on my past experiences with aftermarket exhausts and smog checks here in San Diego.....

Good stuff man.... keep us posted.

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chillidawg

· #7 · Jun 22, 2009

Re: (ryboj)

Well as for the intercooler, I am planning on having Exalt do it. They have done everything else so far and have been good to me so far so I'm going to let them build my intercooler set up. They have done one on an S60R recently, it was a guy that came to one of the drives that we went on hosted by Exalt and they said that it came out awesome. They also recently have been talking to IPD about becoming a dealer for them down here in San Diego, so I'm going to try to do the aquamist and sway bars through them. As far as anything else I can't really say but they are picking up my car in a few days though. I'm having them paint my car flat black like the owners Audi S4. They're also going to paint my new Iforged wheels flat black with a white lip and that's pretty much all my wife will let me do for now. I'll definitely keep you posted.

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ryboj

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 22, 2009

Re: (chillidawg)

Sounds sick chilli!

You'll definitely have to get pics/details posted once it's done.

I know about the wifey thing...haha

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Bishen

· #9 · Jul 3, 2009

Re: (ryboj)

I don't think Unichip is the same as Unitronic. Unichip is based out of OR and Unitronic is a a Canadian company. I can second that Unitronic is a good tune, but I have never heard of Unichip. To confirm, I'd recommend calling Unitronic and inquiring whether Unichip sells their product or not.

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ryboj

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 6, 2009

Re: (Bishen)

I think you're right Bishen.... I'll check into..... Thanks for speaking up on that....

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