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Performance Chips ~ Do they actually work?

31K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Mizac  
#1 ·
I just came across two sites advertising performance chips. Has anybody here tried one of these? If so, has it helped increase your gas mileage? Here's what one is advertising on their home page:

"Our Toyota Camry Performance Chip utilizes the latest in performance technologiy. PowerBOX Chips send a unique modified signal through an engine data sensor. This signal causes your factory Engine Control Module to reprogram itself for a more efficient air/fuel ratio and timing curve. By doing so, we're able to safely unlock up to +75 Horsepower and up to +8 MPG in your vehicle!
Our modules never bypass, deactive, or exceed factory limitations. That being said, this is perhaps one of the safest upgrades you can do to your vehicle!"

Here are the links to the two sites I found...

http://autochipsdirect.com/toyota-camry--705

http://www.gfchips.com/toyotacamry.aspx
 
#3 ·
Some brands (such as GM) have, or at least had, replaceable computer chips which can indeed make significant changes in performance. As far as I know the only way to do this with a Toyota is having the the computer 'flashed' with a new program. There are some 'speed shops' around here which can do this but it's not at all cheap. I think what you're looking at is just a resistor or small circuit to change the input from one sensor so the computer gets a false signal. I've never heard of good results from such devices.
 
#4 ·
Thanks Dave

That's the same impression I got, namely that these chips trick the ECU. I've been reading about Hydrogen on Demand, and it would appear they also use sensor's to trick the oxy sensor, etc, into thinking everything is running as it should be when hydrogen is added to the system. So far I've improved my gas mileage by 2 mpg, simply by adjusting my driving technique and adding some hypermiling tricks...been getting around 30.6 mpg on my recently purchased 1987 Camry...in the city. Can't complain about that, considering what people with larger, heavier vehicles are getting!