CitizenPro's Unichip Story
- Thread starter CitizenPro
- Start date
You mean for "having it tuned" not for "tuning" it. Two BIG misconceptions people have out there is that a "tuner" in a shop will do a better job than you will. and that is really almost completely patently false. I've seen a lot of the maps that "tuners" do and they are an absolute joke. The fact is you can easily tune in your car to a rough and driveable map on the Microtech in under an hour... no problem.. then tweaking it would be an ongoing tweak for a few weeks to dial it in to a more exacting level and then after that it's done. Fact is once a standalone is tuned in it is almost more reliable than stock. It's a lot easier to see what your car is doing and you have a lot more control over everything.
Honestly, I can all but gurantee you that if you received a Microtech on Friday after work, and installed it that evening. By the time Monday came around you'd be completely happy and comfortable and the car would be doing fantastic.
Honestly, I can all but gurantee you that if you received a Microtech on Friday after work, and installed it that evening. By the time Monday came around you'd be completely happy and comfortable and the car would be doing fantastic.
mx3ownzj00 said:
Just to play devil's advocate here... you realize you'll have a fully built motor and a turbo... so then you go and get a custom tune with a Unichip dealer or certified shop. The guy spends 1-2 hours tuning it on the dyno.. basically ironing out WOT, some small cruise areas and a few other features and throws down a rough correction factor map for you. Then you are going out to drive around and take a map that was created in a controlled environment and put it through all the paces of driving and racing out in the "world". It's a bit naive if you actually think that map will be in anyway completely accurate and that it will continue to perform at a high level and NOT cause problems. Also, unless the dyno is a mustang, or possibly a dynapack it will not be able to simulate drag load (dynojet can't) for tuning the cruise maps etc... So you are relying in large part on the fact that the stock ECU has an "emissions appropriate" map for cruising. Now if you change compression that will all go out the window to some extent... also... a stock ECU running in "closed loop" off the narrowband will cycle between an AFR of 14.0 and 15.5 roughly (ever watch a narrowband cycle back and forth as much as it does??? that's what is going on).. .versus cruising with a Microtech my AFR will jump between 14.4 and 14.8... much tigher and more even. Also better throttle on response due to customized pump settings... So my point is that you'll have a built motor being run by the stock ECU with a mild bandaid applied by some guy you trust to give you something "good" in about an hour on a controlled environment.
It doesn't mean it won't be driveable, and it doesn't mean it won't potentially meet your needs, but you also should be admitting to yourself and fully accepting that the car will not achieve its full potential.
of course a standalone is going to be better for overall control, but a standalone EMS has its draw backs too. if the Unichip can't control things properly, I'll tear it out for something else. I don't expect the tune to be perfect, but I do think I can achieve good driveability and good power while using the Unichip and the stock ecu.
/hijack, sorry charles
/hijack, sorry charles
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- 2003.5 Mazda Protege' MazdaSpeed
That sucks.CitizenPro said:Finally got to putting in the Unichip this past Monday in Dallas, with the help of mx3ownzjoo at his friends garage.........
The install went pretty smoothly at first.......got everything connected and ready to go. We had a couple of problems with the LED on the "MAP A/B" button staying on at all times (supposed to be lit on Advanced timing only). Cranked up the car for the first time and my baby purred better than ever........I went out for a quick test drive at low boost (5psi), and Advanced Timing turned on......the car ran smooth, nothing i havent seen. Drove back to the garage and the car started idling funny, figured the car is trying to learn the new ems with the maps. Turned it up to Hi Boost this time (13psi) and Conservative Timing turned on and went out for a drive.......smashed the gas from a 40 roll and BAM!! Fuel cut at 13psi along with an Engine Light, wtf!?
We reset the ECU with the very cool and easy "ECU Reset Button"engine light off........went out for a drive again, and BAM!! Fuel cut again at 13psi along with the damn Engine Light on. Decided to go hit up AutoZone this time and see what the deal was........Code P0103 MAF Voltage Max'd. So at this point im pist and wanting to send this unit back to Unichip and get my money back.........So to cool down, i decide to head back home to Houston and figure all this out in the morning.
On the way home i get pulled over by a State Trooper about 20 miles out of Dallas........A $591 ticket for doing 84 in a 60, and no updated Insurance Card. I keep my cool, and start going the speed limit......speed limit was 65 at this point, and i was cruising at about 70-75. Not even an hour from getting pulled over the first time, i get hit with the lights again!!! Im like **** this s***, i just want to get home......This Trooper was nice and decided to just give me a warning after hearing my car tuning failure in Dallas. (Prolly felt bad that i was trying to modify a protege) Finally got home safely in Houston at about 1:30am with a potential warrant in the works.......(first)
I wake up in the morning and take everything off the car except the boost controller and vaccum lines.........i get on the phone with Unichip and get immediately get connected with Joshua. I explain the situation with him about the Engine Light at full boost and the F'd up switches.......we end up finding out that my Exhaust Cutout is causing the turbo to spool up insanely too fast for the EMS......thus causing the engine light. After contemplating sending the chip or putting it back on for about 30minutes.......i slap the bad boy back on for the hell of it..........I close up my cutout and go for a run down the street.....i let her rip and hit full boost, and viola! no engine light. Problem #1 Solved......I chat with Joshua a little more and come to find out, there have been more complaints about the switches. After more talk, he tells me that the switches are mislabeled and one of the LEDs is on the wrong switch, wtf!? .....The "ECU RESET" switch happens to be "MAP A/B" switch, and vise versa........and the LED that was attached to the "ECU RESET" had to be moved over to the "MAP A/B" switch. And BAM!!! Problem #2 Solved! So all in all the trip to Dallas and the ticket was worth it.......just wish i could of met up with the Dallas Crew
Yes, there is a happy ending to this story......now we just need higher temps down here in Houston, i cant see full boost for more that 2 second without hitting fuel cut. I finished hiding everything last night, and mounting up 2 switches......i just need to get one more dummy button for the "ECU RESET" Switch. Ill be hitting up the track ASAP as soon as i stop hitting fuel cut at WOT.
Here are a few pics of my switches, dump, boostcontroller, etc..........
.......One more dummy button to install the ECU Reset switch.
.......pic of the where i mounted the Boost Controller.
.......ignore the dirty valve cover, i had the Mazdaspeed one off, i was changing my plugs.
.......where i was dumped when i was throwing the Engine Light at Hi Boost
.......i dumped it after the second cat to rid of the Engine Light.
.......my blurry night shot.
Thanx for Looking.
What kind of bastards.
How is your stock running at this point?
Are you satisfied or still uncertain?
So you are all stock except for the cutout?
Nice job. Clean setup.
Professor MSP
Member
- :
- 2003 Black Mica Mazdaspeed Protege
dirtysouth_msp said:
CitizenPro, I am glad to see your story has a happy ending. Your switch installation looks clean and professional. Nice job!
My switches are like dirty's, with the LED included on the switch itself. I purchased my Unichip just about one year ago, however. Maybe the more recent versions employ different switches.
Pictures of my installed switches may be found in the thread:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=96503&highlight=unichip
Tito1, as I have documented and reported, Unichip has given me more (hesitation-free) power with zero reliability problems, plus I average about 27-28 mpg.
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- 2017 Shelby GT350
YellowSpeedInNY said:
YellowSpeedInNY said:
Yeah, im lookin bone stock in the engine bay at the moment. Ive walked over a few cars cause they assumed i was rockin a bone stock car with an exhaust dump (thumb)
but he lost the power added by the cat!Professor MSP said:
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- 2017 Shelby GT350
.......dont worry guys, im not mad about the thread jack. I love hearing new ideas and learning from people who know what there talkin about.
LOL.....yeah, no prob. Very simple......if you'd like you can just mail me the dummy switches and ill cut em for you.
Bring it beech.MP3Architect said:
Leonardo said:
LOL.....yeah, no prob. Very simple......if you'd like you can just mail me the dummy switches and ill cut em for you.
- :
- 2017 Shelby GT350
Fede_italiano said:
- Stock boost Map is really driveable and slow
Not my cup-o-tea.- Right now at the moment im uncertain......the car feels really good and picks up boost very smoothly. Im just waiting to see the fuel cut go away.......i cant get on it on hi-boost with the weather outside.
- Pretty much, as far as engine performance goes........K&N OEM Box Filter, Flowtech Cutout, AWR Front and Rear MM, Colder Plugs, Optima Yellow Top, and just recently the Unichip
I have a few more things to do to the car to release tension in the motor.......but thats more of a custom job ill be doing, ill show the forums when im able to get it done.Thanx (thumb)
Professor MSP said:
Thanx, i wasnt sure where to mount them at first, and decided to take a whack at it with the dummy switches.
Last edited:
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- 2003.5 Mazda Protege' MazdaSpeed
Professor MSP said:
I read your threads.
So you are flashed and had no problems with the Unichip. Right?
Nice numbers at the dyno.
Professor MSP
Member
- :
- 2003 Black Mica Mazdaspeed Protege
Fede_italiano said:
Yes, I am flashed and problem free with the Unichip. I should also add that I have never hit fuel cut with the Unichip installed.
Thanks re the dyno numbers. I should be able to do even better now, seeing as I have the Injen CAI installed and the weather in Florida is cooler and less humid than when I achieved those numbers.
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- 2003.5 Mazda Protege' MazdaSpeed
You guys are very helpful.Professor MSP said:
Thanks for all the inputs.
When you ordered it did you specify if you were flashed?
I want to get flashed because my hesitation is big but I want to be able to buy unichip down the road and I saw many conflicting arguments. You seem to stay to the fact a lot.
Guys thanks again for helping out.
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- 2003 Subaru WRX Wagon, 2000 Miata
Professor MSP said:
I have not hit fuel cut at either low or high boost setting with A or B map settings. I was flashed before as well.
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- 2017 Shelby GT350
ChopstickHero said:
O yeah!? well you guys suck.
Im not flashed btw.
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- 2003 Subaru WRX Wagon, 2000 Miata
CitizenPro said:
i wonder if it's the flash? i doubt it. it must just be the warmer weather here in socal.
