Thinking about buying the unichip
- Thread starter BlueBeast22
- Start date
dirtysouth_msp
Member
- :
- 2003.5 Blazing Yellow MSP (Forged)
This has been my experience with the Unichip:
First of all, In GA we have 93 octane gas and I have been flashed since before I bought the Unichip. I bought it about two years ago. At first I just installed the Unichip without the EBC. With Map A, I immediately noticed that the car pulled much more smoothly through every gear. The famous hesitation was pretty much gone and the car seemed to have more power. The only other mod I had at the time was an Injen CAI. Map B did not really feel much different, so I mainly ran Map A to be safe because I heard on this forum that Map B has caused detonation at high RPM on flashed MSPs, as Sam stated above. I drove the car like this for about 7 months.
A few weeks before I got my exhaust, I installed the EBC. High boost setting spiked to about 13 psi and settled to 11. Although, this reading was from an Autometer guage so it could be a little off. I did not run high boost much at all because I had no intercooler or exhaust upgrades.
After installing Vibrant exhaust, I noticed that "stock" boost was 1 psi higher. At first, high boost setting seemed to be about the sam, but about the 3rd time of using it, it spiked to close to 15 psi. I never ran it again on high boost and eventually took the EBC out. I won't put it back in until I get a FMIC and am able to get retuned and have the ebc adjusted. Also, I may have been having wastgate issues during this time period and did not know it yet. That would probably explain why it seemed the same at first and then changed.
(During this time period I had some unrelated problems with my engine due a defective wrist-pin. Mazda techs found and identified the defect)
Now, I have replaced my wastegate actuator with a new one from ATP Turbo and I am seeing about an extra 1.5 lbs of boost, so the EBC definitely is not going in until the FMIC and retune/EBC adjustment.
Overall I am pretty happy with the results from the unichip, although I wish I would have better luck with the EBC. My car drives how I feel it should. Installation could not be much easier and I did not have to pay big $$ for a dyno-tune (yet, lol). If I ever decide to do some serious modding with a bigger turbo, etc., I'll probably go with a standalone. However, for moddest goals, the unichip is great.
The bottom line is, it kinda sucks we have to pay $400-$1000 to get our cars running like they should have from the factory. (drinks)
First of all, In GA we have 93 octane gas and I have been flashed since before I bought the Unichip. I bought it about two years ago. At first I just installed the Unichip without the EBC. With Map A, I immediately noticed that the car pulled much more smoothly through every gear. The famous hesitation was pretty much gone and the car seemed to have more power. The only other mod I had at the time was an Injen CAI. Map B did not really feel much different, so I mainly ran Map A to be safe because I heard on this forum that Map B has caused detonation at high RPM on flashed MSPs, as Sam stated above. I drove the car like this for about 7 months.
A few weeks before I got my exhaust, I installed the EBC. High boost setting spiked to about 13 psi and settled to 11. Although, this reading was from an Autometer guage so it could be a little off. I did not run high boost much at all because I had no intercooler or exhaust upgrades.
After installing Vibrant exhaust, I noticed that "stock" boost was 1 psi higher. At first, high boost setting seemed to be about the sam, but about the 3rd time of using it, it spiked to close to 15 psi. I never ran it again on high boost and eventually took the EBC out. I won't put it back in until I get a FMIC and am able to get retuned and have the ebc adjusted. Also, I may have been having wastgate issues during this time period and did not know it yet. That would probably explain why it seemed the same at first and then changed.
(During this time period I had some unrelated problems with my engine due a defective wrist-pin. Mazda techs found and identified the defect)
Now, I have replaced my wastegate actuator with a new one from ATP Turbo and I am seeing about an extra 1.5 lbs of boost, so the EBC definitely is not going in until the FMIC and retune/EBC adjustment.
Overall I am pretty happy with the results from the unichip, although I wish I would have better luck with the EBC. My car drives how I feel it should. Installation could not be much easier and I did not have to pay big $$ for a dyno-tune (yet, lol). If I ever decide to do some serious modding with a bigger turbo, etc., I'll probably go with a standalone. However, for moddest goals, the unichip is great.
The bottom line is, it kinda sucks we have to pay $400-$1000 to get our cars running like they should have from the factory. (drinks)
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dirtysouth_msp
Member
- :
- 2003.5 Blazing Yellow MSP (Forged)
Yep, but mazda tech "proved" that it was caused by a defective wrist pin from the factory. Our wrist pins are pressed in, instead of being free floating. The tech said that the wrist pin was never pressed in correctly and that is what caused the failure. I did not have any holes in the block or any such thing and the car would run, but knocking horribly. Basically the wrist pin had backed out and was allowing enough play to make the piston to flop around.
This happened on map A and stock boost at about 3000 rpm in 3rd, just cruzing along, not while pushing the engine.
This happened on map A and stock boost at about 3000 rpm in 3rd, just cruzing along, not while pushing the engine.
dirtysouth_msp
Member
- :
- 2003.5 Blazing Yellow MSP (Forged)
No problem.
dirtysouth_msp
Member
- :
- 2003.5 Blazing Yellow MSP (Forged)
Yeah, they gave me a bunch of s*** at first. But, in the end they took care of me. They actually tested for Nitrous use, lol.
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- :
- 03 MSP
I just got the unichip two weeks ago and i like it how it is i just have a few problems with it. I detonate every WOT. Ive called UC about it and thier customer service is horrible all the say is they cant do anything for me that the car has to be completely stock. this is bull. so i dont know if you want the chip or not.
I have a unichip and when I first got mine, it had probs. After calling numerous times, Josh@UC said mail it back, so i did and found out that they had put a wrong resistor in mine, which is why it ran like donkey s***. Got it back, spent an hour putting it back in, ran great. Had to but a MBC because of the spiking, but other that that, love it, and everyone should have one for our MSP's.
KickerMSP, thats crap UC is telling you. The unichip was the first mod I got for mine and after they fixed my bad chip, it ran good with stock. It ran even better with colder plugs, intake, and a FMIC.
KickerMSP, thats crap UC is telling you. The unichip was the first mod I got for mine and after they fixed my bad chip, it ran good with stock. It ran even better with colder plugs, intake, and a FMIC.
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Well, needless to say I got a modified MSP and also a Unichip...its definetely not a user tunable ems, so if you dont have a Unichip tuner in your area that is also friendly enough not to charge you and arm and a leg, then its really not for you. But it does its job...its affordable if you think that it has a built in boost controller and its also plug and play (15 minutes), can be turned back to stock if needed in another couple of minutes, with no trace.
My experience is that when I had the stock MSP, it was impressive, I got so much power that it was great, its really what bit me to modify the MSP. Now I have huge intercooler, manifold, intake, exhaust, etc and the Unichip definetely needed a custom tune, I was spiking bad and also detonating from the extra amount of air. Fortunately I was able to upload a new map from Sam and the car is running incredibly strong, even at 6 psi I get torque-steer on 1st and 2nd which I never got at that psi level. My idle is almost perfect no more wondering on the air:fuel ratio gauge. steady around 14.5~14.7 no problems...I really wish I could get a dyno tune to fine tune it, but we will have to wait and see what happens in our area.
Vic
My experience is that when I had the stock MSP, it was impressive, I got so much power that it was great, its really what bit me to modify the MSP. Now I have huge intercooler, manifold, intake, exhaust, etc and the Unichip definetely needed a custom tune, I was spiking bad and also detonating from the extra amount of air. Fortunately I was able to upload a new map from Sam and the car is running incredibly strong, even at 6 psi I get torque-steer on 1st and 2nd which I never got at that psi level. My idle is almost perfect no more wondering on the air:fuel ratio gauge. steady around 14.5~14.7 no problems...I really wish I could get a dyno tune to fine tune it, but we will have to wait and see what happens in our area.
Vic
I was really set on purchasing the Unichip and have been waiting to install my GReddy Profec B Spec II with the Unichip, but this has me rethinking.
My car runs great with the stock boost of 5.5-6 psi and the boost never spikes which seems to be very rare in this car from what I have read.
I'm not sure if I want to compromise a car that is running well for one that runs poorly once a Unichip is installed.
I currently have hardpipes, intercooler, intake, GReddy SP2 cat-back exhaust and from what Sam and Pirana have written in this thread, I'm not sure it is for me any longer.
I guess I'll stick with stock boost because I surely don't want to detonate.
Thanks for the info everyone.
Mark
My car runs great with the stock boost of 5.5-6 psi and the boost never spikes which seems to be very rare in this car from what I have read.
I'm not sure if I want to compromise a car that is running well for one that runs poorly once a Unichip is installed.
I currently have hardpipes, intercooler, intake, GReddy SP2 cat-back exhaust and from what Sam and Pirana have written in this thread, I'm not sure it is for me any longer.
I guess I'll stick with stock boost because I surely don't want to detonate.
Thanks for the info everyone.
Mark
honestly I think it took me about 2 hours from start to finish, the only hard part is getting the piggy back to fit in with the ECU behind the floor panel.EmRidMSP said:
I can't find anything at all to complain about reguarding the UC <B>(see my sig for Unichip questions)</B>
Bottom line - the Unichip was programed and tested around a msp with a CAI and Corksport cat-back exhaust. So if you have any other mods besides these the UC <I>might controll the car (ECU) a little different. I would recomend getting a re-tune by a certified UC tuner.</I> PM me if you have more UC questions or go to the UC forum.
ok sell the GReddy Profec B Spec II, buy the UC (it comes with an EBC) and get it <B>custom tuned</B>. I guarentee you'll retract everything bad said about UC. If you can not get it tuned, yes it might not be for you but I do think there will be a FMIC map coming out in the future. There's a lot of here say and unanswered questions about the UC go to the UC forum for answers.Mark94 said:
ok I'm done
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