Superchips

[GPT27]

I recently saw this upgrade on the superchips website.

I know there are not many N/A guys on here but does anyone know of anyone else who has any experience of this. I must say I was suprised they even did a chip for this considering they only made about 120 of them.

Either way £300 for 12bhp seems a bit steep. It'd have to offer some seriously tangible benfits to justify the price. I wish I could test drive one before/after.

[GeoffSmith]

Grant,

Unbeknown to me, I had a Superchip "upgrade" in mine with an MBC. When the wastegate stuck, my boost gauge went off scale and the smoke coming off the tyre was impressive (if not expensive). ESM looked at the Superchip PROM and all it did was inhibit the fuel cut protection by removing a few lines of code; this for a device which cost several hundred pounds. It was crude and potentially damaging in my situation. Needless to say, it's been thrown in the bin and I wouldn't touch anything from them with a bargepole. My personal recommendation would be to treat any claims they make with caution and to save your money.

Geoff

[ESM]

I see they don't list a chip for the Turbo Elans any more - curious that.

I wouldn't go there.

[GeoffSmith]

I see they don't list a chip for the Turbo Elans any more - curious that.

They probably use a surface mount PROM - the weight saving must be worth 10 HP in an N/A.

[tweetdriver63]

I found this in my glovebox when I bought the car a couple months ago. I was wondering if it is the stock chip, or if it is an aftermarket one that either the owner at the time (he bought the chip in 1999. the reciept is in the box) never got around to installing, or changed his mind and took it back out.

The silver sticker is embossed with "DELCO AXMZ 1523" and on the chip itself is "014 89388 AC9045B."

The box says "Superchips Inc" and the numbers 103-12.

If this is the oem chip, should I be worried that the car has a Superchips chip in it?

[Enright]

First thing to do would be to see if the seals have been broken on your ECU.

[GeoffSmith]

My Supershit has the serial number 49217 and is marked AXMZ SD. I think the one you have in the box is most likely Superchips.

[tweetdriver63]

My Supershit has the serial number 49217 and is marked AXMZ SD. I think the one you have in the box is most likely Superchips.

Actually, I was thinking the one in the box is more likely the oem because of the "Delco" on it. Does your superchips one have that?

[tweetdriver63]

I see they don't list a chip for the Turbo Elans any more - curious that.

I wouldn't go there.

That link above takes you to the turbo Elan chip if you put the info in the drop-down boxes over on the right side of the screen. It says it gives 27 bhp increase. Think that's right?

[GeoffSmith]

My Supershit has the serial number 49217 and is marked AXMZ SD. I think the one you have in the box is most likely Superchips.

Actually, I was thinking the one in the box is more likely the oem because of the "Delco" on it. Does your superchips one have that?

That's what I meant to say, sorry!

Additionally, the foil window cover on mine has a Superchip logo and the "9045" part of your IC in the box signifies it was manufactured in the 45th week of 1990, so is more likely to be OEM than Superchip.

As I posted earlier, Alan determined that my chip was only acting as a FCD, so any power increase was likely to come from a larger exhaust (inducing boost creep) or an MBC (increasing the boost). Have you checked for an MBC because mine was well hidden.

Geoff

[tweetdriver63]

As I posted earlier, Alan determined that my chip was only acting as a FCD, so any power increase was likely to come from a larger exhaust (inducing boost creep) or an MBC (increasing the boost). Have you checked for an MBC because mine was well hidden.

I don't even know if I get any extra power. This is the first Elan I've owned or driven, so I don't have anything to compare it to. If I'm remembering right, the highest boost I've seen on the gauge was in the .7 bar range, if that tells you anything.

[rip]

The boost gauge is inaccurate. Don't trust it.
Do you have access to Elanscan? It will give you a more accurate boost reading, and will also produce a trace from which ESM can determine what chip you have in there.

You could always buy and install an Everest. That way you will know you have a quality, high-performance chip installed.

[Russc]

Don`t know if this helps but this is an upclose piccie of my original chip. BTW don`t put it on the carpet like i did

[tweetdriver63]

My Supershit has the serial number 49217 and is marked AXMZ SD. I think the one you have in the box is most likely Superchips.

Actually, I was thinking the one in the box is more likely the oem because of the "Delco" on it. Does your superchips one have that?

That's what I meant to say, sorry!

Additionally, the foil window cover on mine has a Superchip logo and the "9045" part of your IC in the box signifies it was manufactured in the 45th week of 1990, so is more likely to be OEM than Superchip.

As I posted earlier, Alan determined that my chip was only acting as a FCD, so any power increase was likely to come from a larger exhaust (inducing boost creep) or an MBC (increasing the boost). Have you checked for an MBC because mine was well hidden.

Geoff

Today I was over at the shop trying to help my mechanic track down a new crankshaft pulley (still looking for one a little less costly than from DBE), and I discovered the car does have an MBC. It was pretty well hidden under the turbo inlet pipe, and it doesn't look like any of the ones I've seen on here, but that's definitely what it is. It's all brass, with a big hex on top for adjustment. I have no idea how many pounds boost it's set for, and it doesn't have any markings on it.

[GeoffSmith]

Pretty much the same as mine.