ESM Chips - Information & Help

[nissias]

Nissias,

The upgrade is £100 or so, if you were starting from scratch and had to buy the standard board too it would cost double but as an upgrade it costs the same as the original item.

oh ok then!
Did u manade to sort me out with an upgrade so that I can pay u right away? Do u accept Paypal?
Thanks,
Nik.

[nissias]

Remember that my car is a 91 SE (UK) so we are after the 9929 upgrade (Switcher upgrade and V5 PROM 9929 & 9930) with all 16 programs.


By the way that crazy program you had mentioned is it the Elysium one where boost is higher at mid range and then drops at 0.9 at the end?

[ESM]

Right I have a lot of interest in the V5. Please read what's on my site and this thread and decide if you really need a V5 or if a V4 is actually good enough.

Anyway I've slated the following for people items from the current stock

1. Nissias
2. Monty
3. Dico
4. NickB?
5. (I'm keeping this one free in case a favour is called in or I've promised it to someone and forgotten )

From the next batch (in no particular order)

1. Dapinky
2. Algirdas
3. Sooty
4. MarkV
5. ShaunH
6. JABrown39
7. DavidJT
8. Paul.P
9. sheprob

If I've missed anyone or you're not in the top and think you should be or you want a V4 or whatever please let me know by e.mail.

[John_W]

All,
I hope Alan will forgive me posting this, but I'm doing so in an effort to lend some perspective to the discussion. All is "in my opinion".

The latest V4 is very good. The V5 which modifies the fuel map does give more power, but there's not a lot in it. It can be noticed when driving if you're wellying it, and it's a better map because it's not over-rich at the top end, but there is really not much in it in terms of horsepower.

If you don't have any mountain chip fitted at the moment, you will notice a huge difference when you fit the V4. It's a very good modification to do.

If you have the V4 already, you'll probably notice a bit of difference going to the V5, but only at the very top end. What you'll probably notice is that the rev limiter cuts in before you expect because you've got through the revs faster than you're used to. If you don't drive like that all the time, you'll be happy with the V4.

The power curves for the V4 and V5 are on the attached graph. The difference is about 5 hp mid-range, rising to 10 at the top. Note that the absolute values of the power outputs may not be absolutely correct on the graph below (they're about 10 down on previous dyno runs), but the comparison is valid as the runs displayed were done on the same car on the same dyno about 5 minutes apart using a switcher box similar to that being packaged with the V5 (thanks to Geoff).

My point is that if you are considering whether to go for the V4 or V5, you need to think how much you would really use that last 10hp at high revs, and if the V5 is worth the extra hassle and expense. For some (wanting the ultimate possible for trackdays) V5 may be worth it. For most people (wanting a fit-and-forget-blimey-that's-fast) the V4 is adequate.

John

Info:
- Power values are "flywheel".
- Dyno runs performed on SE with 2.25 inch exhaust.
- comparison of datum runs with previous V4 dyno tests shows the overall power to be down about 10 BHP on this day for reasons not yet sussed (i.e. either the V5 puts out ~10 BHP more than indicated on the graph or my previous runs were ~10 BHP over-optimistic.)
- Leaner maps than the V5 were tested but they did not give any further power or torque benefits; i.e. V5 is as far as you can go by varying the air:fuel map alone.

[ESM]

Thanks John, that's great - I might nick it and put it on my site!

[paulwatkins]

Hi Alan,
I would like to buy a V4 chip if I may......

is it possible to pay and collect at Donny?

Cheers, Paul

[Elanlover]

Hey John, thanks for the charts. Helps in understanding the real differences when you're behind the wheel. One question though for both you and Alan.

I noticed your chart shows a V4.2 in there. Maybe I misunderstood but I thought Alan's latest V4 (4.4????) had some improvements over previous V4 versions. If so, perhaps, Alan, you could comment briefly on the improvements with the most current V4 please? Thanks!

[ESM]

Boost control is different, it should be less erratic (see the waviness of the V4.2 line) and perhaps a bit faster to hit boost under normal driving conditions (less so on a dyno)

[Sooty]

Anyway I've slated the following for people items from the current stock

1. Nissias
2. Monty
3. Dico
4. NickB?
5. (I'm keeping this one free in case a favour is called in or I've promised it to someone and forgotten )

From the next batch (in no particular order)

1. Dapinky
2. Algirdas
3. Sooty

If I've missed anyone or you're not in the top and think you should be or you want a V4 or whatever please let me know by e.mail.

Seeing as I need a board before getting the V5 upgrade, I'll take a V4 to start with. I've got a 91 SE UK car, but will double check the VIN# to confirm exactly which I need.

I wonder how Dico and Monty managed to get ahead of me in the queue, but I don't mind as they need the extra power to have even half a chance of keeping up with me

[markv]

Thanks for the comparison and explanation John. It's clear now that a V4 will suit me fine!

V5 - slated the following for people items from the current stock

1. Nissias
2. Monty
3. Dico
4. NickB?
5. (I'm keeping this one free in case a favour is called in or I've promised it to someone and forgotten )

V5 - from the next batch (in no particular order)

1. Dapinky
2. Algirdas
3. Sooty
4. ShaunH
5. JABrown39
6. DavidJT
7. Paul.P
8. sheprob

V4 will do me fine!
1. markv (can I pay/collect at Donington?)

[ESM]

Mark & Paul,

Donington should be ok. I can't promise 100% to be there, although at the moment I plan to go.

[paulwatkins]

Just to keep your list up-to-date Alan.

V5 - slated the following for people items from the current stock

1. Nissias
2. Monty
3. Dico
4. NickB?
5. (I'm keeping this one free in case a favour is called in or I've promised it to someone and forgotten )

V5 - from the next batch (in no particular order)

1. Dapinky
2. Algirdas
3. Sooty
4. ShaunH
5. JABrown39
6. DavidJT
7. Paul.P
8. sheprob

V4 will do me fine!
1. markv (can I pay/collect at Donington?)
2. paulwatkins (pay/collect at Donny if ESM attending)

[dapinky]

Alan,

Just to re-confirm my interest.

I'm not perticularly after the 'power' of a V5, but i do want the ability to be able to switch down the map in case of problems (or if Angie is using the car), hence i would like to stay on the list, but i'm in no particular rush, so if anyone wants one ahead of me, no problem.

[nickb]

Thanks Alan, just spotted your email and posts, just going to have a look at the new site and I'll be back to you with my order.

Thanks again

Nick

[ESM]

Ok here's the latest list - again of you feel hard done by, are in a hurry or want a V4 instead please let me know.

V5 current stock

1. Nissias - confirmed
2. Monty - confirmed
3. NickB?
4. Dapinky?
5. (I'm keeping this one free in case a favour is called in or I've promised it to someone and forgotten )

V5 - from the next batch (in no particular order)

1. Algirdas
2. Sooty
3. ShaunH
4. JABrown39
5. DavidJT
6. Paul.P
7. sheprob

V4
1. markv (can I pay/collect at Donington?)
2. paulwatkins (pay/collect at Donny if ESM attending)

[nickb]

Alan, YHM.

Thanks

Nick

[ESM]

Ok here's the latest list - again of you feel hard done by, are in a hurry or want a V4 instead please let me know.

V5 current stock

1. Nissias - confirmed
2. Monty - confirmed
3. NickB?
4. Dapinky?
5. (I'm keeping this one free in case a favour is called in or I've promised it to someone and forgotten )

V5 - from the next batch (in no particular order)

1. Algirdas
2. Sooty
3. ShaunH
4. JABrown39
5. DavidJT
6. Paul.P
7. sheprob

V4
1. markv (can I pay/collect at Donington?)
2. paulwatkins (pay/collect at Donny if ESM attending)

[Enright]

Alan,

Please excuse me if you've answered this somewhere else in this thread already, but does this setup cover S2's too?

As you might remember I was hoping to switch to closed-loop control, and have already earmarked an O2 sensor which I should be picking up from Sy at Donington (please don't forget it Sy )!

Being as this should be a straight bolt-in it should only remain for me to unplug the CO pot, put an S2 chip in and see if it works.

So if your new setup is switchable between SE's and S2's then it will do me perfectly and I'd like to sign up for one.

[a5gcd]

Alan

If you make it to Donington will you have any SST 9930 V4 Everest chips for upgrading with you? I would like to upgrade there weather permitting.

Geoff

[Elanlover]

Alan, forgive me if you already made this obvious but perhaps you can tell me what I need to do here. I currently have a V4.2 (could be 4.3 though) and I'd like to simply upgrade that to the latest V4 version. I'll go with that for now before I think about a V5 and switcher.

So, what's required on my end besides money of course Do I need to remove the chip and send it back to you first? Do you simply send me a new one and I return the old one after? Cost? Thanks and sorry for being a pain.