[Vwdiesel] Upsolute TDI chip on Ebay

[Lee Hillsgrove]

 Actually, this is a tuning box, not a chip. They both increase performance,
but have different advantages and disadvantages.

 The tuning box does not increase boost level. It merely plugs in between
the wiring harness and injection pump and alters the information passed to
the pump. They are a quick way to get a performance boost and can easily be
removed, advantageous if you are still under warranty. Of course, without
more air from increased boost, there is only so much more power to be had
before hitting the smoke limit. They work by altering injection timing and
injection duration.

 Chips can be separated into two categories; The socketed type found in the
A3 and B4 cars, and the flashed type found in A4s. The socketed chips are
removable, and are something that an average owner could install themselves.
It's not a 5 minute job to do, as the ECU must be removed and opened up to
gain access to the chips, but if you don't plan on swapping back and forth
very often it's not a big deal to install them.
 The A4s have non-removable chips which must be reprogrammed with
appropriate equipment, not what your average car owner will have available
to them. The altered software, which is really what you are buying, is
subject to being wiped out by a dealer tech should they flash the ROM in the
ECU as part of a repair job, or if the ECU was to be exchanged. The newer
versions of the Upsolute brand have an option to switch back and forth with
a keyfob remote control, so you could set the program back to stock before
returning the car to the dealer and they would not know anything was amiss
unless they opened up the ECU and saw the additional equipment within.
 Either type work by altering boost, injection timing, and injection
duration.

 I have a set of Upsolute chips which I bought second-hand and installed
myself in my '98 Jetta TDI. Very nice increase in power, with a slight
corresponding increase in smoke. I have not pulled my intake manifold yet,
but I know there is a buildup of crud in there from the EGR system which was
functioniong when I got the car. Cleaning that out and a fresh set of
injectors may take care of some but not all of the smoke. It's nor really
objectional as it is except in warmer weather, at low rpms and low boost and
liberal application of throttle. The altered fuel mapping dumps in more fuel
than is actually needed in these circumstances in an attempt to get the
turbo spooled up more quickly. I have also found that poor quality fuel will
give one the ability to lay down a smoke screen at will.
 One other point worth mentioning about the Upsolute chips is that with
them, there is a "shudder" between 1600 and 1900 rpm, at part throttle. They
all do it, but nobody I know of has found out exactly why. Also, as a
byproduct of greater torque, clutch slippage is a definite possibility. The
claim is an increase from 90 to 115 hp and 149 to 199 lb-ft of torque. Mine
does now, and it didn't before. The price you pay for more power.....

 So, to summarize, tuning boxes are a quick and easily reversible way to get
a boost in performance but are limited by stock boost levels. Chips (there
are a few different companies, as also with tuning boxes) are able to
provide more boost and as such more power but are not as easy to remove and
return to stock on short notice.
 Hope that explains the whole deal OK.


  Lee
  Oo-v-oO
  PP-ASEL
  KB1GNI