Re: Chips

[smarinel@Flint.Mines.Colorado.edu (Steve Marinello)]

>Hi everybody, 
>After the South Bay Area meeting last saturday a few of us have decided to
>upgrade our computers (among other things). So here's some of the info I
>found on my search for information.
>Walter at Europart (619.742.3377) said that he would deal on the chips, I
>seem to recall his were approximately $500. I called a reference he gave me
>in Sacramento (Eric Corfee of Corfee Car Care 916.649.0222). 
>Eric owns a QTC and services approximately 5 or 6 of them in the sacramento
>area. He really was a wealth of information. He said that they have tried the
>new DInan chip for the QTC and that they experienced pinging and possible
>detonation. He said that the chips from IA and europarts worked just fine. He
>said that they're are few true gurus of the QTC and that Ned Ritchie is
>clearly one of the best.  There has been some talk of obtaining chips from a
>source in Canada. And I drove a car that had the chip form Al ? in Quebec
>(Hypertec?), the car was really fast. This guy claims close to 100 hp
>improvement. Several of the people I talked to seemed to discount this claim.
>
>I then called Ned and since I already have a european mod to my computer he
>would upgrade my car to a stage 2 (approx 230hp) for $300.00.  He also said
>that he would deal on the chips, but he couldn't go as low as the guy from
>canada (his were $450 if we bought 3 chips).  He also said that he once sent
>just the chip to somebody to put in himself. But that it turned into a
>disaster.  Ned also said that he makes two other modifications to the ECU
>that he does'nt tell anybody about (didn't tell anybody about?).  He also
>scramblers (?) the code so that nobody can read it, and there's some fuse or
>something that will blow if anybody tries to do this.  He also said that if
>you use a socket so that you can just plug and unplug the chips in you can
>get something called "chip creep"(?).  So he sodiers (sp) the  chips into
>place.
>So as far as chips go that's what I have found out. Does anybody have
>anything to add? Is their anybody out there that has used any canadian chips,
>dinan, ia etc.
>I also found that a eurosport intercooler that is 33% bigger than stock costs
>$1750 american. The abt instrument pod is $325 (gauges not included),
>upgraded fuel distributer is approx $375. The Eurosport cam (296) is $725.
>Regards,
>Chuck Leiter
>83 QTC
>
> 
Chuck;

FYI.  This is my reply top Steve B. and I'll put it out for you guys
considering the obvious interest.  How many people out there might be
interested?


>Well Steve ... it's back up in the air. Chuck Leiter got a deal from Ned on
>the stage II upgrade because he had some of Ned's stuff already. I talked to
>Tomas today, and he confirmed that it is Al Solaroli that he is buying the
>chip from. I've heard that Al has put out some schlocky stuff in the past, but
>Tomas has had his chip/spring installed for 3 months and the only problem he
>noticed was pinging on cheap gas. I've heard good things about the TAP setup
>... I assume that you get a WG spring as well as a chip. What have you heard
>WRT TAP? To add another option tot the frey, today I heard that Dinan has/had
>an Audi chip.

>Steve Buchholz
>s_buchho@kla.com

Dinan was(is) actually advertising for "test" vehicles for their chips,
including Audis, but I doubt the TQC's, although I haven't called. They're
in your neck of the woods, so you could give that a try...just promise to
let us in on a good thing. BTW, if they've got a pretty bug free working V6
chip, let me know as my wife has the '93 90. 

As far as TAP, the spring is included. Trevor says that it will put us
close to optimum boost, but we'll still need to fine tune with an accurate
boost gauge teed off the boost line coming into the control unit. He says
that the dash gauge is inaccurate anyway (we knew that!) and that they
usually just set it up with a temporary gauge and let it go. Otherwise, you
need to install a permanent gauge in the panel, which you may have, but I
don't. Now for the better news...I just played a little negotiation with
TAP. The regular price is $395....minus 10% for Q CLub members, which I
said that I was and thought that you guys were,too, but it's irrelevant. If
we can get three ECU's into them on the same day with FedEx shipment and
same day return (I'd have to coordinate it and provide names) they'll give
us 15% off...or a $337.73 price. What do you think? I don't think there is
any major rush, although we'd have to strike soon or at least arrange it in
a reasonable time frame. 

Who else is interested anyway. I'll send this along to Dave Lawson, too.
Should I put it out over the net or not? 

Steve Marinello
303-273-3042 office
303-279-2318 home