Re: TAP mods

[rdh@sli.com (Robert D. Houk)]

   The deal is that, if we have 3 or more ECU's go in at the same time, they
   will cut us 15% off their usual $395 price for the mod for 10V turbo
   engines, like on your 5KTQ and my TQC.  The price is then just under $338,
   which I think is great.  It puts you up to 220-225 HP and includes the ECU
   mod with increased boost and correct requisite timing adjustments and a
   stronger wastegate spring.  This would appear to be equivalent, performance
   mod wise, with Ned's (IA) Stage 2 package.  

When I talked with these folks whilst looking for a replacement ECU, the
guy there mentioned that what they replace [in the UrQ Hitachi ECU] is the
S8873N (programmable timer) chip, and *NOT* the ROM. He double-confirmed
this with me (after I sputtered something like "that makes no sense") by
specifically identifying the 28-pin chip to the left of the cpu, and NOT
the 24-pin chip in front of ("below") the cpu.

At best, this sounds like their approach is to hoodwink the computer,
rather than changing the programming to allow higher boost, advanced
timing, etc. *Do they keep overboost control, or is that disabled?*

This leaves me rather dubious overall.

And then when I hear that Ned uses a ROM scrambler (???) as part of his
magic . . .

I think it's time to go back to bed.

					-RDH