Greetings,

I need to know if the inexpensive engine chip that one can find online really work?

The opinions seem to be divided on the subject. People speak of a 10 HP increase, others of 20 HP and others might say that it’s useless. Who’s to be trusted? Even if the salesman has 99% of positive feedback, that does not mean that the advertised figures are true. For a cold air intake, I often read about an increase of about 7 or 8 HP or more, depending on the model and the type of filter used. With a $80 (a quality aftermarket air filter), or a cheaper $40 filter (I forget the brands, I am not an expert) can you add up the gains?

Do you produce more power from your tuned engine depending on the base HP? For example, can one’s civic with 110 HP be modified to have the same power gains as an Impreza with 175 HP? This question is valid also for the performance chip. From a fuel consumption point of view, can an aftermarket performance chip affect your MPG’s? Thank you for your answers.

The basic principle to increase the power of an engine is relatively simple. Just pump more litres of air/fuel mixture to the engine so it produces more power. Most engines have a capacity suck up air of around 80%. from the factory. A free air intake, a compressor, or even a turbocharger can be used to increase the air coming into the engine, thus making the combustion more efficient. Because of a less restrictive design, the performance exhaust is emptied faster, leaving the combustion chambers with more room, so a new mix can move in, ready to explode. However, it is really easy to make mistakes when choosing the performance parts for your engine. Everything lies in the harmonization of the components of the car.

Is the ratio of the differential ideal when compared to the curve of HP and torque of the engine?
Will the choice of cam really increase the maximum intake?
Is the engine management computer flexible enough to cope with the changes?

I often come across cars with impressive pedigree that behaved like turtles with chrome exhausts, while cars with little modifications to the exterior moved like missiles. The important thing is to be well informed before you buy performance parts for your car, and seek harmonization between components.