Does anyone have any experience with the GF Performance Chip Kit? Their claims seem too good to be true, thus my concern. Here is the link for the Z3: http://www.gfchips.com/bmwz3.aspx
Al
GForce Performance Chip Kit
Those cheap "chips" are usually resistors to be wired in series with the coolant temp sensor. This increased resistance gives the ECU a false low coolant temp. EFI systems inject extra fuel to offset poor fuel atomization/evaporation when the engine is cold.
This crude method of enriching the air/fuel ratio was occasionally used in the 80s but has not been seen since. I think Dinan or other reputable tuners did this back then when the ECU fuel maps were difficult to crack. Modern EFI systems would probably adjust maps to offset and/or throw a check engine light. You also run the risk of washing down the cylinder walls with fuel causing premature bore wear in the long run.
This crude method of enriching the air/fuel ratio was occasionally used in the 80s but has not been seen since. I think Dinan or other reputable tuners did this back then when the ECU fuel maps were difficult to crack. Modern EFI systems would probably adjust maps to offset and/or throw a check engine light. You also run the risk of washing down the cylinder walls with fuel causing premature bore wear in the long run.
-
- Posts: 643
- Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2004 1:37 pm
+1 on Ed's advice.
US-spec Z3s should be OBD II compliant, as they began production in '96. OBD II [On-Board Diagnostics - Level 2] cars monitor the coolant temp vs. drive time and will set a thermostat code and turn on the SES lamp if the coolant does not come up to the prescribed temperature. So an add-on device that makes the DME think that the coolant temp is low can set this trouble code.
US-spec Z3s should be OBD II compliant, as they began production in '96. OBD II [On-Board Diagnostics - Level 2] cars monitor the coolant temp vs. drive time and will set a thermostat code and turn on the SES lamp if the coolant does not come up to the prescribed temperature. So an add-on device that makes the DME think that the coolant temp is low can set this trouble code.