Monday 15 November 2010

The History of Automotive Performance Chips

Whether off the line or up the hill, performance-minded drivers demand the most from their vehicles. If that's you, then you know how frustrating it can be to limp up a steep incline as others fly past, or suffer under excruciatingly slow speeds when towing heavy loads. Luckily, with modern technology, this is a burden you no longer have to bear.

The factory settings in your onboard computer are primarily geared towards a broad range of consumers, preventing high-performance users from maximizing their output. Over the years, tech manufacturers have invested heavily in the development and production of aftermarket performance chips, like Dodge chips, Ranger performance chips and the Toyota Tacoma chip, to recover this lost performance easily, affordably and safely.

Beginning with the space race in the 1940s and 1950s, the drive to make technology smaller and lighter gave way to the development of microchips and computers. Engineers and manufacturers across the board imported and adapted this NASA-pioneered technology, incorporating it into hundreds of products that range from toasters and microwaves to automobiles and dishwashers.

Similar to NASA rockets, the system in a car is monitored and controlled by microchips. These microchips control everything from the cabin temperature and radio to the automatic windows and-most importantly-engine performance.

The engineering and resulting output of an automobile has improved greatly within the past century, making small adjustments now more important than ever. That's why drivers who regularly haul heavy loads or tow boats and campers look to the performance chip as a means of recapturing some of the lost performance in a factory-tuned vehicle. Performance chips, like the Honda Accord chip, Pontiac PCM and Chevy chip, don't make drastic changes to the operation of your vehicle. They simply restructure the fuel system to increase efficiency and horsepower, working in unison with other performance-enhancing upgrades like air intakes and custom exhaust systems.

On average, performance chips take 5-10 minutes to program and no more than 20 minutes to install. Available in a couple different types, including chips that plug into your OBD-II port, located under your dashboard, or chips that remain permanently connected to your onboard computer, performance chips make adjustments to your air/fuel ratio, ignition timing and other variables to maximize the output of your vehicle. For example, they may supply more fuel at full throttle at every engine speed or change the spark timing.

In addition, by enriching fuel delivery to key areas, increasing transmission pressure, improving the timing of the pistons, adjusting the shift points and RPMs on a manual transmission, and controlling the vital function of the cooling fan, performance chips promote faster fuel consumption and greater horsepower, adding anywhere from 10 - 20 hp.

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