It may sound like a random question, but if you had to choose between an OBX header or a Unichip, price not being a factor, which would you chose (on 2003 MCS with intake, exhaust, and pulley). Thanks.

 

obx header and stock cat...

 

Thanks, anyone else?

 

Why would you pick one when you can have both . Unchip 735.00 = one OBX header (200) PLUS MTH, GIAC and others (all under 500).

 

That is why I said "price not being a factor."

Lets try again. Imagine that you could only have the OBX header or the Unichip, and that they cost the same and other ECU options do not exist. Which would you pick?

 

Yeah I agree with BahamaBart on this one. Although personally I'd get the MiniPilo 2-piece header with testpipe (or cat) and MTH Tuner-File... Cheaper than just the Unichip with a greater boost in performance. Maybe even throw in bigger injectors, would cost a little more than $740 total but it'd make for some nice gains... Just a thought...

 

Can't anyone answer the question? Well, besides BMDoubleU. Imagine you are in an imaginary world. Only the OBX header and the Unichip exist as upgrades and they cost the same and cannot both be used.

 

I'll get the OBX

 

Without a doubt I'd go with the Unichip, IF you have someone in your area that can tune it. If you do a header you should have a tunable chip to get the best out of it. I'm sure you'll find that you are not getting all you can out of the mods you have so far without the Unichip. I know that I put all my mods on first before I added the Unichip and the difference was very noticeable, very.
Besides, I'd go with the Supersprint before I'd touch the OBX.

 

Why do you say that onasled?

Just asking, as I have been researching the OBX (attractive price point).

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack this thread.

Back to subject, I would get the Unichip for the same reasons. I have been adding mods this winter and plan on getting the custom tune this spring. JMO

 

Oh no, 2 for the OBX header, 2 for the Unichip. Any swing votes out there?

 

header

 

Uni chip, to take advatage of your current mods...

 

Unichip with custom tune.

But I gotta say, these "pick one"s are somewhat artificial. To get the best out of the Unichip, you should get a custom tune. If you keep modding and tuning, you're gonna spend a fortune.

And there are other tuning options. While the Apexi doesn't do timing, a lot of people have gotten benefit.

I can see the pick the header or cat back, but this one just doesn't make any sense at all.

Matt

 

Yeah, I realize that it doesnt quite make sense to anybody but me. Maybe I will fill everyone in later.

 

I have the Miltek header and if I had to choose i would take the Unichip over it. I have a custom tune done by Josh Murray of Unichip and it makes a huge difference. the header makes you car louder inside and the gains while noticable are not as dramatic as the Unichip with tune.

I have other posts on Unichips somewhere in NAM which you may want to look at.

 

I think Unichip takes it.

 

you need to get some sort of tuning aid to get the best benefit. All of them can be had with some sort of base map that is tailored to the mod list (exept the Apexi, I think). Any modder will tell you that you have to get the tuning aid sometime...

Matt

 

Sorry about that = perhaps had you said "a header or unichip at equivalent price which would you choose". The "OBX" is synonomous to "bargain quality" and unchip is synonomous to "high-end quality".

While I have the header experience and don't have the ecu experience just yet - I'd have to say that the unichip offers more - enhancing the existing cars capabilities and any other mods you have (i.e. a broader enhancement). Where as the header is a more narrowed enhancement.

BUT I'D STILL DO BOTH - going with a cheap header and a middle of the road ecu reflash. Sorry couldn't help myself.

 

Well, the OBX is a blatant copy of the Supersprint (rather than do any engineering or development, OBX simply cloned the Supersprint using far-East labor and materials). But, the OBX does have before and after real world at the wheels dyno results showing a gain:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=36431

The Unichip isn't a copy of anything, it's simply a signal processor that corrupts the signals from the TMAP sensor and from the crank position sensor. The Unichip does have before and after real world at the wheels dyno results showing a loss:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0&postcount=42

 

shows that anything can be used wrong!
But Andy, I don't think I really agree with the "corrupts". It does the same thing as if you change the maps internal to the ECU, but there's no current commercial tool to do that. If you look at the entire ECU/Piggyback Processor as a whole system, it is a valid way to change the system response. Sure you can set the thing to blow up your car, but you can also set them up to get more power. JLM says his Apexi "corruption" netted him 27 WHP on his car. He's careful with what he does.

Corruption like that I could use....

Matt

 

Doesn't MTH (example only) actually change the internal maps ?

 

And the proverbial pooch can be screwed this way as well. But you dont' get to edit it, the MTH guys do....

Matt

 

I guess it depends on your definition of corruption.

The only thing the Unichip can do is feed false information about TMAP and crank position to the ECU, with hopes of altering the fuel quantity delivered and the effective ignition timing. Well, unlike changing the internal maps in the ECU, the Unichip cannot increase the rev limiter since it does not drive the injectors and ignition coils. Unlike a reflash, the Unichip cannot provide a value that isn't there. Likewise, while a reflash can alter the tables for ignition timing, the Unichip can't actually do that. Instead the Unichip tells the ECU that the crank is in a different position from reality so the spark will occur earlier or later relative to TDC. The problem with this method is that such trickery not only alters the effective ignition timing, it also alters the injection timing (possibly spraying fuel against a closed intake valve for instance) as well as disrupting the knock sensing and misfire recognition routines (which require an accurate picture of crank position). Lastly, the Unichip corrupts signals so that diagnostic equipment can no longer get an accurate picture of what's happening in the engine. This matters not only for performance-related datalogging, but troubleshooting as well. The Unichip, like other piggybacks, TRIES to reach the same goals as chiptuning, but as you can see it is unable to do so since it's not actually controlling anything other than the level of corruption of the signals that the engine needs to operate correctly.

 

But at least it's deterministic. I guess I think of corruption as someting a little less predictable, like noise etc. But until we get some really cool user tunable ECU software, it's one of the many compramises that are available, and while it's not perfect, it can give some benefit for the non-ideality tolerated.

Matt