Thread: Chipping a Rangie

Originally Posted by Rayngie

Hello, Just after some advice, I've got a 92 Vogue 3.9,( 165km, auto ) wanting to know anyone else's thoughts / experience with fitting a Unichip / Motec or such, the thing runs lovelly, but could it can't get out of it's own way getting up hills and is ( as usuall ) burning loads of fuel, so just wondering if they are worth fitting?Any thoughts?Cheers,

i've driven a 4.6 with Motec

or try a High flow exhaust ............

Yes I've heard of chiptorque (?) or some such but can't find any more info on it. I'd like to do something with mine too.

EDIT: Found the web site http://www.chiptorque.com.au/index.html

but there's no ention of Rangies ?!

I have a Unichip on my 92 3.9 Range Rover. By itself the chip gave about 15% extra power across the board. At low revs and high revs the increase was more , up to 22%. The least increase was at 3000rpm.
The major advantage of the unichip is that the vacuum advance is disconnected and the unichip modifies the advance curve, giving much more advance.
This improved the performance greatly and improved hill climbing ability, but it still will not be a Falcon beater. Yet it retains all the nice things about a factory system , such as foolproof cold start and stepper operation.
Fuel economy was improved around town from about 20l/100Km , to about say 18.
The cost is about $1450 fitted and dynod including a new ignition module , which also enables you to run a Bosch transformer coil.

A Motec is a different animal . It is a full aftermarket system primarily designed for racing. They are reputed to be foolproof but may not perform as well as a standard system in particular situations such as cold start, and when using light throttle eg rock crawling. Graeme Cooper fits both but doesn't like selling the aftermarket systems, as he reckons that the customers are often unhappy, as they cannot get them to run as perfectly as a factory system.
Full throttle is always fine but it is the myriad light throttle combinations that cause problems. That is why manufacturers spend millions on their ECU development. There are something like 200 fuel maps in a GM ECU for example.
One of the guys in my club has a Motec 4.6, and while rock crawling, when he tried to brake while trickling over an obstacle on idle in a manual with the clutch out, the engine would speed up. Probably the MAP sensor saw the drop in Vacuum and applied the throttle. it was a real PITA.
Complete with dyno setup, you will see no change from $3000 or so.

My advice is to stay with the factory ECU and buy a Unichip.
I am just waiting now for someone to say "forget all that and get a Megasquirt" so I will refer you to the thread on another forum.
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modules/phpBB2/viewtopic.php't=13330

Regards Philip A

Damn and just last year I paid for a new vaccuum advance and now you tell me I wouldn;t need one. Jeez......

Still, it'd be a while b4 i had that kind of money....