Dynamic fuel computer instead of ECU?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 577
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From: Orange Co., CA, USA
'02 C230K Coupe
Dynamic fuel computer instead of ECU?
I was wondering if it's possible to use a fuel computer (the kind that's driver-adjustable), instead of a ECU swap to control the A/F ratio. A lot of Japanese car mods use a fuel computer instead of just a static A/F controller. Is it just that nobody has tried this before or are the tolerances on MB engines are too low to accept richer/leaner mixtures than the ideal?
If ECU has nothing to do with A/F ratio, I'm sorry. But the question about using a fuel computer stil remains.
If ECU has nothing to do with A/F ratio, I'm sorry. But the question about using a fuel computer stil remains.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,211
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
The concept is interesting but reality is another thing. In theory you can use a fuel controller to increase the pulse width on the injectors to enrichen the mix. The problem is the ECU is smarter than that on most newer cars and will read the O2 sensor and lean it out so in the end you may have to go through many cycles of tuning on a dyno to get the results you want until the ECU reaches it's limits at which point it may just throw a Check Engine like or it may never work the way you want. During full throttle accelleration the ECU does not seem to be adaptaptive and may help there. It would seem like a lot of effort, time and money for a maybe. Ideally a chip would encorporate all the settings for optimal performance and compensate for a/f ratio, timing and such and be tested thoroughly by the chip's maker.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,211
Likes: 2
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Right now, the only one that I know of that makes a chip for the C230 coupe is Upsolute. There are a few people that have Upsoluted their cars and they can explain the value better. Sometimes they did it together with a pulley so it's hard to seperate the results out. As expected, Upsolute can be found at http://www.upsolute.com/
Renntech and GIAC are testing chips now. Haven't heard either are being sold yet. There's a company in Australia that has a chip out but haven't heard much on that. Also Opera Design advertises a chip (http://www.opera-design.de).
My guess is that most chips on non-turbo cars like ours will get you about 6-8HP across the power band. A really good chip may double that. You'll read very high claims like 20-30hp but the dyno's I've seen show momentary spikes and aren't representative of what you will get.
Off course nothing compares to a pulley for biggest gain for the least bucks, specialy the ASP for $350. But if you already have a pulley then the chip is your next best gain.
Renntech and GIAC are testing chips now. Haven't heard either are being sold yet. There's a company in Australia that has a chip out but haven't heard much on that. Also Opera Design advertises a chip (http://www.opera-design.de).
My guess is that most chips on non-turbo cars like ours will get you about 6-8HP across the power band. A really good chip may double that. You'll read very high claims like 20-30hp but the dyno's I've seen show momentary spikes and aren't representative of what you will get.
Off course nothing compares to a pulley for biggest gain for the least bucks, specialy the ASP for $350. But if you already have a pulley then the chip is your next best gain.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 577
Likes: 0
From: Orange Co., CA, USA
'02 C230K Coupe
Thanks for the info. on the fuel computer Buell. I'm planning on getting a pulley upgrade and possibly a chip. I'm also really hoping that a cold-air intake and larger intercooler would help, when they're available.
