MikeyE430

Just purchased PowerChip for my E430. They overnight you a FedEx padded courier bag and prepaid label. You overnight them your ECU box. They change out the chip and overnight it back.

Just got the car back. We dropped the ECU box in, reconnected everything, and BOOM! she fired right up. I supposedly now have 299 hp and 317 ft. lbs. torque.

Only drove the 5 miles home in light traffic, so cannot provide full report at this time. However, at first blush, it appears to pull much stronger and smoother in the mid-range. They say it takes 100 miles for car to "recalibrate" and "learn" new chip programming. I will post a complete evaluation after I drive it a while.

VROOOOOOOOM!

BlownV8

Did you dyno your car before you installed the PowerChip? If not, you should never buy performance products that you don't dyno. You may get less power than you had before.

MikeyE430

Nope, didn't dyno before. Have to rely on PowerChip's dyno numbers. Also checked out their testimonials before I purchased. Definitely don't have LESS power......it for sure runs and sounds stronger. Just how much, don't know yet.

ND103

I'd be curious to hear about your impression after driving for a while (and hopefully after a dyno run). They seem to claim gains as if our cars were not normally aspirated.

I too have both an E430 and a 944 Turbo, and would be very impressed if they can produce such gains (although it's nothing like the gain as a result of chipping and shimming a 951!). Definitely keep us posted!

Thanks,
Antony

BlownV8

The assodyno doesn't work very well and is not usually very accurate. Of course they are going to claim it makes more power but never take a tuners word for their power claims. Always dyno before and after when doing any performance modification. Performance chips for naturally aspirated engines make more power by increasing the timing, increasing fuel, increasing the rpm limit or all of the above.

Antony, the 944 turbo is a different beast all together. You can get the first 100 hp fairly easily and cheaply but after that it becomes very expensive. The 944 turbo also runs like a raped ape and the E430's do not. It would take a $10,000 supercharger system for the E430 to run like a 944 turbo with an extra $2,500 dumped in to it and even then the E430 would only run with it in a straight line to around 120 mph.

MikeyE430

Yes, you are right, chips made my 944 Turbo run like a "raped ape." For sure. Much easier to get HP gains with that car.

PowerChip does it by changing the timing and fuel programming. With my chip you have to run 93 octane fuel or better, which I did any way.

stemags

Hey Mike,,,any new impressions on the chip..Im thinking of doing a powerchip upgrade myself.What was the cost if you can tell me?

MikeyE430

Hey everyone, Performance Products has a 15% discount sale going on right now which makes their PowerChip $714. Retail is $840. Check their Web site. Sale is over September 15!

MikeyE430

Just got back from a 600 mile round trip to Road Atlanta. AMA SuperBike races were AWESOME!

Driving included about 400 miles Interstate and 200 miles mountain backroads. Car got 26 miles per gallon. I get a steady 20 mpg in city driving. I figure, from previous calculations, the chip gave me maybe 1-2 mpg improvement.

stemags

Those mpg numbers are similar to what Im getting with the same chip installed.Unlike you,I had to send the first chip back to them,due to rough shifting in 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd.Also I had a cruise control problem.When they heard from me on these issues,they knew what adjustments to make,and those problems are gone.The second chip is real strong,start-up acceleration is much quicker,hi way accel. is quicker,the car roars now.
That price you quoted isnt evident on Powerchip's web,must be only thru Performanceprods.

MikeyE430

Hey Steve...glad you are enjoying your chip. Yes, the 15% sale is on all Mercedes parts at Performance Products. When you select the product and put it in your cart, the discount appears.

The reason I think my mileage has increased a bit is the best I have ever gotten from all interstate driving was 26. This last time was mountain 2-lanes through small towns and interstate combined and I got 26 (using AC). Not bad for a 3700 pound V-8 car.

E55 KEV

stemags, where you get the chrome trunk piece? How much?

stemags

Sorry Kev,,was away for a while...I got the chrome trunk thing from formymercedes.com,I think it was about 60$ or so,,but it cmae from Schatz.

my E430 rocket

did the chip raise the rev and speed limiter?

MikeyE430

PowerChip does not touch transmission, rev limiter, or speed limiter. Only fuel delivery and timing.

007

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...720363378&rd=1


waht do u think about this....?

MikeyE430

I would probably stay away from it (whatever IT is!) Kind of a strange auction.

Dema

It's for 3 liter engine though

stemags

Guys,,,I spoke to the PChip guys several times,and I was told the speed limiter was changed,no more 155 limit.

And an update for you skeptics,,,I did a 130 mile trip yesterday,mostly hiway,trip computer said I averaged 50 mph, and I got 30.1 MPG!! Whoa baby,,that made me rub my eyes. . I had several clips of 70 + but mostly stayed at 64 mph,it was cool out,so no A/C,and I was alone in the car.That aint bad.

Whitey

1. Grandpa

2. OK, so what was her name?

stemags

Hey Dave,,,you're back?The traffic was moderate,so I was just cruising,cause I was going and coming from a wake,and then to work,no sense rushing to work.

E55 KEV

OK, so did you do 156mph to test it out and confirm?

MikeyE430

KEV:

stemags

Im ascared However,If I had access to a track,I would give it a go,cause this car is ready.

my E430 rocket

where in ny are u