Chip Tuning

What is a vehicle chip?

The computer chip in a vehicle holds a lookup table with data informing how the engine responds under various conditions.

This data is standardised and set by the car manufacturer so that the settings can work equally effectively in different climates, and with different driving restrictions and different types of fuel across the countries it exports to.

For example, if you drive fast, the computer will detect this and request data from the chip. The chip will refer to the lookup table and inform the computer how much petrol to send to the engine, how and when to shift your car into a lower gear (if an automatic), how to adjust the timing and how much turbo boost to provide (if equipped with a turbo charger).

Professional chipping by Top Tuning involves putting in a performance chip to modify the lookup table and improve fuel economy, emissions and other variables that may be limiting vehicle performance.

Chip Tuning: what is it and what does it do?

Chip Tuning (also known as ‘Bench Tuning’) is a safe and easy way to adjust the data in a vehicle’s memory control unit (or Chip) to improve performance.

Cars today are equipped with an ECU (‘Engine Control Unit’) that monitors data from various sensors and ensures your engine is running at its optimal performance.

Elements such as the engine’s fuelling, ignition timing, boost, torque values, anti-lock braking system, the automatic transmission, speed governor (if equipped), and the Electronic Stability Control system are calibrated within the ECU code. How they’re calibrated depends on the quality of the fuel, the altitude and how your car, van, motorhome, truck or tractor is used.

Professional Chip Tuning: what are the advantages?

Petrol and diesel engines can both be tuned, though Chip Tuning is usually most effective with turbocharged or supercharged engines.

This is because much higher gains in power are realised by raising the turbocharger or supercharger boost pressure, and combining this with the correct ignition timing and fuelling adjustments.

Non-turbo engines can only see a noticeable power boost if the manufacturer offers the same engine in a significantly detuned state by ECU software alone.

A poorly tuned engine control unit can result in decreased performance, driveability, and may even cause engine damage, which is why it is so important to use an expert. With a cost-effective Chip Tuning by Top Tuning, you can look forward to:

A more responsive engine, Fewer gear changes when driving in town, Smoother power delivery, Smoother power delivery, Better acceleration and safer overtaking