volo performance chip?

[9074runner]

Ok i know ther are alot of scams on ebay about performance chips that are really just 10 cent resistors. But when i was on ebay today i saw a performance chip that i had never seen before. Here is the site of the volo performance chip........ www.VoloPerformance.com ......... It claims an increase of FE.


I know that this is most likly a gimic but if this chip does what they say it should work IMO.

I found a forum on another website on this subjuct and someone asked the manufacturer come questions and here they are.

Here are the questions he asked and the answers received:

Questions:

1 - do you change the air-fuel ratio?
2 - do you change timing?
3 - do you change boost?
4 - will this be noticeable at part throttle, wide open, or both?
5 - I currently monitor my car's parameters by having an OBD scan gauge hooked up to the OBD port. Will I now see the revised figures on my scan gauge's display?


Answers:

1. Yes, the air/fuel ratio is agressively tuned.
2. Yes, if conditions warrant.
3. For safety reasons, no. However we do offer a Volo EBC on our website.
4. For this vehicle, and keep in mind I'm just glancing at the dyno I'm not driving one right now, gains are going to be most noticible at WOT, but still there at part throttle.
5. Depends on the gauge. I'm not the expert on this one. As far as I know, as long as the gauge doesn't interfere with the injection signals, it will be fine. However, the chip itself has been designed to be undetectable.

All good answers IMO.

Tell me what yall think.

[brick]

The answers sound reasonable, but I'm not convinced that the product would do much for a FE driver. If the engine is in proper tune, the A/F ratio and ignition timing should not need to be changed. The exception would be if you wish to run something like E85 that the ECU is unable to handle without reprogramming. You can't really do something like lean-burn without extra hardware like a wideband o2 sensor, and that's one of the few things an FE driver would want. Emissions would be a big problem, though.

I am familiar with other performance "chips" that have been offered to the Volvo community over the years. The most effective implementations are specifically for turbocharged cars, and involve swapping out the entire ECU for an upgraded one. They generate horsepower by cranking up the boost and providing the correct maps to keep the engine from destroying itself. Maybe it's possible to do something similar, but with boost, fuel, and ignition geared specifically for FE. There are tricks you can play with forced induction that might help depending on how they are programmed from the factory.

[9074runner]

Yea im not totally convinced either, thats why im askin yall lol. I went to ther website and if you go and watch some of there videos you can see the hardware inside and its deffinatly not just some resistor. Im slightly considering getting one of these and seeing if it has an effect. I have a scangauge so i would be able to tell how it effects FE and posible HP. Idk im gona research it someore.

[9074runner]

Anyone else want to say anything lol. Id Really like to figure out if this thing works or not.

[brick]

Finally looked at the site.

The Volo Chip's on-board history will be checked to verify correct installation.
Removing the chip from its socket, improper installation, or installing on a vehicle other than the one it was designed for will be flagged in the Volo Chip's on-board history and will void the warranty.

They sure give themselves broad license to void your 60 day warranty. They can basically say "It says you installed it wrong so go pound sand." Reputable vendors provide a guarantee without all the weasel language.

Other than that, who knows. I just spent some time surfing for anybody with knowledge and the most recent posts are other people hypothesizing (like us) and generally within the last couple of weeks. Guess somebody somewhere will have to get one and see.

Not it...

[9074runner]

Yea, I might just get one and see if they work. It looks like they do alot of ther buisness on ebay so if i buy through ebay and its crap then I can always file a complaint through ebay and try to get my money that way.

[9074runner]

Ok well ive decided to fork over the 60 bucks and test this so called "chip" out. I'll keep everyone posted on how it works. When I install it il first look for FE changes and i might just check the hp to. Ok crossing my fings hoping it works.......but doubtful.

[beatr911]

Looks like a good idea for a NON-scangauge user. It uses the OBDII port for its operation so your SG won't work in conjunction with it.

I definitely believe that optimizing tuning for efficiency could yield 18% in some cases, for sure 10% in all OBDII vehicles. Leaning the mixture with an EFIE yields just about 5% and with additional ignition timing and a slightly leaner open loop 10% is realistic. Effect on emissions depends on the current state of tune (or out of tune) of the vehicle though.

If this actually does something like what it says, this would be the hot set up for helping grandma, or always-too-late-to-hypermile family members get a little boost in FE.

[9074runner]

Yea im not sure if my scanegauge will work with this. I guess ill see, hopefully it will still work and i can track FE right after install. On there website i believe they say that this chip will not interfere with a divice being used through the OBDII port so hopefully there telling the truth.

[9074runner]

Ok ive ordered it and well see how it goes. Im currently tearing out the carpet in my 4runner so hopefully ill be done putting in the truck liner by the time the so called chip comes in.