So you’ve been researching and reading up on ways to get more out of your vehicle, and in an age of ever increasing computer control, this is becoming more and more common of an option. Manufacturers put limitations on the vehicles for reliability, emissions, and future proofing reasons, but, what would it truly be like to push these boundaries? So that you can truly push it to the max or get the kind of fuel efficiency or response from it that you would really like to have? Well let’s take a look at what is available and what it can do for you. There are performance chips, performance programmers, engine management systems, and throttle controllers. It can seem overwhelming to know where to begin. Check out our
Performance Programmer Buying Guide.
The first place to start is to determine what you want out of your vehicle. Maybe you are trying to improve fuel efficiency.. Maybe your towing capabilities are just lacking the extra oomph you seek. Or perhaps you just want to have a little fun and want to enjoy the extra little kick in the pants a tuner can provide. Of course, turbocharged applications see the biggest benefits, but depending on what mods you have, others can see pretty solid gains as well.
A performance programmer (tuner) is a solid option when you want the greatest versatility from your performance upgrade. As well as the ability for your ECU to take other modifications you’ve made into account, such as an intake or exhaust (or both!). Depending on your vehicle, they can alter numerous factory limits. Many options also include displays that allows you to monitor your engine in real time, check diagnostic codes, and track performance statistics.
A performance chip can be installed in-line with your vehicle’s computers to improve power, efficiency, and performance. The benefit is they can provide similar advantages to a performance programmer, the difference being an inline chip is removable, and oftentimes untraceable once uninstalled. However, performance chips for trucks are much simpler to install and a great place to start if you are just starting out.
If you’re looking for a little quicker throttle response, or the ability to lessen it for easy fuel economy gains, a throttle controller can be a solid solution for giving your car a built in, controllable “sport mode” that it didn’t get from the factory. These can also tune the throttle response down for economy or bad weather/poor traction settings.
When you talk or think about performance chips for trucks and choosing the one that will boost your horsepower and torque and that will allow you to enjoy greater fuel efficiency, there are a lot of factors to consider. There is no one-size fits all when it comes to modifying performance. If you are still wondering what performance upgrade is best for your car or truck is, contact us via phone or by chat. Our experts are here to answer any of your questions. We want to make sure that when you choose a performance chip or performance programmer, you will know that you have chosen the best one for the job.