Re: Performance Chips

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxx>]

The PRV's in our DeLoreans come from the odd state of automobile
technology in the late 1970's/early 1980's -- what are basically
1960's designs, tweaked with "bolt-on" modifications to satisfy
changing market and regulatory conditions rather than fundamentally
re-engineering the product. Those changes didn't occur until the late
1980's/early 1990's -- lead by advances in microprocessing.
Performance chips of course belong to the later breed.

Simply compare your PRV to contemporary engines to see the difference
(note that some items on your PRV are the same technology used in the
1950's!):
- Mechanically rotating ignition distributor vs solid state coil pack
- Vacuum and centrifugal spark advance (laws of physics) vs
electrically controlled spark advance
- Manually set ignition time (rotating body of the distributor itself)
vs computer calculated ignition time
- All cylinders are live all the time vs ability to shut down cylinders
- Air entering the engine directly controls fuel metering vs being
merely being a sensed variable in computerized metering calculation
- Injectors open "mechanically" (pressure of fuel) vs responding to an
electrical signal

I've never owned a computer controlled vehicle so I can't personally
attest to performance chips. Some people I've spoken to swear by them.

But I can tell you this: what looks like a major change in performance
on paper sometimes translates into only a minor change in actual
performance. For example, I have 1 Lincoln re-powered with a factory
original 1969 engine (except for breakerless ignition upgrade), and 4
Lincolns with factory original 1977-1978 engines. The 1969 engine has
dramatically higher HP numbers (365 vs 200ish), though some of that
difference is related to the change from gross to net HP calculation.
But it's actual performance on the road is at best 10% above the
"dumbed-down" models. It *IS* faster. But certainly not so much so to
make me replace engines in the other cars.

Bill Robertson
#5939

>--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "grandprix9598" <grandprix9598@xxxx>
wrote:
> Hey all,
> 
> I know this isn't directly related to a DeLorean, but I keep seeing 
> performance chips on sale for cars. Do they really work, or add any 
> performance that is noticeable?
> Thanks
> 
> Dave L.
> Overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom