Where to get the best deal on a chip for an 85 vette?

[nelson84]

Where can I get a chip for my 85 corvette cheap?
I'm on a budget, and I am looking for performance parts, can't aford to put a new engine in or even a new cam. Just trying to squeeze as much power out of this vette without spending alot.

Other mods already done:

K&N $23
Test pipe(replaces catilytic convertor) $54

 

[Edmond]

I think your best bet would be to comb the classified ads in the various Corvette websites and to check eBay.

New, I think the mass burned chips such as Hypertech still run around $150 or so.

 

[Sunstroked]

I went with a hypertech chip, bought it from summit racing online. Cheaper than other corvette specialty places. I contemplated bidding on the same p/n chip on ebay. But it was a consignment shop not the actual owner of the car who was selling it. The bid closed at $25. But Im skeptical when its concerning electronics. You cant tell by lookin at them if they are faulty. It could have been a great deal, I paid around $180.

 

[vetteboy86]

I am slowly learning that the best way to go is to burn your own chips. There are a bunch of free software that will allow you to monitor the computer, and what it is doing. You will then need to buy a cable to attach to the OBDI diagnostics port.

The hypertech programming maybe an improvement over a stock application but you have to look at what exactly that is doing. Does it just change the coolant fan temps?? Or does it actually change fuel and spark curves.

You probably will pay about the same for all "generic" chips for your car. If you really want to have some fun you can do your own! This does take time and some research. It can be dangerous if you change too much to quickly without fully understanding the changes you made.

For 85 bucks you can buy the chip programmer and searching ebay you can find cheap flash chips that can be programmed easily not like the originally PROM which require a UV light to erase.

Chip programmer
http://www.moates.net/index.php?cPath=51

 

[Sunstroked]

Very interesting. I'll be picking up a laptop from my daughter tommorrow. It may come in handy for future engine mods I plan on making. But what I noticed immediately after installing the thermomaster chip was an increase in power at full throttle. I went with hypertech because its been around awhile and if they didnt perform I'll bet they would be gone. They may take a safer route in programming, and that may not be all bad. Its been a yr since I installed it, no problems at all, and with the daytime temps hitting 115 here in phx. the fan coming on earlier is a must.

 

[WNH]

What exactly is the chip going to do.
Does it start the fans on at a different temp??
Does it bump up the timing???

 

[Edmond]

The chip can lower the temperature that the fan comes on at.

It can also fool the computer into believing when it's at WOT.

It's just little stuff like that.