Chip for 4Runner
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SkylineGTRracer
New member
Don't bother looking at it. It does nothing of the sort. Look at a URD maf cal or a Mapecu 2 or 3 and call it a day.
Jeff4runner
New member
Some chips are able to give you added horsepower, but they are actually at the expense of fuel mileage. This is because they just program the ECU to meter in more fuel and increase the richness in some cases. Also, if its "cheap" then it may just be a scam. They could be chinese knock-offs that only work in some ford/dodge/chevy (sorry domestic lovers, just pointing the most common chipped cars).
The only way you can get true power and increased mileage is to maintain the engine very well, clean sensors when needed, drop in a CAI, new headers and exhaust system, and possibly an intercooler. No chip can really do what hard work and refined steel can.
The only way you can get true power and increased mileage is to maintain the engine very well, clean sensors when needed, drop in a CAI, new headers and exhaust system, and possibly an intercooler. No chip can really do what hard work and refined steel can.
krupnation
New member
60 hp gain on a NA engine? Sounds pretty crazy to me. I've heard of some turbo engines gaining up to 50hp from chip alone but I'd highly doubt you could get that from a naturally aspirated engine.
RonMAIDEN
Super Moderator
can't make that kind of horsepower without adding alot of air and alot of fuel and can't do it without a turbo or SC;on a turbo car the chip just delay the boost signal to the computer to keep the wastegate closed for a little longer to make more boost and adds a bit more fuel.
Yeah, I only caught a glimpse before it disappeared. I may have also read it wrong. Prolly wishful thinking... 
Couldn't help but remember what a chip did for some of my buddies' domestic trucks.
What kills me is that I had put a cat back Magnaflo or Flomaster exhaust (can't remember off hand), along with a CAI on my 96 4Runner and I think I got more noise than anything. It seemed to have lost some torque at the bottom as well. I wonder if I should have gone down to a 2.5 " pipe instead of leaving the factory 3". It definitely didn't improve gas mileage....
If I can get beyond my wife hating the noise, I imagine it would be a great addition to an 8cyl in comparison. Am I right about that?. I would just like to think that it would pay off in more ways than just more throat and attitude....
Sooo, in closing, no chip then guys right....?
Couldn't help but remember what a chip did for some of my buddies' domestic trucks. What kills me is that I had put a cat back Magnaflo or Flomaster exhaust (can't remember off hand), along with a CAI on my 96 4Runner and I think I got more noise than anything. It seemed to have lost some torque at the bottom as well. I wonder if I should have gone down to a 2.5 " pipe instead of leaving the factory 3". It definitely didn't improve gas mileage....
If I can get beyond my wife hating the noise, I imagine it would be a great addition to an 8cyl in comparison. Am I right about that?. I would just like to think that it would pay off in more ways than just more throat and attitude....
Sooo, in closing, no chip then guys right....?
Whitebeauty
New member
What he said.....
SkylineGTRracer
New member
One thing you'll have to consider is Toyota's open and closed loop modes, domestics do not have this. Both V8 and V6 4runners have this. Basically any chip, tuner, whatever you want to call it goes by what the sensors send to the ecu. If a chip or tuner cannot monitor any vital engine functions in open loop modes it is next to useless, even more so with the pursuit of more power. URD maf cal reads info from the MAF sensor and changes your fuel trims to gain more power. Mapecu 2 and 3 does this but also includes timing control. The APR X1 acts as a full standalone and has a safeguard called engine guardian, similar to the duramax's limp mode. At best those ebay chip things just change you MAF sensor thinking it's cold outside and jams more fuel in though the injectors. Other than that it would make a ugly paper weight.
Man...have I got a lot to read! Whole new learning curve. You guys are well over my head, but I get the drift. Sounds like whichever one ends up being the right one for me, it's also going to require an upgrade in exhaust and intake to truly realize the full benefit of using either one...
URD MAF Sensor Calibrator...199.00..not tooo bad...but haven't read nearly enuf to begin to know which is what.
Here's the one I mentioned earlier that I saw in the banner ad...(just FYI) GFChips High Performance Chips Factory Direct
What is consensus here on brand/model for CAI and exhaust, for the 4.7? Unfortunately, Budget counts...!
I shall also revisit the exhaust thread on this and search for more.
URD MAF Sensor Calibrator...199.00..not tooo bad...but haven't read nearly enuf to begin to know which is what.
Here's the one I mentioned earlier that I saw in the banner ad...(just FYI) GFChips High Performance Chips Factory Direct
What is consensus here on brand/model for CAI and exhaust, for the 4.7? Unfortunately, Budget counts...!
I shall also revisit the exhaust thread on this and search for more.
Whitebeauty
New member
Man...have I got a lot to read! Whole new learning curve. You guys are well over my head, but I get the drift. Sounds like whichever one ends up being the right one for me, it's also going to require an upgrade in exhaust and intake to truly realize the full benefit of using either one...
URD MAF Sensor Calibrator...199.00..not tooo bad...but haven't read nearly enuf to begin to know which is what.
Here's the one I mentioned earlier that I saw in the banner ad...(just FYI) GFChips High Performance Chips Factory Direct
What is consensus here on brand/model for CAI and exhaust, for the 4.7? Unfortunately, Budget counts...!
I shall also revisit the exhaust thread on this and search for more.
If I'm not mistaken the more popular one for toyotas for good power gains is he AFE. For the most part URD is going to be your one stop shop. Nice to see another intrested in making power the right way.
On a N/A gas engine these chips are pretty much USELESS. Turbos? Diesels? Supercharged? sure... but on a N/A engine if "a little extra power" was "easily attainable" dontcha think the OE engineers would have put it in there to begin with?
If they dialed back the output in order to increase efficiency or reliability do you really want to give up either of those for a "little extra power"?
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Agreed. I had actually written something similar to this, but decided against it. Everyone likes to dream of easy solutions.
Modern engines have really smart ECU's that are constantly changing the operation of the engine to maximize performance with the current environment. Gas, air.. ect.
The 4Runners come out of the factory fairly rich, so its safe to lean 'em out a little for some extra power. You just can't go too far or your exhaust gasses will get too hot and you'll cook the converters or even worse, the motor....
I found a programmer with which you can lean the motor out a bit which will improve power somewhat, but I'll agree with ur7x in that even an extra 15 hp (which is what they claim you can pull out of a N/A motor), is barely enough to feel with the "but dyno". 199 bux + tune time on your lap top...
I can possibly send the link from home tonight if you want...
I found a programmer with which you can lean the motor out a bit which will improve power somewhat, but I'll agree with ur7x in that even an extra 15 hp (which is what they claim you can pull out of a N/A motor), is barely enough to feel with the "but dyno". 199 bux + tune time on your lap top...
I can possibly send the link from home tonight if you want...
SkylineGTRracer
New member
sounds like your talking about the URD maf cal. it's a nice unit for the price.
Yup, that's the one. A buck 99 really aint bad for a unit like that. The prevailing problem is my lack of tuning savvy....and...that I'm bone stock other than a nice tint...
To me it would seem that the TRD system designed specifically for Toyota would be the "best" bet for a Toyota. R & D already done with proven success. Just cant afford a super charger to go with the recommended Borla....:nono:
I'm a performance junkie. I've got 2 race quads that have been modded to the sky with performance improvements both in motor and suspension, and... about everything else. So my first natural inclination after recently buying my nice new 03 LTD 4Runner was to get on the net and figure out how I was gonna ensure total bankruptcy by feeding the same sickness with my transportation vehicle. When I looked back and did the math on what each extra HP actually cost me...:wow2:......
Right now its stock, quiet, efficient, and reliable. Well....I think "efficient" might be a stretch, but it does make me think a little longer and harder about the equation I'll be looking at again, when I'm done.
Is it worth alllll the $$$ that it'll take to truly impress me.....?
To me it would seem that the TRD system designed specifically for Toyota would be the "best" bet for a Toyota. R & D already done with proven success. Just cant afford a super charger to go with the recommended Borla....:nono:
I'm a performance junkie. I've got 2 race quads that have been modded to the sky with performance improvements both in motor and suspension, and... about everything else. So my first natural inclination after recently buying my nice new 03 LTD 4Runner was to get on the net and figure out how I was gonna ensure total bankruptcy by feeding the same sickness with my transportation vehicle. When I looked back and did the math on what each extra HP actually cost me...:wow2:......
Right now its stock, quiet, efficient, and reliable. Well....I think "efficient" might be a stretch, but it does make me think a little longer and harder about the equation I'll be looking at again, when I'm done. Is it worth alllll the $$$ that it'll take to truly impress me.....?
Chips for ANY car are not actually reprogramming the ECU. The ECU's program reads all the different sensors and then based on all these different inputs it looks up a chart it has stored in memory what to set it's gas and air mixture at....
When you replace the chip..all it's doing is replacing that look-up chart the ECU reads. The program is EXACTLY the same...just that now the chart it telling it more (or less) gas in certain situations. It's pretty simple really.
At BEST you'll see modest gains in HP (maybe up to 5hp).
When you replace the chip..all it's doing is replacing that look-up chart the ECU reads. The program is EXACTLY the same...just that now the chart it telling it more (or less) gas in certain situations. It's pretty simple really.
At BEST you'll see modest gains in HP (maybe up to 5hp).
Yup.... I figure the Programmer, an exhaust, and a CAI, could provide at least some reasonable amount of noticeable extra power, it might be worth it. Any one of them alone is virtually worthless as you suggested in your comment on the whole possible 5 hp gain.
That's why If I was going to concede to spend the money it takes to truly improve performance to the degree that makes it worth it, and not just sound good, I'd just plain go with the SC...
That's why If I was going to concede to spend the money it takes to truly improve performance to the degree that makes it worth it, and not just sound good, I'd just plain go with the SC...
