Just thought id share recordings of the performance of my car, as opposed to magazine times...

0-100: best 2 runs are 6.0, 6.1 (2 people, 3/4 tank). Quite a bit of a margin for error though, passenger had to really lean to my side to see the speedo because of the way its angled. Can't use the digital speedo as it does not get updated instantaneously. Timing by myself - sheesh thats hard! 2nd gear cuts off well before 100 (about 95) so to shift and then stop, is mucho grande difficult... anyhoo, thats still much better than the best 6.7 or so magazine time...

100-140 in 3rd anywhere between 3.5 and 4.14 no passengers - better than 4.6 magazine time

100-200 16.6 one run - no magazine time to compare to

Just thought id share these little tests, just in case anyone is a little disheartened at the magazine times and the fear of losing to every new ford and holden out there. Still id like the extra 8kw the us specs have over us!

 

Wow that is encouraging!! so mid 5's maybe possible with no passenger, just enough fuel for a few runs, 98 ron fuel Mobil Synergy 8000 is the best fuel (that's accoring to my dyno guy, he's checked them all), remove spare (lighten weight), practise getting a good launch.

david

 

mmmm, that does sound encouraging

although production speedo's are typically quite inaccurate ... ie, its not unusual for a speedo to register 100kph when the actual speed is more like 95kph.

I test drove a 350z on the weekend ... I liked the steering feel, suspension, and overall handling, but gee, the Z felt *slow* compared to my 200sx [chipped etc, 170kw atw]

I *really want* the Z to be my next car ... but I miss the *push* that a truly quick car has

 

0-160 13.89 (I know theres a margin of error, but it should be accurate to within +-0.5)

 

I believe the most cost efficient & effective means of increasing power in a motor vehicle is achieved by fitting a chip......Powerchip a Melbourne based co has just developed a chip for the 350Z. On their web site www.powerchipgroup.com they are quoting these figs: 220kw & 388nm. I have a Powerchip fitted to my BMW and can attest to the performance of their product.......ironed out flatspots, cured surging and eliminated gear hunt..........I'm waiting for the release of the 350Z Roadster and will definitely install this chip to my new Z.

PS. Any coments? Thoughts? Has anyone installed a chip to their new Z? If so would be keen to hear impressions!!!!!

HERBY.

 

I would also be very interested to get more information on the chip upgrade scenario.

My experience with Powerchip has not been good. I upgraded a 200SX and expected an "engineered" approach to the boost upgrade. It ended up very trial and error, with pre-ignition problems and many adjustments. The exhaust also burnt very black which seemed to indicate an over-rich mixture. It probably will be different with a Z as I imagine the upgrade process will be fixed.

Powerchip are quoting 220kw with 98 ron fuel. They do not show any dyno comparisons at this stage. What has not bee established yet, is whether the Z is 213kw as in the US, or whether we have a downgraded version to 206kw. Does anyone really know?

My belief is that the cars in the US and Australia are the same, and that the 206 kw quoted is the "artificial" limit agreed to by Japanese manufacturers. Would they really start with the 213kw US version and then downtune it a stop at exactly 206kw for Australia? I think not.

If that is the case then the Powerchip upgrade is only realizing an extra 7 kw. I believe that this could be obtained anyway simply by having your dealer advance the timing slightly and then run on 98 ron fuel. I seem to remember reading in the main forum somewhere that the timing can be advanced by up to 3 degrees and still be within Nissan specs. This should be a $20 upgrade, rather than a $1300 one, in order to achieve a meaningful performance upgrade.

I hope that a knowledgable Z owner can throw some more light on timing advance issue.

 

malcolm

I believe the power rated by Nissan Aust is 206kw we have lower octane fuel (98 ron is still not widely available), why would they say that if in fact the car is producing 214kw that figure would sell more cars.

herby

I think the Powerchip is a cheap and easy solution but not the best. Does Powerchip dyno tune the car when fitting the chip, the only experence I had was a Unichip solution fitted to my last car and they tuned it on the dyno also did a before and after dyno charts, it gave a 10rwkw gain (HSV R8 M6 VTII).
What does it do they are not very clear, does it lift rev limit to 7000rpm, does the Aussie car have a 250kph limit, if so is it removed. Is the mod a piggyback fit or is something replaced?

Why not go the Motec path, best dam ECU on the planet or wait for the Nismo ECU.

My 2 cents worth.

David

 

I sort of wonder if they're replacing anything at all. The opening paragraph reads:
"Your Nissan 350Z 3.5 contains the latest style ECU that can be re-programmed through the diagnostic information port. This plug is located under the bonnet and is re-programmed via a cable connected to a Powerchip Laptop Computer."

Perhaps they're just changing the mappings?

 

Well if that is the case that's a very expensive tune.

The guy who looked after my HSV's and had fitted the Unchip has purchased a $25000.00 program from the US which allowed him the have full access to the GM ECU thereby voiding the use of chips like Powerchip & Unichip, now I believe the Nissan ECU this also base on OBIII system like the ones fitted to the GenIII Holdens maybe I'll give him a call and check it out.

David

 

Let us know what you find. Could be interesting.

If this is the case and the programming can be altered why would Nismo release an ECU?

 

The Powerchip is definately a re-program of the existing micro-processor by "flashing" the memory. There is no add-on piggy back and the ECU is indistinguishable from standard. The mapping of the original ECU is changed. I believe that the fuel mixture is enriched and the timing is advanced. A pretty expensive upgrade if as I suspect, only a 7kw increase is achieved. When obtaining a Powerchip upgrade, a "Gold" upgrade costs extra, which specifies 98 RON fuel to be used. In this case the timing is obviously advanced slightly more to take advantage of the better fuel.

On the 206kw subject, check out the specs of all high perfromance Japanese cars. They all rate at 206kw. This includes the Honda NSX, the new Japananese spec Subaru WRX which is not available in Australia and the Nissan GTS.

What speed is your car running at, at 2000rpm. I am getting exactly 86km. I seems to remember comments on the main forum indicated 60mph or around 97kms. 86km seems low. Most 6 cyl cars seems to achieve around the 100km mark. Maybe this is a clue to a difference between Aus spec and US spec, if there is such a difference.

 

I'm a bit confused about the actual power myself. I know that over here the 0-100 times are quoted as between lows and high 6s and in the US the numbers are consistently in the mid to high 5's. However, after 100 the power seems a lot more impressive, and when I did a 0-160 run I got similar figures to the US.
I do know of a friend of a friend who used powerchip in his s2000 (I think) and it was supposed to be a piggy-back system, but maybe I'm wrong. 1300 is damn expensive for a remapping.

 

so whats the deal.....Aus Z's rnt as quick as the US Spec cars????

Thats not suprising, given every car we get is detuned for our market.....WRX, 200SX, Integra Type R.

No wonder the Motor/Wheel guys cant get within a second of the US posted times.

This is spose to be Nissan's hero car, what r they doing

 

Hello All, I thought I'd give my 2 cents worth.

The "powerchip" for our car, as has been mentioned before, is just a program. It is not a new chip or piggy back.

Powerchip send you out a program, you put it into your laptop and plug it into your car.


I'll play the devil's advocate.

Has anyone given a thought to a "group buy". That is, all those concerned put money in ,someone actually buys the program and then all "investers" get a copy of it.

I'm sure this is not legal, but.......you get thirteen people, that's a hundred bucks each??

H

 

No it doesn't work that way.

You send your ECU in to Powerchip and they load in the new program with the changed mapping.

The Powerchip upgrade can also be reversed when you sell the car. You send the ECU back to them and they restore the original factory settings.

There is another US company mentioned in the main forum who now offer a similat upgrade. I wouln't be surprised if the mapping change is the same as Powerchip.

Unichip is another ECU performance upgrade that consists of a piggyback extra circuit board. This is programmed in via a lap top and suppossedly set up to match you car and optimized by a dyno tune at the time of the upgrade.

If our ECU mappings have been changed from the US spec to match our poorer quality petrol, there may well be scope for a substantial power increase by a simple ECU upgrade, providing 98 RON fuel is used.

Hopefully this situation will become clearer over the next few months. I would willingly part with $3,000 for an extra 30 kw with a simple ECU re-program and maybe an exhaust and air intake upgrade

 

Malcolm , I would hate to say your wrong (LOL), but....here is a quote from the Powerchip web order page



" Your car contains the latest style ECU that can be re-programmed through the diagnostic information port. We will ship a laptop computer and all necessary cords in to you so you can reprogram your own car. You simply read and follow the comprehensive instructions (including screen shots and photos) to reprogram the standard chip with the Powerchip.
If you already have your own laptop, which has serial and parallel ports, and that you would prefer to use, please indicate below."

H

 

How red is my face! I haven't kept up to date with their web site.
That's progress for you from how they used to do it.

Mmmmm maybe that group buy sounds OK.

 

Even though I haven't even got my car yet I would be more than happy to "put in".

H

 

For a group buy I would not pay more than $500 for the program.

I do not believe it is worth it considering the Apexi Power FC I had in my WRX cost $2000 which a full replacement which uses factory loom and all sensors.

The other thing is if they send you the program and the software what stops you from using it on more than one car ?. If the computer program is limited to one use you could duplicate the HDD before running it. If it requires a validation code which is stored in the ECU than that is a different issue.

I have a laptop and willing to part with $500 any takers ?

 

The problem as I see it will be that the software upload program will see the ECU serial number, you will then be required to ring Powerchip to get an unlock code base on an algorithm derived from the serial number in order to continue with the upload. I can't imagine them making it to easy to copy and just up load.

David