Dastek UNICHIP Frequently Asked Questions:
Index
I hear PiggyBack technology is old. Why PiggyBack then?
Doesn’t an ECU reflash product do the same thing?
You guys are too expensive.
Doesn’t the factory computer work around a piggyback system?
Is the Unichip only good for “major” modifications?
Will the Unichip affect my fuel economy?
Will the Unichip affect the life of my car?
How long does the Unichip installation take?
Does the Unichip void my warranty?
I hear PiggyBack technology is old. Why PiggyBack then?
PiggyBack technology is proven technology, perfected by Unichip. The Unichip PiggyBack system is designed to build on the existing engine computer, and all the time and money put into it by the manufacturer. The Unichip refines the factory programming by utilizing power left out intentionally by the manufacturer, adding additional tuning points along the RPM curve for smoother performance, and re-tuning for optional aftermarket performance components and the power they can create with the Unichip.
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Doesn’t an ECU reflash product do the same thing?
Not in this universe. Here is a breakdown of what a reflash does:
A reflash is limited by the hardware of the factory computer.
A reflash can only take advantage of what the hardware can do.
A reflash can be detected by a dealer, and if detected will void your warranty.
A reflash can be erased by your dealer.
Most reflash products can not be custom tuned
A reflash does not add the additional 92,000 tuning points to the maps that the Unichip does.
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You guys are too expensive. I’ll go make my own engine computer or go buy brand B and tune the engine how I want.
Go ahead. You will damage (AKA, blow up, grenade, toast, destroy, blow to smithereens) your engine. We use laboratory methods to tune our applications on a Class A dynamometer, road tested for an average for 500 miles or more in various environmental conditions, then perfected back on the dyno. We then publish all of our dyno results on our website.
Some things to remember about the Unichip:
Every application is pain-stakingly made, crafted, then honed to perfection.
Every application we make purrs like a kitten and growls like a tiger.
Every application is also made Plug n’ Play compatible, so you will never need to hack anything apart and soldier or destroy your perfectly good factory wiring. Just in case you want to sell your car in one piece. You know, we look out for you. We’re cool like that.
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Doesn’t the factory computer work around a piggyback system?
Not with the advanced design of the Unichip. Proper programming ensures correct open and closed loop operation. Every harness we make is designed for that unique application. Road tested, and power improved.
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Is the Unichip only good for “major” modifications? I.E., turbos, superchargers, or Frankenstein-type setups.
The Unichip will work for any application that has a Plug N’ Play Harness for it. If its stock, the Unichip will add power. If you have other components such as a cold air intake or performance exhaust, you will get even more power from the Unichip. If you have uncommon components installed, you will get even more power from the Unichip. Contact an Authorized Unichip Tuner for a quote on custom-tuning your engine for uncommon modifications. You will get uncommonly great power results from it.
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Will the Unichip affect my fuel economy?
We tune the Unichip to delivery maximum performance when you want it, and maximum economy when you want that instead. For example, mash the gas pedal and you get lots of juice. Don’t mash the pedal, and you save some gas. Pretty simple eh?
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Will the Unichip affect the life of my car?
Adding a Unichip has no effect on vehicle life. On highly modified vehicles, the Unichip may actually improve engine longevity by ensuring the correct air/fuel ratio exists in the engine after the modifications have been made. On those same sort of highly modified vehicles, the added power made possible by those modifications may cause problems elsewhere in the vehicle (drive shaft, transmission, connecting rods, etc…) and vehicle owners are responsible for ensuring all components are able to handle the added power.
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How long does the Unichip installation take?
Installation can be under 15 minutes for the Plug n’ Play Unichip, depending on the location of your vehicle’s factory computer. The factory computer is usually located under the dash, rear seats, or in the engine compartment. Once you find your ECU, installing the Unichip is as easy as disconnecting and reconnecting the clips on the OEM ECU.
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Does the Unichip void my warranty?
Conditions that void or may void a vehicle’s warranty are specified in a law called the Moss-Magnusson Act which stipulates dealers cannot void warranties because vehicles have aftermarket parts. If the dealer can prove a particular aftermarket the part caused a particular failure, they can disallow the claim for that issue only. For example, if your engine fails, the dealer can’t refuse to fix it because the car has aftermarket wheels. However, if the ECU has been modified they may have a case and may deny the claim.
All ECU modifications can void a manufacturer’s warrantee if the modification caused a failure, regardless of what aftermarket ECU manufacturers may claim. If the dealer finds it in the car, and the warranty claim is engine related, the dealer may have a case and may attempt to not honor the claim under warranty. The dealer still has to prove the modification caused the failure.