You hear guys talking about "chipping" their cars for more power all the time. What you can't be sure of is how much of their bluster is BS and how much is for real.
To clear things up a little, our resident turbo expert Engineering Editor Jay Kavanagh put our recently-reflashed long-term 135i on a dyno to get some hard numbers.
And his conclusion? Turbocharged cars are fun to play with if you know what you're doing. How does an extra 55-horsepower sound? Click the link to see the full breakdown complete with dyno sheets.
2008 BMW 135i: Full-on Dyno Comparison Test Geek-out
kurtamaxxxguy says:
01:02 PM, 06/22/09
Two questions:
Does this rechipped BMW now burn more fuel (does MPG decrease during "normal" driving)?
And does BMW void engine warranties when the ECU's are reprogrammed / rechipped?
If folks want more power by way of rechipping, fine and dandy - it's their ride. But it would be to know the other consequences aside from more power.
estreka says:
02:14 PM, 06/22/09
This begs the question: can you purchase the 128i and outpower the stock 135i with minimal investment?
3ricchu says:
03:55 PM, 06/22/09
@estreka
I doubt it. The 128i's N52B30 is naturally aspirated as opposed to the 135i's twin turbocharged N54B30.
I'm sure the potential of tuning a car to unlock more horsepower is greater with a forced induction engine. Manufacturers obviously leave a significant margin of safety in their tuning for reliability and warranty purposes.
cwc1 says:
04:34 PM, 06/22/09
^In which case, I wonder how much long term durability is compromised when a car is chipped - not just the motor but the other drive train components as well.