If any of you out there could provide me with some insight on this matter, I would be grateful. I have heard from a few sources that our EVO 8 has been detuned with a factory chip that allows the engine to make 271hp. Furthermore, there is a tuner that has been tuning the Euro version Evo's to bring it close to 330hp by simply replacing this chip. Supposedly, he will be offering a similar chip for the U.S. version he shortly as well. Has anybody heard anything about this? Any help would be great ... thanks.

 

Yes, we've heard all the same rumors.

No, we don't know anymore than you do. It's as simple as that. I'll say it before someone else does...search is your friend.

 

Thanks for info ... and I apologize for asking a redundant question, but I have to find out if there is perhaps someone who has more information on this. Are you positive you can speak for everyone on this matter? ... because you seem pretty confident.
Supposedly, this tuner is still over in the UK right now from what I've heard ... but there has to be other options. I presume it will take a while to find out what the best (if any) options are, but hopefully sooner than later -- I'm ready to tune!

 

Will an older chip say for a evo 6 or evo 7 work in the evo 8?

 

Not really sure ... maybe if it was reburned? Why? Do you have access to one?

 

I have no idea if it would work considering I only pretend to know something about cars. I would guess that the answer would be no though due to any slight differences in setup as well as the differences between US spec and JDM spec. That's simply a guess though.

 

You are right about what has been done in the past with EVO's over sea's. The first step of any one who buys an EVO is to take it to a tuner and replace the whole computer and tuned chip.

I do not know much about the process but I have been to a couple of places that do this in Poland. I have also spent a lot of time in an EVO that was stock except for the computer and tuned chip and they are not lying when they say you can expect 300BHP+.

The only problem is that you are not going to pass emissions testing. To solve this I have seen a switch placed in the car that is used to switch between 3 different settings. Race, regular and test. This allows you to change what the computer is doing before you go in and get tested so that you pass.

Doing this isn't cheep (3-5K) but it makes a world of difference. Also you can through your warranty out the window.

I know there is a guy in NYC that has experience doing this with older EVO's and runs a tuning shop, and is friends with a guy who runs a tuning shop just outside of Warsaw. I think they use to Rally together.

If you are this guy PM me. I have a new toy :-). I am trying to find his information and I will post anything I find out.


Blitzcode

 

Ok.. Here's what I've found so far with my evo.. It has an off idle stumble, pretty typical of a turbo car, its a bit lean at low end, and a bit rich at the top.. Power falls off at over 5000 RPM, it feels really soggy at high RPM, I'm figuring I can play with a BOV to eliminate some of the boost bleedoff at higher RPM, and a downpipe to reduce backpressure (not to mention a cat back 3" exhaust) BTW.. the Catalytic converter is nice.. no need to change that unless you upgrade the turbo (which isn't an option yet) Has anyone had any real success with a piggyback? and/or figured out how to wire it? I'd really like to get a little deeper into mapping the higher RPM fuel and timing..

 

If the piggy back thingies for the EVO are anything like the ones for the WRX (such as the Unichip or other signal conditioners), I would run away from them as from a very angry rothweiler
The WRX ECU will try to correct anything it sees as variation from it's mapping and you'll have nothing but headaches.......... The high end sogginess can probably be cured with an freer exhaust. I'm looking into the Ralliart stuff, typically a bit pricier than other stuff but certainly they cannot deny the warranty if needed........

 

Ugh.. that sucks, anyone have access to the tuning tools to create flashes for the stock computer?

Obviously I've been preaching the bolt-ons first, so I'll probably do the same, high flow intake, pipe kit, Recirc BOV (the quieter the better), Downpipe, Cat-back exhaust (again the quieter the better), of course a hidden EGT and Boost gage, thinking about the digital setup and hiding it in my ash-tray opening.

Anyway, that should free up the most of the inherant restrictions and wake the car up a little. I honestly think that you probably can get very deep into the 13's if not high 12's with just that. Possible mid 12's if you can prevent the boost from falling off over 5000rpm (oh, I used a PC data collection tool off the OBD-II port to see what exactly it was doing, not enough resolution to see the entire picture, but enough to see injector duty, compensation, boost levels, and engine load.) Since the engine runs a little rich at High RPM, I can only assume that the boost falloff was a side effect, and not by design.. so preventing that from happening may actually not require remapping the stock ECU

 

The EVO8 ECU has no replaceable chips. You have to reflash it; I've pulled mine apart and looked. I'm sure some companies are working on "standard" flash setups. But those usually have the same problems associated with standard chip replacements. That is, you end up with a fixed program, maybe tuned for your car, maybe not. I've not seen one that will offer end user adjustmentability or provide additional datalogging facilities. The ability to do high resolution datalogging of all the values used by the ECU can't be under rated. It's far more valuable than most people realize. OBDII logging with the standard ECU doesn't cut it. We're working on a factory ECU upgrade that will offer those features (in the factory ECU), but it's gonna be a couple months at best. It will basically be a version of DSMLink (www.dsmlink.com) for the EVO8. But again, that's out there a ways.

The only alternatives available *now* are to slap a piggy back system in place or to purchase a whole new standalone ECU. I think there are some piggy back systems that offer additional datalogging facilities, but I honestly don't know how sophisticated they are.

And then, of course, there are the complete standalone setups. They will do everything but cook you supper. The trade off is that many people find them very intimidating and complicated and, in my opinion, are often overkill for the typical end user.

Thomas Dorris

 

I'm fairly sure the boost fall off is by design, not a side effect. That 16G turbo can easily hold 20psi to redline on our 2.0L motor. It's a common turbo on the DSM cars as well. There are people that have pushed that turbo into the 11s, but mid/low 12s is far more reasonable and common.

The richness at high RPMs is standard Mitsu stuff. They run the 2nd generation DSMs into the 9.5:1 A/F range at high load/high RPM. Talk about rich! I think the standard bolt ons are gonna make this car a solid 12 second street machine. The boost can be adjusted most easily with a manual controller. Not the most glamorous of things, but it works. Getting the fuel and ignition advance right will take a bit more work.

Thomas Dorris

 

If any of you guys or gals can read and understand Japanese, please take a look here: http://www.poweraxel.com/ralliart/ca...e/evo8/c4.html It's the Ralliart Japan website and they show an ECU plus a number of other parts. I think this is a new ECU for the EVO8 that will be available in may and will seel for around $1000

 

Well, the stock ECU is really nothing but a generic program for all the EVOs made..... The factory up-grade ECU is also a "generic" high performance ECU. Of course, it's always preferable from the standpoint of ultimate performance, to dyno tune the car to get every bit of HP from each individual car, but I think that if there is a well made, properly mapped or programmed ECU that just replaces the stock one, (I'm thinking factory up-grade, RalliArt stuff ) that would be a very nice way to get an extra 30-60 ponies

 

Nice work SilverEvo08! I recently spoke to a guy (Nick) that owns a software company, and he currently offers ECU reflash set-ups for Audi/Volks + other German and a few other imports. He's currently working on a set-up for the EVO 8 and claims it will become available in July or so. I believe the customer will be able to tailer the set-up to meet his/her needs (tons of flexibility)! I spoke to him yesterday (he just moved to my area) and he's in the process of buying an EVO so he should be able to get the show on the road soon. Check out his website for more detailed info on his set-up. http://www.revotechnik.com

Could be another solid option!!! His price is somewhere around $499 for the software, I believe. Nick's email is u.s.sales@revotechnik.com