Unichip has really become pathetic!

[Lancer]

Ever since I got my 'upgraded harness and turbo mod for the s/c I've had nothing but problems. The car would studder or just die for no reason. Took just over a year and numerous visits to many shops to figure out why. Turns out that it was the Unichip harness. A bad wire that goes to the MAF sensor. Called Unichip to try to get a new one but they said that it ws past warranty (by 1 month!). So then I asked for help finding the wire and plugs to use to check. They couldn't understand what I wanted. Now after I've given up trying to fix it myself, I decided to just buy a new harness. Just got off the phone with them. They said "they no longer use the white plugs for the harness into the Unichip and t-mod. The now use red plugs and they wont work with my old setup. " I'd have to buy a whole new "Q" system from them at well over $600!I'm so pissed!

[kevera]

I thought Adam posted up about unichip dropping their prices,and a whole kit for the s/c is like $480 now.http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=32958

[Lancer]

Not according to the tool I talked to. I swear, every time I talk to those idiots I have to explain it like I'm talking to a 3 year old.But the prices aren't relevent to me cause they don't have any harnesses of my type left instock. So you HAVE to UPGRADE to there Q chip. Sound's like something Microsoft would do.Maybe that's because they finally figured out that they SUCK. Sorry Kev, I don't mean to vent on you. Just feel totally abandoned from there so called customer support.I left a message at Neverenough.com to see if they could hook me up. Otherwise I'll have tohack up my harness and hope it works.

[Raven]

Does Boomslang make one?

[Sublimewind]

Any chance you have a pic of the plug... It's prolly just a "molex" type connector, and I bet I could steer you in the right direction for a pin puller and new pins and a crimper then you can just simply replace the wire, or make a new harness, should you choose to.. I bet you get away paying...oh....50$ at the MOST..

[Lancer]

Boomslang does not make a harness for a Unichip.The wires aren't plugged unto the connector thingy. There's like a plastic or waxy looking coating covering everything.Then, inside all the wires are changed to green, blue, and white colored wires.I can probly fix it, but so far it hasn't been easy.

[AKLGT]

maybe it's time to look into alternatives if you are gonna spend the money.and if it makes you feel better, I paid a lot more for my unichip back in the day and I just bought a Cobb Accessport for the STI that cost me $600. That's not including the tuning next weekend when the tuner arrives.

[kevera]

Quote, originally posted by AKLGT »maybe it's time to look into alternatives if you are gonna spend the money.It might be time,there are more options for us now.It also depends how much of you stock wiring harness is missing or tapped into.Do you still have the original harness for the 5th injector and VSV.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by Lancer »Boomslang does not make a harness for a Unichip.The wires aren't plugged unto the connector thingy. There's like a plastic or waxy looking coating covering everything.Then, inside all the wires are changed to green, blue, and white colored wires.I can probly fix it, but so far it hasn't been easy.Aaahhh, so it's "potted" in something... crap... that is tricky... is it soft enough to cut through? I'm just speculating, I have not idea what these even look like.. But i'm trying.. I'm an old electronics repair guy... mainly car audio, but it's all basically the same....

[Lancer]

Yeah, potted, that's the ticket!No, I think I may be able to fix it. I just have to find the post on here that had a link to pdf file that showed the pin that the MAF sensor runs to. Then It's just some quit time with a multi meter I guess. Then cut out the wire and solder in a new one. easy, right!?

[4azdmunky]

Dude i feel your pain. I spent the last 5 months struggling with the new Unichip on my Mini. I gave up and got a refund. Unichip has some real serious quality control issues.

[AKLGT]

well, the Unichip was my first experience with Engine Management. It went well, but I didn't do anything extreme. Now, we are on our 3rd Cobb Accessport and so far, I've been extremely happy. I am still not comfortable enough to do my own tuning thru Engenuity, so I will continue giving patronage to my tuner, Jarrad from PDX Tuning in Portland. I wonder if you can use Engenuity in the Vibe/Trix??

[4azdmunky]

yeah those are cool! I wish they worked on the vibes.

[Raven]

My problem with Unichip has always been so little gain for soooo much $$$$. I know it's apples and oranges but I got 35 HP gain for $175.00 on my Sierra and that included a new PCM. I still have my stock computer if I want to go back to stock.

[Lancer]

Quote, originally posted by AKLGT »and if it makes you feel better, I paid a lot more for my unichip back in the day and I just bought a Cobb Accessport for the STI that cost me $600. That's not including the tuning next weekend when the tuner arrives.I paid $600ish just for the first unichip and harness. Then another 300 for the new harnes with the turbo modual (that they didn't know I needed when I told them it was for a supercharger). Then like $30 for each time I sent it back for new maps to try to lean it out cause they made my car run far too rich.I looked into some stand alone ecu's, Not many out there for an automatic tranny. And nothing for under $1000.

[AKLGT]

that's really a shame. My ECM from Cobb has been awesome. being able to switch maps at the touch of a few buttons... getting maps is more difficult, but they can be emailed to me and I just upload them to the AP.

[4azdmunky]

My neighbor sells them too, and was showing it to me last weekend its a sweet setup for tuning.He owns boostbuddy.com and deals with Subaru performance parts only, too bad he doesn't do Toyota too......ok mabey its not all that bad, i would be one broke mofo.

[AKLGT]

LOL. well, I would have thought there'd be more options out for the 1zz/2zz especially with the corolla/celica/matrix platforms.

[kevera]

There are lots of options out there now.Look at split second products(URD carries then with harnesses for ours),AEM has a new piggy that works real nice now,emanage is a favorite.So don't just limit it to unichip,when you can go another route any make more HP,and be totally tune-able.At least entertain the thought.

[Lancer]

I've been researching e-manage Ultimat. It does a hell of a lot for only $600. Like everything I need! One bad thing is it would have to be professionally installed cause I'm not about to tackle wiring that thing up!I've also heard that it's not all that reliable. I gues the stock ecu just one day decides to take over. Then boom! Engine go breaky.Other than the e-manage, there really isn't much out there for automatics. And paying over $1000 for a stand-alone Like Hydra, is just over-kill for my set up. If I was turbo'ed and makeing huge hp I can accept the cost.I just really need time to sit down and trouble shoot the harness. It's no more than 3 wires that could be bad. Life's been really buisey latley with work, crazy in-law's. kids, and the new engine logistics. You know me. I always find a way to MAKE things work.

[4azdmunky]

I have a Emanage Blue and its cool. Boomslang makes harneses for the 1zzfe, it is worth it to not have to cut wires. I found that most tuning shops in Denver wont touch it though, something about it "loosing its maps" when driving. I think its from re-uploading the maps multiple times instead of uploading a map and tuning just that one map.

[mac99d]

What you don't want your wiring to look like this. Hope this helps. I have all the wiring diagrams from the ECU if you need them.