Ordered chip and might have screwed up.

[SS_Sean]

I called Full Throttle and ordered a chip. The lady asking the combo questions asked me if I wanted to have slower data rate with my scan master, and retain the error codes, or run a faster data rate and not have the error codes. I tried to get her to explain this to me, and she tried, but frankly I don't know my asz from a hole in the ground. I'm new to GN's. I said, "well faster is better, so lets do that." I'm starting to wonder if I just screwed up. Can anyone tell me what in the heck she was talking about and whether I need these error codes or faster data rate???

 

[ijames]

The stock chip sends about 40 different data values out the aldl connector so scan tools can monitor them. It takes about 1.4 seconds to get through the list, so each update on each parameter is 1.4 seconds apart. That's a long, long, long time for important things like the O2 sensor and knock readings, when you are racing, so a faster data stream was developed where some of the data values were left out and some were sent more often during each 1.4 second frame, and the scanmaster can recognize and correctly interpret the faster data stream. The price is that you don't see those values that got left out, which includes stored error codes. However, if you ever have a problem you can just put your stock chip back in, and turn the key on but don't start the engine (that way the injector size doesn't even matter if you have upgraded yours), and read out the stored codes. I think you made the right choice . Just remember that if anyone else connects a scan tool that some values won't make sense.

Even with the faster data rate you will still only get one or two readings in first gear, a few in second, and several in third gear, so tuning anywhere but third gear can be a challenge. That's why many serious racers move on to Direct Scan which gives 18 frames a second, or on to a complete aftermarket ecm, but now you have also moved up to requiring a laptop in the car so that nice, compact scanmaster is still a good thing to have.

 

[SS_Sean]

Thanks.