# Engine Computer Chips

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-computer-chips/18192>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 14, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-computer-chips/18192 "2008-08-14T20:52:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mpeterj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@mpeterj](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mpeterj)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-computer-chips/18192/1 "2008-08-14T20:52:11Z")

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In a recent PC Magazine article entitled Save Gas the Geek Way it mentioned that “Replacing your car engine’s main management chip can increase fuel efficiency and boost performance.” For ordinary street cars (like my 2002 Toyota Camry V6) will this give better results than just letting up on the accelerator to improve mileage and stepping on it to improve performance?

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**Author:** ![Dave\_G](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dave_g/32/768_2.png) [@Dave\_G](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dave_G)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-computer-chips/18192/2 "2008-08-14T22:24:07Z")

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Any increase in mileage (which will be small if there’s any) will be completely offset by the costs of a chip, which on many cars is $200+. If you saw an improvement of 1 mpg how long will it take you to pay off $200?

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**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-computer-chips/18192/3 "2008-08-14T23:23:28Z")

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Any post-1996 ODB-II cars don’t have replacable chips. The computer’s programming is flash-programmable. A professional re-programmer is required. Most after-market suppliers have power programmers that reprogram the ECM for more power output. But, I haven’t seen one yet that offers better fuel mileage. Maybe because the OEM programming is already set to deliver the best fuel economy the equipment can deliver.

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**Author:** ![vwfueldoor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e95f7d/32.png) [@vwfueldoor](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vwfueldoor)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-computer-chips/18192/4 "2008-08-15T00:58:19Z")

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agreed

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**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 1:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-computer-chips/18192/5 "2008-08-15T01:33:59Z")

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> Maybe because the OEM programming is already set to deliver the best fuel economy the equipment can deliver.

That is true for programming that meets the emissions requirements. Better fuel mileage and power is possible for programming that goes beyond the 14.7:1 stochiometric A/F ratio (where beyond means up to 10% richer).