GTEC1 Question

Hey guys, would like some thoughts/advice on GTEC1 fitting to a 20vt. I purchased a GTEC1 chip a couple of months ago to fit to my car, but I've read of so many problems being caused by this chip on the forum that I'm not really sure if to fit or leave the standard chip in situ. The guy that does my servicing (Alan at Woodcocks Fiat/Lancia) said to leave the car as standard as most chips give loads of surge and then nothing, and said that Fiat got this about right with the standard chip.

So, anyone running this chip successfully without any problems? I've also heard that I may need to fit a manual boost controller, is this true? If so, which one is the best to fit?

Thanks
Steve

The GTEC 1, 2 and 2HF were designed specifically for a fiat coupe 20vt by a board member. It will give more power and torque to your car. I'm sure there are tens if not hundreds of people who have run this chip successfully. If your clutch is on it's last legs then the extra torque may accelerate it's demise!

Please do a search as there is a wealth of information on the subject, including topics about the PRV(MBC)

Can you link me half a dozen of these "many" posts describing problems?

There's been 1 guy mention a possible fuelling problem and a few with "boost pulsing" but that's all I've been aware of lately.

Someone even made a poll, here:

http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=viewpoll&Poll=121

which showed 83% of people with no problems at all, and most (maybe all?) of the remaining 17% with boost pulsing problems which were fixed by fitting a boost controller/PRV, uprated EBV or the newer chip with modifed overboost maps.

There's no doubt that the boost pulsing problem is more common now than it was 3-4 years ago, presumably due to the age of the EBV's, but there are multiple ways to address this issue if you're one of the minority who experience it.

If you're really concerned about reliability after fitting a Gtec chip then take out a warranty with http://www.warrantydirect.co.uk/ , you'll still have paid less than if you'd bought a Superchip and you'll have a better chip.

Or maybe I should start selling Gtec's at £499 and include a "free" warranty.

This really has been done to death now

If you want a Gtec chip to give a standard car a quick boost (and remove the annoying limiter(ish) thing), do the following:

Buy a PRV for around £20
Buy a boost gauge for around £30
Buy a nomad pod mount for around £70

fit it all and get the fuelling checked on a RR session for £35-£60 and check that it's all running nicely. If it isn't, then either remove the chip, ask Graham here to send you a chip 'slightly' tailored for your car (hi-fuel version if lean for example), or get it mapped properly for £150 by Flea.

That's £155-180 for *up to* 25bhp and 25 lbs/ft and, more importantly, no boost rise limiter in 1st and 2nd gears. It should give you a LOT more torque in 2nd gear.

This'll give you by far the most bang per buck you'll ever get out of the car. For around £30 a Gtec is the logical first step for upping the power of your coop imo.




*cue Shabba's 'the end of the clutch and a destroyed engine' rant*

Thanks for the advice everyone, just what I needed to know. I wasn't having a dig at anyone or dissing the chip, so apologies if anyone thought that. My coop has just had a new clutch fitted so this shouldn't be a problem. I'm pretty new here and didn't realise this had been done to death.

Whenever a boost problem comes up, this is usually the first question asked, it may not be the actual problem but it has been mentioned a few times and that's why I was a bit reluctant to fit the chip without further advice. For instance, when purchased I was told that this was a streight swap with no other modifications needed, obviously there are a few more things to sort - as per Trappy's reply - before I can go fit, I'll also need to find someone in my neck of the woods with a rolling road and/or mapping facilities, or get my car down to Flea.

The place I take my car to for servicing wasn't too helpful and they don't have these facilities, so as always the forum is invaluble to me with this kind of information.

Very much appreciated

Steve