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Subject: Engine chip test results - Part 2: Dinan vs Wolf Author: erwin : member since November, 2007 : 880 posts Posted on: 2008-01-29 17:03:25

Please refer to Part 1 for a detailed description of my test procedures and conditions.

The conditions on the day I did this test (referred to as Day 2) were pretty much the same as when I did stock vs Dinan tests (Day 1), except there were about 10 mph winds. However, the winds were blowing across my path, so they should not affect the results. Air temps were about the same, and I had 1/2 tank of gas on both days.

Below are plots of all my test results. The problem, though, is that they do not tell the whole truth.

One story you get from the plots is that the Dinan chips were faster than the stock chips. This is true, but the whole truth is that it was hard to tell the difference when driving the car. Other than some extra high-rpm urgency from the Dinan chips, the car felt about the same.

Another thing the plots will tell you is that the Wolf chips are about as fast as the Dinan chips. What they neglect to mention is that with the Wolf chips, the car *feels* a whole lot faster.

In almost all situations (in sport mode) the car will just GO like it didn't before. It is very noticeable. The intake sounds are the same as with the Dinan chips, though, much more "growly" than with the stock chips. It also feels like the engine runs smoother somehow, most noticeably when pulling away slowly or medium-fast, there's a certain lack of vibration/harshness that I think was there before.

I don't drive in economy mode much - pretty much only to shift into 4th when I reach cruising speed, or if there's a particular passenger in the car. That's all at small throttle openings, so I have no opinion on differences in the chips in economy mode.

I don't know what to say about my test results, why they don't back up my seat-of-the-pants. Granted, there's a lot of variability in doing this with a stopwatch, but there was a clear difference in Dinan vs stock.

I think it's possible the 2 Wolf engine chips are about the same as the Dinan engine chips, with the extra oomph and smoothness coming from the new EML chip. Maybe the Wolf programming opens the throttles faster and somehow "better".

The 50-80 test is very interesting, because it does show a large improvement with the Wolf chips, while the 0-60 and 0-100 tests didn't. Very strange.

Oh, the 50-80 test wasn't in part 1. This was done on the return leg between the 0-X runs. Trans in 2nd gear, no up or down shifts. For a variety of reasons, this test was harder to run, which is why I didn't get any good numbers on day 1 and only one run with Dinan on day 2. Still, given the high repeatability of the Wolf runs, the 1 Dinan run is probably fairly accurate.

On the theory that the computers might have learned more after the testing and explain why the car felt faster, I did the tests again after one week of driving around on the Wolf chips. However, this day was warmer (75 deg F vs 55 deg F) and I had a little over 3/4 tank of gas. So, the results were slower than on Day 2.

What about gas mileage? Well, with the Wolf chips in, I've been driving around like I did when I first got the car running right - like a kid with a new toy. It's great fun, but my mileage is down one whole mpg. It seems to have recovered somewhat, though, and maybe after I settle down it will be close to what it was. If this thread is still open after I do a road trip, I'll post any change in steady-state highway cruising gas mileage.

Erwin 89 750iL Lowered (a little)

Engine Dinan chips (Wolf_2000 chips on their way) PowerFlow Intake Air Filters Royal Purple 20W-50 In process: Custom Cold Air Boxes Interior Phone removed, replaced with cut-to-length dash wood trim on hinge E38 Shifter Knob M-Tech 2 M-technic Steering Wheel - air bag deleted E38 Self-Dimming Mirror 2B Installed: E38 shifter surround plate and boot Audio BMW Business CD Player "CD43" Head Unit Refurbished factory amp w/equalizer Bass blockers (300hz/4ohm) on stock front kick panel speakers Rear deck speakers: Alpine SPS-13C2 5.25" 2 way 175 Watt with bass blockers Subwoofers: 2 JBL GTO804 8" 4-ohm subs Subwoofer install: custom sealed enclosure mounted behind ski bag opening Subwoofer amp: Alpine MRP-M450 400w MONO CD changer relocated to driver's door bottom pocket actuated by bio- mechanical arm controlled by semi-intelligent nut behind the wheel Suspension H&R Lowering Springs (1/2 coil removed from fronts) Koni adjustable front shocks Stock rear shocks (self leveling) Racing Dynamics Stress Bar Stock front sway bar Dinan rear sway bar - 21mm M5 aluminum lower control arms Front tires: 245-40-18 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 on 8.5" EuroTech rims Rear tires: 275-40-18 Michelin Pilot Sport PS1 on 9.5" EuroTech rims Exterior 25% Side tint 5% Rear tint BMW Mud flaps - rears trimmed to tire width Rear fender lips rolled Zymol wax Way too many paint chips touched up Brakes Front Rotors: 850CSi, 324 X 30 mm, cross-drilled and slotted Rear Rotors: stock size, cross-drilled and slotted Pads: Hawk Performance Ceramic (may switch to HPS) Stainless steel lines Racing Blue brake fluid

• Engine chip test results - Part 2: Dinan vs Wolf (pic) (url) - erwin 2008-01-29 17:03:25 (1894 views)
  • Re: Engine chip test results - Part 2: Dinan vs Wolf - Hitmanx 2008-02-04 12:24:28 (267 views)
    • Thanks, but not for me (url) - erwin 2008-02-04 13:18:50 (198 views)
  • A little off topic but... (nt) - hvacdude 2008-02-03 01:52:44 (177 views)
    • Re: A little off topic but... - hvacdude 2008-02-03 01:56:47 (134 views)
      • i like Ron Paul but looks like he has no chance (nt) - beach911 2008-02-04 01:47:38 (140 views)
        • I'd like to see it be a McCain vs. Obama race. - bcweir750 2008-02-04 07:46:59 (122 views)
          • I will say this Brian ahve you seen the Sicko movie? no political thread here! - beach911 2008-02-04 10:50:38 (120 views)
            • Let's go back to chips, please! (nt) - 740gti 2008-02-04 14:02:42 (144 views)
              • Sorry but what more is left to say about Wolf's chips - beach911 2008-02-04 15:22:32 (157 views)
      • No part number per se, just tell him the year - erwin 2008-02-03 23:47:07 (136 views)
  • It's said that the Dinan chips are programed - 740gti 2008-01-29 17:20:25 (322 views)
    • Excellent explanation - erwin 2008-01-29 19:11:00 (174 views)
      • agree 100% and your test should convince or at least help people - beach911 2008-01-29 21:20:42 (177 views)
        • you should have tried my ones too - shogun 2008-01-29 21:52:17 (202 views)
          • is there much difference in your opinion of your chip vs. wolf's? (nt) - beach911 2008-01-29 23:32:40 (176 views)
            • I only know his ones from discussions in Germany - shogun 2008-01-30 00:29:51 (240 views)
              • Anybody have a link to the woolf chips? For an M60... (nt) - rick540 2008-01-30 08:08:02 (178 views)
                • He sells them on Ebay (url) - 740gti 2008-01-30 09:47:46 (219 views)
                  • Re: He sells them on Ebay - paulmer 2008-02-01 15:03:00 (149 views)
                    • did you not read my thread above? yes the chips works for M60 - beach911 2008-02-01 15:11:03 (142 views)
                      • really? anybody tried M60 (nt) - Take 2008-02-02 06:55:04 (149 views)
                        • Take I just said I have!!! I have put Wolf's chips in the M60 and M70. (nt) - beach911 2008-02-02 21:49:54 (201 views)