E.A.T. Chip in my 540i... WOW...just WOW.

[Beez540]

Chip arrived in the mail about the middle of last week. I was waiting for the weekend to put it in, but was dreading the install mainly because I thought one of the ECU cover hold down screws was stripped to badly to use a screwdriver on. Also, my boss who was to loan me the anti-static pad and wrist band didn't bring it in until today (Monday). Sooo... I was really giddy to do it tonight.

6:30pm: Get off work, race home and start crackin'.

6:59pm: Lay out all the tools, static pad, etc.

7:07pm: Pop the hood, start unscrewing the cover... realize that with a really big phillips I may be able to get that last screw (that I thought was stripped). Good luck and it comes out easy (crisis averted).

7:10pm: Take my first glimpse at the DMEs and the harnesses. Get it detached... work on jimming that thing out of it's little rail thingy.

7:17pm: Staring at the DME sitting on the static pad with a 40watt bulb pointed at it from above... a bit like an interogation (YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME WHERE THE EXTRA POWER IS!!!)

7:18pm: Awww crap, I realize I have no torx head screwdrivers...damn.

7:24pm: Off to Bi-Mart in the stiff old Integra to buy the tool.

7:42pm: Back home with tool, I unscrew the cover. Pry off the tabs, and expose the innards.

8:00pm: Fidgeting with the damn upper circuit board... "WHY WON'T YOU COME OUT! TELL ME WHO YOU'RE WORKING FOR!" (I've recently been watching a lot of 24)

8:20pm: Still fidgeting with the F#*%ING upper circuit board, I was pissed, but confidently resolved to get that SOB out.

8:24pm: After some broken tabs and some heart palpatations in fear of busting the damn thing... it pops out of the slot in the harness and I can get to the chip.

8:26pm: Factory Chip is coming out, E.A.T. chip is going in... way to easily I might add.

8:32pm: DME is back together with only 2 cracked off aluminum cover tabs.

8:42pm: DME is back in the ECU, harnessed attached, and ECU cover back on tight.

8:45pm: The M60 fires right up and I let her run a few minutes.

9:00pm: Feeling ever so confident, relieved, and overjoyed with what an easy mod (and good learning experience) this was, I set off on the road test.

9:06pm: With the car running awesome, I decide to go pick up my buddy Todd and take him for a spin to get his impressions.

9:18pm: We're giggling like 8 year olds on the tilt-a-whirl, checking out the 0-110 butt dyno burn down hwy 99. I slow down almost to a stop as I get to a turnaround spot in the road, and with S4 engaged I floor it and swing the ass around for a nice 2 sec. 180º... and leave an impressive cloud of smoke in our wake as we make another burn back into town the way we came. We're totally geeked. "Let's get out on the freeway and make an exit to exit run!" Wow, it never stops climbing fast and steady unless you let off the gas. Let's just say, I didn't want to push my current little 15" tires too far past their limits. Cruise some more, drop Todd off, and then I lost track of time.


9:48pm: Get home, put all the tools & crap away, and begin this exhaustingly long post. I'm sorry for boring you... but I needed to write about this glorius product.

To quote Ferris Bueller... "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up".

I can tell you, your V8 will love it.

-Brandon

[Kalevera]

Right on, brother.

The time is approaching when Fritz will get his EAT.

Maybe an Easter sale, Mark?!?! (hint hint)

Happy driving.

best, whit

[MBXB]

Try it with the tranny in Sport Mode yet? YEEEEEHAAAAAAAA!!!!

[PatrickPGH]

Mark,

Will there be a chip for the 95 530? This little engine could use some more grunt in the lower rev band!

Thanks,

Patrick

[Beez540]

Try it with the tranny in Sport Mode yet? YEEEEEHAAAAAAAA!!!!

Yup... S4 or S3 is what I use to swing a 180

[DueyT]

...or a 6-speed...

[winfred]

1st or 2nd in the e30 does it nicely, i love 90 degree turns too as they come in so handy in traffic

Yup... S4 or S3 is what I use to swing a 180

[MarkD]

Mark,

Will there be a chip for the 95 530? This little engine could use some more grunt in the lower rev band!

Thanks,

Patrick

Hello Patrick,

I'd like to answer that question by saying there will be, but I have a few problems to overcome such as:

- no 94 or 95 530's here in Toronto to develop the chips on (I need a two autos and two 5-speeds for both EWS and non-EWS cars just to perform initial testing)

- there seem to be versions with and without an air pump, and two variations of transmission.

I expect to have a bit more time by April and I'll re-visit the 530 chips then.
The end result will depend on whether I find a few cars here and some field testers in the US.

Mark