User:WestonChants/sandbox

Introduction

EPROM

Tuning the Engine Control Unit can benefit performance and operation of vehicles. Doing so by replacement or modification of the Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory(EPROM) Chip is known as Chip Tuning.(Source?) The Process of tuning requires the removal of the EPROM (often located in the Engine's computer,) flashing the current with new mapping or replacing it with a chip bought from an automotive tuning company and installation back into the engines computer. "Often these would need to be soldered and could be quite fiddly and, due to the delicate nature of chips, prone to failure." In recent time, it became possible to modify without the removal and instead using software connected to the ECU through the On-Board Diagnostics(OBD) port. Although many performance benefits can be seen from this modification, the vehicle can also face certain risk factors such as pre-ignition, power loss (if done so incorrectly) and extra stress on the component of the engine. Chip tuning is popular among car enthusiasts, as it allows for more power. Chip tuning is also sought after, as manufacturers often tune their vehicles more conservatively to compensate for variances of dimensions.(Source?)

Ways of Chip Tuning

            Modification of the EPROM can be done so in multiple ways. Altering the timing of spark from the spark plugs is known as timing. Variances in Air and Fuel allow for different mixtures that allow for different combustion strength. Adjusting the timing allows for variant pressures by changing the time at which the spark-plug initiates the combustion.

Timing: Tuning the timing to fire slightly earlier than originally is known as advancing the timing, the opposite is known as retarding. The alteration allows for combustion to start at a different point of the compression stroke changing the effectiveness of the combustion which results in different torques to "unlock a lot of untapped potential."

Air-Fuel: Different ratios allow the vehicle to react differently. More fuel with more air will create more heat and pressure that will translate into more torque from the engine. Using less fuel will emit less emissions from the combustion making the engine more green.

Using a mixture of the timing and Air-Fuel ratios, a tuner can create an engine that will perform to the best of its ability. This is often done by professionals to create a vehicle that will be used in races.

Tuning also allows for users to remove speed governors that limit the vehicle from reaching higher speeds. Often most governors that limit the vehicle in any way are often removed to provide the vehicle with the most power it is capable of.(Source?)

Reasons behind Chip Tuning

            Many people who wish to modify their engine performance participate in Motorsports or just want their car faster. Manufacturers often provide the original vehicles with safeties built in to protect the user, protect the vehicle and allow for tolerances of the engine components without detailed analysis. Manufacturers often try to meet to safety regulations set forth in the area they plan on selling in, in doing so they limit their product so that the user is less likely to hurt themselves by pushing their car past what it designed to do. Car enthusiasts often like to race their cars and so these limiters get in the way, and so chip tuning allows for deleting of the limiters. Although some governors are made to prevent harm to the engine or other components. With chip tuning, it allows the user to modify the interface so that it fits the desired application. With varying tolerances within the components of the engine each engine operates slightly differently. Each bore of the cylinders could vary in micrometers, due to that fact the engine would have a slightly larger or smaller volume and can increase or decrease the amount of power that could be made from the car. Chip tuning allows for the user to apply certain parameters to meet those aspects to maximize performance. Each application of the vehicle calls for a specific tune to the chip whether it be emissions, power or maintenance. (Source?)

Reasons to be careful with Tuning

Tuning an engine to operate at a higher torque means that there is more pressure in the cylinder, leading to higher operating temperatures. With more heat in the engine the more likely the vehicle is to overheat. The likelihood of failure of piston rings also increases as the metal of the rings is heated more with more friction between the cylinder walls.(Source?)

Tuning a vehicle requires more maintenance than a factory vehicle. This is due the additional heat and pressure from combustion. This can affect the wear of the engine components such as cylinder walls, piston rings, gaskets, etc..

When replacing the chip in a vehicle the modifier "run the risk of a bad flash where the computer cannot be recovered."

When removing governors from vehicles it is possible to ruin a motor, as an "engine may not be able to flow enough air at higher speeds, or it may not reliably be able to spin any faster." 

Edited by Rbanks2235:

The wordings on the headings seem slightly informal for a wikipedia article; I would consider revising them to have less wording in them. Quotations should be removed and reworded. A lot of your sentences are choppy, they should be combined to flow a bit better and not be as short. Under your reasons paragraph, I would also try to turn it into a paragraph rather than having it a separated list due to the way it is worded, or link all of the headings on the list if you keep it as one. There is also a lack of citing in the article, with some paragraphs not having any citation and others only having a very small amount. While your first source is fine, I would consider looking for a third for more information. Carthrottle is also sometimes a more opinionated site, and the article seems informal with the amount of irrelevant videos on the article.