Dastek UNICHIP

DASTEK is a company established 28 years ago. The owner has had a passion for tuning for the more than 20 years. Some years ago he became more and more frustrated as more and more cars became electronically controlled and he couldn’t tune them anymore. DASTEK set out to crack the codes on some vehicles only to find that some manufacturers change these every few months. Very soon it was realised that this is not a feasible way of doing things. He then set out to develop a universal system which will enable one to re-map vehicles dynamically. The key to the success of the UNICHIP is that it is done in real time. Whilst tuning at any given point we are not concerned what the actual values are, we just want to see whether it gets worse or better. This is what makes the stability and sensitivity of the dynamometer so critical. This then is also why DASTEK developed their own dynamometers. In this way we can tune vehicles to within 0.1 horsepower throughout all the RPM and load ranges.

 

In the last four years more than 80% of all cars that won a championship in the South African production car championships used DASTEK technology. More than 85% of all the trophies won in the annual economy run also used our systems. We have helped winning championships and economy runs on BMWs, Toyotas, Opels, Fords, Mazdas, VW’s, Hondas, Renault and Nissans. We tune all the factory teams’ cars except one. We have even been approached by this team to do their cars as well, but had to turn it down because of ties with their direct opposition.

 

 

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Welcome to the new age of tuning computerised vehicles. Over the years the coming of the computer did marvels for the automotive industry. Unfortunately workshops lost all control over the tuning of these vehicles. Even the slightest idling problem cannot be cured by the non-franchised workshop. In most cases even the authorised agents cannot cure these problems. In short, the tuning of computerised vehicles became nearly impossible.

 

The UNICHIP gives the properly trained technician full control over the timing and mixture functions of most electronically controlled vehicles. Not only can mixtures and timing be set, but also it can be set under various load and RPM conditions. This gives one the ability to optimise the vehicle for economy under light load conditions and set it up for optimum performance under full-throttle conditions.

 

The UNICHIP is much more than just a "chip". In actual fact it is a fully functioning computer which is added to the vehicle’s existing engine control unit (ECU). Apart from controlling general timing and mixtures it can do idling control, drive extra injectors, take full control over timing functions, eliminate road speed governors etc. It can be accurately described as a "Piggyback" computer.

 

The UNICHIP gets wired into the existing ECU harness. If it is removed the vehicle is back to standard. Unlike other after-market units if the UNICHIP is programmed with zeros the vehicle will be standard. Only areas where the vehicle isn’t perfect need to be altered.

 

The main difference between other after-market "chips" and the UNICHIP is that with the UNICHIP every individual vehicle is optimised. It is not just a chip that was made on one particular vehicle and then gets used on other similar vehicles.

 

We don't make any claims with the UNICHIP about how much better any car will be after fitting it. We let the results speak for themselves.

 

Because no two cars are identical it is impossible to predict just how far from perfect the vehicle will be before fitting the UNICHIP . Some cars are closer than others are and therefore the results will vary. On some cars you may get better fuel consumption but maybe not much more power. On others the increase in power might be good but the fuel consumption might remain the same. Some might get a lot of improvement in drivability. In most cases you should be able to improve all of the above. It all depends on how close to perfect the car's existing map is for that particular vehicle.

 

We promise the customer that the car will be as light as possible on fuel when he drives calmly and it will make as much power as possible when he puts his foot flat on the accelerator. We also promise him that if within three months he feels that it is not worth having the UNICHIP we will remove it and refund him the full amount, including installation and mapping fee. We do not make any other promises.Our current success rate is 399 out of 400. For every 400 UNICHIPs we have installed we have removed only one. We know of no other product with this success rate on the market.

 

In the last four years 80% of all South African production car championships were won by cars using UNICHIP technology. In 1997 the first class F car to use UNICHIP technology dominated the field by so far that it was deemed an "unfair advantage" and immediately banned in this rookie class!

 

In the last three years 85% of all cars that won any class, category or award in the annual South African economy run were using UNICHIP technology!

 

ANYONE GOT ONE ?

you asked this question on the 26th June?

Ok dastek engine management wont work on a 300zx.They have problems like so many other aftermarket engine management companies, getting a signbal from all six coils.

They are very good and hold a huge market in S.A. Every seriously modded car in south africa runs this system.

Got a link to where you found that info?

cheers.

Simon h was using one at one point:

www.300zx.co.uk/forums/ubbforum/Forum1/HTML/006521.html

 

-Andrew

 

[This message has been edited by AndrewG (edited 07-07-2002).]

yeah unichip work, but dastek wont, as they are not prepared to put the development money into it.

Dastek in SA are agents for unichip, it is a very good system, but i suspect unichip are far more expensive than dastek.

 

The Link system is the best one to go for on the zed, about £1400 all in and that includes setup work i think.

Do a search for "UNICHIP" and you should find the link.

 

I phoned a couple of garages who install the chip and they both said it could be fitted to a 300ZX TT. The link above also has people who've had successful chips so why do u say it won't work with a 300 ?!

 

The unichip works i said the dastek dont, and i know if you read my thread right above yours you would have seen what i said.

 

[This message has been edited by 300z (edited 07-07-2002).]

You get a UNICHIP by Dastek, NOT a Dastek or a UNICHIP ?!

 

It's like saying a 300ZX works but a Nissan won't !!!!!!!!!!

 

Wot r u on about ?!

ok unichip and dastek chips are two seperate units.Dastek develop the unichip, but they also have a seperate line which are dastek chips.

so they are in effect two seperate companys.

Dastek deal with different markets to unichip.

pretty much 6 or half dozen lol.

but they are seperate and do seperate things in the industry.

 

[This message has been edited by 300z (edited 07-07-2002).]

I only asked about Dastek's UNICHIP, so why did you complicate the issue by going on about Dastek chips ?!! I asked the question again because no-one repsonded to my initial question.

 

So I can choose between the Link system for £1400 or a Dastek UNICHIP for ~£450 [including setup and installation] which everyone I've heard with one raves about them........hmmmm.... difficult choice !!

yeah im sorry lol, read it the wrong way.

 

the system is good, im not sure though how much success anyone has had with it on a 300zx. I do know there were some problems though.

the link system is really really good though, i think its the most complete next to the motech, but then that is even more expensive.

Do any of them provide interfaces in the car for making adjustments yourself ?

 

Like in that film with no 300ZX's !!

 

My ideal setup would be where you could flip a switch in the car between economy and performance modes, so you get the best of both worlds. Garage I goto reckons a fully user-adjustable setup would cost around £10,000 or £5,000 !

The link system just plugs into where your ECU should be (just pull ecu out and replace it)then you need a laptop.they have an optional unit to do this.

 

APEXI make a unit that has an incar adjustment http://www.apexi-usa.com/electronics_fc.asp

 

and a few others do this.

Jeez great - another way to screw a car up!

Some more detailed info on the UNICHIP:

www.theracersgroup.com/theprogram_unichip.html

 

see links "how it works" etc.

 

-Andrew