lies behind the seductive graphs presented by the producers of tuning chips. 

You can make an important contribution by passing on your knowledge and thereby underlining the risks tuning chips represents for the car owner and his Volvo, as well as for you the dealer.

The method of tuning an engine using a tuning chip simply involves fitting a chip with control programming which differs from that on the original Volvo chip. This increases both the turbo charge and the amount of fuel.

Advertisments are ken to present tuning chips as a quick, straightforward and inexpensive way of increasing engine output. However, as you will no doubt realise this "straightforward" short cut produces sideeffects which the advertising is less keen to describe. Using a tuning chip can, in fact, be compared to taking powerful doping preperations in order rapidly to increase your muscle mass. There is a realrisk that these muscles will destry the rest of the body. In just the same way as a human beings, the damage is not always found before it is to late.

We have conducted an evalution of tuning chip designed for the 1997 model of the Volvvo S70 T5 with a Bosh Motronic 4.4 engine control unit. This test was conducted in collaboration with the Swedish motoring journal Bilsport and targeted five to ten different companies offering tuning chips. Only three of them were prepered to take part in the evalution. The three tuning chips were handed over to us in total anonymity to make our evalution impartial.

The risk of damaging the engine control unit begins the moment the chip is replaced?

The original chip is soldered to the circuit board in the engine managementunit. The three manufacturers used two methods to replace it with tuningchip.

The first method involves the supplier removing the original chip and soldering a new chip base for the tuning chip. This soldering procedure calls for top-class knowlage ans skills if it is to be cuccessful. There is an enormous risk that the engine control unit will be destroyed for ever, even before the tuning chip is fitted!

The second method id more sophisticated. A complete reprogrammed engine control unit is supplied. In both cases, the tuningchip had also been equipped with interference functions, electronics or epoxy compound to prevent us reading the contents.

It is quite clear that the people responsible for these chips know what they are doing, but they have no interest whatsoever in the consequences.

What is the concealed behind the seductive torque curves?

The test began by starting the engines. This was only possible using two of the tuning chips. The third engine refused to start, even though we fitted a new chip from the same supplier. For this reason, our tests only comprise two chips.

On a chassie dynamometer, we measured engine output and torque. The results reveal a marginal increase in maximum output at 5,100 rpm - from 247 bhp in the standard version to 256 bhp with the tuning chip.

The torque curves speak a different language in the 1,800 - 2,400 range, engine torque is rapidly almost doubled, whcich could lead to both unpleasant and dangerous driving situations, especially on road with ruts and holes.

While this dramatic increase in torque is attractive argument in advertising for tuningchips, it also plays a decisive part in the problems, failures and reduced service life tuning chips can cause.

The tuningchip constitutes a risk.

Volvo guarantees the safety and function of its cars for many years, even if a car with a turbocharged engine is put through its paces when driving for long periods at high speed or towing a caravan in hot climate. A Volvo in original condition has been tested and approved for climates and driving styles of every kind. Volvo represents a guarantee that this quality will be maintained for many years, somethings which is also reflected in Volvo`s warranties. However, none of it applies when the engine is equipped with a tuning chip.

Volvo Car Corporation is keeping an eye on this problem. Using today`s modern technology, it is easy to check whether a defect is due to a tunig chip that has been fitted at a later stage. In practice, the engine then ceases to be a Volvo engine and Volvo`s warranty undertakings when it comes to quality and function no longer apply. There is no quarantee that a car owner who is attracted by the idea of a tuning chip has thought of this.

An engine with a tuning chip causes wear and tear to the entire car.

All the extra power an engine with a tuning chip generates is passed on the wheels and road surface via the transmission. All the kinks in the transmission chain have to withstand forces for which they not have been dimesioned.

In addition to the engine components, this includes the clutch, gearbox, final drive with the differential and driveshafts. The brakes and chassis also have to accommodate an abnormally high load.

It is not only the shock of the force generated by a rapid increase in torque that can cause failure. High static torque is also dangerous and can lead to gear failure in the gearbox and final gear, for example.

Anyone who is interested in utilising higher engine torque may also decide to change to wider tyres to improve roadgrip. This increases the stress and strain on the car still further. Spinning wheels can, infact, be regarded as something of a safety valve. We estimate that the torque levels an engine with a tuning chip can produce could reduce the service life of some exposed transmission components by as much as 90%.

Extreme stress on cylinder heads.

It is the interior components which have to take the heaviest punishment in an engine with a tuning chip. Higher forces in connection with intensive heat development lead to extreme stress on cylinderheads, pistons and connection rods, as well as the manifolds, turbocharger and exhaust system. There is a definate risk that the connecting rods will be deformed or cracked by the increase in pressure during combustion. This will naturally be followed by a serious failure.

On the hot side of the engine, tuning can lead to cracking, deformation and failure in bolted joints, which then reduces sealing properties. In our tests, the tempatures in the manifold to the turbocharger quickly increased to 980ºC (after just 10 seconds at full load)! This is 50ºC higher than the designed specification! We were forced rapidly to reduce the load between measurements to enable the engine to cool down.

Are risks associated with tuning chips worth taking?

The possible pleasure of driving a Volvo with a tuning chip can never be counterbalanced by the risks that results from tuning. It may take just a few short seconds at full load to cause irreperable damage to the engine or car. So purchasing a seperate engine control unit for temporary use is just as potentially harmfull as replacing the chip permamently.

There are alternatives.

So what can be done to boost the performance of a Volvo? Well, to begin with, we naturally suggest that the customer should choose the engine alternative that matches his or her need and requirements. Changing or adapting the total system a Volvo represents is not something we recomend.

However, there are exceptions. Volvo has developed a range of  Genuine Volvo accessories for demanding customers who whant more than a family car, without jeopardising our core values of safety, quality and enviromental cencern

This range, which is known as Performance Line, is based, aming other things, on experience acquired from the racing cars competing in the BTCC, where Rickard Rydell is one of the figureheads. One example of these products is a shock absorber from Öhlins, which has been shown to reduce lap times dramatically in motor racing.

If it functions well on the racing track, it can naturally also be used in normal traffic