| German automaker Mercedes-Benz is among the | | | | the Mercedes-Benz, the car’s ECU measure the |
| major movers in the car industry. Backed by its | | | | values gathered by a network of car sensors, like |
| campaign in the race circuit, from the Paris to Rouen | | | | the oxygen sensor, air mass meter, etc. The ECU |
| tour circa 1890 to the Formula One series, | | | | chip then feeds the ECU with information on the |
| Mercedes-Benz is often associated with the vaunted | | | | appropriate fuel injection rate based on these values. |
| supercars that have since come out of its production | | | | By replacing the ECU chip with a performance chip, |
| shop. Among these are the Mercedes-Benz SLR | | | | the lookup tables can be optimized to extract the |
| McLaren, which stands for “super light | | | | maximum amount of horsepower and torque from |
| racing,” and the 1996 Mercedes-Benz model that | | | | the Mercedes-Benz. |
| the company has developed with car modification | | | | The performance chip equips the Mercedes-Benz |
| expert RENNTech, billed as the world’s fastest | | | | with a streamlined engine operation. During full |
| sedan. But, since Mercedes-Benz has diverse markets, | | | | throttle drives, for example, the performance chip |
| even its marquee models are rolled out of the shop | | | | increases fuel injection in response to the rush of air |
| set up for average driver expectations and standard | | | | in the cold air intake system. Since an air to fuel |
| driving conditions. | | | | mixture follows a set ratio, a rush of air can disarm |
| Since the race specs of the Mercedes-Benz have | | | | the power production. More air consequently can |
| little use in typical drive applications, the car’s | | | | accommodate more amount of fuel. The |
| engine is tuned for street use. However, this does | | | | performance chip tunes the lookup tables in the ECU |
| not mean that Mercedes-Benz engines are letdowns. | | | | toward increased production output. |
| In most cases, the engine is simply re-tuned. Engine | | | | In addition, the spark timing may also be altered to |
| tuning is the process of streamlining engine operations | | | | harness more horsepower. A spark that is generated |
| toward its maximum power output. It generally | | | | during an appropriate time boosts power production |
| involves the delivery of air and fuel into the | | | | and prevents fuel waste. Engine misfire, on the other |
| combustion chamber, and the timing of the spark | | | | hand, doesn't just waste fuel: it may also result in |
| that lights up the burn material. As both of these | | | | engine damage, like busted HT leads, fume buildup in |
| engine operations are directed by the Mercedes-Benz | | | | the exhaust system, etc. Unlike car manufacturers, |
| electronic control unit, tweaking the delivery and | | | | who place emphasis on issues like reliability, mileage |
| spark timing systems simply involves the replacement | | | | and emissions control, most manufacturers of |
| of the stock fitted ECU chip. | | | | performance chips utilize more aggressive settings in |
| The ECU chip contains the engine’s lookup | | | | the fuel and spark timing maps of their performance |
| tables, which keeps the required engine operation | | | | chips to further tweak the engine. |
| input in a given drive application. When you rev up | | | | |