[Newboy63]

I own a 2004 Outback Wagon 4 cylinder automatic. The car is in exceptionally great condition and has only 84k on it. Will I cause any problems in the future if I install a Impreza Wrx Chip. This chip is advertized to increase mpg and hp. I am very careful before I add any 3rd party equipment. What is your opion?

 

[AWDFTW]

It's junk, they don't work. Please don't waste your money.

 

[Peaty]

Like he said, they don't work, it's just snake oil. The only way to do it properly is to have the ECU tuned. That needs to be done by someone that knows what they are doing. Mostly people reserve that for the turbo charged motors.

You'd be better served by giving your a car a tune up and maybe do the seafoam treatment. For the most part modern motors are to be pretty efficient from the factory.

 

[DrCloud]

It's a good indication of the snake-oil-ness of vendors when they don't know how a particular car works. Subarus don't need "chips" (like VWs and Audis, to name a couple) do. Subarus need computer programming. And, as I know from experience, this computer programming (that's the ECU tuning that Peaty mentioned) works great.

Don't get sucked in by these rip-off scumballs. HPH

 

[cardoc]

Like he said, they don't work, it's just snake oil. The only way to do it properly is to have the ECU tuned. That needs to be done by someone that knows what they are doing. Mostly people reserve that for the turbo charged motors.

You'd be better served by giving your a car a tune up and maybe do the seafoam treatment. For the most part modern motors are to be pretty efficient from the factory.

Dito and what DrCloud said. The plugins do nothing.

There are hundreds of tuners out there that can either rewrite the ECM in person or via the internet. Ed at Xtreme Racing Tuning is Subaru specific and rewrote my maps on the VDC. Plus he's good people.

 

[Euchre]

...And nobody notices the mention of a WRX chip - turbocharged engine - in a 2004 Outback with a naturally aspirated engine? All kinds of wrong that, eh?

 

[Peaty]

My understanding of these chips is that it tricks the ECU into thinkin IAT and or coolant the temps are different than actual. This makes it so the ECU changes the fuel delivery. Dangerous if you ask me. I could be wrong it's been a while since I thought about it. I've seen them advertised for both turbo and NA motors. I'd consider this more of a piggyback type of system.

The confusion for some people I think, comes from the fact some cars have a removable EPROM chip in the ECU you can swap out. VW's, Fords etc. have chips you can buy that really do work. Subaru ECU's OTOH don't have this type of system. Someone needs to hook up to the car and program it.

 

[Newboy63]

Thanks to all for the information. I think I will just put a big hold on that direction of improvement.

 

[Peaty]

One thing you can do that is relatively inexpensive and helps somewhat is to put a larger rear sway bar on. I did this to my son's 2001, it was simple and pretty cheap:

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/110-gen-2-2000-2004/38757-2002-obw-sway-bar-upgrade-2.html

Not a power upgrade but still worth doing IMHO