Hyper-Tech power chip?

The major difference for the hypertech chip is that it advances the timing so you should be using high octane gas, otherwise you'll lose most of the benefits of using the hypertech chip. You can always go to the dealer and get the original (or updated) prom.

-Bruce

it can cause the engine to overheat, or rip itself to bits by pinging it may make the car harder to start in temperature extremes. if may reduce gas mileage.

Ask yourself this question: "Who knows more about the design parameters of that engine: GM or the people who programmed that chip?"

If reliability is of no importance, by all mean, go with the chip! You might save a entire 5 minutes driving around trying to get where you're going a little faster; you might also spend 30 hours in lost time when the car breaks down.

With that question then no one would use aftermarket parts that are the same or better than the original parts. Even GM has updated PROMs that correct errors or drivability problems they had with the original PROM.

The same reasoning also goes to say that the original PROM could fail and you'd spend 30 hours in lost time for that. Yes, it's one more thing that could go wrong but I don't see it being an excessive decrease in reliability if used properly.

-Bruce

This is pretty alarmist. All the chip does is change the timing curve. It won't do any harm, but you need to use premium fuel. If you have no interest in the increased performance, them put the OEM chip back in and sell the hypertech one on ebay.

Ok, everyone else is saying that the hypertech chip just advances the timing curve, but most do more than that. Your 92' doesn't have an electronic transmission so it won't affect shift points or shorten the length of the tranny. It likely does have a 160* thermostat installed , which "fools" the engine into thinking the coolant is cooler via the coolant temp. sensor, hence richening the fuel mixture. So, in theory, a cooler running engine causes the ECM to run a slightly richer mixture, and allows for a more aggressive timing curve as detonation is less likely at lower cylinder temps.

So a few more horsies maybe, reduced fuel economy definitely.

I'd yank it and the low temp t-stat, put em' on E-Bay and put the original PROM and a 195* t-stat back in her.

Doc

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coolant

It doesn't fool the engine into thinking the coolant is cooler, the coolant temperature is sensed and that's exactly what the engine uses in it's calculations. The 160 degree thermostat doesn't do any good unless the fans and radiator can get rid of enough heat to lower the coolant temperature. The 160 probably makes the warm up period a little longer but again, I doubt it's much to worry about.

It should give you more power but whether it's worth the extra power is your call. Since it's an astro van, you might need the extra power.. Last time I drove an astro van, I think I thought I could run faster than I could drive it.

||It should give you more power but whether it's worth the extra power is your ||call. Since it's an astro van, you might need the extra power.. Last time ||I drove an astro van, I think I thought I could run faster than I could ||drive it.

I had a '92 just like the OP's. It was plenty quick, and I drove it hard. It would hit 100 pretty easily, and cruise at 90 all day. I also towed a 5000# trailer with it occasionally, for several hundred miles. Then, it could've used some more grunt. A chip might have made the difference. And BTW, I sold it at 217,000 miles, still on original drivetrain. Rex in Fort Worth

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Gives me something to think about. The guy I bought it from said he put it in to tow a bass boat that weighs about 3200#. I may tow a small utility trailer with the van, but I doubt It'll weigh that much. I just took a 600 mile / 2 day trip with it (not towing anything) and it seemed fine doing 75 all day & got about

23 mpg on regular gas. I'll try premium for a couple tanks & see if there's any noticable difference in power or economy. If there's no real difference, I'll be ebaying the HT chip and go back to regular gas.

Cheers, - Jeff G

||Thanks to everyone for the replies. Gives me something to think about. ||The guy I bought it from said he put it in to tow a bass boat that ||weighs about 3200#. I may tow a small utility trailer with the van, but ||I doubt It'll weigh that much. I just took a 600 mile / 2 day trip with ||it (not towing anything) and it seemed fine doing 75 all day & got about ||23 mpg on regular gas. I'll try premium for a couple tanks & see if ||there's any noticable difference in power or economy. If there's no real ||difference, I'll be ebaying the HT chip and go back to regular gas.

23 is great. I never got over 22 on mine on a good day, even when I was being nice. Highway was more likely 20-21, in-town was 19. Rex in Fort Worth

I got lucky and got a really nice one. Considering the price ($2500), I should be careful around the cops - I stole this thing. ;)

Here's the auction w/ some pics:

Cheers, - Jeff G