My warranty runs out this year and I am faced with a choice of sticking with a flawless Racechip or switching to VAP tune. Has anyone dyno'd both on the same car and same dyno? Would it be worth the money to switch? My car is a 14 V8 S w/6% supercharger pulley and Racechip map 7 last dyno'd @ 559 WHP.

 

If you are getting a true 559whp (650bhp) with the race chip and the upper pulley, you won’t see much of an improvement, if any, with the VAP tune. Your next move is a lower pulley and a VAP tune. You’d need their tune and avoid throwing codes.

 

A lower pulley is what I was thinking.

 

This raises a question I have been considering for a while but not yet asked - is there any significant power/torque/performance to be gained from adding a Racechip to a car that already has a larger crank pulley and associated VAP tune????
I doubt it and I think it is more likely to cause a CEL and/or a loss of power than anything else, but like most things I could be wrong!
Or maybe the gurus at VAP could come up with a tune that suits and which bumps up the power from 450 hp (on the V6) to say 480 hp????

 

I think it could be possible because if you think about it we have three V8 tunes that Racechip helps, the V8 S, V8 R, and SVR. Racechip sells a different version for each, but I think the end result is about the same.

 

I doubt it. The RaceChip works by modifying sensor inputs to confuse the OEM tune into calling for higher output. The results may not be uniform across all engine speeds. The VAP tune attempts to maximize output based on true sensor readings regardless of engine speed. If you were able to secure additional power with the RaceChip on top of the VAP tune, I suspect it would be at the expense of engine safeguards.

 

Now, if this was my car I would heavily invest into better cooling.

 

I would be satisfied with what you already have, and not press/stress that engine any further.

Be careful what you wish for. 559 WHP is a great deal more than the factory has been willing to go with these engines.

Surely if they stayed reliable at that level, JLR would have already released a Project 9, or a Project 10!

 

If you assume a 10% drive train loss then it is only 20 - 30 bhp more than a Project 8 which is not really a 'great deal more'.

 

The problem with naturally aspirated engines is getting enough air flow through intake to produce power. The problem with forced induction engines is getting heat out as you compressing more air in.

So when you tune F-type, which is supercharged, your number one issue is heat. You get more air in with higher compression, but this in turn results in higher temperature inside the combustion chamber before ignition. It is possible for it to get too hot, to the point where fuel will ignite without spark. If this happens when the piston is coming up you cause rod/bearing damage and can burn valves.

Stock F-type has very limited head room with heat. My 100% stock V6S with no engine cover starting to heat sock in 100F in about 10 hot laps on my local track (and does not soak at all at below 85F). This isn't at all bad, but it is not perfect. This is one of the key motivations for me not to tune - it would simply mean that I would have to spend more of the session time in the pits waiting for it too cool down. Just ask early C7 Z06 owners how much fun is that.

 

And that's the pulley.

 

 

Call me ignorant, but I just want to clarify: this is all achieved with the Racechip? And 001is the factory tune?

 

I think he said he had upper pulley as well....

 

That is a stock V8 S with a supercharger pulley with one pull on Racechip Map 0 (disabled) and two pulls on Map 7.

 

Here is the super charger pulley overlaid on my V8 S's stock baseline from a different day. A pulley is pretty good by itself because although it only adds 21 HP and 19 foot pounds of torque at the peak it gives you more like 40 HP across the upper RPM range. I thought some kind of boost limiter would kick in but apparently not. An R might be different?

 

Would you please clarify your above statement: Is the "559 WHP" you state above at the crank HP (Flywheel) or is this at the wheels HP (tires on the ground?)

 

To the wheels with Racechip and a pulley. So 650-660 at the flywheel.