Tuned my civic with a $30 ebay chip and it actually worked for exactly 2 weeks

I was that guy who threw a cheapo tuning chip on my 98 civic hatchback just to see what would happen. The first week was insane, car felt like it gained 25hp and actually pulled harder than my buddy's stock si. But then week two hit and the engine started running super lean at highway speeds, threw a CEL on I-95 near mile marker 34 and the car went into limp mode. Now I'm debating if the risk was worth that temporary thrill or if I should just save up for a proper Hondata tune. Anyone else gamble on cheap ECU mods and get burned?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim.stella26d ago

Totally feel you on that one. I did the exact same thing with my 2000 Integra a few years back and it was a wild ride until it wasn't. That initial pull was honestly addictive, like the car finally woke up. But then my fuel trims went all haywire and I started smelling raw gas at every stoplight. Ended up spending more on a proper tune and fixing the damage than if I just saved up from the start. Its a painful lesson but at least now you know why those cheap chips are a gamble. Hope your civic is okay now, man.

lisa67126d ago

Raw gas smell at every stoplight? That must've been terrifying.