At what point should I consider a race chip? I hear Hondata does good things for the S2k. Should I get the chip before or after mods like intake & headers?

(My S2k is currently my daily driver but, soon it will be for just weekends and occasional track days, once I get myself a gen 1 Durango with the 5.9 v8.)

THANKS!

 

Not before or after

 

Race chip? You mean a programmable ecu? Like Hondata Flashpro? No one calls this a race chip.

Be aware that FP only works with '06+ S2000. Other model years use a different technology and require a different programmable ecu solution.

More important than the programmable ecu solution you choose is who will be doing the programming. You need to find a good tuner.

The gold standard is a dyno tune. But a very good tune can be done using the street, and data logging, as your dyno. This is called a street tune or e tune (your tuner sends you your tune files electronically, then you load them, hence e tune).

A dyno tune needs a local tuner. But an e tune the tuner can be anywhere on the planet. There are some good e tuners here on this forum. Ap1chief has great reviews.

Your tuner may have strong preferences as to the programmable ecu solution to use. So find a tuner first, then buy the programmable ecu solution.

Note that some programmable ecu solutions rewrite the stock ecu programming itself (such as Flashpro). If the stock ecu can't be reprogrammed, the choices are technology that can alter the signals coming from the stock ecu to alter timing and fueling, or an aftermarket ecu that completely replaces the stock ecu (which typically do not support odb or the odb port that most emissions inspections use to test your car, hence these are usually considered a race only option, as you could never pass emissions.)

Back in the day there may have been off the shelf performance chips (a race chip) you just popped into place (well, back in someone else's, someone younger's day. Back in my day tuning was accomplished with timing advance weights and springs and carb jets and needles). But these days the programming is unique per individual car and engine, and requires a skilled tuner to do that programming.

Find a tuner. Get the programmable ecu solution they suggest. Do your mods. Get it tuned to take full advantage of the mods. Stop calling it a race chip. Start lurking in the Engine Management subforum, which is where everyone discusses programmable ecu solutions.

 

While Car Analogy hit the nail on the head, to answer your question some benefits can be had on tuning a stock car but its best to get tuned after mods to maximize the benefits of said mods. Also the tune will need to be adjusted for new parts added to the engine.