K-PRO & UNICHIP
Well folks this topic may cause a bit of a stir round the forums but I will try and put down
the full story as it happened. I may add right from the start that it is not my intention to slag one product or company but what you may find from this post makes for some interesting reading. I will give you the facts about what was done and at the end of the post give you my views as the car owner and having owned both systems. Grab a beer (or cold drink) smokes if you have them and read on.
I bought a 2002 CTR and started to modify it. Comptech Icebox. Magnex back box, HKS earthing kit and Hondata inlet manifold gasket. I then went for a Dastek Unichip and had it mapped to my car at Dastek in Dalgety Bay.
After a short time I decided to fit a Hondata K-Pro ecu. Zportec arranged to have this mapped to my car (with the same mods) at TDI North (system r).I was very pleased with the K-pro and took my car to a rolling road day at Dastek and had a power run done. To my surprise and shock the car made the same power as it had done with the Unichip fitted. To say I was pissed off would be an understatement and me being me thought there was some skullduggery going on. Ok the two power runs where not conducted on the same day but surely the K-pro should give more?
When I fitted the K-pro ecu I kept my original ecu so I was in a position where I had a standard ecu and a Unichip mapped to it and also a K-pro ecu. After discussions with Dastek they where up for a test on the same day with the same dyno to see what the real story was.
I must say that from the outset Dastek where extremely professional and we both came up with what we felt was the best way to run the test to try and take out any discrepancies in the results. It was agreed that the car would be strapped down and no adjustments would be made to the fixing of the car for the duration of the test. Two runs would be conducted with each ecu and only me and two independent witnesses would know which ecu was in the car for each power run. Paul from Dastek would run the car for each test and he would be out of the dyno cell while the ecu changes where done. The computer screen showing the results from each run was also obscured from Paul’s view and he was told just to take the car to the limiter for each run.
Before each run was conducted I measured inlet manifold temp and gearbox temp using a very accurate laser temperature gun. It was extremely difficult to get these readings identical for each run but I definitely got them as close as was humanly possible in my opinion. Barometric pressure was also recorded and dyno cell temp was also monitored through the whole test to keep things as consistent as possible. The car actually ran for very short periods relative to the time spent in the dyno cell so temperature build up was all but nil. Across the runs the average Cell temp was 25.4c and Barometric pressure an average of 1016.
All the power figures are at the flywheel. Dasteks dynos calculate power loss on the run down. Some may want to know the power at the wheels but for the purpose of this test it isn’t really important as all the runs are on the same dyno so for comparisons sake it’s perfectly ok.
We ran the ecu in this order.
1. K-pro
2. Standard
3. Unichip
But I will give you the results starting from standard and then Unichip / K-pro.
My immobilizer function on my K-pro is disabled so the flashing key on the instrument binnacle was covered up so as not to give the game away when that ecu was in place. We pulled fuse six before each two runs to reset the ecu just to take any memory out of the equation. This probably wasn’t essential but once again it was a way of keeping everything consistent. The car was filled with Optimax and the test began.
First two runs with Standard ecu.
GEARBOX TEMP: RUN 3. 40c / RUN 4. 44c
INLET MAN TEMP:RUN 3. 30c / RUN 4. 31c
POWER OUTPUT: RUN 3. 204BHP / RUN 4. 204BHP
Two runs with Unichip overlaid with standard.
GEARBOX TEMP: RUN 5. 46c / RUN 6. 45c
INLET MAN TEMP: RUN 5. 33c / RUN 6. 30c
POWER OUTPUT: RUN 5. 210BHP / RUN 6. 209BHP
Two runs with K-pro overlaid with standard
GEARBOX TEMP: RUN 1. 43c / RUN 2. 43c
INLET MAN TEMP: RUN 1. 33c / RUN 2. 30c
POWER OUTPUT: RUN 1. 212BHP / RUN 2. 210BHP
Can now show Unichip overlaid with K-pro so you can see any difference between the two.
Ok so the answer that everyone is looking for is this! Yes the K-pro does give you more bhp in comparison with the Unichip. The difference is small but it’s a difference none the less. Although the power curve with the Unichip does look smoother. Looking at the torque graphs the K-pro again makes more peak torque figures but look again and see that the Unichip seems to gain more at certain parts of the rev range but lose out at others. Obviously these comments could also be applied to the K-pro. The biggest gain just after 5500rpm is most certainly down to the lowered V-tec engagement point with the K-pro a definite benefit of this system.
So now to my personal comments about the two systems as the owner of both.
My initial reaction when I had the Unichip fitted was that I personally felt I had not got the best from it. I posted about it at the time but after seeing the two systems running side by side my thoughts at that time where most definitely unfounded. I did have one hot start problem with the Unichip but it never happened again and was down to me not waiting long enough between the dash lights coming on and starting the car. Fuel economy with both systems in my experience has shown that the K-pro does give more mpg than the standard ecu and that the Unichip did give me less than standard. This might not be very important to a lot of people especially as we are looking for a faster car so fuel economy maybe goes out the window. Although it does give another aspect to think about when choosing either system. I would also add that this in no way means you would get the same results on mpg it’s just my experience with both systems.
I still have the K-pro on my car and maybe that says it all really but there has been so much misinformation regarding the two systems with a few comments basically saying that the Unichip does not work. I think we can safely say from this test that it does and what has been posted here is a way of showing the facts so you can make your own mind up. Obviously if your supercharging your car then K-pro is essential and even a manifold in my opinion would benefit from K-pro more than a Unichip but for what mods the majority of us do to our CTR’s (mild exhaust mods/induction) I think this test gives you all an idea of what to expect.
Big big respect has to go to Dastek for allowing this test(at there expense) and after speaking at length to Gerry and Paul they really are petrol heads at heart you really have to take your hat off to them for putting all there cards on the table.
Thanks also to TDI north (system r).I have always been very happy with there service and would have no hesitation in recommending Paul and his company to anyone.
Many thanks to Zportec.com. Responsible for maintaining and developing my car to my exact needs. Their attention to detail in all the work carried out on my car still continues to impress me.
This post in its entirety can be found along with additional video footage of the runs at www.zportec.com
And so that would appear to be the end of this post! But is it?
Now what do you think would happen if we put the K-pro ecu in the car and then attached the Unichip to it and live mapped the two together????????????????
Well after twenty minutes of live mapping here are the results.
GEARBOX TEMP: RUN 7. 44c / RUN 8. 46c
INLET MAN TEMP:RUN 7. 30c / RUN 8. 31c
POWER OUTPUT: RUN 7. 212BHP / RUN 8. 214BHP
The bhp graph is very close but does really show what a powerful tool live mapping is! A definite advantage to the Unichip system. The Hybrid ecu just edging the K-pro in almost the entire rev range.
The torque graph shows similar results. The gains the Hybrid ecu made are even better on the torque graph and really do once again underline how very powerful a tool live mapping is.
So that’s it folks hope you all enjoyed the post as I certainly spent enough time on it.
I have done my best to be impartial and give you all the facts and thanks for your time.
Si
Well folks this topic may cause a bit of a stir round the forums but I will try and put down
the full story as it happened. I may add right from the start that it is not my intention to slag one product or company but what you may find from this post makes for some interesting reading. I will give you the facts about what was done and at the end of the post give you my views as the car owner and having owned both systems. Grab a beer (or cold drink) smokes if you have them and read on.
I bought a 2002 CTR and started to modify it. Comptech Icebox. Magnex back box, HKS earthing kit and Hondata inlet manifold gasket. I then went for a Dastek Unichip and had it mapped to my car at Dastek in Dalgety Bay.
After a short time I decided to fit a Hondata K-Pro ecu. Zportec arranged to have this mapped to my car (with the same mods) at TDI North (system r).I was very pleased with the K-pro and took my car to a rolling road day at Dastek and had a power run done. To my surprise and shock the car made the same power as it had done with the Unichip fitted. To say I was pissed off would be an understatement and me being me thought there was some skullduggery going on. Ok the two power runs where not conducted on the same day but surely the K-pro should give more?
When I fitted the K-pro ecu I kept my original ecu so I was in a position where I had a standard ecu and a Unichip mapped to it and also a K-pro ecu. After discussions with Dastek they where up for a test on the same day with the same dyno to see what the real story was.
I must say that from the outset Dastek where extremely professional and we both came up with what we felt was the best way to run the test to try and take out any discrepancies in the results. It was agreed that the car would be strapped down and no adjustments would be made to the fixing of the car for the duration of the test. Two runs would be conducted with each ecu and only me and two independent witnesses would know which ecu was in the car for each power run. Paul from Dastek would run the car for each test and he would be out of the dyno cell while the ecu changes where done. The computer screen showing the results from each run was also obscured from Paul’s view and he was told just to take the car to the limiter for each run.
Before each run was conducted I measured inlet manifold temp and gearbox temp using a very accurate laser temperature gun. It was extremely difficult to get these readings identical for each run but I definitely got them as close as was humanly possible in my opinion. Barometric pressure was also recorded and dyno cell temp was also monitored through the whole test to keep things as consistent as possible. The car actually ran for very short periods relative to the time spent in the dyno cell so temperature build up was all but nil. Across the runs the average Cell temp was 25.4c and Barometric pressure an average of 1016.
All the power figures are at the flywheel. Dasteks dynos calculate power loss on the run down. Some may want to know the power at the wheels but for the purpose of this test it isn’t really important as all the runs are on the same dyno so for comparisons sake it’s perfectly ok.
We ran the ecu in this order.
1. K-pro
2. Standard
3. Unichip
But I will give you the results starting from standard and then Unichip / K-pro.
My immobilizer function on my K-pro is disabled so the flashing key on the instrument binnacle was covered up so as not to give the game away when that ecu was in place. We pulled fuse six before each two runs to reset the ecu just to take any memory out of the equation. This probably wasn’t essential but once again it was a way of keeping everything consistent. The car was filled with Optimax and the test began.
First two runs with Standard ecu.
GEARBOX TEMP: RUN 3. 40c / RUN 4. 44c
INLET MAN TEMP:RUN 3. 30c / RUN 4. 31c
POWER OUTPUT: RUN 3. 204BHP / RUN 4. 204BHP


Two runs with Unichip overlaid with standard.
GEARBOX TEMP: RUN 5. 46c / RUN 6. 45c
INLET MAN TEMP: RUN 5. 33c / RUN 6. 30c
POWER OUTPUT: RUN 5. 210BHP / RUN 6. 209BHP


Two runs with K-pro overlaid with standard
GEARBOX TEMP: RUN 1. 43c / RUN 2. 43c
INLET MAN TEMP: RUN 1. 33c / RUN 2. 30c
POWER OUTPUT: RUN 1. 212BHP / RUN 2. 210BHP


Can now show Unichip overlaid with K-pro so you can see any difference between the two.


Ok so the answer that everyone is looking for is this! Yes the K-pro does give you more bhp in comparison with the Unichip. The difference is small but it’s a difference none the less. Although the power curve with the Unichip does look smoother. Looking at the torque graphs the K-pro again makes more peak torque figures but look again and see that the Unichip seems to gain more at certain parts of the rev range but lose out at others. Obviously these comments could also be applied to the K-pro. The biggest gain just after 5500rpm is most certainly down to the lowered V-tec engagement point with the K-pro a definite benefit of this system.
So now to my personal comments about the two systems as the owner of both.
My initial reaction when I had the Unichip fitted was that I personally felt I had not got the best from it. I posted about it at the time but after seeing the two systems running side by side my thoughts at that time where most definitely unfounded. I did have one hot start problem with the Unichip but it never happened again and was down to me not waiting long enough between the dash lights coming on and starting the car. Fuel economy with both systems in my experience has shown that the K-pro does give more mpg than the standard ecu and that the Unichip did give me less than standard. This might not be very important to a lot of people especially as we are looking for a faster car so fuel economy maybe goes out the window. Although it does give another aspect to think about when choosing either system. I would also add that this in no way means you would get the same results on mpg it’s just my experience with both systems.
I still have the K-pro on my car and maybe that says it all really but there has been so much misinformation regarding the two systems with a few comments basically saying that the Unichip does not work. I think we can safely say from this test that it does and what has been posted here is a way of showing the facts so you can make your own mind up. Obviously if your supercharging your car then K-pro is essential and even a manifold in my opinion would benefit from K-pro more than a Unichip but for what mods the majority of us do to our CTR’s (mild exhaust mods/induction) I think this test gives you all an idea of what to expect.
Big big respect has to go to Dastek for allowing this test(at there expense) and after speaking at length to Gerry and Paul they really are petrol heads at heart you really have to take your hat off to them for putting all there cards on the table.
Thanks also to TDI north (system r).I have always been very happy with there service and would have no hesitation in recommending Paul and his company to anyone.
Many thanks to Zportec.com. Responsible for maintaining and developing my car to my exact needs. Their attention to detail in all the work carried out on my car still continues to impress me.
This post in its entirety can be found along with additional video footage of the runs at www.zportec.com
And so that would appear to be the end of this post! But is it?
Now what do you think would happen if we put the K-pro ecu in the car and then attached the Unichip to it and live mapped the two together????????????????
Well after twenty minutes of live mapping here are the results.
GEARBOX TEMP: RUN 7. 44c / RUN 8. 46c
INLET MAN TEMP:RUN 7. 30c / RUN 8. 31c
POWER OUTPUT: RUN 7. 212BHP / RUN 8. 214BHP

The bhp graph is very close but does really show what a powerful tool live mapping is! A definite advantage to the Unichip system. The Hybrid ecu just edging the K-pro in almost the entire rev range.

The torque graph shows similar results. The gains the Hybrid ecu made are even better on the torque graph and really do once again underline how very powerful a tool live mapping is.
So that’s it folks hope you all enjoyed the post as I certainly spent enough time on it.
I have done my best to be impartial and give you all the facts and thanks for your time.
Si