How to avoid blown spark plugs in your tuned Stinger

[Kamauxx]

What is difference in JB4 and unichip q4 with regards to price and performance.

Do I want to recap stock plugs or buy aftermarket ones? My 3.3 stinger has done 800km's.

I couldn't tell you. I've never heard of unichip q4.

 

[StungBlueGT2]

What is difference in JB4 and unichip q4 with regards to price and performance.

Do I want to recap stock plugs or buy aftermarket ones? My 3.3 stinger has done 800km's.

JB4 is the #1 piggyback/chip for our Stingers and for good reason. It provides the most features and is the most developed chip available at this time.

The JB4 by itself is $479, but most people suggest getting the Bluetooth kit($140) to connect to your phone which allows for live monitoring & logging of many parameters(Boost PSI, AFR, Ignition timing, etc.); Map changes(0-8) on the fly; user adjustments, etc. Total cost with everything included is less than $650, or about HALF as much as the closest competitor the Lap3 ProTuner($1200+).

In regards to performance the JB4 adds about 70whp on a stock Stinger, and 135whp+ with WMI & intakes only! Currently JB4 has the #1 quickest track verified Stinger and multiple others running 11s in the 1/4m.

I hate to say it but I wouldn’t use a company like unichip that doesn’t even offer a chip specifically for Kia’s, or our Stingers. Looks like their q4 is just a generic chip for any vehicle which may not work properly on the Stinger. Unless they have done R&D on a Stinger and can produce verifiable dyno results I wouldn’t trust them, or any other unproven brand.

Unfortunately it’s almost impossible to compare performance as I can’t find anything on their website about power gains for the Stinger.

I suggest doing more research on piggybacks/tunes before committing to unichip or any chip for that matter.

Lastly, you can run either set of plugs, but if your going through the trouble of pulling plugs you might as well upgrade to the Denso 5346 many recommend. Just make sure any plugs are gapped down to (.022-.026) to accommodate for the higher boost.

Hope this helps and happy tuning no matter which chip you choose!

 

[Hemz]

I couldn't tell you. I've never heard of unichip q4.

Unichip Version Q4

 

[Hemz]

JB4 is the #1 piggyback/chip for our Stingers and for good reason. It provides the most features and is the most developed chip available at this time.

The JB4 by itself is $479, but most people suggest getting the Bluetooth kit($140) to connect to your phone which allows for live monitoring & logging of many parameters(Boost PSI, AFR, Ignition timing, etc.); Map changes(0-8) on the fly; user adjustments, etc. Total cost with everything included is less than $650, or about HALF as much as the closest competitor the Lap3 ProTuner($1200+).

In regards to performance the JB4 adds about 70whp on a stock Stinger, and 135whp+ with WMI & intakes only! Currently JB4 has the #1 quickest track verified Stinger and multiple others running 11s in the 1/4m.

I hate to say it but I wouldn’t use a company like unichip that doesn’t even offer a chip specifically for Kia’s, or our Stingers. Looks like their q4 is just a generic chip for any vehicle which may not work properly on the Stinger. Unless they have done R&D on a Stinger and can produce verifiable dyno results I wouldn’t trust them, or any other unproven brand.

Unfortunately it’s almost impossible to compare performance as I can’t find anything on their website about power gains for the Stinger.

I suggest doing more research on piggybacks/tunes before committing to unichip or any chip for that matter.

Lastly, you can run either set of plugs, but if your going through the trouble of pulling plugs you might as well upgrade to the Denso 5346 many recommend. Just make sure any plugs are gapped down to (.022-.026) to accommodate for the higher boost.

Hope this helps and happy tuning no matter which chip you choose!

Hey mate...they have done it for stingers before. Increases kw at the wheel by 62kw just with chip and tune or at the fly by 90kw...have a read and let me know what your thoughts are

 

[DarthVaderIX]

He has quoted upto 4 hours to get it tuned right

Oh my

 

[Hemz]

Oh my

It's not just plug and play this one I don't think...it's a whole new ecu? I'm not too versed in it all though...just check out the site and let me know your thoughts on the product...the performance is there

 

[Hemz]

It's not just plug and play this one I don't think...it's a whole new ecu? I'm not too versed in it all though...just check out the site and let me know your thoughts on the product...the performance is there

Also they are taking plugs out and gapping them for me.

 

[Hemz]

How come people are taking 3 hours to take the plugs out?

 

[JustThatPenguin]

One plug is a pain to get out. The intake manifold is in the way. You can get it out without taking the manifold off if you use all sorts of attachments. For mine, we loosened it up and had just enough clearance.

 

[Hemz]

One plug is a pain to get out. The intake manifold is in the way. You can get it out without taking the manifold off if you use all sorts of attachments. For mine, we loosened it up and had just enough clearance.

So that tool I posted would get one?

 

[Hemz]

FYI from unichip directly

" the reason some of the USA Stinger forums are suggesting to regap spark plugs is because they are not controlling all the tune parameters. We have no issues what ever with stock plugs and stock plug gaps. Our system doesn’t communicate with the factory ecu doesn’t leave any form of electronic footprint and is IMPOSSIBLE to tell it’s ever been connected "

 

[StungBlueGT2]

Hey mate...they have done it for stingers before. Increases kw at the wheel by 62kw just with chip and tune or at the fly by 90kw...have a read and let me know what your thoughts are
View attachment 21612

Weird, Unichips USA website doesn’t show anything for the Stinger. Are you sure those dyno results are from an actual Stinger? If they are, then those gains are on par with most piggybacks.

It's not just plug and play this one I don't think...it's a whole new ecu? I'm not too versed in it all though...just check out the site and let me know your thoughts on the product...the performance is there

The link you provided above says the q4 is a “piggyback” so it’s not a new ECU or what’s considered an ECU tune like Tork or PresserTech. It’s the same concept as a JB4 or Lap3.

FYI from unichip directly
" the reason some of the USA Stinger forums are suggesting to regap spark plugs is because they are not controlling all the tune parameters. We have no issues what ever with stock plugs and stock plug gaps. Our system doesn’t communicate with the factory ecu doesn’t leave any form of electronic footprint and is IMPOSSIBLE to tell it’s ever been connected "

Sorry but this is incorrect and is technically false advertising. The JB4 and most Piggybacks control the same exact parameters. Even unichips website states the chip is a “piggyback” and shows all the same adjustments the other piggybacks manage as well.

The only upgrade that can control “all the tune parameters” is a real ECU tune like Tork & PresserTech but they are full ECU swaps, not a piggyback like the q4.

Lastly, our spark plug issues are not caused by certain chips/tunes since even some stock Stingers had the same problems. Some cars were gapped properly and had no issues, while others had .030”+ gaps and had misfires even with stock boost levels. Extra boost just exaggerates the problem which is why it’s a lot more common with chips...

Hope this helps and curious what your car will produce after 4hrs of “tuning”. Does that mean they are tuning your car on a dyno and will provide HP results on your car specifically?

 

[Hemz]

Weird, Unichips USA website doesn’t show anything for the Stinger. Are you sure those dyno results are from an actual Stinger? If they are, then those gains are on par with most piggybacks.

The link you provided above says the q4 is a “piggyback” so it’s not a new ECU or what’s considered an ECU tune like Tork or PresserTech. It’s the same concept as a JB4 or Lap3.
Sorry but this is incorrect and is technically false advertising. The JB4 and most Piggybacks control the same exact parameters. Even unichips website states the chip is a “piggyback” and shows all the same adjustments the other piggybacks manage as well.

The only upgrade that can control “all the tune parameters” is a real ECU tune like Tork & PresserTech but they are full ECU swaps, not a piggyback like the q4.

Lastly, our spark plug issues are not caused by certain chips/tunes since even some stock Stingers had the same problems. Some cars were gapped properly and had no issues, while others had .030”+ gaps and had misfires even with stock boost levels. Extra boost just exaggerates the problem which is why it’s a lot more common with chips...

Hope this helps and curious what your car will produce after 4hrs of “tuning”. Does that mean they are tuning your car on a dyno and will provide HP results on your car specifically?

Hey mate,

Yeah they are doing live tuning and this won't affect warranty at all because once it's installed and tuned I can take it out before warranty claims. It doesn't piggyback the ecu per say....it bypasses it and takes control of the engine. Kia ecu doesn't even know it's there so won't be picked up in any diagnostics from kia if I've removed before warranty. It has a 3 year warranty and they have done 50 Kia stingers in house to get a main tune file which will be 90% good then the remaining 10% is tuned on the Dyno live. I'll be getting a before and after dyno print off sheet and am getting it done Tuesday.

It is costing me $1800 AUS.

Should be going from 220rwkw to 282rwkw so will post results.

 

[Hemz]

Hey mate,

Yeah they are doing live tuning and this won't affect warranty at all because once it's installed and tuned I can take it out before warranty claims. It doesn't piggyback the ecu per say....it bypasses it and takes control of the engine. Kia ecu doesn't even know it's there so won't be picked up in any diagnostics from kia if I've removed before warranty. It has a 3 year warranty and they have done 50 Kia stingers in house to get a main tune file which will be 90% good then the remaining 10% is tuned on the Dyno live. I'll be getting a before and after dyno print off sheet and am getting it done Tuesday.

It is costing me $1800 AUS.

Should be going from 220rwkw to 282rwkw so will post results.

 

[rocket23]

Running hotter plugs gapped at .024, oem's are or I should say were , gapped at .035 one even .038...but they are out and hotter ngk's with a smaller gap are in.....new ecu being installed later this week....then the chip install....dealer did a wire harness recall, didn't say a thing about the cai............waiting......

so it's been a few month's no issue's except this morning pouring rain it took a few more seconds to start than normal....dunno what that was about. Run her hard about once a week but not for an extended time.......I keep thinking I'll blow a plug one of these days, so far just a perfect car.

 

[jesse300]

Will be interesting to see your results Hemz, I have been looking at getting a uni chip too.

The reason being that although its a piggyback it is tuned specifically to your car. So will be tuned correctly for the mods like exhaust on the car. Also all these bolt on ecu's from usa and Korea are not tuned for 98octane, which we have at nearly every fuel station in Australia.

 

[Hemz]

Will be interesting to see your results Hemz, I have been looking at getting a uni chip too.

The reason being that although its a piggyback it is tuned specifically to your car. So will be tuned correctly for the mods like exhaust on the car. Also all these bolt on ecu's from usa and Korea are not tuned for 98octane, which we have at nearly every fuel station in Australia.

Just did one tank on 98 map with sport mode and my god was fun...11.2L/100km

Now doing eco mode with eco map and sitting on 7.5L/100km but just started

Definitely recommend...but will get proper dyno results in a couple thousand km's to show you. (Unichip are going to get the proper dyno setup for me)

 

[Kamauxx]

It is costing me $1800 AUS.

Should be going from 220rwkw to 282rwkw so will post results.

For that price you could get a JB4, mid-pipes, and intake that will take your car to around 450 rwhp (330rwkw?).

 

[Hemz]

Our tune doesn't blow spark plugs

 

[Kamauxx]

Our tune doesn't blow spark plugs

Well, good luck with that.