How-To: Installation and Evaluation of the Superchip Performance Upgrade Chip for Land Rovers

Want to improve the performance of you 1990's Rover?  J.E. Robison owns an independent Land Rover service center in Massachusetts, USA and he provides an interesting article / review guide about installing a Superchip upgraded performance chip in your Rover.  It covers Superchip upgrades for 1995-1999 Range Rovers with GEMS engine management, 1996-1999 Discovery I models, and 1997 Land Rover Defenders.

Excerpt:

I was always looking for a little more zip from the 4.0 engine. This chip provided it. Installation was easy, and I saw immediate benefits. There is a noticeable improvement in takeoff response and midrange power. The 4.0 now drives much like a 4.6. The truck is generally quite a bit more responsive. I've had several other 4.0 drivers try my Rover, and they have had the same reaction. I would recommend this upgrade for anyone looking for a little more power from their Rover.

How does the Superchip get more power from the motor? I talked for quite a while with the folks at Superchip about this very thing. American Rover engine controls are programmed to tolerate poor fuel, poor upkeep, and poor driving habits. They do this with very conservative programming of the engine management. The Superchip programming takes out a lot of that slop. You get more power but it becomes much more important not to neglect your Rover's care and feeding. They use more timing advance, which gets more power but you have to be sure you only run premium. They deliver more fuel on initial takeoff, but it's vital that you stay on top of oil services because engine loads are higher. They have made many small adjustments to fuel delivery and ignition that add up to (according to them) nearly a 10% improvement in power at most speeds.

Read the full article here.