This is a profound review and analysis of DragonWorks Performance / Tornado Eco-Flex Chips by DragonWorks Performance. These Performance Chips were purchased on company’s website. A direct link to their website can be found here: https://dragonworksperformance.com Let’s take a look:
Company Profile
The manufacturer is a company called DragonWorks Performance.
Cost
The cost on ebay at the time of this review varies, from $59.99 up to $119.99. A fairly decent price versus options available providing if claims are real.
Product Appearance
The OBD performance module comes in three versions as shown above. The Green and Blue ones appear to be the first versions of the performance chip and fuel efficiency chip they offer , the Red one is the Elite Plus Edition performance booster chip. We purchased one of each of these modules via eBay for testing.
Internal Analysis
After removing the cover of each module, we immediately noticed there was much more to the circuit board than just idle leds.
As for the claims, many products claim to do a lot of things, but do they really work?
We first stripped it all the way down to the connection points to the OBD2 port and we can see that all 16 pins are utilized. This is a great first sign, this tells us that it is for use in more than just one specific region of vehicles.
The IC has a JDM-USA Rev. 6.0 label on it. After doing several tests such as Program Memory type, CAN protocol, Program Max Memory Size, and Max CPU Speed and after all test have been made, we determined that the Chip installed is a JDM/Microchip version of the PIC16F59 with improved Programming Memory to 24KB and CAN Bus support verified through our lab tests. We have seen this relabeling from Microchip in other computer related parts such as video cards.
Time for a look inside the brain of the chip:
It has a 4 mhz Resonator which is more accurate than the lower cost internal oscillators found on other performance chips so it cannot be another light scam chip. It also shows in consistency for having the space utilized for a fully functioning program as well as a processor speed to make split second adjustments in real time applications.
Understanding OBD Protocols
From this chart, we see the following protocols and which pins must be present for them to be used:
CAN – 4, 6, 14, 16
PWM -2, 4, 5, 10, 16
VPW – 2, 4, 5, 16
ISO – 4, 5, 7, 16
So we can conclude from this that the DragonWorks Performance Chip:
HAS all OBD connections to the CAN protocol
HAS all OBD connections for the PWM protocol
HAS all OBD connections for the ISO protocol
HAS all OBD connections for the VPW protocol
From these connections, the DragonWorks Performance Chip does have the capability to interface to any of these protocols. According to the product information, the company claims it is custom programmed for use with only one vehicle. Therefor each chip must be reprogrammed if you want to use in a different vehicle than you originally purchase for. (Although that is true of all custom programmed chips)
Operation
We connected each of the chips to our 2016 BMW 530i 3.0L L6 as instructed and the lights came on as expected:
For about 1 week we drove only a few miles and did notice a definite improvement in throttle response and pick up power. In addition, the idle and overall handling of the engine did seem to be smoother. To be honest we were rather impressed with the performance changes. We tested in a large run and noticed we had gained almost 5MPG on fuel economy.
Analysis
It is clear from our analysis so far that the DragonWorks Performance Chips both Elite and Elite Plus as well as the Tornado Eco-Flex Fuel Saver are capable of delivering real gains and is a good choice for those seeking a general tuning solution. We were impressed with the overall construction, ease of use, and performance gains that came is such a little device. And what is even more impressive is that this was a product that could produce such gains for such a little cost.
Conclusion
We can say with full confidence that this performance chip is an ideal buy in the automotive accessory and performance market.
| Average Horsepower (HP) Gain: | |
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Good day
Have you ever tested the chip on a petrol engine with a turbocharger (Golf GTI)?
Yep, we have done testing on petrol turbo and it gained in performance. The testing was not on the golf GTI but the concept would be the same and they seem to know what they are doing over there so I would say you will see improvement.
I ordered the chip. I’m looking forward to the result. Has the chip installed 2 boards? How many miles do I have to drive so that I notice something?
I’m sure you will like the results gained, we drove about 2 miles and started noticing results. And it was a dual board quadra panel layout.
I just bought the Dragon Works Elite Plus. I was going to cancel until i read this review. I asked the same question and they told me u should see a difference when u plug it in. Mine wont be till next week. After this review, i cant wait till it gets here
2021 buick encore GX
1.3L 3cyl turbo
AWD
137hp@5300
i installed pedal commander from buick store $150 cheaper than pedal commander website
this feek like its pure hp gains
7000 rom At 10 % throttle position
im hoping i can get a chip
thst will allow a turbo upgrade that with proper tuner make 250 hp
he said some of these chip coukd get 100-150 hp out if the possible 250
with a authentic chip
i think i try this chip discussed here
Has it been tested on a 2016 Toyota Tacoma, 3.5 litre?
I believe they have, you can reach them at [email protected] for more direct questions about this.
Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for!
Has this been tested on a Hyundai Veloster and what were the findings
We do our testing on only the vehicles we have at our disposal but we can say this for sure, the results we have from this device is very impressive in all areas tested. Although we do not have testing from the Veloster, based on the research we can do, we are pretty confident this companies product will work.
Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! 🙂
Thanks for the review, think I’m gonna pull the trigger for my new 2019 124 spider. Total n00b question tho… You keep the chip plugged in all the time, right? But you only have to run the initialization installation process once?? Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Matt
They designed their chip as a leave in or take out option for your convenience. It is much better than most others we have tested that require you to leave in.
Will the chip avoid my warranty?
No these chips actually are plug in design so you can unplug them when taking in for warranty work and it will keep your warranty safe
As far as i hear. Nope. They say that if u use the chip, its supposed to make ur engine run better & last longer. It doesnt affect ur warranty at all
I have a 2004 audi a4 1.8t quattro.. Would this be a good investment and worth it? How much does this actually improve? (Torque and hp wise)
After our testing we can say with confidence that it is a good investment. As for the power gains it is best to contact them for the accurate gains for your vehicle.
I have around 100 miles on my chip now and there have definitely been some changes for the better. Noticeable extra power under light and moderate acceleration, more passing power on the highway and a 1 mpg increase despite plenty of spirited driving. Hard acceleration is still a bit of an issue. My 0 to 60 times are getting back to normal but still a couple tenths slower than stock but I’m optimistic that it will continue to improve
Ihave read the reviews on your website and very thankful for your expert advise on what not to use. Im purchasing Dragon works elite (red) from the link on your website and will write my own review. My moto has regualr botl ons , Intake, Exhaust system, voltage stabilizer, spark plugs . Was gonna upgrade the throttle but i dont know if the Blox throttle will need fabrication to fit my 04 civic (a headache i dont want to get into at the moment. Will love to see how this car will move on the highway… , Cant pass newer faster cars for lanechangin on highways .. hopes this helps .., 😁😂😂🤣
Update** it works. ,. wayyy better than no chip, you get a notch or 2 of a kick if done right. Theres outer systems outthere that might be better.. but they’ll cost an arm an a leg. For what its worth, its not bad at all!
Installed in my gm 1.4 ecotec ( 2015 ) about a week ago. Woke it up nice. Throttle response improved and mid range power increased. Very pleased and would definitely recommend.
Hi
Will this work with Toyota Rush 2019 model???
Yes, it does. They offer a wide selection of vehicles they program for including yours.
How is the performance gains on a 2015 Buick Encore 4cyl Turbo?
The stock lack of acceleration is scary to merge or pass.
We have noticed the performance gains are very noticeable and competitive especially for the price.
I just placed an order through their website for the tornado eco-flex.
I have referred your question over to them and encourage you to contact them at [email protected] for any questions you may have. They seem to have very responsive support so you should get your requested information quickly.
Thank you for being responsive and helpful. I appreciate it more than you think.
if i use it for my mitsubishi outlander 2022 i don’t lose the warranty?
No you will not lose your warranty using this product. Their chip was designed with warranties in mind and made sure to protect them.
Can I order the elite plus on blue
You need to contact DragonWorks Performance to confirm but I would believe you can order in blue, you are able to contact them at [email protected]