Water proofing your chip.

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

I was driving down a river bed this morning and went through a little stream and just after that my check engine lights came on. I plugged in my trusty scan tool and the vehicle had about ten error codes up. To make a long story short I used my pocket knife (thank god I had it or I would still be there) to open my Chip-It chip. There was small droplets of water in the chip on the circuit board!!! I had the chip mounted exactly how the instructions that came with it tell you how to mount it. So I let it dry in the sun and reassembled it. Problem fixed. So I went home and cleaned the chip out with some contact cleaner and made this so this will never happen again.

I went to Jaycar and bought this water tight enclosure. I got the grommet from Supercheap and the double sided tape I already had. I just drilled a 25mm hole in the side and with some serious mucking around I managed to roll back the heat shrink and remove the ferrite chock and slide my grommet over the plug. I then reassembled and used double sided tape to hold the chip in place. I did all of this with the harness still attached the car because the engine was still to hot to remove the injector rail plug.









I think everyone one should make one of these to avoided being stranded if your not real mechanically minded.

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Nice work Barry. Matty (Matty & Loz) and I have been "eyeing off the chip and he wants to move mine under the dash. This is where it SHOULD be installed!!!!

Might speak to the boys at Chip It with a view to a longer harness to make the job easier. Failing a move under the dash, your job will be the way I go.

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

Thank you. I was considering that as well but the only thing stopping me was the fact that I would have to hide the wiring when I take it for servicing because its still under warranty. Which would be a pain in the bum. This way it take 2 minutes to remove from my vehicle.

[mickmac_42 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mickmac_42]

This is probably one of the more impressive mod i've seen. Easy to make and has the potential to save the day. Well done.

[barryswanson Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barryswanson]

I just came back from a run up the river through heaps of puddles and water splashing up under the bonnet and no error codes. No water in chip. Success Maybe Chip-It needs to rethink the design of the chip enclosure and plug since the rest of the harness is water proof.

[katerin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close katerin]

Thanks, it was very good advise

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Nice work Barry. Matty (Matty & Loz) and I have been "eyeing off the chip and he wants to move mine under the dash. This is where it SHOULD be installed!!!!

Might speak to the boys at Chip It with a view to a longer harness to make the job easier. Failing a move under the dash, your job will be the way I go.

I believe the plugs used for connection to the chipit unit are available from jaycar, or other similar online electrical firm, such as farnell. So I'm looking at a disconnection, de-pin of existing connections, splicing and relocation unit to under your dash Rob. Nothing to it really, and I've already got all the tools! No need for another loom, i'll make exactly what we need.

honestly, I fail to see why such an expensive piece of kit gets put under the bonnet anyway, or at least, why is it not water proof?

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

I just came back from a run up the river through heaps of puddles and water splashing up under the bonnet and no error codes. No water in chip. Success Maybe Chip-It needs to rethink the design of the chip enclosure and plug since the rest of the harness is water proof.

Nice work mate, always good when a plan comes together!