The internet is awash with promises of quick and easy horsepower gains and improved fuel economy through OBD2 performance chips. However, many of these devices are nothing more than scams, preying on car enthusiasts looking for an affordable performance boost. Before you consider purchasing a performance chip that connects to your car’s OBD2 port, it’s crucial to be informed. We highly recommend reviewing the detailed reverse engineering analysis of the Nitro OBD2 scam by quarkslab: https://blog.quarkslab.com/reverse-engineering-of-the-nitro-obd2.html. This article sheds light on the widespread nature of these deceptive products.
This influx of NitroOBD scams from China has spawned countless imitations, distinguished only by different colors and logos. Unscrupulous sellers quickly realized the profitability of marketing these simple light-blinking devices as sophisticated ‘tuners’ with inflated price tags. In this article, we delve into the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner, dissecting its claims and revealing its true nature. To fully grasp the context, reading the quarkslab analysis is highly recommended. Numerous tests and articles have already debunked the Nitro OBD module as a scam – don’t just take our word for it.
Further evidence exposing the Nitro-OBD light flasher scam and its various forms can be found in these YouTube videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgXwfBTKLGU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-l9ohTjvkw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdoIjt2mMEQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OIO1tJPEy8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1OmGDE1FLA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytwlDVaFbec
Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner: A Reverse Engineering Analysis
OBD Performance Chip Tags: CAN OBD Performance Chip, Vehicle Tuning Scams, Analysis, Reverse Engineering, Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner Scam
This article presents a reverse engineering analysis of the “Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner.” Our goal is to determine if this product lives up to its performance enhancement promises or if it’s simply another scam.
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip boasts a visually appealing glossy black design. However, its aesthetics bear a striking resemblance to other OBD2 performance chips we’ve previously investigated and exposed as scams. Thorton Chip Tuning, the company behind this product, claims to be “a team of automotive enthusiasts based on Columbus, GA. Founded in 2008 our mission is to work with high performance vehicles in any way we can.”
Alt text: Thorton Chip Tuning “About Us” page showing generic stock photo, raising doubts about their claimed expertise in vehicle tuning.
Upon closer examination of the “shop” photo on their “About Us” page, skepticism arises regarding their claims of being in the vehicle tuning business. The image primarily depicts workers focused on axles, gearboxes, and tires – activities seemingly unrelated to ECU tuning or performance modifications.
Alt text: Generic auto repair shop photo used on Thorton Chip Tuning “About Us” page, lacking evidence of performance tuning specialization.
The Thorton Tuning Chip product is advertised on their website, thortonchiptuning.com, with a spiffy and professional-looking product photo:
Alt text: Professional product photo of Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip on their website, despite potential scam nature.
While the advertisement is visually appealing, past experiences with similar products teach us that appearances can be deceiving. Even at first glance, some red flags emerge. Let’s investigate further.
Packaging and Striking Similarities to Known Scams
CASE / PACKAGING
Comparing the packaging of the Thorton chip to previously exposed scam chips reveals alarming similarities.
Alt text: Side-by-side comparison of SuperOBD scam chip box and Thorton Performance Chip box, highlighting identical size, shape, and instruction layout.
The box for the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is strikingly similar to that of the SuperOBD scam chip. The size, shape, and even the layout of the installation instructions on the bottom are almost identical, with only minor alterations. This immediately raises concerns about its legitimacy.
Alt text: Visual comparison of Super OBD scam chip and Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat chip, emphasizing identical design, lights, button, and outer casing.
The chip itself further reinforces our suspicions. It is virtually IDENTICAL to the SUPER OBD2 / Nitro OBD chip scam. The lights, button, and overall design are the same – only the color and labeling have been changed. This strong resemblance to known scam products is a major red flag.
Thorton’s Bold Performance Claims
What claims does Thorton make about this “performance chip”? They are plentiful and mirror those of other dubious products in the market.
Alt text: Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claim about chip adjusting to driving habits and remapping ECU for optimal performance.
Their claims start with standard marketing language seen in similar products: “After driving about 125 total road miles, our tuning chip will adjust itself to your vehicle’s engine, your driving habits and continues to remap the ECU for optimal performance and fuel consumption as you continue to drive.”
Alt text: Thorton Chiptuning website stating they are “U.S. sellers,” despite evidence suggesting otherwise.
They assert being “U.S. sellers,” but the product’s origin and manufacturing location are highly questionable and point towards overseas production.
Alt text: Thorton Chiptuning contradictory claims of “universal” fitment and requiring specific vehicle engine details during purchase.
A significant red flag is their contradictory statements regarding vehicle compatibility. They claim “The Thorton Performance Chip will fit all engine sizes and types for your make of vehicle,” suggesting universal compatibility. However, they also instruct customers to “Be sure to select the correct Make, Model and engine of your vehicle when purchasing.” This inconsistency raises serious doubts about whether the chip is truly custom programmed or a generic, one-size-fits-all device.
Alt text: Thorton Chiptuning website boldly claiming up to 40HP gains from their OBD2 plug-in chip, mirroring unrealistic claims of other scam products.
The most outlandish claim, and a hallmark of these scam devices, is the promise of “40HP gains” from a simple OBD2 plug-in module. This claim is highly unrealistic and should be treated with extreme skepticism, especially given the visual and packaging similarities to known scams.
Cost and Deceptive Pricing Tiers
COST
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip website offers the product in three “levels” at varying prices:
Alt text: Thorton Chiptuning pricing tiers for Level 1, 2, and 3 chips, all visually identical despite different performance claims and prices.
Despite the different “levels,” all the chips look identical. “Level 1” is priced at $29.95, “Level 2” at $59.95, and “Level 3” at $89.95. This tiered pricing strategy, with visually indistinguishable products, is a common tactic used in scams to create a perception of value and choice.
Another concerning observation is the similarity of the dial logos used to represent the different chip “levels” to those of the Chipyourcar Thunderbolt chip, another previously reviewed scam.
Alt text: Comparison of dial logos for Chipyourcar and Thorton chip levels, showing nearly identical MPG and horsepower values, suggesting a common origin or copying.
The dial designs are only slightly different in color and shape, but the claimed MPG and horsepower values are EXACTLY THE SAME. The odds of this being a coincidence are extremely low. This points towards either Thorton being a new scam operation by the same individuals behind Chip Your Car, or a blatant copycat scam. All indicators so far strongly suggest a shared origin with previously analyzed scam products. But what’s actually inside the Thorton Top Speed OBD CAT Performance Chip?
Internal Examination: Exposing the Familiar Scam Circuitry
INTERNAL ANALYSIS
To uncover the truth, we ordered a Thorton Top Speed OBDII CAT Performance Chip and carefully disassembled its plastic casing. Immediately upon opening it, we recognized a disturbingly familiar design from previously analyzed scam modules.
Alt text: External view of the Thorton Performance Chip, resembling generic OBD2 adapter designs, before disassembly to reveal internal components.
Alt text: Internal components of disassembled Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip, revealing a simple circuit board with minimal functionality.
A detailed comparison with known NitroOBD clones confirmed our suspicions: the circuit board is yet another NitroOBD clone with rearranged components and different LED colors.
Alt text: Side-by-side comparison of SUPERobd NitroOBS scam chip circuit board and Thorton Top Speed OBDII CAT circuit board, highlighting identical components and layout with minor rearrangements.
All components are identical on both modules, merely repositioned, and some LED light colors altered. It utilizes the same, inadequate microprocessor, the PIC16F59, which lacks the memory capacity to store genuine vehicle maps required for actual ECU remapping. The reason for this striking similarity becomes clear when considering the likely source of these modules: China.
Alt text: Aliexpress listing for “OBDIICAT Scam Chip,” revealing the likely source and low cost of these modules directly from Chinese suppliers.
As shown in the Aliexpress listing, these modules are readily available from Chinese suppliers for around $4.32 apiece. Shockingly, Thorton even uses the EXACT SAME product photo from the Aliexpress supplier on their website! They directly lifted images from Aliexpress to market their product. Further down the Aliexpress page, the listing compares the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip to the original NitroOBD Yellow scam chip.
Alt text: Aliexpress comparison image showing Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip alongside NitroOBD, explicitly admitting product similarity and intended market.
The Chinese supplier openly acknowledges that this is the same product as NitroOBD! Unbelievably, the Aliexpress page further compares the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip to Nitro OBD Diesel and Benzine versions.
Alt text: Aliexpress supplier claiming compatibility of Thorton chip with both gasoline and diesel engines, reinforcing the “universal scam” nature of the product.
The supplier even claims the Top Speed OBDII chip is equivalent to older NITRO obd and ECO obd modules (which are internally identical) and works on BOTH GASOLINE AND DIESEL VEHICLES! This confirms our suspicion that it’s a universal, one-size-fits-all scam device, incompatible with genuine vehicle tuning.
Performance Testing: No Gains, Just Blinking Lights
From the evidence gathered, it’s clear the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is not what it purports to be. Our initial suspicions were correct: it’s another iteration of the light flasher scam, repackaged with a different colored case and LEDs.
To validate this, we connected the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip to a vehicle and drove for the recommended 125 miles. As expected, we observed absolutely no difference in fuel economy, performance, or any other vehicle behavior. There were no noticeable gains, and a dyno test wasn’t even necessary to confirm this (nor did we anticipate any real gains). Most drivers can easily perceive a 10HP increase or more without specialized equipment. Thorton’s claim of up to 40HP gains is utterly unfounded.
To further verify that the microprocessor programming is identical to the numerous Nitro OBD scams, we performed a blink test. We powered both modules with a 12V supply on a bench and recorded the blink intervals of the LEDs:
Alt text: Bench test comparison of SuperOBD and Thorton Performance Chip LED blinking patterns, demonstrating identical blink rates, confirming shared programming.
Blink Test Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9atyTLr5KU
The Nitro OBD tuning scam (left) and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip (right) blinked at EXACTLY the same rate! Identical programming, blinking interval, and scam – only the LED colors differ.
As noted in previous NitroOBD scam analyses, some variants exhibit different blinking patterns, including a “standby” mode. This is designed to deceive consumers into believing the device is communicating with the vehicle. The NitroOBD changes blink patterns based on OBD port pin activity, creating a false impression of vehicle communication. It alternates between fast blinking (simulating activity) and slow blinking (simulating standby), despite lacking genuine sleep mode capability. Both the Thorton chip and NitroOBD scam modules exhibited the same blinking patterns, confirming they share identical internal components, circuit boards, and programming.
Conclusion: Steer Clear of the Thorton OBD2 Cat Scam
CONCLUSION
Our comprehensive research and testing definitively conclude that the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is simply another iteration of light-blinking scam boxes, akin to the NitroOBD. Our initial suspicions were validated. Do not waste your money on this product – you’d be better off spending it on a bag of potato chips!
UPDATE
It appears the same individuals behind the Thorton Performance Chip are perpetrating another scam through a new website: thortonsuperchargers.com. This site features identical logos and graphics, but claims a Tacoma, Washington address (a UPS store) instead of the Georgia address of the original Thorton website. The layout, images, and design are virtually identical, but this new site also promotes an air supercharger turbine and other accessories. Given the Thorton performance chip is also offered on this new website, the quality of their other products is highly suspect. Interestingly, they are less subtle on this new site, openly acknowledging the “Thorton” performance chip’s true nature:
Alt text: Thorton Superchargers website page openly advertising “NITRO PERFORMANCE CHIP,” revealing direct connection to the original NitroOBD scam.
They openly admit the performance chip is called “NITRO PERFORMANCE CHIP”! This is the same name as the original NitroOBD scam chip. They also confess near the bottom of the page that their performance chip is “an inexpensive, universal solution,” contradicting any claims of custom programming and reinforcing its one-size-fits-all scam nature. This new website has also received a “D” rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB):
Alt text: Thorton Superchargers BBB rating page showing “D” rating and customer complaints regarding refunds and product quality.
Customer complaints on the BBB website detail issues with refunds, short wiring, and missing parts, further solidifying the scam nature of this operation. Here is a side-by-side comparison of the “About Us” pages of both websites:
Alt text: Website comparison of Thorton Performance Chip and Thorton Superchargers “About Us” pages, highlighting identical design, content structure, and scam indicators.
Be warned: these two websites are linked and represent scams to be avoided!
If, after all this evidence, you are STILL considering purchasing this product, our response is:
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