Before diving into this review, it’s crucial to understand the landscape of OBD2 performance chips. Extensive research and testing, like the detailed reverse engineering analysis by quarkslab on the Nitro OBD2 scam (https://blog.quarkslab.com/reverse-engineering-of-the-nitro-obd2.html), have exposed a concerning trend of misleading products flooding the market. These “performance chips,” often originating from China, capitalize on the desire for easy vehicle performance upgrades, promising significant gains with minimal effort. Unfortunately, many of these are simply scams, preying on unsuspecting consumers.
The Nitro OBD2 scam, in particular, has spawned numerous imitations, distinguished only by color variations and logo changes. Unscrupulous sellers quickly realized the profitability of marketing these essentially useless devices – often just blinking lights in a box – as legitimate performance enhancers. This review focuses on the “Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner,” aiming to dissect its claims and reveal its true nature. To fully grasp the context, reading the quarkslab article mentioned above is highly recommended. It provides a foundational understanding of the widespread Nitro OBD scam and its clones. Numerous YouTube videos further corroborate the Nitro-OBD light flasher scam and its various forms, offering visual evidence and user experiences: 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.
Reverse Engineering the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner
This investigation delves into the “Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner” through reverse engineering and meticulous analysis. The goal is to determine if this product lives up to its performance claims or if it’s another addition to the growing list of OBD2 performance chip scams.
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip boasts a visually appealing, glossy black design. However, a sleek exterior isn’t always indicative of genuine functionality. Have we encountered similar-looking products before? Regrettably, yes. Thorton Chip Tuning, the company behind this product, describes itself as “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.”
The “About Us” page of Thorton Chip Tuning website, showcasing their supposed team and mission.
Examining the “shop” photo featured on their “About Us” page raises immediate doubts about their tuning expertise. The image depicts workers engaged in tasks related to axles, gearboxes, and tires, with no visible connection to vehicle tuning or ECU remapping, the core of performance chip technology.
A closer look at Thorton Chip Tuning’s “shop” photo reveals activities unrelated to engine tuning.
This is the Thorton Tuning Chip as advertised on their website, thortonchiptuning.com:
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip product photo as displayed on the company’s website.
The advertisement is undeniably slick and professional. However, as past experiences have demonstrated, appearances can be deceiving. Often, subtle visual cues can provide valuable insights. Even without further investigation, a comparison reveals some striking similarities.
Case and Packaging: Déjà Vu?
Side-by-side comparison of the SuperOBD scam chip packaging and instructions with the Thorton Performance Chip Top Speed OBDII CAT.
The packaging of the Thorton chip bears an uncanny resemblance to the SuperOBD scam chip box we previously exposed. The box dimensions, cover design, and even the installation instructions printed on the bottom are nearly identical, with only minor alterations. The similarities in packaging immediately raise red flags. What about the chip itself?
A direct comparison of the Super OBD scam chip and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat, highlighting their identical physical appearance.
The Thorton chip is virtually indistinguishable from the previously debunked SUPER OBD2 / Nitro OBD Chip scam. The lights, button, and overall design are the same; only the branding and color scheme have been modified. This striking similarity strongly suggests a common origin and raises serious questions about the Thorton chip’s legitimacy.
Website Claims: Familiar Red Flags
What performance enhancements does Thorton promise with this “chip”? Their website makes numerous bold claims.
Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claims, part 1.
Initially, their claims appear somewhat standard compared to other similar products circulating online. They state, “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.” This “adaptive learning” claim is common among these types of devices, often used to mask their lack of genuine tuning capability.
Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claims, part 2, emphasizing their “U.S. Seller” status.
They emphasize being “U.S. sellers,” likely attempting to build trust. However, the product’s origin, as we will uncover, tells a different story.
Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claims, part 3, highlighting contradictory statements about vehicle compatibility.
Here, inconsistencies begin to emerge. Like many scam products, they lean towards a “universal” compatibility claim, suggesting it works on “all engine sizes and types” within a vehicle make. This implies compatibility across all Toyota models or all Ford models, for example. However, they contradict this by stating, “Be sure to select the correct Make, Model and engine of your vehicle when purchasing.” This raises a crucial question: If it’s a custom-programmed chip, why claim universal compatibility within a make? Conversely, if it’s truly universal, why require specific engine details during ordering? This contradictory messaging is a common tactic used in scams.
Screenshot of Thorton Chiptuning website claims, part 4, boldly promising a 40HP gain.
The most glaring red flag is the claim of “40HP gains” from a simple OBD plug-in “chip” that physically resembles known scam modules. Such substantial horsepower increases from a device of this type are highly improbable and indicative of deceptive marketing.
Cost Analysis: Tiered Pricing for the Same Product?
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip website presents three “levels” of the chip, each with a different price point:
Thorton Chiptuning’s tiered pricing structure for the Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip, based on alleged “power” levels.
Intriguingly, all three “levels” of the chip appear identical in product photos. “Level 1” is priced at $29.95, “Level 2” at $59.95, and “Level 3” at $89.95. Further examination of the dial logos representing each “level” reveals another striking similarity to a previously exposed scam, the Chipyourcar Thunderbolt chip:
Comparison of dial logos for Chipyourcar scam chip levels and Thorton chip levels, highlighting the striking similarities in design and claimed values.
While the dial designs have slight variations in color and shape, the MPG and horsepower values associated with each level are EXACTLY THE SAME. The probability of these values being identical by chance is extremely low. This suggests either Thorton is a new scam operation run by the same individuals behind Chip Your Car, or they are meticulously copying existing scam models. The mounting evidence points towards a familiar pattern of deception. To uncover the truth, we need to analyze the internal components of the Thorton Top Speed OBD CAT Performance Chip.
Internal Analysis: Unveiling the Familiar Circuitry
To investigate the Thorton Top Speed OBDII CAT Performance Chip’s internal workings, we purchased a unit and carefully disassembled its plastic casing. Upon opening it, we were immediately struck by the all-too-familiar design, reminiscent of previously reviewed scam modules.
External view of the Thorton Performance Chip Top Speed OBDII Cat, prior to disassembly.
Internal components of the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip after disassembling the casing.
A closer comparison with known NitroOBD clones confirmed our suspicion: the circuit board is another iteration of the NitroOBD design, with rearranged components and different LED colors.
Detailed comparison of the SUPERobd NitroOBS scam chip circuit board and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII CAT Performance Chip, revealing identical components and layout.
All components on both modules are identical, merely repositioned, and with LED color changes. It utilizes the same ubiquitous microprocessor, the PIC16F59, which we have previously established lacks the memory capacity to store genuine vehicle maps required for ECU remapping. The identical nature of these components strongly suggests a shared origin – likely China.
Listing of the OBDIICAT scam chip on Aliexpress, a Chinese online marketplace.
Indeed, a search on Aliexpress reveals the source: the module is readily available from Chinese suppliers for approximately $4.32 per unit. Remarkably, the Thorton chip tuning website even uses the EXACT SAME product photos from this Aliexpress listing! They have simply repurposed supplier images for their own marketing. Further down the Aliexpress page, the listing explicitly compares the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip to the original NitroOBD Yellow scam chip.
Aliexpress listing comparing the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip to the NitroOBD, confirming their shared nature.
The Chinese supplier openly acknowledges that this is the same product lineage! The Aliexpress listing further showcases comparisons to Nitro OBD Diesel and Benzine variants.
Aliexpress supplier’s comparison of the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip to Nitro OBD Diesel and Benzine versions, emphasizing its “universal” compatibility.
The supplier’s claims reinforce the “universal” nature of the device, stating it’s equivalent to older NITRO obd and ECO obd modules (which are internally identical) and compatible with BOTH gasoline and diesel vehicles. This further supports the conclusion that the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is a generic, one-size-fits-all scam device, designed to fit any vehicle because it performs no actual tuning.
Performance Testing: Predictably Disappointing
Based on the evidence, it’s clear that the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is not what it purports to be. Our initial suspicions were confirmed: it’s another iteration of the light-flashing scam boxes, repackaged with a new case and different colored LEDs.
To empirically verify this, we installed the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip in a vehicle and drove the recommended 125 miles. As anticipated, we observed absolutely no discernible difference in fuel economy, performance, or any other vehicle behavior. There were no noticeable gains, and no dyno testing was required to confirm this – a testament to the lack of any real effect. Most drivers can readily perceive a 10HP increase or more without specialized equipment. Thorton’s claim of up to 40HP gains is unequivocally false.
Blink Test Confirmation: Same Scam, Different Lights
To definitively confirm that the internal programming mirrors that of the verified Nitro OBD scams, we conducted a “blink test.” We connected both the Thorton module and a Nitro OBD module to a 12V power supply on a bench and observed the blink intervals of their LEDs.
Bench test comparing the LED blinking patterns of the SuperOBD scam chip and the Thorton Performance Chip.
Blink Test Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9atyTLr5KU
The results were conclusive: both the Nitro OBD scam (left) and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip (right) exhibited IDENTICAL blink rates. Same programming, same blink interval, same scam – merely with different colored lights.
As detailed in previous NitroOBD investigations, these scams often employ varying blink patterns. The original NitroOBD, for instance, alters its blink pattern based on OBD port pin activity. This is a deceptive tactic designed to mislead consumers into believing the device is actively communicating with the vehicle. One pattern simulates rapid blinking, creating the illusion of data exchange. Another pattern, a slower blink, mimics a low-power or standby mode when no pin activity is detected – despite lacking any true sleep functionality. Both the Thorton chip and previous scams exhibit this “sleep” light pattern and the fake “activity” pattern observed in our test. Ultimately, the identical blink patterns confirm that the Thorton Chip (right) and the NitroOBD scam (left) share the same microprocessor, circuit board, and underlying scam programming.
Conclusion: Steer Clear of This “Chip”
Our comprehensive research and testing definitively conclude that the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is simply another iteration of the NitroOBD light-blinking scam. Our initial instincts proved accurate. Do not waste your money on this product. You’d be better off purchasing a bag of potato chips – at least those offer genuine satisfaction!
UPDATE: Thorton Superchargers – The Scam Continues
It appears the individuals behind the Thorton Performance Chip have launched another website, thortonsuperchargers.com, featuring identical logos and graphics. This new site lists an address in Tacoma, Washington (a UPS store), in contrast to the Georgia address of the original Thorton website. The layout, images, and design are virtually identical to the first Thorton website, but this one also promotes an air supercharger turbine and other accessories. Given the presence of the same Thorton performance chip on this new website, it’s highly probable that these additional products are of equally dubious quality. Notably, this new website openly refers to their performance chip as the “NITRO PERFORMANCE CHIP,” directly acknowledging its connection to the original NitroOBD scam.
Screenshot of the Thorton Superchargers website, openly promoting the “NITRO PERFORMANCE CHIP” scam.
They further admit on the page that their performance chip is “an inexpensive, universal solution,” contradicting any claims of custom programming and solidifying its status as a generic scam device. Thortonsuperchargers.com also has a “D” rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website.
Thorton Superchargers’ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating and customer complaints.
Customer complaints on the BBB cite issues with refund refusals, short wiring, and missing parts associated with the new thortonsuperchargers website. A detailed comparison of the “About Us” pages of both websites further reveals their interconnected nature:
Comparison of the “About Us” pages of Thorton Performance Chip website and Thorton Superchargers website, highlighting their identical content and design.
Be warned: these two websites are interconnected scams and should be avoided entirely.
If, despite all this evidence, you are still considering purchasing this product, our response is simple:
