Rough starts. Tuner or Cold Weather????
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Senior Member
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From: Boone, IA
Rough starts. Tuner or Cold Weather????
Ok, I have a question and may be similar to the one on the boards right now but I have the Tuner and not the Diablo chip. I installed my MicroTuner about two weeks ago and I had no problems with the truck starting. This last week as been SO cold, like 30 to 40 below with the wind chill and the truck sits outside all the time also. I have had to start it twice a few times in the morning. It will start for about 3 seconds and then die, then I have to restart it and everything is fine. I am wondering if it is the cold, the tuner, or would it be possible that there is some condensation in the fuel system with the cold lately. Any info that you guys can give me would be great. Thanks. 
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Joined: Mar 1998
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From: Virginia
Hi Josho66,
That doesn't have anything to do with your Micro Tuner, the culprit lies elsewhere. Once you've uploaded the Superchips program via the Micro Tuner, that's it, it's done, and having any hard starting problems crop up in extremely cold weather has nothing to do with you having used the Micro Tuner. It's not even connected anymore, and there are no program changes to things like cold start functions, idle characteristics, etc.
If this continues, I'd take the vehicle in for service & have them check the IAC (idle air control), etc., in other words, have someone qualified do proper diagnostics & troubloshooting on this problem, as this has nothing to do with the Superchips tuning.
We have a 2003 F-150 that had a problem running when cold in extremely cold weather (like 0 degrees or colder *without* the windchill, windchill doesn't matter in this regard), but that was with the traditional Superchip module, not the Micro Tuner, and we've got that problem taken care of. It never had anything to do with the actual program in either the Superchip module or in the Micro Tuner, it was strictly a communications issue between the traditional Superchip module & the PCM in sub-zero temps in 1 truck.
Good luck!
That doesn't have anything to do with your Micro Tuner, the culprit lies elsewhere. Once you've uploaded the Superchips program via the Micro Tuner, that's it, it's done, and having any hard starting problems crop up in extremely cold weather has nothing to do with you having used the Micro Tuner. It's not even connected anymore, and there are no program changes to things like cold start functions, idle characteristics, etc.
If this continues, I'd take the vehicle in for service & have them check the IAC (idle air control), etc., in other words, have someone qualified do proper diagnostics & troubloshooting on this problem, as this has nothing to do with the Superchips tuning.
We have a 2003 F-150 that had a problem running when cold in extremely cold weather (like 0 degrees or colder *without* the windchill, windchill doesn't matter in this regard), but that was with the traditional Superchip module, not the Micro Tuner, and we've got that problem taken care of. It never had anything to do with the actual program in either the Superchip module or in the Micro Tuner, it was strictly a communications issue between the traditional Superchip module & the PCM in sub-zero temps in 1 truck.
Good luck!
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From: Boone, IA
So if I were to take it in I would want to put the computer back to stock, right??? I don't think it is anything more than the temp since it starts right up during the day, but in the morning that last week when it has been 10 below without the wind chill it would start, then die, and then start up on the second time. just thought I would ask though.
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Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
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From: Virginia
Hi josho66,
Yes, we do generally recommend going back to stock before going in for service. I almost hesitate to say this, but with the Micro Tuner, there are certainly more occasions when you can probably get by with not going back to stock.
That's an odd symptom, only doing that in extreme cold and only for the first cold start of the day, with it running fine after it originally dies. You could probably get by without going back to stock, but if you really want to troubleshoot this, I'd probably return it to stock before taking it into the dealership. The problem in having this diagnosed is of course the fact that it only happens in extreme cold, below zero ambient temps. Just for kicks, you might want to connect the Micro Tuner to use it's built-in OBD-II code scanner & see if there are any DTC's (diagnostic trouble codes) present. there can be codes set by the PCM and yet still not have a check engine light (SES, or "Service Engine Soon"), for example.
In general, I don't like to flash PCM's when the vehicle is extremely cold, like at 10 degrees below zero for example, you'd never see me flashing a PCM.
If the vehicle/temps are below freezing, I won't do that outside, I like for things to be a just a little bit warmer, just on general principle, when flashing a PCM. It's it's really cold & it has to be done, I would run the vehicle for a little while to make sure the battery is fully charged & the vehicle itself is warmed up. During the installation or removal of the Micro Tuner, you're basically sitting in the cab with the doors closed for that 8-10 minutes, most people don't want to sit there in 10 below anyway. This is just FYI in general, no big deal..............
Good luck!
Yes, we do generally recommend going back to stock before going in for service. I almost hesitate to say this, but with the Micro Tuner, there are certainly more occasions when you can probably get by with not going back to stock.
That's an odd symptom, only doing that in extreme cold and only for the first cold start of the day, with it running fine after it originally dies. You could probably get by without going back to stock, but if you really want to troubleshoot this, I'd probably return it to stock before taking it into the dealership. The problem in having this diagnosed is of course the fact that it only happens in extreme cold, below zero ambient temps. Just for kicks, you might want to connect the Micro Tuner to use it's built-in OBD-II code scanner & see if there are any DTC's (diagnostic trouble codes) present. there can be codes set by the PCM and yet still not have a check engine light (SES, or "Service Engine Soon"), for example.
In general, I don't like to flash PCM's when the vehicle is extremely cold, like at 10 degrees below zero for example, you'd never see me flashing a PCM.
If the vehicle/temps are below freezing, I won't do that outside, I like for things to be a just a little bit warmer, just on general principle, when flashing a PCM. It's it's really cold & it has to be done, I would run the vehicle for a little while to make sure the battery is fully charged & the vehicle itself is warmed up. During the installation or removal of the Micro Tuner, you're basically sitting in the cab with the doors closed for that 8-10 minutes, most people don't want to sit there in 10 below anyway. This is just FYI in general, no big deal..............Good luck!
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Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Boone, IA
Originally posted by Superchips_Distributor
Hi josho66,
Yes, we do generally recommend going back to stock before going in for service. I almost hesitate to say this, but with the Micro Tuner, there are certainly more occasions when you can probably get by with not going back to stock.
That's an odd symptom, only doing that in extreme cold and only for the first cold start of the day, with it running fine after it originally dies. You could probably get by without going back to stock, but if you really want to troubleshoot this, I'd probably return it to stock before taking it into the dealership. The problem in having this diagnosed is of course the fact that it only happens in extreme cold, below zero ambient temps. Just for kicks, you might want to connect the Micro Tuner to use it's built-in OBD-II code scanner & see if there are any DTC's (diagnostic trouble codes) present. there can be codes set by the PCM and yet still not have a check engine light (SES, or "Service Engine Soon"), for example.
In general, I don't like to flash PCM's when the vehicle is extremely cold, like at 10 degrees below zero for example, you'd never see me flashing a PCM. If the vehicle/temps are below freezing, I won't do that outside, I like for things to be a just a little bit warmer, just on general principle, when flashing a PCM. It's it's really cold & it has to be done, I would run the vehicle for a little while to make sure the battery is fully charged & the vehicle itself is warmed up. During the installation or removal of the Micro Tuner, you're basically sitting in the cab with the doors closed for that 8-10 minutes, most people don't want to sit there in 10 below anyway. This is just FYI in general, no big deal..............
Good luck!
Hi josho66,
Yes, we do generally recommend going back to stock before going in for service. I almost hesitate to say this, but with the Micro Tuner, there are certainly more occasions when you can probably get by with not going back to stock.
That's an odd symptom, only doing that in extreme cold and only for the first cold start of the day, with it running fine after it originally dies. You could probably get by without going back to stock, but if you really want to troubleshoot this, I'd probably return it to stock before taking it into the dealership. The problem in having this diagnosed is of course the fact that it only happens in extreme cold, below zero ambient temps. Just for kicks, you might want to connect the Micro Tuner to use it's built-in OBD-II code scanner & see if there are any DTC's (diagnostic trouble codes) present. there can be codes set by the PCM and yet still not have a check engine light (SES, or "Service Engine Soon"), for example.
In general, I don't like to flash PCM's when the vehicle is extremely cold, like at 10 degrees below zero for example, you'd never see me flashing a PCM.
If the vehicle/temps are below freezing, I won't do that outside, I like for things to be a just a little bit warmer, just on general principle, when flashing a PCM. It's it's really cold & it has to be done, I would run the vehicle for a little while to make sure the battery is fully charged & the vehicle itself is warmed up. During the installation or removal of the Micro Tuner, you're basically sitting in the cab with the doors closed for that 8-10 minutes, most people don't want to sit there in 10 below anyway. This is just FYI in general, no big deal..............Good luck!