How much difference
Thread Starter
|
Suspended
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
How much difference
how much potential does a 1991 f150 5.0 automatic have for superchips tuning? would i DEFINATELY notice the performance gains, or would i be like "i think i can tell a difference", us kids can't be spending money on stuff we don't really need.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hello,
First, I'll go over a couple of basics with you, as this is important for you & anyone else getting started making modifications to their trucks to know.................
When running a 2-3 ton truck as you have there, you can knock a half-second off the 1/4 miles times and not feel a thing in the seat of the pants. Which is why you should NEVER attempt to judge *any* performance modification in these heavy trucks by the seat of the pants response. That doesn't work, never has, and never will. Some people feel a 10 HP difference, while others can't feel 50 more HP in the seat of the pants in these trucks.
The ONLY way to really see just what any modifications have done is to do before & after timed acceleration testing, either at the drag strip running with and without the modification in a controlled back-to-back format, or using something like the newer G Tech Pro Competition model, they work fairly well. You'll also need to record the temperature & humidity, as that has a huge effect on power levels. You can easily install several mods and make less power in warmer or more humid weather, so don't fall into that mistake, it's one of the most common mistakes those who do not have significant experience modifying a number of vehicles makes, along with trying to judge performance gains by the seat of the pants.
Now, to answer your question again (which hasn't changed since we last spoke here about this awhile back)...............
Assuming that engine has been rebuilt at some point and thus is fresh & healthy (basically, meaning as long as it's not an original 12-13 yr. old motor with 70K or more miles on it which would generally mean a worn timing chain, distributor, ignition system, etc. in most 5.0 & 5.8 V8's), you can usually see about an 18-20 horsepower gain SAE Net at the flywheel (like your stock factory rating is expressed) from the Superchips tuning.
Nothing else for less cost will reduce your acceleration times by as much, making it the best bang for the buck mod to do. The reduction in acceleration times comes from a combination of the raw power gain along with optimizing various delays & retards, improving the shift characteristics, etc. So the bang for the buck from the Superchips tuning is excellent.
However, it's important to remember that doesn't mean you're going to feel any kind of huge increase in the seat of the pants, and chances are you won't. You may feel something, you may not, people vary widely in their perceptions, especially when it comes to performance. Again, *never* attempt to judge any modification in these 2-3 ton trucks & SUV's by the seat of the pants. Do it in controlled runs at the track, or using a controlled 3 run format with a simple G-Tech Pro (use the newer Competition model, the previous model is a waste of time).
We understand that you don't want to waste money on modifications that aren't going to be worthwhile, everyone else feels the same way, we want to make smart buys on our performance parts. In virtually any computer controlled vehicle, optimized the powertrain program is generally the single best bang for the buck. With a 5.0 automatic F-150, you'll usually see anywhere from a low of about 3 tenths to as much as a full second off your 1/4 mile times (figure 1 truck length for each tenth of a second in the 1/4 mile) by installing the Superchip, with an average of about a half-second off the 1/4 mile times. That's an *excellent* return on such a small investment.
The Superchip will also remove the top speed limiter, and that is something you need to be *very* careful with, as that truck will be capable of going faster than is safe if you still have the factory-style non-speed rated tires on it. We don't want to read about a nice young man wrapping his truck around a telephone pole at 115 mph!
Give us a call if you'd like to go over any of this in more detail, & best of luck with your truck!
First, I'll go over a couple of basics with you, as this is important for you & anyone else getting started making modifications to their trucks to know.................
When running a 2-3 ton truck as you have there, you can knock a half-second off the 1/4 miles times and not feel a thing in the seat of the pants. Which is why you should NEVER attempt to judge *any* performance modification in these heavy trucks by the seat of the pants response. That doesn't work, never has, and never will. Some people feel a 10 HP difference, while others can't feel 50 more HP in the seat of the pants in these trucks.
The ONLY way to really see just what any modifications have done is to do before & after timed acceleration testing, either at the drag strip running with and without the modification in a controlled back-to-back format, or using something like the newer G Tech Pro Competition model, they work fairly well. You'll also need to record the temperature & humidity, as that has a huge effect on power levels. You can easily install several mods and make less power in warmer or more humid weather, so don't fall into that mistake, it's one of the most common mistakes those who do not have significant experience modifying a number of vehicles makes, along with trying to judge performance gains by the seat of the pants.
Now, to answer your question again (which hasn't changed since we last spoke here about this awhile back)...............
Assuming that engine has been rebuilt at some point and thus is fresh & healthy (basically, meaning as long as it's not an original 12-13 yr. old motor with 70K or more miles on it which would generally mean a worn timing chain, distributor, ignition system, etc. in most 5.0 & 5.8 V8's), you can usually see about an 18-20 horsepower gain SAE Net at the flywheel (like your stock factory rating is expressed) from the Superchips tuning.
Nothing else for less cost will reduce your acceleration times by as much, making it the best bang for the buck mod to do. The reduction in acceleration times comes from a combination of the raw power gain along with optimizing various delays & retards, improving the shift characteristics, etc. So the bang for the buck from the Superchips tuning is excellent.
However, it's important to remember that doesn't mean you're going to feel any kind of huge increase in the seat of the pants, and chances are you won't. You may feel something, you may not, people vary widely in their perceptions, especially when it comes to performance. Again, *never* attempt to judge any modification in these 2-3 ton trucks & SUV's by the seat of the pants. Do it in controlled runs at the track, or using a controlled 3 run format with a simple G-Tech Pro (use the newer Competition model, the previous model is a waste of time).
We understand that you don't want to waste money on modifications that aren't going to be worthwhile, everyone else feels the same way, we want to make smart buys on our performance parts. In virtually any computer controlled vehicle, optimized the powertrain program is generally the single best bang for the buck. With a 5.0 automatic F-150, you'll usually see anywhere from a low of about 3 tenths to as much as a full second off your 1/4 mile times (figure 1 truck length for each tenth of a second in the 1/4 mile) by installing the Superchip, with an average of about a half-second off the 1/4 mile times. That's an *excellent* return on such a small investment.
The Superchip will also remove the top speed limiter, and that is something you need to be *very* careful with, as that truck will be capable of going faster than is safe if you still have the factory-style non-speed rated tires on it. We don't want to read about a nice young man wrapping his truck around a telephone pole at 115 mph!
Give us a call if you'd like to go over any of this in more detail, & best of luck with your truck!