Is anybody having cold start problems with Superchip installed?
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Central Joisey
Is anybody having cold start problems with Superchip installed?
There are a couple of Lightning brothers having the same issue, where the truck won't start in the cold unless the chip is either removed or removed and replaced. This thread explains what happened to me.https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=144388
I emailed Superchips and asked what the operating temperature and humidity was but never got a response. Maybe they never actually performed any testing at the temperature and humidity extremes. Maybe there is a static electricity problem during certain conditions. Maybe the contacts and the PC board contract in the cold which makes for a lousy connection. I don't know. All I know is that I have never had a problem until a couple of weeks ago and I have to mess with the chip just about every time I want to start it.
How much is that SCM tuner going to be?
I emailed Superchips and asked what the operating temperature and humidity was but never got a response. Maybe they never actually performed any testing at the temperature and humidity extremes. Maybe there is a static electricity problem during certain conditions. Maybe the contacts and the PC board contract in the cold which makes for a lousy connection. I don't know. All I know is that I have never had a problem until a couple of weeks ago and I have to mess with the chip just about every time I want to start it.
How much is that SCM tuner going to be?
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Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Anderson. South Carolina, CSA
I am assuming you have the module. I had the module on my previous truck ('99 SCab 5.4 4x4) and never had even a hiccup from the chip. Truck started without fail no matter the weather or temp. I had it for 2 years.
*IF* it is chip related, it may be a prob with the cleaning of the conformal coating on the contacts of the PCM.
*IF* it is chip related, it may be a prob with the cleaning of the conformal coating on the contacts of the PCM.
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Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Anderson. South Carolina, CSA
I am assuming you have the module. I had the module on my previous truck ('99 SCab 5.4 4x4) and never had even a hiccup from the chip. Truck started without fail no matter the weather or temp. I had it for 2 years.
*IF* it is chip related, it may be a prob with the cleaning of the conformal coating on the contacts of the PCM.
*IF* it is chip related, it may be a prob with the cleaning of the conformal coating on the contacts of the PCM.
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Joined: Dec 1997
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From: Windsor,Ontario,Canada
If the truck starts without the chip you can rule out the truck or fuel pressure, spark or whatever. If it starts with the chip when the truck is warm but not when cold then it is without a doubt the chip/installation. Obvious things to check.
Conformal coating left on contacts. Conformal coating stuck in the chip's slot/contacts. Proper seating of the chip. Are the chip contacts holding tight on the PCM contacts? Is the infamous lip on the PCM bracket bent out of the way? Check the side to side contact. My chip is never taped and I bash around off road winter and summer. Never a start problem. It does have a side to side movement. If yours does it may be just enough that at one extreem it slides too far sideways and looses contact in the cold due to contraction.
JMC
Conformal coating left on contacts. Conformal coating stuck in the chip's slot/contacts. Proper seating of the chip. Are the chip contacts holding tight on the PCM contacts? Is the infamous lip on the PCM bracket bent out of the way? Check the side to side contact. My chip is never taped and I bash around off road winter and summer. Never a start problem. It does have a side to side movement. If yours does it may be just enough that at one extreem it slides too far sideways and looses contact in the cold due to contraction.
JMC
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Dec 1997
Posts: 9,417
Likes: 11
From: Windsor,Ontario,Canada
If the truck starts without the chip you can rule out the truck or fuel pressure, spark or whatever. If it starts with the chip when the truck is warm but not when cold then it is without a doubt the chip/installation. Obvious things to check.
Conformal coating left on contacts. Conformal coating stuck in the chip's slot/contacts. Proper seating of the chip. Are the chip contacts holding tight on the PCM contacts? Is the infamous lip on the PCM bracket bent out of the way? Check the side to side contact. My chip is never taped and I bash around off road winter and summer. Never a start problem. It does have a side to side movement. If yours does it may be just enough that at one extreem it slides too far sideways and looses contact in the cold due to contraction.
JMC
Conformal coating left on contacts. Conformal coating stuck in the chip's slot/contacts. Proper seating of the chip. Are the chip contacts holding tight on the PCM contacts? Is the infamous lip on the PCM bracket bent out of the way? Check the side to side contact. My chip is never taped and I bash around off road winter and summer. Never a start problem. It does have a side to side movement. If yours does it may be just enough that at one extreem it slides too far sideways and looses contact in the cold due to contraction.
JMC
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From: Central Joisey
The chip has been in for almost 2 years with no problems until a couple of weeks ago. In fact, it wasn't even taped in until last month. I think if it were the conformal coating problem then this problem probably would have surfaced a lot sooner.
Until this year, the truck used to sit in a heated garage and not get driven much in the winter. But this year I have a bunch of stuff in the garage and can't fit the truck so it sits outside. Also, this winter is a lot colder than the previous 2.
If I get time soon, I am going to have to pull the CPU out and closely inspect it. Maybe some of the contacts are dirty or something so I'll just take an eraser and some contact cleaner to clean them up. I will also see if I can check the spacings, although that will be difficult with the type of connector that is on the chip. I just don't like not knowing what is causing this problem.
Until this year, the truck used to sit in a heated garage and not get driven much in the winter. But this year I have a bunch of stuff in the garage and can't fit the truck so it sits outside. Also, this winter is a lot colder than the previous 2.
If I get time soon, I am going to have to pull the CPU out and closely inspect it. Maybe some of the contacts are dirty or something so I'll just take an eraser and some contact cleaner to clean them up. I will also see if I can check the spacings, although that will be difficult with the type of connector that is on the chip. I just don't like not knowing what is causing this problem.