Tuner or Chip or Both?
Tuner or Chip or Both?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,358
Likes: 1
From: Commerce Twp, MI
One or the other. Superchip contains one alternate program and replaces your OEM chip. Microtuner reprograms the OEM chip (and backs up the OEM program) with one of three choices. THe highest performing option for the 1715 Microtuner would be the same as the Superchip replacement. The other two programs are improved tuning with 87 octance and another with 91+ octane that is towing safe.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hi 2002F150SportXL,
"APT" has kindly provided you with some good basic info - here's a bit more specific info that will cover your other questions, as well as go into a bit more detail you'll want to know about in general.....................
First - you use only 1 of the 2 - not both a Superchip *and* a Micro Tuner, it's one or the other - not both. Either one will deliver a performance tune to the PCM. Just as an aside, if you had the Superchip installed, you would not be able to even use the Micro Tuner to flash the PCM, as it would not be able to communicate properly with the PCM. Also, if you had the Micro Tuner installed first, then installed a traditional Superchip, the Superchip would override the instructions from the Micro Tuner, so you'd be running off the Superchip, instead of the Micro Tuner.
So it's one *or* the other - not both.
Second - and this is just a small point of info - What comes standard in the traditional single-program Superchip module is NOT the same as the highest performance tune in the 1715 Micro Tuner - the "standard" Superchips tuning in the traditional Superchip is the same as the "tow-perf" tune (which is Program #2, the middle performance level of the 3 tunes in the 1715 Micro Tuner), which requires premium gas but still allows towing - not the highest performance tune (the "MAX" performance tune).
However, that is really a mute point in the case of the 4.2 V6 F-150's, as the "standard" 1715 Superchips Micro Tuner cannot be used on the 4.2 V6 F-150. The type of Micro Tuner that can be used on the 4.2 V6 F-150 is the newer Superchips Custom Tuning 9100 unit, the custom tune-capable version of the Micro Tuner, and in those we are doing all the custom tuning. We can use that custom version of Micro Tuner to tune virtually *any* 1996 & newer FoMoCo vehicle using an EEC-V PCM - so we can set it up for 4 cyls, V6's, V8's, V10's, even the 7.3L Powerstroke diesels can be tuned with that unit.
In that custom Micro Tuner, we can do 3 different tunes set up any way the vehicle owner prefers - most people with lightly modded daily drivers usually have us set it up with a 3-program combination very similar to what's in the 1715 Micro Tuner - one program for use with 87 octane that you can tow with if you want, then a premium gas tune that you can tow with if you want, and then last, a premium gas "MAX' performance style program, which can be used all the time, except for towing. That is what most of our 4.2 V6 owners are having us do, but of course, we can set it up any way the vehicle owner prefers - if they want a 100 octane tune, if they want a 91 octane tune, a drag-race only program, etc., whatever they want.
Last - and this is just to clarify a bit - the various "traditional" Superchips (not the Micro Tuner) are available in 4 versions: 1.) Single program single bank. 2.) Dual program single-bank. 3.) Single program 4-bank. 4.) 4-program 4-bank. Not just a single program version, in other words.
What 90% of our customers overall with *any* FoMoCo vehicle are doing these days is using the Micro Tuner - either the 1715 version with the "standard" Superchip tuning (for the V8 F-150's), or having us do an in-depth custom tune in the custom version of the Micro Tuner (like for your 4.2 V6). This gets you 3 different tunes, and a simple 10-minute plug-n-play installation. With our 4.2 V6 customers specifically, virtually all of them are currently ordering the custom Micro Tuner, as it's the only way they can get a Micro Tuner for the 4.2 V6 - and then having us set it up with their choice of 3 different tunes inside, so they can simply flash the PCM instead of doing a traditional chip installation and having to remove the PCM, disassemble it and clean it's J3 connector, etc., to install a traditional "chip."
With regard to just how much power you're going to gain in the 4.2 V6 F-150, on a premium gas "MAX" performance style tune, we can gain about 25 HP & well over 30 lbs./ft. of torque - and most importantly for your 4.2 V6 owners, in addition to those peak power gains, we take care of the 4.2 V6's inherent problem with being "weak" below 2500 rpm - that will be a thing of the past, and that alone vastly improves it's throttle response, performance and overall driveability. And that we do even on the 87 octane tune, so that no matter what level of octane fuel you use, you'll no longer have that inherent 4.2 V6 "weakness" below 2500 rpm.
That should give you some good info, & of course please feel free to call us at our number listed below if you'd like to go over any of this in more detail, etc.
Good luck with your truck,
"APT" has kindly provided you with some good basic info - here's a bit more specific info that will cover your other questions, as well as go into a bit more detail you'll want to know about in general.....................
First - you use only 1 of the 2 - not both a Superchip *and* a Micro Tuner, it's one or the other - not both. Either one will deliver a performance tune to the PCM. Just as an aside, if you had the Superchip installed, you would not be able to even use the Micro Tuner to flash the PCM, as it would not be able to communicate properly with the PCM. Also, if you had the Micro Tuner installed first, then installed a traditional Superchip, the Superchip would override the instructions from the Micro Tuner, so you'd be running off the Superchip, instead of the Micro Tuner.
So it's one *or* the other - not both.
Second - and this is just a small point of info - What comes standard in the traditional single-program Superchip module is NOT the same as the highest performance tune in the 1715 Micro Tuner - the "standard" Superchips tuning in the traditional Superchip is the same as the "tow-perf" tune (which is Program #2, the middle performance level of the 3 tunes in the 1715 Micro Tuner), which requires premium gas but still allows towing - not the highest performance tune (the "MAX" performance tune).
However, that is really a mute point in the case of the 4.2 V6 F-150's, as the "standard" 1715 Superchips Micro Tuner cannot be used on the 4.2 V6 F-150. The type of Micro Tuner that can be used on the 4.2 V6 F-150 is the newer Superchips Custom Tuning 9100 unit, the custom tune-capable version of the Micro Tuner, and in those we are doing all the custom tuning. We can use that custom version of Micro Tuner to tune virtually *any* 1996 & newer FoMoCo vehicle using an EEC-V PCM - so we can set it up for 4 cyls, V6's, V8's, V10's, even the 7.3L Powerstroke diesels can be tuned with that unit.
In that custom Micro Tuner, we can do 3 different tunes set up any way the vehicle owner prefers - most people with lightly modded daily drivers usually have us set it up with a 3-program combination very similar to what's in the 1715 Micro Tuner - one program for use with 87 octane that you can tow with if you want, then a premium gas tune that you can tow with if you want, and then last, a premium gas "MAX' performance style program, which can be used all the time, except for towing. That is what most of our 4.2 V6 owners are having us do, but of course, we can set it up any way the vehicle owner prefers - if they want a 100 octane tune, if they want a 91 octane tune, a drag-race only program, etc., whatever they want.
Last - and this is just to clarify a bit - the various "traditional" Superchips (not the Micro Tuner) are available in 4 versions: 1.) Single program single bank. 2.) Dual program single-bank. 3.) Single program 4-bank. 4.) 4-program 4-bank. Not just a single program version, in other words.
What 90% of our customers overall with *any* FoMoCo vehicle are doing these days is using the Micro Tuner - either the 1715 version with the "standard" Superchip tuning (for the V8 F-150's), or having us do an in-depth custom tune in the custom version of the Micro Tuner (like for your 4.2 V6). This gets you 3 different tunes, and a simple 10-minute plug-n-play installation. With our 4.2 V6 customers specifically, virtually all of them are currently ordering the custom Micro Tuner, as it's the only way they can get a Micro Tuner for the 4.2 V6 - and then having us set it up with their choice of 3 different tunes inside, so they can simply flash the PCM instead of doing a traditional chip installation and having to remove the PCM, disassemble it and clean it's J3 connector, etc., to install a traditional "chip."
With regard to just how much power you're going to gain in the 4.2 V6 F-150, on a premium gas "MAX" performance style tune, we can gain about 25 HP & well over 30 lbs./ft. of torque - and most importantly for your 4.2 V6 owners, in addition to those peak power gains, we take care of the 4.2 V6's inherent problem with being "weak" below 2500 rpm - that will be a thing of the past, and that alone vastly improves it's throttle response, performance and overall driveability. And that we do even on the 87 octane tune, so that no matter what level of octane fuel you use, you'll no longer have that inherent 4.2 V6 "weakness" below 2500 rpm.
That should give you some good info, & of course please feel free to call us at our number listed below if you'd like to go over any of this in more detail, etc.
Good luck with your truck,
Thank You
Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: WA
This is one of those win - win type questions. I just received the 1715 Micro Tuner from Troyer and I am really impressed. Besides the additional power, it's almost like I have a new transmission. The shift points are crisp and positive. I am sure you will enjoy which ever option you finally decide on.