Check out my post under 'Other F-series Trucks/Lightning/Superchip for Lightning' for info on my dyno runs w/w/o Superchip. I don’t know if I can figure how to post them here again.

WRT gas mileage: I was seeing 13-17 MPG pre chip. There are now <9,000 miles on the truck, so it is probably getting loosened up. In the two tanks since the trip to Paul’s last week, I’ve gotten 14.5 MPG (mixed driving, some WOT) and 15.5 MPG (70-80 MPH cruising on the freeway, no WOT (wife along)). I’m a little disappointed I didn’t see 17 MPG (or more) on the freeway as I had pre chip on several long runs to Mackinac and back. It does pull and shift a lot harder though. I’m still hoping to get some ¼ mile runs in at Milan before the weather goes to hell.

 

Dear Darrin Dude,

Well, there are some other factors at work in your situation that most others don't have. Being at 6000 ft. minimum elevation doesn't help things, of course, due to the vastly reduced oxygen at that altitude. Anytime you have less oxygen, you are going to have less power, plain and simple, because you cannot burn as much fuel as you could at more normal elevations. This is exactly why Ford and the other automakers have special high-altitude packages, which include calibrations especially for high-altitude. Your vehicle is a low-elevation California vehicle, and is calibrated as such, both from the factory, and with your Superchip, since each Superchip is programmed to work with the software that each vehicle came with from the factory. In your email to me, and in your call today we determined that the shifts have been firmed up, but that you seem to be experiencing less gas mileage, and not a noticeable increase in power, though you did mention that you felt an increase in power when you first put it in, just not a very noticeable one.

We may well be dealing with all altitude-related problems here, especially considering the fact that what you have there is first of all a California vehicle, and second, it's calibrated for low-altitudes, with a TBL2 code. So the vehicle is not set up for that kind of altitude from the factory, and hence is simply not going to have the performance that most of the other vehicles you see people talking about here, it simply can't, there is not enough oxygen available.

Now, the question is, is there anything Superchips can do about that for you to try and correct this situation of a low-altitude vehicle being used over a mile up. We don't have any dyno figures for anything other than very close to sea level elevations, but it's a sure bet that with reduced oxygen, you can't burn as much fuel, so you are not going to make as much horsepower as you could at sealevel, and nothing is going to change that basic aspect. We are going to have Superchips take a look at this program, to see just what can be done to help your situation, and this is one of the reasons why I asked you to include a note with your Superchip, telling the techs just what you are experiencing, and your elevation, etc., as well as your observations about the WOT upshift points to see what they can do. It's going to be very interesting to see if more power can be made at that elevation.

As we spoke of when you placed your order, we have a number of customers in Colorado, and at those kinds of elevations, but they all have the special high-altitude package from Ford, and they have all noticed an increase in power, though they are still not going to make as much power as a vehicle at a more "normal" elevation. For anyone reading this, he did ask when we originally spoke about this of whether or not the Superchip can work at higher altitudes, and yes, of course it can, but here we have the additional complication of a vehicle that doesn't have the high-altitude package from the factory, and so we have a Superchip designed to work on a California vehicle at low altitudes, working up in high altitudes, and so we may well learn some things from this, we'll just have to see what Superchips suggests when they take a look at the program and your note.

The bottom line is that you cannot compare performance at 6000 ft. to anything else, other than performance at 6000 ft. At 10,000 ft. you have to have oxygen (as all pilots know) to breathe (for humans), so it definitely affects internal combustion gasoline engines as well.

Just please make sure to include everything we discussed in the note you enclose with your Superchip when you send it back in for examination, and we'll see what Superchips can do for you and that vehicle.

Thanks for your call today, and we'll see just what Superchips can do for this situation!

All the best,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

 

just a stab at it...hope your not offended.
WOW! With a lot of help from JA_Stang86 I'm finally able to post these pictures from the FME Dyno Day last weekend:

Paul said the uneven curve between 4,000 and 4,400 RPM is typical of Superchipped Lightnings. He thinks it is some sort of calabration problem. You could sure feel it during the pulls, but I don't feel near as much during road runs.



Thanks, Jeff! Hopefully I can figure out how to do this on my own next time.

PFA:
I went down to Milan Dragway Friday night but they were having the 'Frostbite Nationals' all weekend and wouldn't let me run. I hope to get some runs in before they close for the season.




[This message has been edited by spaceace (edited 10-04-1999).]

 

Well I sent my chip back to superchips last wendsday(Fed Ex) to look at it and see why Im getting 11 mpg. I have driven a few hundred miles w/o chip and I actually think its quicker with out the chip. Tranny still feels ok too and the milage is back to normal. I have not heard anything yet from SC.

------------------
97' F150 Lariet S/C long bed 4x4 3:55LS 4.6L auto...SuperChip More mods as $$ allow.
Colorado Springs, CO

 

Darren dude,
I know exactly how you feel. I removed mine and my truck feels quicker if you will. But i can tell that the shifts are not as firm as with the chip. I too did send my chip to S.C and we'll see what they have to say. Keep me posted and i will do the same.

------------------
99 xlt sc,4.6 2w.d.,gibson catback,
superchip,
rsx shocks,
hellwig sway bar,
3" front lift,275/70/16 scorpions,
sst soft bed cover.

FUTURE MODS:4.10 GEARS, GORHINO BRUSH GUARD AND HELLA LIGHTS.
From: Los Angeles, CA

 

Will do Veloci. What kind of difference did you notice with the Gibson? What kinda gas milage are you getting? Have you considered a k&n filter charger?

------------------
97' F150 Lariet S/C long bed 4x4 3:55LS 4.6L auto...SuperChip More mods as $$ allow.
Colorado Springs, CO

 

Darren Dude,
i have the k&n filter and i also have removed the sleeve in the air duct and that made a big difference. I have run only one fuel tank and i think i p/u'd some extra miles. I will let you know. Now, i have a gibson and that mode did absolutely nothing for me. I am going to replace the gibson with flowmaster 50 series tomorrow. The reason i am doing the change is because i drove my friends truck with this mode and let me tell you that there is a big difference in performance and sound. I hope this hepls and i will post first impressions this weekend. take care.

------------------
99 xlt sc,4.6 2w.d.,gibson catback,
superchip,
rsx shocks,
hellwig sway bar,
3" front lift,275/70/16 scorpions.


FUTURE MODS: GORHINO BRUSH GUARD AND HELLA LIGHTS.
From: Los Angeles, CA

 

VELOCI
Thanks alot for the info I was thinking of doing a muffler shop catback with a flowmaster 40 series,One pipe in, two out the side. but was concerned about the noise in the cab. But I want the sound that will turn heads but not too loud. Im 36yrs old and the days of the glasspacks and headers on the big block are far behind me now. Have you considered a electric engine fan? I heard they pick up 10 hp and the motor is more quiet. JC Whitney has one for about $90.

Still have not heard anything from super chips. Just filled up with another tank of premium (ouch) just in case I get the chip back soon.

Darren

------------------
97' F150 Lariet S/C long bed 4x4 3:55LS 4.6L auto...SuperChip More mods as $$ allow.
Colorado Springs, CO

 

Superchips_Distributor -
Here's a question concerning Superchips. Has there been any thought about producing chips that enhance only certain areas of a vehicle's performance. As an example, I would love to have my truck's power and acceleration increased but I'm not sure I'm willing to pay for premium fuel all the time. I drive my truck everyday and that could really get expensive since I live in an area that has the highest gas prices in the country. The going rate for premium here is about $1.80 a gallon or higher. I like paying less for the regular grade and getting about 17.5 MPG out of my 4.6.

How about a chip that simply enhances the shift points and firmness of the transmission. What about other areas of enhancement that don't require increased octane?

------------------
Black '97, SC with 4.6, 3.55 gears, automatic, 2-4 Belltech drop kit, SnugTop fiberglass lid, 3 chamber Flowmaster muffler, billet bumper grill, fog lights, American Racing 17x8 wheels with 275-60 Goodyear Eagle GT II tires.

 

Dear Darren,

You are not going to "hear anything" from Superchips. They simply do the work and turn the product back around to the customer. If you want to talk to them, you can reach them at 888-227-2447. It normally takes about a week turnaround time, plus however long it takes to reach you in shipping. You can always give them a call, and ask them for the status of your Superchip, with your RMA number.

Let me know if you need assistance,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

 

Dear Mr. Wizard,

Sure, that kind of chip could easily be made. Unfortunately, there would be virtually no demand for it, there never has been. Very few people are going to want to pay for a chip that doesn't increase horsepower, and by programming it for regular gasoline, there won't be much if any power gain.

It is possible to do a custom chip that has just the shift improvements, the removal of spark retards in transitional areas, etc. It would be a custom program, and would cost more. People sometimes think that if you change fewer functions in a chip, it should cost less, but it doesn't work that way. The engineers at Superchips develop a program for a particular vehicle, and then it is released. If you want something different from that, that's easily done, but it's a custom program, since it's different from the normal Superchip program. That means that a software engineer has to make all the changes you want to have, and not have the changes it would normally have, so it's a custom program that takes additional work. That kind of chip could well be exactly what you want, and work well for you. But it will always be a custom program, and thus it would cost more than the regular Superchip, without an increase in power. To the vast majority of people, that's not a chip they would want, so Superchips will not develop that type of product, except as a custom order.

So it's easy to do, but it costs more since it's a custom application.

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

 

Mike T.,
By gutting the MAF, Does a Superchip need to be custom programed for the increased air flow? Will a Superchip work with my MSD Digital-4 box?
Chris

 

Generally speaking, as long as gutting the MAF didn't cause any driveability problems, then there is no need for a custom program. The Superchip works fine with most aftermarket bolt-ons, including most MSD ignition components designed for these computer controlled vehicles.

Feel free to give us a call if you'd like to discuss that in more detail, our number is below.

And welcome to F150online!

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

 

UPDATE

I got the chip back from S.C. and a strange thing has happen, (it did this originally) when I put the chip back in the shift points went back up to near 5000rpms. Now 150 miles later the shift points are back to stock(4600rpms) Could the computor be over riding the super chip? I still don't notice any power or torque gain. Will wait to see what the gas milage is before I get my money back. It was 11mpg with the first try with the chip. Premium gas is $1.59 here...ouch

------------------
97' F150 Lariat S/C long bed 4x4 3:55LS 4.6L auto...SuperChip, 40 series Flowmaster cat back.
Colorado Springs, CO