Thanks for the help Mike, I enjoyed talking with you. I received my chip today and I appear to have a no start problem. The terminals have been checked and appear to be clean. So I have e-mailed the tech department to see if I need to add a jumper for the box that I have to run the AAT4 superchip. If I get in early enough, I will try to call and talk to a technician. I will let you know what the outcome is. Thanks again for your help.
Ramrod

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99 F150 XLT 4x2 SC Flareside 4.2L w/4 Spd Auto 3.55
* Black Clearcoat/Dark Graphite/Cptns Chrs
* 17" Cast Aluminum Whls w/P275/60R-17 Goodyear Eagle GTII
* 4W-ABS/4W-Disc
* Keyless Entry
* Sure Pull Receiver Hitch
* 6 Disc CD Changer
* Galaxy DX88HL CB Radio w/Oil Cooled 52" Black Chrome Antenna
* The Edge II Fiberglass Flat Lid
* Dual Step Black Powder Coat Nerf Bars
* Profile+ Bug Deflector
* Daytime Running Lights/Auto Headlamp System
* K&N Air Filter

 

HI Ramrod,

OK, emailing the Superchips tech department may take a little bit to get a response back, and we don't want you to have to wait for assistance, so don't hesitate to call them directly, toll-free, at the number in your documentation. They are there until 5 pm Eastern. You can also call us, and we'll be here until 7 pm Eastern.

Thanks for letting me know. However, just so you'll know, out of the many AAT4's that are running Superchips, and it's a very common code, to date, only 1 of ours has actually been a "jumper box", as we call them. So it is possible, but if so, you'll be one of extremely few. I don't expect that will make you feel much better, but those are the raw numbers.

If you feel confident that your contacts are properly clean, take a look at this URL: http://www.superchips.com/jumper.htm

This is a web page on the manufacturer's site that has high-res color photos of the various different boards in these computers, along with their jumper locations. What you'll want to do is have your computer in front of you, and compare the physical appearance of your board to that of the various photos there, to identify which one you have. That way, you'll know for sure if you do need to connect a jumper or two. You won't have to "add" any jumpers, you'll just need to close 1 or 2 of them.

The background on this problem is simply that Ford's supplier of this conponent made a mistake and did not properly close the jumper(s) that control the communications state of the J3 connector. So all that is required is just a drop of solder to close the jumper. It's usually a pair of jumpers, sometimes it's only 1 jumper.

What these jumpers look like is usually 2 little dots of solder, separated by a very small gap, maybe 1/16" to 1/8" or so. (It's not a jumper block on a pin, like inside a PC) And what needs to be done is to simply connect them with a drop of solder. Once in awhile we'll find one with a very thin jumper, and then you just do a small point-to-point wire connection. You'll want to scrape the conformal coating off the jumper first, just like you removed it from the contacts on your connector, only it's even easier to get off the jumper, you can quickly scrape it with a fingernail.

Just remember that if you run into anything that you do not quite feel comfortable about, we can arrange to have Superchips do this work for you, including overnighting your computer back to you, at no charge. Your only expense is to overnight your computer and Superchip in, and we pick up all the rest. Downtime is 48 hours.

If you feel comfortable soldering, this is a very easy task. If you do not, you can either have it done locally, at a CB radio shop, TV/VCR repair shop, etc. You can even have a Superchips tech walk you or your local tech through the procedure toll-free over the phone, if that works for you.

Please do not hesitate to call either us or Superchips, or both. Superchips will be closing for the Memorial Day weekend at 5 pm Eastern this afternoon, and will re-open on Tuesday morning at 8:30 am Eastern. We here at Performance will be open until 7 pm Eastern tonight, and we too, are taking off on Monday for the holiday weekend. However, we will be in town, and will return any messages left on our voicemail, so again, don't hesitate to call us.

Hope to talk to you soon!

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System

 

Hello Mike,

Thanks for the reply. The Particular board that I have is the type A board according to the Photograph. I simply soldered two small Jumper wires across the terminals and it was ready to go. I must have the 2nd computer known to man not to work with the AAT4 code, IMAGINE THAT!!! LoL Oh well I don't sweat the small stuff. Hooked it back up in the truck and the no start problem was solved. The Superchip works great, I noticed the difference in the transmission shift points immediatly.

I got in late this evening so it was too late to call and talk to you or a technician. So I went to the site about the jumpers and made the repair. Thanks again for the information and the help. Just my luck to have one of the odd boards that needed the jumpers... Have a GREAT HOLIDAY WEEKEND. I will post later and let you know how it affects the soot in the tailpipe.

Ramrod

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99 F150 XLT 4x2 SC Flareside 4.2L w/4 Spd Auto 3.55
* Black Clearcoat/Dark Graphite/Cptns Chrs
* 17" Cast Aluminum Whls w/P275/60R-17 Goodyear Eagle GTII
* 4W-ABS/4W-Disc
* Keyless Entry
* Sure Pull Receiver Hitch
* 6 Disc CD Changer
* Galaxy DX88HL CB Radio w/Oil Cooled 52" Black Chrome Antenna
* The Edge II Fiberglass Flat Lid
* Dual Step Black Powder Coat Nerf Bars
* Profile+ Bug Deflector
* Daytime Running Lights/Auto Headlamp System
* K&N Air Filter
* Superchip



[This message has been edited by Ramrod (edited 05-27-2000).]

 

Hi Ramrod,

OK, thanks for letting me know that your AAT4 was in fact a "jumper-box". Sometimes that's way these things go. I'm glad you wre able to take care of it yourself easily enough once you had the appropriate information.

It will be interesting to see if the Superchip makes any difference in the black soot in your tailpipe. We have had a number of people report back favorable results, as long as there is nothing mechanically wrong with the vehicle that is causing a constant rich condition. If this is just the result of it originally being programmed a bit too rich, then you may find the Superchip helps this appearance in your tail pipe. Time will tell.

Have fun,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System

 

Mike,

That is one thing I have also noticed with my truck (computer code ATC2)...the soot is all but gone from my tailpipe! Before, on 87 Octane, no chip...the soot was quite noticeable on the end of the pipe. Not anymore with the Superchip and Premium fuel.



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2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, Superchip, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55 rear, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, Heavy duty shocks, 4 wheel disk ABS, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, factory leather wrapped steering wheel, Pendaliner bedliner, K&N air filter, rubberized undercoating, cabin filtration system, Bugflector II, 5W-30 Mobil 1, Mobil 1 M1-210 Oil Filter, engine build 10/4/99

 

Hi Dustoff,

You too, eh? We're hearing this from more and more people. Maybe this will help just a tiny bit with mileage as well then, every little bit helps!

Thanks for letting me know, we always like to have that kind of data.

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System