I here a lot about superchips. I do want one,but the high octane is just to much. I know they are set up to run on high octane. What happens if I get one and use 87? Will my truck have problems? I am more interested in the shifting perfomance then horsepower, but I dont want to cause damage to my new 2000 F-150XLT Sport.

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FordSport

 

What happens when you use 87 or even 89 octane with a superchip is you start getting a very annoying pinging from your engine and also as everyone will be quick to point out you won't see the max power gains from the chip. So if you want the chip to run at its best you must use st least 92 octane.

 

Do not use 87 Octane with the Superchip, period! You can eventually damage your engine if you do! Minimum simply means that, do not use anything less than 92 Octane. Octane boosters are also not recommended.

The alternative is the flipchip which will give you the shifting performance you are looking for on 87 Octane.

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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, FORD bedliner, FORD black tubular cab steps, K&N air filter, mar-hyde rubberized undercoating, Modine climate filtration system, Bugflector II, Mobil 1 oil and filter

 

Hi Ford Sport,

The single-program Superchip that most people are using does require the use of premium gasoline, as it's tuning the engine specifically for premium gas that gets the majority of the power gain. To get the rated power gains requires the use of 92 octane at sea level altitude, just to give you an idea of exact specification, but any good quality fuel of 91 octane or more will work fine in most cases. In higher altitudes, it is fairly common to have premium gasoline in octanes as low as 90 octane, and that is about borderline with the Superchip that most are using here.

However, we do have an alternative for those who want to be able to run regular gas, and that is our Superchip Flip Chip. A number of F-150 owners have had us set them up with a program in Position 1 that has the engine tuned for 87 octane, and then all our other normal modifications to automatic transmission functions, removal of transitional spark retards, etc. Then in Position 2, it's the full performance program that requries the use of premium gasoline, for whenever you want maximum horsepower. This gives you maximum flexibility and better performance all the time.

Please feel free to give us a shout via phone or email for all the details & info, so you can give all your options some thought, our contact info is just below for your convenience.

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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
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

[This message has been edited by Superchips_Distributor (edited 09-23-2000).]

 

At first glance you are paying a lot more for the premium gas. However, the Superchip will increase your mpg so your added gas expenses are minimal. Here is my math and experience.
Plain F150
1000 miles @ 15 mpg - U$ 1.50 gallon 87 oct
costs right around U$ 100.
Superchip
1000 miles @ 16 mpg - U$ 1.70 gallon 93 oct
costs around U$ 106.

For me thats U$ 2.00 more every tankful. Considering my truck payment, insurance and how much I get out of the chip, I'll live with it.
Fritz


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2000 F150 XLT 4x2 ExtCab Styleside 4.6 Auto in Island Blue.
Dark Graphite interior, White face gages, Superchip, K&N filter,
Airbox Mod, PowerAid, Flowmaster 50, LeBra soft tonneau, LineX,
Ford Bugshield, 2 inch lowering shackles, Hellwig Swaybar,
Monroe Reflex Shocks, 100w Head and Fog lights, Clifford Alarm,
Blaupunkt CD, JBL comp speakers, Punch subwoofers, ECM Jammer Pod.

 

Hi Fritz,

Nice to "see" you around here again, it's been awhile! Hope you had a good summer.

You make an excellent point about the potential mileage gains from the Superchip using premium gas. To get an idea of the real financial impact, that does have to be taken into consideration. It's funny, but even some people who have done that and know how much better mileage they're geting will still just forget about that aspect, and pull off the Superchip when gas prices go up. In most cases, the higher that gas prices go, the more financial sense the Superchip can make from the increased mileage, as the actual cost differential between regular and premium rarely changes even when gas prices spike, so in terms of percentages, the cost differential drops, which is why the chip makes more sense then. Now if someone's driving situation is such that they just can't get a good increase in mileage, then it becomes more of an issue, but most people do see some improvement in this regard from installing the Superchip.

Good post Fritz, and we hope you'll drop back by when you have time!

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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
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

[This message has been edited by Superchips_Distributor (edited 09-27-2000).]

 

? for Mike with the flip switch chip does it still remove the speed limiter when set to run on 87 octane or do you have to have it set up for the 92 for that.

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2000 F150 XLT Reg. cab
4.6 Triton Engine
4x2 3.55 rear end gear
sliding rear window
automatic keyless entry
white styleside short box

 

Thanks for the info Mike I been thinking of getting a chip to give my truck a little more pep but it might be a couple more months yet before I get one.

 

Hi hmustang,

The top speed limiter will be removed on both sides of the Flip Chip when it's configured like that.

For those who want to run the Flip Chip with regular gas on one side and premium on the other, we make both program identical in terms of them both getting all our normal mods, TS limiters, shift characteristics on the automatics, etc. The only difference is that in Position 1, the engine is still tuned for 87 octane. That way, you get all the other benefits no matter what program you run, and then maximum horsepower on the premium side.

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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
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Hi hmustang,

You're very welcome, and take your time, we'll always be here. If at some point you decide you're interested, we'll be happy to take care of you.

And best of luck with your vehicle in the meantime!

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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
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Hey Mike,
Does the flip chip work for the 4.2 V6? and how much does it cost? I heard that chips where blowing engines. Is this true? Can you give me some info on that. Thanks, if you want to reply to me by e-mail that would be great. My address is: Viper982@aol.com
Thanks,
Sport

 

Hi Sport,

Just about any Ford vehicle can use the Flip Chip, it works on all the same Fords that the regular single-program Superchip does, so yes, we can certainly make a Flip Chip for any of the V-6 F-150's too, and already have, of course.

As far as pricing, you will need to contact us privately for that info, as the Webmaster here has a strict policy of keeping that kind of info between vendor & customer, to keep the boards "clean". You can just shoot us a quick email, and I'll be happy to go over all of that with you. Or if you'd prefer to call, that's fine too, we're always happy to talk ove the various options with you. If you shoot us an email, make sure to include your vehicle info etc., as we can't remember who drives what here, or who wanted to know what, so just make sure to include all relevant info in your meail, so we can get back to you with all the complete info you need.

What seems to make the most sense for the additional cost of the Flip Chip is to have both programs be the same, meaning they both get all our mods to autoamtic transmission sunctions, removal of top speed limiters, etc., but have the engine tuned for regular gas one one side, and then the other side basically has our full performance program, which of course requires premium gas, like the standard single-program Superchip does. That way, you have all ther other benefits all the time, and when you want the raw gain in horsepower, you fill up with premium and flip the switch.

Because of the increase in gas mileage that most people get in their F-150's from using the Superchip, most people just go with the single-program Superchip, as the increased mileage (and it's not a lot, but usually about 1.5-2.0 more mpg when cruising) helps to offset some of the cost differential between regular and premium, though of course it will almost never offset all of that cost differential. For most people the difference is only about $2-$3 per week, just to give you a rough idea of some averages.

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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
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer