I know this has probably ben discussed before but I could not find it in the search.

Why is it that my truck runs SO GOOD for the first ten minutes in the morning but then as soon as the temp gauge starts to move, its as if a switch turns off some of the power. The driveability goes down as well - trans responsiveness goes down. Is this caused by the computer going into closed loop? If so, I thought closed loop was supposed to fine tune and make the engine run BETTER not worse. Also, my truck seems to always be lugging in OD (won't come out of lock-up unless you dig really deep, and then it drops down to third (too much then). Any ideas? Thanks!!!!

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2001 SuperCrew XLT- Bright red over silver, Captains, 5.4, 4x4, skid plates, towing pkg, 17"wheels, posi, Westin CPS tube steps, EXTRA FUEL CONSUMPTION PACKAGE!!

 

Hi D. Kolb,

This happens to a certain extent even in older vehicles, without computers & fuel injection sometimes.

What happens is your incoming A/F mixture is the absolute coldest of the day when you first start up, there is no heat anywhere in the system, the engine itself as well as everything else under the hood is cold as well. This coolest incoming A/F mixture helps make a bit more apparent power on *part-throttle*. If you actually dyno'd the motor for it's absolute peak power output when cold like that, you would see lower peak numbers @ WOT than when it's warmed up to operating temperatures, but on part-throttle, it is pretty "lively" in comparison until it warms up, I know exactly what you mean.

With these computer-controlled fuel injected vehicles, it gets additional fueling & spark advance to help the motor run until it starts to warm up, and that gives more apparent power on part-throttle as well.

I cannot go into details here, but there is a provision for varying spark advance based on coolant temperature as well, so it's the combination of these 3 basic "factors" that makes your vehicle feel like that when cold.

Your factory program will force you to give it a considerable amount of throttle opening to effect a downshift, that's very true. There is also a downshift delay built into teh factory program as well, which further aggravates that characteristic.

At the risk of sounding like the salesman that I basically am, the Superchip helps with much of what you've described here. You'll have more power all the time, and your downshift characteristics (and upshfits as well) will be noticeably improved, as the downshift delays are removed, as well as many other changes.

I got a nice laugh from your signature line, the part about the "EXTRA FUEL CONSUMPTION PACKAGE" cracked me up.

Good luck with your new truck!

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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

 

Thanks for the quick response! You talk about the improved power. I think I would be more interested in the chip that would NOT need the premium fuel as I drive 30,000 miles a year average. Would I notice a power increase? Or, would the truck just be more driveable because of the better trans tuning? Either way, I guess I'd be happier. The "extra fuel" thing is a joke. I never thought this thing would get great mileage, I just think Ford could do much better with a little bit of effort. Thanks Mike and 2001. I appreciate your help.

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2001 SuperCrew XLT- Bright red over silver, Captains, 5.4, 4x4, skid plates, towing pkg, 17"wheels, posi, Westin CPS tube steps, EXTRA FUEL CONSUMPTION PACKAGE!!

 

I have to agree with this Mike character!!

I just installed the Superchip in my 2001 Supercrew 4x4 (17"x10 spoke wheels) for the same reasons you are talking about. The power was great but I knew that there was room for improvement...so I called up Mike and away we went!

Without a doubt it is the single most cheapest performance add on you can do. Better shifts, wondering transmission is gone and overall performace has increased to where I am looking for a reason to go burn fuel!

I to ordered the Extra fuel consupmtion package with my truck, but if fuel mileage was my number one concern I would not of bought a Ford!!

The extra $5 or $6 (canadian dollars) it costs me to fill up the Screw is a sacrifice worth taking when getting so much more in return from this little Superchip...just think of it as doing you and your truck a favor.

Have fun....Play hard!

 

Hi D.Kolb,

Any performance chip is going to require the use of premium gasoline, you cannot make any real power gains via powertrain programming with the engine still tuned for regular gas. The automakers didn't leave any power "laying on the table" in their programming for regular gas, in other words.

We could make a 2-program Superchip Flip Chip, with one program for premium gas when you want maximum power, and then the other program for regular gas, and both programs could easily have all the same changes to improve automatic transmission functions, so you'd have those improvements all the time. A number of guys here have had us do just that, to give them the added flexibility they wanted on tap. If you think you may have interest in this, please feel free to contact us off the boards, and we'll be happy to go over all the details with you, so you can give it some thought.

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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