My Superchip Story
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Dunedin,Florida
My Superchip Story
Well, the Superchip has been in for about a week now and I must say it does exactly what Mike T. said it would. It feels like my engine grew by about 10%. Before I installed the chip I had installed a Granatelli Mass Air Flow Sensor. I noticed a definite increase in throttle response after the MAF install. My truck felt as Mike T. put it "peppier". When I received the chip I waited until I had a fresh tank of high octane fuel and proceeded to pull my computer and clean the contacts. After scraping and cleaning and connecting the Superchip, I reinstalled the computer and went to start my truck with great anticipation. It wouldn't start. So, I pulled the computer, removed the chip and got a magnifying glass and looked at the computer contacts. Yep, there was still some coating on the contacts. I really thought I had them clean. After working on them again and checking with the magnifying glass I reinstalled everything again and the engine fired right up. I then did the computer reset and went out for a ride. I noticed a further increase in throttle response and the engine pulls harder. I am really satisfied with the results. Mike thought there was a possibility I would need a custom chip because I had the Granatelli MAF, but there is no problem! The suprchip is definitely worth the time and money! Just be sure to clean the computer contacts well. After I drove the truck with the new chip for about a week I installed a K&N air filter and it seems there is a further increase in throttle response and the engine runs smoother. A cat back exhaust system is next. The thing is my truck is running so good I'm afraid to make any more changes. I don't want to lose any low end torque and it's hard to believe I can further increase throttle response and power by adding anything short of a supercharger. I've heard the stock exhaust is tuned really well on the Supercrews and that its not worth changing the exhaust but, I'm sure I will anyway. I think I caught the Mod-bug! I hope there's no cure, I'm having too much fun!
------------------
2001 F150 SuperCrew Lariat, 5.4L, Black and Gold
60/40 Front Seat, Sliding Rear Window, Side Steps, 6 Disc CD Changer, 3.55 Limited Slip, Class III Trailer Group
Line-X Spray-in Liner
Retrax Roll Top Cover
Granatelli MAF
Bell Tech 2" Drop Shackles
Superchip
K&N Air Filter
Mods to come:
Corsa or Gibson Exhaust, Front Air Dam w/ Fogs, Cervini Hood
------------------
2001 F150 SuperCrew Lariat, 5.4L, Black and Gold
60/40 Front Seat, Sliding Rear Window, Side Steps, 6 Disc CD Changer, 3.55 Limited Slip, Class III Trailer Group
Line-X Spray-in Liner
Retrax Roll Top Cover
Granatelli MAF
Bell Tech 2" Drop Shackles
Superchip
K&N Air Filter
Mods to come:
Corsa or Gibson Exhaust, Front Air Dam w/ Fogs, Cervini Hood
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hi SuperCrewzer,
Great candid post!
The thing you want to watch out for using the standard Superchip with an aftermarket MAF (mass airflow meter) is to listen closely and make sure you aren't getting any detonation, as they lean out the A/F ratio, and running lean can cause detonation. As you mentioned, we are finding more and more that these days, most aftermarket MAF's must be compensated for in the program, due to the lean-out they cause to raise power. It sounds like you're lucky so far, which we're of course glad to hear! Just please keep your ears peeled, especially once you do the exhaust, and if you start to hear any detonation, either replace the MAF with the stock unit, or have us do the adjustments to the program for you.
Another thing you're probably going to notice, since you have the Superchip, and the intake opened up with that MAF and the K&N unit, is that when you do the exhaust last like it will be in this case, you'll get more gain from it than had the exhaust been your very first mod. It's what we call the "bottlecork effect", where you have the intake opened up nicely and the programming optimized, but still breathing thru the factory exhaust. Don't get me wrong, you can continue to run it with the factory exhaust until the cows come home, that won't hurt anything of course, it's just that when you do it last, it tends to have a bigger effect, skewed because it's the last, that's all. And of course, once you open that exhaust up, it will be important to listen closely for any detonation again, and if it does occur, then we'll need to adjust it for that MAF.
Thanks for a great informative post, & 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
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer
Great candid post!
The thing you want to watch out for using the standard Superchip with an aftermarket MAF (mass airflow meter) is to listen closely and make sure you aren't getting any detonation, as they lean out the A/F ratio, and running lean can cause detonation. As you mentioned, we are finding more and more that these days, most aftermarket MAF's must be compensated for in the program, due to the lean-out they cause to raise power. It sounds like you're lucky so far, which we're of course glad to hear! Just please keep your ears peeled, especially once you do the exhaust, and if you start to hear any detonation, either replace the MAF with the stock unit, or have us do the adjustments to the program for you.
Another thing you're probably going to notice, since you have the Superchip, and the intake opened up with that MAF and the K&N unit, is that when you do the exhaust last like it will be in this case, you'll get more gain from it than had the exhaust been your very first mod. It's what we call the "bottlecork effect", where you have the intake opened up nicely and the programming optimized, but still breathing thru the factory exhaust. Don't get me wrong, you can continue to run it with the factory exhaust until the cows come home, that won't hurt anything of course, it's just that when you do it last, it tends to have a bigger effect, skewed because it's the last, that's all. And of course, once you open that exhaust up, it will be important to listen closely for any detonation again, and if it does occur, then we'll need to adjust it for that MAF.
Thanks for a great informative post, & 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
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Oldsmar, FL USA
I have installed the catback sweptside gibson and the superchip the same day on a new 2001 Super Crew Lariat. Because of a backorder on the airforce one (placed here online) I won't receive the Air Force One until late next week. I have a interstate trip of 600 miles to make. You mention a bottle neck if the the air filter mod is done after the exhaust. Is there a way to reset the "learned" flip superchip?
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hi 2001SCLariet,
Congrats on your Lariat, those are very nice (and very expensive) trucks!
If you'll go back and re-read my post to SuperCrewzer, you'll see that I mentioned this "bottlecork" effect when doing the exhaust last, not the airbox kit last. And even when doing the exhaust last, that won't hurt anything at all, you can run it like that forever.
With regards to your question about clearing the computer after installing the airbox kit, sure, you can do that, a lot of people do, though it's really most important to do this when installing the Superchip.
Remember that the Superchip itself does not and cannot actually "learn" anything; what people are actually referring to when they say that, though they don't know it, is a combination of what we call the "re-learn cycle" and Ford's adaptive strategy, where long-term fuel curve and a couple other things will adapt a bit to the new program, and that normally takes anywhere from 350 -500 miles, with some vehicles taking as long as 800 miles or so, but it's usually pretty much done by 350-500 miles in most cases. What you may notice during that period is it may feel a bit stronger as you accumulate those miles. Ford's adaptive strategy is on-going, but you'll never really notice it behind the wheel, as it's relatively minor in it's adjustments and has only a very limited capability to adjust.
If you want, once you install the Air Force One kit, you can do the clearing of the computer's memory, and have it once again begin it's adjustment cycle, or what we loosely refer to as it's "re-learn cycle", which is a bit of a misnomer since the computer doesn't actually "learn" anything in the true sense of the word, from scratch. To do that, first disconnect the battery, and then turn on the headlights for 5 minutes. Turn the headlights back off, then re-connect the battery, and drive away!
Good luck!
------------------
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
Congrats on your Lariat, those are very nice (and very expensive) trucks!
If you'll go back and re-read my post to SuperCrewzer, you'll see that I mentioned this "bottlecork" effect when doing the exhaust last, not the airbox kit last. And even when doing the exhaust last, that won't hurt anything at all, you can run it like that forever.
With regards to your question about clearing the computer after installing the airbox kit, sure, you can do that, a lot of people do, though it's really most important to do this when installing the Superchip.
Remember that the Superchip itself does not and cannot actually "learn" anything; what people are actually referring to when they say that, though they don't know it, is a combination of what we call the "re-learn cycle" and Ford's adaptive strategy, where long-term fuel curve and a couple other things will adapt a bit to the new program, and that normally takes anywhere from 350 -500 miles, with some vehicles taking as long as 800 miles or so, but it's usually pretty much done by 350-500 miles in most cases. What you may notice during that period is it may feel a bit stronger as you accumulate those miles. Ford's adaptive strategy is on-going, but you'll never really notice it behind the wheel, as it's relatively minor in it's adjustments and has only a very limited capability to adjust.
If you want, once you install the Air Force One kit, you can do the clearing of the computer's memory, and have it once again begin it's adjustment cycle, or what we loosely refer to as it's "re-learn cycle", which is a bit of a misnomer since the computer doesn't actually "learn" anything in the true sense of the word, from scratch. To do that, first disconnect the battery, and then turn on the headlights for 5 minutes. Turn the headlights back off, then re-connect the battery, and drive away!
Good luck!
------------------
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