Question for Mike T.
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Joined: Feb 2001
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From: San Bernardino,Calfornia
Question for Mike T.
Has anyone ever installed the chip and get less than a 7% increase in horse power and torque. I was just wondering becasue I know it is estimated at a 10% to 12% increase. I also know that this is not for every truck,naturally some will expirience more, some less. Basically, what were the lowest gains a superchip has produced. I want to purcahse a superchip but if the gain is lesser than 7% in horspower and torque, I will probably just get a **** kit. Please dont take this in a bad way but money is a little short right now. Really I am greatful to even have my beloved truck. Oh yea, my truck is a 1997 4.6 liter v8 regular cab, no mods. Thanks alot for your help it is greatly appreciated
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Joined: Mar 1998
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From: Virginia
Hi Stayblown,
The rated gains from the Superchip are not "estimated", they are determined by engineers on a very sophisticated eddy-current chassis dyno. Also, these trucks don't vary much in their stock power output, it's not like one truck will gain 12% and another will only gain 7%, all else being equal.
These 4.6's put out a consistent 215-220 hp SAE Net at sea level stock, and they respond to the Superchip the same as well; the only real variables are fuel quality and altitude, and then vehicle condition as they age.
The reason we tell people to expect to pick up a 10%-12% gain is simply to give them a frame of reference that everyone can relate to! Nobody can describe what 26 more horsepower is actually going to *feel* like, so to give a frame of reference that people can relate to, we tell them to look at it in round numbers, as about a 10%-12% power gain over what they're making stock, regardless of altitude, assuming the use of high-quality premium gas.
Like everyone else whose products have a power rating, including your own Ford truck, those power ratings are always at sea level altitude, so that everyone uses the same basic "standard"; but not everyone *lives* at exactly sea level altitude, so in order to express what you should expect, it's about 10%-12% more power over what you're making now at whatever your current altitude.
Your vehicle's stock SAE Net horsepower rating is *only* at sea level altitude. So while they'll reliably make that rated power at sea level, as soon as you start to go up in altitude, the power starts dropping, and it drops 3% for every 1000 ft. increase in altitude above sea level in normally-aspirated gasoline engines.
For example, in your own truck, if you live at 5000 ft. above sea level, in a city like Denver Colorado, you have already lost 15% of it's rated power. The same thing happens no matter what you do to add power, so if you make say, 220 hp at sea level, then at 5000 ft. you are making, all else being equal, only 187 horsepower. Or if you're making say, 275 horsepower at sea level (with several modifications), then at 5000 ft. that would drop to "only" 233.75 horsepower. See what I mean? The bottom line is that it is not possible for anyone to tell you exactly how much power you're going to make with the Superchip or stock, as that depends not only on altitude, but also on fuel quality. As long as you use a good high-quality premium gas, you're going to get the power gains from the Superchip, so then it's a matter of altitude that is the primary factor affecting power output.
------------------
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 03-21-2001).]
The rated gains from the Superchip are not "estimated", they are determined by engineers on a very sophisticated eddy-current chassis dyno. Also, these trucks don't vary much in their stock power output, it's not like one truck will gain 12% and another will only gain 7%, all else being equal.
These 4.6's put out a consistent 215-220 hp SAE Net at sea level stock, and they respond to the Superchip the same as well; the only real variables are fuel quality and altitude, and then vehicle condition as they age.
The reason we tell people to expect to pick up a 10%-12% gain is simply to give them a frame of reference that everyone can relate to! Nobody can describe what 26 more horsepower is actually going to *feel* like, so to give a frame of reference that people can relate to, we tell them to look at it in round numbers, as about a 10%-12% power gain over what they're making stock, regardless of altitude, assuming the use of high-quality premium gas.
Like everyone else whose products have a power rating, including your own Ford truck, those power ratings are always at sea level altitude, so that everyone uses the same basic "standard"; but not everyone *lives* at exactly sea level altitude, so in order to express what you should expect, it's about 10%-12% more power over what you're making now at whatever your current altitude.
Your vehicle's stock SAE Net horsepower rating is *only* at sea level altitude. So while they'll reliably make that rated power at sea level, as soon as you start to go up in altitude, the power starts dropping, and it drops 3% for every 1000 ft. increase in altitude above sea level in normally-aspirated gasoline engines.
For example, in your own truck, if you live at 5000 ft. above sea level, in a city like Denver Colorado, you have already lost 15% of it's rated power. The same thing happens no matter what you do to add power, so if you make say, 220 hp at sea level, then at 5000 ft. you are making, all else being equal, only 187 horsepower. Or if you're making say, 275 horsepower at sea level (with several modifications), then at 5000 ft. that would drop to "only" 233.75 horsepower. See what I mean? The bottom line is that it is not possible for anyone to tell you exactly how much power you're going to make with the Superchip or stock, as that depends not only on altitude, but also on fuel quality. As long as you use a good high-quality premium gas, you're going to get the power gains from the Superchip, so then it's a matter of altitude that is the primary factor affecting power output.
------------------
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 03-21-2001).]