pulling with a 1715
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Senior Member
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From: Canada
pulling with a 1715
Just wondering if its safe to pull with the 1715 on the 87 oct tune? The reason i ask is there is a tow 91 tune and a perf 91 tune aswell but the 87 tune does not specify either.
Btw it would be around 8,000 lbs.
Thanks for any info.
Btw it would be around 8,000 lbs.
Thanks for any info.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,409
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From: Sunny FL
Senior Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,409
Likes: 1
From: Sunny FL
black f150 offroad, here's a little more info that might be helpful 
Originally Posted by Superchips_Distributor
(Snip)
the only change we advise everyone to make automatically when towing heavy loads (or even just driving in general) is the 2-3 upshift being bumped up exactly 2 notches above the centerline (ST).
The default upload from the Micro Tuner, depending on it's internal firmware revision, will be called "Superchips," or "ST," etc. That is the center point of those screens with the lines on them (like the screen you see for manually adjusting shift points). That generally works very well, and we do not advise making any changes from that other than bumping up the 2-3 by exactly 2 notches.
Now for quickest acceleration at WOT (wide-open throttle) with the stock 12" torque converter and say, an intake kit and a good cat-back exhaust so the motor can breathe a bit better, you want an upshift point of 5400 rpm on the 1-2. (Well, actually the best acceleration would be had with a 5600 rpm 1-2 with the gear ratio spread of these transmissions, but the stock 12" non-Lightning F-150 torque converter can sometimes "balloon" after 5400 rpm.) Then for the WOT 2-3 you also want 5400 rpm, and then to protect the transmission, not more than 4700 rpm on the WOT 3-4 (at which point you'd be *flying* anyway, well over 100 mph).
Some trucks, usually the heavier 4WD configurations, have lower WOT upshift points stock, and so they won't be as high as 5400 rpm with the default upload from the 1715 Micro Tuner in *some* cases. So there are a few that will need to have the shift points bumped up a bit manually to achieve a 5400 rpm 1-2 upshift point. HOWEVER - what we advise doing even on those trucks, is to get the 1-2 at about 5400 rpm, but on the 2-3, just bump it up exactly 2 notches above the center line to get the benefit of it getting back up into Overdrive (4th gear) quicker after a load event causing a 4-3 downshift (a hill, mountain, grade, etc.). That slight adjustment to the 2-3 shift point gives a very nice benefit to the **3-4 upshift** after a "load event" that caused a downshift out of Overdrive (especially when towing!). In other words, it's a neat little trick to get the tranny back up into Overdrive much quicker after going up a hill, for example. The longer the grade, the longer it takes after cresting that grade for the tranny to get back up into Overdrive - in some cases 15-20 seconds or even a bit more! That 2-3 adjustment of bumping it up 2 notches will dramatically reduce that amount of time, allowing the tranny to get back up into 4th gear (Overdrive) much quicker after a 4-3 downshift.
Now for towing a heavy load like that, what I would do is *only* adjust the 2-3 like I mentioned - unless the WOT upshifts are happening abnormally low (like only 4700 rpm, for example - for towing, I like to see at least 5000 rpm WOT 1-2's), I'd leave the 1-2 and the 3-4 alone, and just bump up that 2-3 by 2 notches.
the only change we advise everyone to make automatically when towing heavy loads (or even just driving in general) is the 2-3 upshift being bumped up exactly 2 notches above the centerline (ST).
The default upload from the Micro Tuner, depending on it's internal firmware revision, will be called "Superchips," or "ST," etc. That is the center point of those screens with the lines on them (like the screen you see for manually adjusting shift points). That generally works very well, and we do not advise making any changes from that other than bumping up the 2-3 by exactly 2 notches.
Now for quickest acceleration at WOT (wide-open throttle) with the stock 12" torque converter and say, an intake kit and a good cat-back exhaust so the motor can breathe a bit better, you want an upshift point of 5400 rpm on the 1-2. (Well, actually the best acceleration would be had with a 5600 rpm 1-2 with the gear ratio spread of these transmissions, but the stock 12" non-Lightning F-150 torque converter can sometimes "balloon" after 5400 rpm.) Then for the WOT 2-3 you also want 5400 rpm, and then to protect the transmission, not more than 4700 rpm on the WOT 3-4 (at which point you'd be *flying* anyway, well over 100 mph).
Some trucks, usually the heavier 4WD configurations, have lower WOT upshift points stock, and so they won't be as high as 5400 rpm with the default upload from the 1715 Micro Tuner in *some* cases. So there are a few that will need to have the shift points bumped up a bit manually to achieve a 5400 rpm 1-2 upshift point. HOWEVER - what we advise doing even on those trucks, is to get the 1-2 at about 5400 rpm, but on the 2-3, just bump it up exactly 2 notches above the center line to get the benefit of it getting back up into Overdrive (4th gear) quicker after a load event causing a 4-3 downshift (a hill, mountain, grade, etc.). That slight adjustment to the 2-3 shift point gives a very nice benefit to the **3-4 upshift** after a "load event" that caused a downshift out of Overdrive (especially when towing!). In other words, it's a neat little trick to get the tranny back up into Overdrive much quicker after going up a hill, for example. The longer the grade, the longer it takes after cresting that grade for the tranny to get back up into Overdrive - in some cases 15-20 seconds or even a bit more! That 2-3 adjustment of bumping it up 2 notches will dramatically reduce that amount of time, allowing the tranny to get back up into 4th gear (Overdrive) much quicker after a 4-3 downshift.
Now for towing a heavy load like that, what I would do is *only* adjust the 2-3 like I mentioned - unless the WOT upshifts are happening abnormally low (like only 4700 rpm, for example - for towing, I like to see at least 5000 rpm WOT 1-2's), I'd leave the 1-2 and the 3-4 alone, and just bump up that 2-3 by 2 notches.
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Senior Member
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From: Canada
Thanks, i might try adj the shift points as i felt the 1-2 shift would drop a bit, the 2-3 seemed ok however the 3-2 would sometimes lug the engine a bit too much before it would drop to 2nd. I will have to try those adjustments to see how it works, thanks.
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Joined: Mar 1998
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From: Virginia
HI black F-150 off road,
Just a quick FYI here - the 1715 has had a number of updates during it's years of existence, so these days, when someone has a question like that we usually recommend that they contact Superchips Inc directly and ask them - they will typically ask you some info from the tuner itself, like a production date from a sticker on the unit, etc., so they can tell you with accuracy exactly which tunes are inside and what you can do with each.
That aside, of course, always read your 1715's documentation as well, as the manual that comes with it also tells you exactly what tunes are in there and which you can and cannot do with each tune - and that info needs to be followed to the letter for safe operation.
This is going to be *very* important since you are going to be towing 4 tons of weight out back - that is a *huge* amount of weight for any half-ton truck to try pulling, so this is an important issue to get right.
the primarily concern is what happens to the EGT's (exhaust gas temperatures), as "performance" type tunes generally run a bit leaner (though still perfectly safe for normal non-towing uses) A/F ratio as part of the power gain, simply because most of these trucks, especially in the 1997-2003 model year range, run too rich for best peak power. Towing compatible tunes will generally run a richer A/F ratio in order to keep the EGT's lower, and that is very important as you tow more and more weight, of course, so just keep these things in mind.
I hope that helps, & good luck!
Just a quick FYI here - the 1715 has had a number of updates during it's years of existence, so these days, when someone has a question like that we usually recommend that they contact Superchips Inc directly and ask them - they will typically ask you some info from the tuner itself, like a production date from a sticker on the unit, etc., so they can tell you with accuracy exactly which tunes are inside and what you can do with each.
That aside, of course, always read your 1715's documentation as well, as the manual that comes with it also tells you exactly what tunes are in there and which you can and cannot do with each tune - and that info needs to be followed to the letter for safe operation.
This is going to be *very* important since you are going to be towing 4 tons of weight out back - that is a *huge* amount of weight for any half-ton truck to try pulling, so this is an important issue to get right.
the primarily concern is what happens to the EGT's (exhaust gas temperatures), as "performance" type tunes generally run a bit leaner (though still perfectly safe for normal non-towing uses) A/F ratio as part of the power gain, simply because most of these trucks, especially in the 1997-2003 model year range, run too rich for best peak power. Towing compatible tunes will generally run a richer A/F ratio in order to keep the EGT's lower, and that is very important as you tow more and more weight, of course, so just keep these things in mind.
I hope that helps, & good luck!