I just wanted to share a brief update on the installation of a Superchips FlipChip in my truck.

First, the kit came very well documented - for a F150. There are some significant differences in how the EEC is mounted between 150's and 250's. The EEC in the 250-SD is mounted under the dash on the driver's side kick panel, and in held in place by a plastic sleeve that slides over the entire EEC and then screws into a bracket behind the emergency brake. Connection to the wiring harness is still through the firewall with the connector attached by the 10mm bolt described in the instructions.

Furtunately, I wasn't put off by the bracket, and proceeded to "modify" it to allow installation of the chip. The instructions are very complete for the actual chip installation. Note: I was a little freaked out by the notice that comes with the kit saying that there are some number of EEC's that will fail to start the engine after the chip is installed - although, there were clear instructions on what to do and that the EEC would be "fixed" free of charge. With my luck, I figured I'd be one of the "no start" winners - but I wasn't.

The real problem with the F250 EEC bracket is that it completely covers all sides of the EEC - the chip installs through the end of the EEC and "sticks out" of the end of the EEC approx. 3/8 of an inch. In addition, the FlipChip version has a toggle switch wired into the chip module. Also, the chip protrudes slightly under the EEC, increassing the thickness at the back of the EEC. As I described perviously, the F250 EEC has a sleeve that slides over the ECC. Once the chip is added, there are numerous points of interference between the chip and EEC sleeve. To resolve the fit problem, I took a pair of tin snips and started cutting away parts of the bracket that made contact with the chip, as well as allowing room for the FlipChip wiring.

I've seen some postings where people were "upset" that the directions recommend taping the chip in place - well, in my case, the good news is that the sleeve basically clamps the chip in place because the EEC slides into the bracket chip first and ends up butted up against the back of the sleeve - NEVER to come loose.... I had to enlarge the bracket mounting holes to make up for the thickness of the chip and the distance it displaced the sleeve from aligning with the mounting bracket.

Alright, so this hasn't been so brief - the end result was that I got the chip installed....

Driving - I do notice the engine revs. much easier and pulls hard right up to 5500 RPM. The shifts are cleaner, but I would have preferred an even stiffer shift. Anyone have comments on valve body shift kits and how they play with the Superchip?

I have to give a special thanks to Mike T's wife who answered the phone when I called (late) to ask a question - I thought I'd get an answering machine

Finally, as with everyone here on this message board and in America, it's been hard to think about anything other than the National Tragedy that has taken place, without feeling some guilt - after all, who cares about a truck with everything else that's happening. However, I also believe that by significantly altering what we do and how we live our lives is "giving" the terrorists what they want, and I for one will not let them direct my life. Along with the lives that were taken, the terrorists want to destroy our economy and way of life - while I may not go out and buy a new truck right now, I'm not going to hide in the garage and regret some personal choices I make - a supercharger might still be in my future....

God Bless America!

Dan

 

Hi Dan,

You got the documentation for the Light Duty F-250, which is the same as the F-150 and the Expedition, as we did not know you had a Super Duty truck instead of a Light Duty. You're absolutely right, had we known that it was a Super Duty instead of a Light Duty, you would have received completely different documentation, and it's needed as you quite rightly point out!

If you let us know about that when you examine your documentation, we can always at least fax or email you the correct documentation, so you don't have to find all this out the hard way, I'm very sorry you had to go thru that! That is something we're actually very proud of, the quality of our documentation. We go to some lengths to provide a lot of additional documentation beyond the manufacturer's instructions, just so that a first-time installer can get thru this easily and smoothly with no surprises. If you wouldn't mind shooting us an email or a FAX number, whatever you prefer, we'll be happy to get you that Super Duty documentation right away, so you'll at least have the correct documentation on hand.

The computer in those Super Duty trucks is mounted over on the driver's side, to the right of the emergency brake pedal, and they're actually very easy to work on. That is, with the right instructions.

One thing to remember about those Super Duty trucks is that they have that black plastic "shroud" that covers the ECU, and when you install the Superchip, you may not be able to get both of the two 7 mm bolts that hold that black shroud back onto place, exactly because of what you mentioned, the small additional length from the Supechip. We include a pair of black strip tires to use to replace those 7 mm bolts when we know that it's a Super Duty truck, and that gives you the extra room you somtimes need to get the black shroud to fit back on properly without needing to trim or notch it.

We're glad to hear that you got it installed OK!

With regards to how hard the transmission shifts, what you'll want to consider is that this is a 2.5-3 ton pickup truck, so we're not trying to turn it into a race car; we keep the transmission's shift characteristics in keeping with the original character of the vehicle, so to speak. The transmission calibration in our "standard" performance program for each code in these vehicles is designed to be a "towing" type of calibration, so that while it shifts noticeably firmer as you give it more and more throttle opening, it's not going to shift hard enough to upset livestock being towed in a trailer, for example. That is one of the bigget uses of these vehicles, for towing, so we keep that in mind when doing the transmission changes. The Superchip removes all of the shift delays, transitional spark retards, etc., reducing slippage, and also firms the shifts quite nicely. However, it's not going to give a "hard" or "musclecar" type of shift characteristic unless the customer specifically asks for a hard-shifting custom program, as the vast majority of our customers do not want that. Me personally, I like to have a chirp of the tires on the full-throttle 1-2 upshift, but then I don't tow anything, either.

If you are looking for tire-chirping upshifts under full-throttle, then you'll need mechanical modifications to your transmission, such as a line mod valve for that 4R100 tranny, to allow it to flow more fluid volume at the higher line pressures. Those 4R100's are strangled a bit from the factory, and installing a 1/2" diameter line valve will allow it to flow more fluid volume at the higher line pressures, and that will allow it to shift much firmer when we crank up the line pressure inside the program.

Yes, you can use a shift kit, etc., with the Superchip if you want to, it will just shift harder in response when you use the Superchip and a shift kit together.

Thanks very much for your post, & please let us know if we can be of assistance!

 

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the reply. However, I think you hurt my feelings - just because I drive a big "White-Whale", doesn't mean I want to to perform like one... I know, it'll never be a Lightning, but who can resist thinking it when that V8 is roaring! And the only livestock I tow is my Arctic Cat snowmobiles..... So, you might say, "what the heck do you have a 250 for", and I'd say "good question" - first, I could get the 250 Crew for a better price than a 150 Screw, and, second, I'll never have to worry about towing anything - within reason.

Maybe it's against the rules, but do you have any recommendations on tranny shift kits? I've looked at the Baumann site and they have what looks like a pretty good kit.

BTW, the only comment I would have on the use of wire ties to mount the ECU back on the bracket is that, at least in my truck, there is a ground tab that contacts the ECU when it is slid into the shroud and then bolted to the mounting bracket. This insures a ground connection between the case of the ECU and chassis. All I did was make the shroud mounting holes oblong to line up with the bracket mounting holes. Since I didn't see the 250SD installation instructions, maybe you ground the case some other way.

Again, thanks for the feedback.

Dan

 

Hi Dan,

Thanks for your response.

I think I perhaps we have a misunderstanding here, so I'll try to clear this up.

With regards to my descriptions, I was merely trying to describe to you how we approach, and what our "standard" performance program is generally meant to do, in these vehicles. I did not in any way want you to think that we somehow look down on anyone doing modifications to an F-250 Super Duty instead of an F-150 or an F-250 Light Duty, not at all.

We're more than happy to see people doing modifications to F-250's, F-350's, 450's, 650's, you name it, we think that's great! It's nice to see something a bit different, in fact, and we're happy to make sure you get whatever type of characteristics you want in your powertrain programming. For example, we can always do a custom program to give it harder shifting characteristics, and we're happy to do that. However, it needs to be remembered that we have about a 70% success rate in making these Ford 4R70W's and 4R100's like you have there actually "chirp" the tires on a full-throttle upshift, so while we're always happy to do that for you, if that is the kind of shift characteristic you desire, we'd suggest considering light mechanical modifications to the transmission, like our line mod valve for the 4R100's, as a way of making *certain* the transmission will flow enough fluid *volume* required to make sure it has the capability of chirping the tires, if that is the kind of shift characteristic you want in your Super Duty.

Heck, we're happy to see you doing these modifications to a Super Duty, we don't care that it's not a Lightning, or an F-150, or anything else. There is only 1 thing that matters, and that is, whatever it takes to make *you* happy with whatever vehicle you choose to own & modify.

If my post somehow gave you the impression that we don't think people should hot-rod Super Duty trucks, that isn't the case at all, & please accept my apologies, as that was not my intention.

When I spoke about the instructions, for example, I was simply saying that it was becauase we didn't realize you had a Super Duty, that is the reason you didn't get Super Duty instructions. It's not because we don't like Super Duties! Trust me (as the saying goes), the *last* thing we want is a customer getting the wrong installation instructions, we never want anyone to go thru that, and we hate it that you did.

By all means, whatever we can do to accommodate you with your Super Duty truck Dan, we're more than happy to do. We'd love to see you drop a blower on it if that's what you want to do. Or if you're doing relatively mild bolt-ons, like the Superchip, maybe an intake kit & an exhaust, etc., whatever it takes to make *you* happy with your vehicle. It doesn't matter how much you modify it to us, or how mile or wild you want the vehicle, the only thing that matters is what *you* want, Dan, it's your vehicle! We don't pass judgement on anyone because of the type of vehicle they drive, that's a foolish thing to do.

Talking about modifying Super Duty trucks, we have customers with every form of Super Duty, from the 5.4's to the V-10's to the Powerstroke diesels, to the older 460's & beyond. The first time you see an F-350 PSD dually smoking all 4 rear tires down the 1/4 mile, that's a thrill you don't soon forget. That was a Powerstroke diesel that we had tuned for about 800 lbs./ft. of torque.

By the way, what you described doing with the black shroud covering the ECU sounds perfectly fine.

I hope this clears things up for you Dan, thanks again for your post & please let us know if we can be of assistance.

 

Contact this company: http://www.techtranstool.com/

Get the Tricumulator springs and Sonnax valve. I believe they now sell both. Should be about $45 or so. It is an easy mod and gives quick firm shifts.