Hey Mike (or anyone else),

Why does Ford have so many computer codes for what seem to be identical truck engines from the same year? I am really not very knowledgeable about the electronics of an engine, but was just curious. There must be a reason, do other manufacturers do it this way?

Thanks alot -- Martin

 

Hi Martin,

Everyone wants to know that one!

There are actually several reasons for the different codes. First, you have the obvious, which are all the various mechanical differences, as there are 3 different engines, 3 different transmissions, and a selection of gear ratios & other vehicle configuration choices in the F-150 that are each a cause for a different code.

The bigger question is probably why are there different codes for the exact same identical-in-all-other-aspects vehicles, say, in a pair of *identical* 2001 black 5.4 Super Crew ORP F-150's for example?

The answer is simply that Ford, like the other automakers, is constanty making running changes & updates throughout the course fo the model year, based on feedback from the field including warranty issues reported by Ford dealerships over customer complaints, etc. The different codes on the same vehicle generally have only minor differences, usually it's a particular driveabilty aspect, or a shift characteristic, etc.

In the case of the F-150, we're talking about the world's largest selling vehicle for 19 straight years now, with 750,000 of them built & sold every year, so the F-150's generally have more different codes than just about any other vehicle made. In other words, the sheer numbers of these F-150's dictate that we'll generally see more different codes in them.

This isn't just Ford, by the way, it's GM, Mopar, BMW, Mercedes, and most other automakers do this very same thing, just to a lesser extent than we see it in the sheer numbers of these F-150's.

 

I told y'all I didn't know that much, but I enjoy reading these boards to try and learn.

Thanks Mike (again) -- Martin

 

Let's continue this a little further. I have code UAT3. This is an older code. Let say hypothetically that Ford has improved on this code due to driveability issues or warranty issues as Mike stated. Can I get a Superchip that is made for the updated code that will work in my truck? I am under the impression that the Chip is an all or nothing device. It replaces the internal code with its code. Lets pretend that the new version is UAT4. Could these improvements or running changes be included in the Chip for my truck?

Just wondering.
I will be ordering a UAT3 chip soon.

 

Hi Norm,

Basically, yes.

Anytime the software revision of the ECU is changed, the software inside the Superchip will *have* to be changed to match. For any code that your ECU might ever be reflashed to, all you need to do is to let us know what your new calibration code (that's how "they" refer to it) is, and we'll cross-referece that to your new catch code, or "computer code" as we refer to it, and reprogram the Superchip to match.

So yes, as in your example, if you had a driveability issue that was addressed by a later factory program, and thus had your ECU reflashed so you could take advantage of that factory fix, then we would reprogram the Superchip to match the new code.

 

Thanks Mike, Let me reword the question abit. Lets say that Superchips knew that UAT3 had been "improved" with some running changes. Couldn't Superchips just include the "improvements" in the chip or is there still something in the original code that would prevent a newer revision from working.
I guess what I am gettin at is why involve Ford at all if I can get the "calibrations" from Superchips.

 

Hi Norm,

It doesn't work that way, the Superchip is not going to reflash your computer to a different code like that, that is not it's design purpose or intent. The Superchip has to match the exact code currently present in the ECU. If you want to change your ECU's factory program revision, that has to be done at a dealership. Should you have that changed after installing the Superchip, then the Superchip has to be reprogrammed to once again match the factory code.

 

Thanks Mike,
I understand that but I believe you said in another thread that the Superchip replaces the internal chips code when it is plugged in. I know it does not flash the internal chip because then I could pass my chip around to everyone that has the same code and we could run without chips. I guess I am not wording my question right. I just figured that if Superchips included the same running calibrations for a UAT3 that Ford uses we would always be up to date. I would understand that updates to another code would not work on my code but upgrades to my code is essentially what the chip is anyway and if Ford fixed a bug in UAT3 you could include that fix in the Superchip so we would not have to be "calibrated" by Ford.

 

Hi Norm,

Sorry if I don't seem to be grasping exactly what you're asking me, and if you like, please feel free to give me a call & we can go over that more thoroughly that typing it all out here, since I seem to be missing your real question.

You seem to be referring to running updates, and in each case, they are covered by the fact that Ford releases them only in the next new code.

The Superchip is already taking care of any number of "fixes" & improvements, dozens upon dozens that we never talk about in each and every code, that are the result of Superchips own driveabilty R&D. Problems that Ford may fix only in say, a UAT4 we've generally already addressed the first time around, in UAT1 or UAT2, in addition to fixing, improving & changing things that they never do.

As I understand your question currently, we're basically already doing that. In other words, when you plug in a UAT3 code Superchip, you are indeed getting the benefit of anything that Ford may have improved over previous UAT version codes 1 & 2. The actual areas of program changed by the Superchip amount to only a few pages of code *total*, out of 56K+ pages of code; the rest of it is the Ford program, it has to be or the vehicle couldn't run. It's not a patch, it's a complete program replacement, but within that replacement is much of Ford's original program, with the appropriate changes made by Superchips. When you plug the Superchip in, yes, the Ford ECU immediately turns off it's internal EEPROM chip, and you're running on the Superchip. Inside the Superchip is the Ford factory program, with the modifications done by Superchips, so you're automatically going to get any improvements Ford has made to that code over earlier versions.

Am I getting closer to answering what you're really asking, or just making it worse?

 

You hit the nail on the head Mike, I got it now.
Once again Thanks!

 

Hi Norm,

You're very welcome of course. I'm glad we finally managed to get it thru my thick skull what you were actually asking.