can you get just a single program superchip for a 2001 Lightning,don't really need the tow option just a good 91thru 93 octane street chip?would it be cheaper, ?if there is a single all weather streetchip chip = midwest area yearound?

 

Hi Excited,

Yes, that can certainly be done, but we do not recommend going that route with *any* forced-induction (supercharger, turbocharged, etc.) engine, especially not in a Lightning, as you do not have the flexibility & protection we feel you need.

We own these vehicles too, including a 2001 Lightning as well, and with that supercharged engine, we don't recommend trying to save a few bucks by using the single program unit instead of a more appropriate a dual-program setup to protect you should you get a bad tank of gas somewhere.

However, the reality is that this is up to you. For example, if you are not going to do much in the way of modifications, if you are going to do say, just a Superchip and an air intake kit of some kind, you're not going to raise the boost, change pulleys, etc, then you could get by with the single program Superchip and just remove it and go back to the factory program if you get a tank of bad gas, or need to tow something or carry a load, etc.

Keep in mind that you will not be able to do things like raising your boost level with pulleys and still use the single-program Superchip, at least, I should more correctly say that you *could*, but if you needed to remove the Superchip due to detonation from bad gas, then you would not have the custom tuning required to support higher boost levels, either, which would throw off the A/F ratios. Also, if you do any modifications that require custom programming/tuning, then the 2-program Superchip Flip Chip is actually the cheapest way to get that custom programming.

So yes, you *can* run the single program Superchip on the Lightning, no, we don't recommend it, is the final answer. It's your money and your vehicle, we can only tell you what we think, how we feel and why. Ultimately this is your decision, of course.

If you'd like to go over this in more detail, or talk about where you want your Lightning's performance to be, the cheapest way to get there, or if modifications you may be thinking of are going to affect the tuning, or anything else, please feel free to give us a call.

Good luck, & congratulations on your '01 Lightning!

 

i see alot of chip problems with bad gas? is this a prevelant problem when you install a chip? my L does not seem to notice bad or good gas in it's stock mode?will ethonal =10% in the gas all my gas has 10% ethonal init,create a problem for a street chip?i burn mostly 93% with 10% ethonal and 91 and 92 octane 20% of the time.the ethonal in the midwest =we grow corn is the octane booster out here,will it be a problem as would the bad gas sydrome,with a chip,if so i'll leave it stock = no problems?

 

Hi Excited,

Remember, we're talking about **bad gas** being used in conjunction with modifications to raise power, 2 things which do not work well together.

It's not an issue of the chip, as you can see here on these message boards, people don't have problems with detonation, etc. from installing the Superchip when using good quality fuel. It's only when they try to use cheap gas, or have other modifications that affect tuning that have not been compensated for that they run into a problem, as a general rule. Even some name-brand fuels, such as Exxon, can be a very clean fuel but have a lower energy (BTU) content, in addition to what you generally get with the off-brands & no-names.

The issue is if you get a bad tank of gas, and that can easily happen, especially if you're buying gas based on price (something that should *never* be done), or not staying with the same brand & source, another thing you should always try to do for best performance & mileage, especially in a high-performance vehicle.

Your vehicle knows the difference between fuels, it will show up in the mpg if tracked accurately & consistently each fillup. It's not an issue of feeling it in the seat of the pants, however, as the knock sensor is not active in the Lightning. Lower energy fuels delivery lower mpg, all esle being equal. Fuels like the "gasahol" blends you mention, the ethanol portion has significantly less BTU content compared to the gasoline portion, and so they deliver less mpg in comparison.

You're right, out in the Mid-West we do see more of the gasahol blended fuels. If you have a choice, avoid them, as you will get less mileage from them. That doesn't mean you can't use them, or that you cannot use a Superchip with them, it simply means that gasahol is not a preferred fuel from a performance (particularly in modified vehicles) or mileage standpoint.

Don't get me wrong, actually, I'd love it if we would run on straight ethanol fuels, as would our farmers, and no longer be dependant on imported oil. You have to burn quite a bit more of it due to it's lower energy content, but it is high in octane, and if the vehicle's fuel delivery systems were designed for it, we could make great power and run a bit cleaner as well. Perhaps some day we'll get there....................

In the meantime, we can provide a Superchip that you can use there on your fuels, not a problem!

 

i will be in touch via phone soon.