Superchip Flip Chip vs. Standard Chip
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Senior Member
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From: Buford, GA
Superchip Flip Chip vs. Standard Chip
OK - trying to make a decision here. I want to order a chip based on all the great reviews I have seen. What would be the advantage of getting a flip chip vs. the standard. I need to justify the added expense to the wife.
Now, I put a ton of miles on my truck - truck is 1 year 4 months old and I just rolled 41K. Needless to say I do not want to fill up with premium fuel all of the time. Would the standard chip not work/ cause problems with 87 octane gas?? I realize I won't get the same performance out of it as with 93 octane, but is that all?? Mike - would like some input here!!
Thanks!!
Now, I put a ton of miles on my truck - truck is 1 year 4 months old and I just rolled 41K. Needless to say I do not want to fill up with premium fuel all of the time. Would the standard chip not work/ cause problems with 87 octane gas?? I realize I won't get the same performance out of it as with 93 octane, but is that all?? Mike - would like some input here!!
Thanks!!
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Western Massachusetts
My two cents....
A single program chip is good for someone who doesn't mind using the higher octand, and who has access to it all the time. they would also have steady driving habits.
If you didn't want to or couldn't run the higher octane you would want to go with the flip chip. You will get some benifits from the lower octane but not as much.
The chip makes more power by retuning exsisting componants to make use of the higher octane. There is a limit to how much power you can get with the exsisting componants, but the gains with the Superchip are well worth the money!
The only way yo get the 10-12% gain is to use the higher octane. A "standard" program would require the use of higher octane as it would kind of be a waste to only get a fraction of the gain by tuning for low octane.
I had a single program Superchip. I worked quite well for me. I have access to higher octane all the time and believe it is well worth the added expence for better performance. I have recently added a mod that I am better off haveing the option of a alternate program. I got a flip chip to give me a little versatility.
I will never run 87 in this truck again. You do actually get something for the added expence when you have a Superchip.
I'm no expert. I just like to practice my typing skills. Wait for Mike to give you the actual scoop!
Good luck!
Tom
A single program chip is good for someone who doesn't mind using the higher octand, and who has access to it all the time. they would also have steady driving habits.
If you didn't want to or couldn't run the higher octane you would want to go with the flip chip. You will get some benifits from the lower octane but not as much.
The chip makes more power by retuning exsisting componants to make use of the higher octane. There is a limit to how much power you can get with the exsisting componants, but the gains with the Superchip are well worth the money!
The only way yo get the 10-12% gain is to use the higher octane. A "standard" program would require the use of higher octane as it would kind of be a waste to only get a fraction of the gain by tuning for low octane.
I had a single program Superchip. I worked quite well for me. I have access to higher octane all the time and believe it is well worth the added expence for better performance. I have recently added a mod that I am better off haveing the option of a alternate program. I got a flip chip to give me a little versatility.
I will never run 87 in this truck again. You do actually get something for the added expence when you have a Superchip.
I'm no expert. I just like to practice my typing skills. Wait for Mike to give you the actual scoop!
Good luck!
Tom
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Joined: Mar 1998
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From: Virginia
Hello LightningCrew & Everyone,
Tom (wittom) has, as usual, given some great perspective.
Yes, the single program Superchip requires the use of premium gasoline, so if someone wants a Superchip for use on 87 octane, the way to go is the 2-program Flip Chip. The nice thing about the 2-program Superchip Flip Chip is it also includes the cost of any custom programming needed at time of purchase, for both programs. So if someone has major mods, or wants a dual-octane configuration with the 87 octane program for their winter tire size, and the premium gas program for their summer tire size, just as one example, or perhaps a supercharger, or nitrous oxide, or whatever you can imagine, all of that can be programmed/tuned for and that is included in the cost of the Flip Chip.
And then there's the "standard" dual octane Flip Chip configuration, which a lot of people prefer to have, for that added ability & flexibility at the flip of it's switch. In that unit (which you can also see listed in our online ordering system, the link to which is just below in our signature line), both programs are identical *except* for the octane level the engine is tuned for, the 87 octane program is not stock. You still have all the same improvments in both programs, the only difference is power output, based on the octane level the engine is tuned for. Better automatic transmission shifting, removal of delays & retards in manuals & automatics, top speed limiter removed/raised, & other driveability improvements, etc. are in both programs
LightningCrew, one thing to consider with the single program Superchip is that the aded fuel cost to run on premium gas all the time compared to the cost to run a regular F-150 (meaning, not a Lightning or superchargeed Harley model, both of which already require premium gas from the factory) on the factory program on 87 octane is not more than $100 per 10,000 miles. When you break it down, it's maybe $2-$3 a week, and for many people, even less, if their driving remains the same. For most people, it's $150 per year or less, the fuel cost analysis has been done many, many times here over the years. This assumes a 20 cent per gallon cost delta betwen regular & premium, and a 50-50 mix of city & highway driving. Now this can be skewed if your driving is all stop & go, or if you're doing mostly heavy towing, etc. a bit, or if you're driving more than about 20,000 miles a year.
I your case, you're driving 41K miles in 16 months = a rate of about 30,750 miles a year. So for you, running it on premium all the time could potentially cost you as much as $300 per year more, which would be $5 to $6 per week. Most people pay less, but that is your potential increase, again, a max of about $100 per 10,000 miles driven. However, if most of that is highway running, you could also find yourself spending only a fraction of that increase, thanks to the small improvements in mpg that usually happen with the Superchip when cruising, given good fuel quality. This is just a byproduct of our performance tuning, specificaly inte increased spark advance on part-throttle, so your actual mpg results will depend primarily on how you drive the vehicle, and the energy content of the fuel being burned, as usual.
In all honesty, I could see going either way on this, if it were me, no question about it, I would run it on premium all the time since I know how very little that costs me with our various F-150's here. In our regular F-150's here, we use the single program Superchip, and in our Lightning, as with any supercharged or turbochanged engine, the Flip Chip is the only way to go, and what we use.
I would say this is going to get down to a matter of your comfort level - if you want the ability to run it on 87 octane when you want and still have the benefits of the Superchip, then go with the 2-program Superchip Flip Chip. I know, this probably hasn't made this decision any easier for you, but at least now you know a bit more about the facts behind the choices, if nothing else.
If you'd like to go over this in more detail, don't hesitate to give us a call, we'll be happy to, if that might be helpful.
My bottom line recommendation is, if you really want that dual octane capability & flexibility, go with the Flip Chip; otherwise, just use the single program Superchip and save the cost difference, which will go a long way towards paying for any increased fuel costs!
Tom (wittom) has, as usual, given some great perspective.
Yes, the single program Superchip requires the use of premium gasoline, so if someone wants a Superchip for use on 87 octane, the way to go is the 2-program Flip Chip. The nice thing about the 2-program Superchip Flip Chip is it also includes the cost of any custom programming needed at time of purchase, for both programs. So if someone has major mods, or wants a dual-octane configuration with the 87 octane program for their winter tire size, and the premium gas program for their summer tire size, just as one example, or perhaps a supercharger, or nitrous oxide, or whatever you can imagine, all of that can be programmed/tuned for and that is included in the cost of the Flip Chip.
And then there's the "standard" dual octane Flip Chip configuration, which a lot of people prefer to have, for that added ability & flexibility at the flip of it's switch. In that unit (which you can also see listed in our online ordering system, the link to which is just below in our signature line), both programs are identical *except* for the octane level the engine is tuned for, the 87 octane program is not stock. You still have all the same improvments in both programs, the only difference is power output, based on the octane level the engine is tuned for. Better automatic transmission shifting, removal of delays & retards in manuals & automatics, top speed limiter removed/raised, & other driveability improvements, etc. are in both programs
LightningCrew, one thing to consider with the single program Superchip is that the aded fuel cost to run on premium gas all the time compared to the cost to run a regular F-150 (meaning, not a Lightning or superchargeed Harley model, both of which already require premium gas from the factory) on the factory program on 87 octane is not more than $100 per 10,000 miles. When you break it down, it's maybe $2-$3 a week, and for many people, even less, if their driving remains the same. For most people, it's $150 per year or less, the fuel cost analysis has been done many, many times here over the years. This assumes a 20 cent per gallon cost delta betwen regular & premium, and a 50-50 mix of city & highway driving. Now this can be skewed if your driving is all stop & go, or if you're doing mostly heavy towing, etc. a bit, or if you're driving more than about 20,000 miles a year.
I your case, you're driving 41K miles in 16 months = a rate of about 30,750 miles a year. So for you, running it on premium all the time could potentially cost you as much as $300 per year more, which would be $5 to $6 per week. Most people pay less, but that is your potential increase, again, a max of about $100 per 10,000 miles driven. However, if most of that is highway running, you could also find yourself spending only a fraction of that increase, thanks to the small improvements in mpg that usually happen with the Superchip when cruising, given good fuel quality. This is just a byproduct of our performance tuning, specificaly inte increased spark advance on part-throttle, so your actual mpg results will depend primarily on how you drive the vehicle, and the energy content of the fuel being burned, as usual.
In all honesty, I could see going either way on this, if it were me, no question about it, I would run it on premium all the time since I know how very little that costs me with our various F-150's here. In our regular F-150's here, we use the single program Superchip, and in our Lightning, as with any supercharged or turbochanged engine, the Flip Chip is the only way to go, and what we use.
I would say this is going to get down to a matter of your comfort level - if you want the ability to run it on 87 octane when you want and still have the benefits of the Superchip, then go with the 2-program Superchip Flip Chip. I know, this probably hasn't made this decision any easier for you, but at least now you know a bit more about the facts behind the choices, if nothing else.
If you'd like to go over this in more detail, don't hesitate to give us a call, we'll be happy to, if that might be helpful.
My bottom line recommendation is, if you really want that dual octane capability & flexibility, go with the Flip Chip; otherwise, just use the single program Superchip and save the cost difference, which will go a long way towards paying for any increased fuel costs!
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,202
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From: Buford, GA
Wittom - thanks for your insight
Mike - awesome breakdown - I really think I will go ahead and spend the extra for the flip chip. With the miles that I drive and the way I drive most of the time (How fast can I get to the speed limit??
) I would prob spend a fortune running premium all the time. I will definitely give you all a call when the funds are available. Thanks again for all of your help!!!
Mike - awesome breakdown - I really think I will go ahead and spend the extra for the flip chip. With the miles that I drive and the way I drive most of the time (How fast can I get to the speed limit??
) I would prob spend a fortune running premium all the time. I will definitely give you all a call when the funds are available. Thanks again for all of your help!!!