I'm kinda tossing around the idea of getting a chip for my truck (check the sig line). I see that the Superchip for the 300 is good for 15hp and 30 ft/lbs. What I wanna know is, would this really be worth the cost, plus having to use premium fuel? Is this enough of a power gain to feel "seat of the pants"?

Ok here's a scenario: A while back me and a friend went for a weekend camp out to ride motorcycles. I was towing an enclosed motorcycle trailer that weighed about 3,000lbs. There were several pretty steep hills we had to go over, and my truck couldn't quite pull 4th. I would have to shift into 3rd, and cruise at about 50mph....not sure if it could go any faster, but I wouldn't want to rev it that hard. So, if I put in a new chip, would there be just enough more torque to chug along in 4th instead?

Thanks for any insight! Hope to maybe hear from some owners of the Big Six.

 

Hi Kevin,

Nice to see another "Big 6" around here!

In round numbers, think of the Superchip as roughly about a 10%-power gainer in terms of the raw horsepower increase, while torque goes up roughly 13%-15%. So then the question becomes, would another 13% more torque enable you to stay in the higher gear in that same scenario. From the way you describe it, I'd *guess* yes, but the honest answer is we rrally won't know until you do that and see if you can avoid the downshift.

What I can tell you is that yes, you will feel the Superchip, and it's the best way to pick up a 10%+ power gain. It's not going to feel like a supercharger, it's just the simplest & cheapest way to pick up a 10%+ power gain, which is why it's so popular.

If you'd like to go over this in more detail, please feel free to give us a call, we'll be happy to.

Good luck with your truck & keep that Big 6 rolling!

 

Thanks for the info Mike. Definately something I'll keep in mind.

 

BlueOval300, another question for you is, are you going to be doing any more modifications to the truck ??? The reason I ask this is because as you install more modification the chip also has the ability to learn as you modify BUT to a point. Say for instance, you put a K&N FIPK on your truck. By resetting the chip, the chip will learn that the engine is now operating differently and adjust accordingly. If you add headers, a supercharger, turbo, larger MAF and some other things that actually change the amount of air OR fuel entering or exiting the system the chip will have to be re-burned if you already have one or properly set-up at the time of purchase. I have to get mine set back to Mike once I get some cash because of my recent header installation but from my stand point, the Superchip is like Mike said that best bang-for-your-buck product for more HP & TQ on a vehicle. Let us know what you decide on doing in the future.

Have Fun & Keep on Truckin'
Dean

 

Thanks for the insight Izzy. I don't think I'd do much besides a chip anytime soon. I've already got a pretty free-flowing exhaust (single 3", no cat, FM 50 series), and I don't think I'll be dropping the money for any kind of intake kit, basically because I think they're a rip off. I mean, over $200 for a piece of tube and a filter?

 

ya know...your exhaust might be too free flowing. no cats and a flowmaster sound to me like you would loose some torque. changing to a more restrictive exhaust will give you back some low end torque. its something to think about. it shouldn't be too expensive either. just a thought.

 

Hi LBC150,

It's a common misconception that an engine "needs a certain amount of backpressure," but that really isn't the case in terms of the exact mechanism affecting torque as it relates to our discussion here, and putting on a more restrictive exhaust does not yield a torque increase, unless it just happens to also raise the *velocity* of the spent exhaust gases.

What happens when you have an exhaust that is *too* free-flowing is that the velocity of the spent exhaust gases slows down to the point that you lose most if not virtually all of the scavenging effect that helps to pull those spent gases from the cylinder head, and *that* is the specific mechanism that causes torque loss in so many aftermarket cat-back exhaust systems. The vast majority have little flow engineering for the application.

Almost anything you do to open up the exhaust flow will increase horsepower at higher rpms & heavy throttle openings, but what happens to torque below about 3000 rpm at *any* throttle position is a different matter.

In other words, the key to keeping torque up is maintaining *velocity* in the spent exhaust stream, not having more backpressure. Your factory exhaust system in thee late-model F-150's has better low-end torque than most aftermarket cat-back exhaust systems, because that is what it was specifically engineered to do by Ford; however, it obviously gives up significant horsepower to excessive backpressure, but it's not the higher backpressure that achieves the added torque, it's the *velocity* of the spent exhaust gases being kept high. It takes some real flow engineerig to achieve a positive torque result at any throttle position and at all rpms in these trucks over the factory exhaust.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want anyone to misunderstand and come away with the impression that it's not worth doing exhaust modifications, it certainly is! There are very nice horsepower gains to be had, and you actually *can* increase torque at any throttle position or rpm, but you do have to be very care your choices so as not to lose that low-end torque!

This is why when someone does a true-dual exhaust system for these F-150's, unless they have a Roots-type supercharger, they need to actually downsize the tubing diameter and incorporate an X-pipe to keep the velocity of the exhaust up.

Just FYI.....................

 

Hi BlueOval300,

You're very welcome, anytime!

By the way, good intake kits are worthwhile on these trucks, they typically add anywhere form a low of 10 hp on the smallest motors to as much as 18 hp on the 5.4 motor for example. I wouldn't just dismiss it as a filter and a tube, as those parts had to be designed & engineering for that vehicle, most of the better name brand kits have a significant amount of R&D in them.

There are some people who prefer to use a drop-in K&N air filter and then cut up their factory airbox, and while that doesn't work as well as a good intake kit, it does add a couple of horsepower over what just the drop-in filter does. We don't advise this, as replacing a factory airbox or airhandling tube isn't cheap, but some people prefer to do this, more often in the older vehicles usually.

In your case, if you make any change there, you may want to just do a drop-in low restriction air filter, tey're cheap and that will get you another 3-4 horsepower and let the motor breathe easier.

By all means, you do whatever makes you happy, just a quick FYI about intake kits in general on these F-150's, for what it may or may not be worth to you!

 

I think my exhaust works pretty well. I never did drive this truck stock though, so I can't compare. All I can say is that, for what its packin under the hood, its impressed me. When my dad had it, we did a lot of towing. The heaviest its ever tipped the scales at (loaded with a travel trailer and a ton of other stuff) was 13,500lbs total.

I love hearing people say, "thats a six cylinder?"

 

Hey Mike, does adding a Flowmaster y-pipe add torque, since it does say it makes better scavenging effects. I bought mine a year ago and still undecided about putting it on, What do you think. I already have a Gibson SS exhaust.
Dan

 

mike,

so basically more velocity means more tourque?

also, so in this situation, would going back to the stock exhaust benifit him? i am just curiouse, cause it seems like if you tow upper end hp would not be so important. And that the stock unit was designed for tow/work conditions rather than racing ones.

this velocity stuff is new to me. i need some explaining.

last...for me or anyone to find the best formula of exhaust setups, i would look for the most free flowing exhaust i can find, while still keeping the velocity of the spent gases up?

thanks for the info!

 

Hi Dan,

Well, nobody has ever really done a properly controlled back-to-back dyno test of that Y-pipe in your situation, so we really can't say exactly what it will do torque-wise. Because it is a cleaner "junction" than the factory piece, it will certainly flow better, but whether it will actually increase scavanging or not is the real question, and that I just can't answer accurately for you.

I don't think it's going to hurt your torque at all, so I wouldn't hesitate to install it since you've already got it. I don't think you'll really feel anything seat-of-the-pants, as the effect of that part is rather subtle, but that also depend on just how much power you're making (more power = more benefit from that kind of part)as well as how "in touch" to your vehicle's performance at all throttle positions you are. Some people feel small changes, and others don't feel 30 more horsepower, you know what I mean.

Let us know what you think if you decide to install it, & sorry I'm really not much help to you on this!

 

Hi LBC,

Yep, it's all about *velocity*. Now in Kevin's case (BlueOval300), going back to a stock exhaust would obviously cost him horsepower, but whether it would bring low-end torque back up or not just depends on if the *velocity* of the spent exhaust gases were increased at lower rpms as a result of that change; if that velocity were increased, then torque would go up a bit compared to what he's got now, sure. I wouldn't advise him to go back to stock, however, we *NEVER* recommend or advise that anyone ever run without catalytic converters, as that pollutes the environment while not achieving any significant power gain. Unless you've got a lot of mods and the motor is making big power, we advise using the factory cats until they clog or fail, *then* replace them with aftermarket high-flo units.

Kevin is pretty happy with his exhaust from his posts, and he was kind enough to clearly point out that he never had a chance to drive it with the stock exhaust on it, so he doesn't have a feel for the amount of torque that was lost by those changes.

But yes, it's basically all about velocity, that's the key to low-end torque in terms of exhaust system changes, and keeping the low-rpm exhaust gas velocity up with a free-flowing exhaust is not easy.