hey mike, I have all ready ordered a chip for my 2000 F-150 ext cab but what I want to know is what improvements can I do with the chip before I have to reburn this chip.
and how many times can I reburn this chip before I have to replace it??

oh ya is a v6.

thanks.

 

Hi Icon,

The types of modifications you can do to your F-150 and not need to have custom programming/tuning done in your Superchip are things like: an intake kit (Air Force One, FIPK, etc.), a cat-back exhaust system, underdrive pulleys, electric cooling fans, & ignition system modifications.

The types of modifications that *will* require custom tuning are: headers, a true dual exhaust sytem using either an H-pipe or an X-pipe, changing the MAF (mass airflow meter), changing fuel injector size, supercharging, nitrous ocide, ported cylinder heads, camshaft changes, etc., just to give you a rough idea.

These are complete absolute lists here, just trying to give you a rough idea of what you can do with the "standard" Superhicp performance program for each F-150's computer code. Please feel free to give us a call if you'd like to go over this in more detail.

As far as how many times can you have your Superchip reprogrammed? As many times as you need to, there is no limit on that from a mechanical standpoint, the Superchip doesn't care how many times it's programmed, so it can last you a lifetime on the same vehicle no matter how many times you do modifications that require program changes.

 

Hey mike, what about doing the y-pipe mod. Can I do that without reprogramming the superchip?
Dan

 

Mike, I see that you list catback exhausts as a mod you can do without reburning the chip. What if I'm switching my cat out with a hi flow cat, am I safe with the original Superchip programming?

 

Hi Dan,

Yes, you can do the Y-pipe upgrade without changing the programming in the Superchip.

If you were to do a true dual exhaust system that had an H-pipe or an X-pipe, then *that* would require tuning changes to add fuel, as an H-pipe or X-pipe in a true dual exhaust system will lean the motor out in these vehicles. Upgrading the stock Y-pipe with a better aftermarket unit does not require any changes to your Superchip, so you'll be fine with that.

 

Hi 94,

Since you have a pre-1996 model year vehicle, which does not use 4 O2 sensors like the 1996 & up OBD-II vehicles have, you can swap out to high-flo aftermarket catalytic converters without getting a check engine light.

In terms of whether or not that will lean out the A/F ratio enough to require compensation, usually it does not in most cases.

You'll want to be careful in your selection of high-flo cats to go with, as a good number of aftermarket high-flo units really don't do the job properly, and in the case of the 1996 & up vehicles, many of the aftermarket high-flo cats will not satisfy the downstream O2 sensor which is looking for the catalytic converter function.

We carry high-flo cats that do work properly on any model year vehicle, and will not set off a check engine light in the newer OBD-II vehicles that are sensitive to this in particular.

You might want to give us a call on this if you plan on upgrading your factory cats, we can go over with you your exact exhaust system changes and match that up with the correct high-flo catalytic converters if you like.

Good luck!

 

Mike,

Thanks for the info. I'm planning on replacing the stock catalytic converters with a Catco Hi Flow version that the shop I'm going has. They match them with the specific vehicle, so I think that it should work well.

 

Hmmm... I trying to remember whether or not I told you(Mike) about having a true dual exhaust system w/H-pipe?? Does that apply to my 98 4.6? I've been running lean for almost two years if I didn't Do you keep any records of the programming done to chips you have sold?,,,,98

 

Mike generally cannot reply to a reguest like that as his records go by actual name not screen name unless he knows you personnally. Send him an e-mail I'm sure you would get your answer that way.

 

Hi Screamer,

Yes, we do indeed keep those records! Give us a shout in email or via phone and we can look that up for you. I'd do that right now, but as George kindly mentioned, it's kinda hard for us to remember whose real name belongs to exactly which screen name here. We index everyone by their first and last name in our records, so if you can contact us with your first & last anme we can check on that for you.

Another way you can do that is to pull your Superchip just long enough to look at the sticker on the back of it, as we always write in some information on each Superchip on a sticker on the back of it. If you can shoot us that info, we can probably check it that way, too.

To answer your question, yes, if you have a true dual exhaust and have either an H-pipe or an X-pipe, that will lean the motor out a bit. Whether it's enough to require tuning for it will depend on other mods, but assuming you have say, an intake, exhaust, and the Superchip, like many people do, then yes, you'll usually need to have us take care of that for you. You won't be lean enough to hurt any parts with that particular combination I mentioend, or you'd have had trouble long before now, and msot likely get some lean dotonation. It's just that you would be too lean for best power in this example.

Give us a shout to go over this if you want.

 

The trucks' code FOU1
with "-RS (possibly -R5?) written under that. That's all that's written on the back. I hope it's programmed correctly?? I don't know if I could live without it that long, hehe. But hey, if it can make more power, I think I can tear myself away from it long enough to get it corrected,,,,98

I sent an e-mail to you, and you can respond that way if you wish (or can't because of the policy here) Thanks Mike

 

Hi Screamer,

We just sent you an email with that info, so you should have that info by now.

 

Never mind, I'm an idiot sometimes, lol!,,,,98

 

The majority of newer F-150s are mas-air vehicles, correct? If so, why would one need a custom chip, if, say they bolted on a vortech supercharger? I'd assume the mass air system(with larger injectors and a properly calibrated meter) could compensate. Of course, I may be off - the ECM programming could be different. But I was under the impression that a mass-air flow system can compensate for changes in airflow(easily a small item such as a dual exhaust) by itself. I know it works on my mustang, as it runs 10s with the stock ECM with no chip or piggy-back such as a PMS.

Clarification please? Thanks.

 

Hi 5.0boy,

Good point, & thanks for your post.

Here we're not dealing with older pre-1996 non-OBD-II vehicles like a 5.0 Mustang, we're dealing with late-model OBD-II's, and F-150's at that, which require tremendous amounts of tuning R&D for optimal tuning with major modifications.

Just because a vehicle has a MAF system doesn't mean it can automatically compensate for anything you do to it to the point that tuning will be optimal, or even correct, or safe, for that matter; it might be, but it's usually not.

While the vehicle may run with a number of modifications on the factory program without exhibiting grossly exaggerated symptoms & driveability problems doesn't mean the A/F's (Air/Fuel ratios) are going to be anywhere close to optimal, or that the timing curves are correct, or that you aren't getting inaudible detonation on the big end that finally causes the failure of a connecting rod after a lot of passes at the drag strip, etc. That is precisely why hard data is critical, so that you *know* the vehicle is properly tuned without having to wait for a parts failure to tell you that it wasn't, and for some people, they'll never realize their rod failure was a tuning issue. You wouldn't believe the things we see in this industry, sometimes we don't ourselves!

Talking about blowers, most supercharger kits include an FMU to boost fuel pressure to the rails so the motor doesn't go lean, but that is not even close to optimal tuning, that generally just soaks the motor in fuel in most areas of the rpm range. We typically see A/F's in the 9:1-10:1 range with out-of-the-box blower kits **at best,** and with some blower kits on these F-150's, we'll see them go dangerously lean in the 2500-4000 rpm range, like 15:1 in that range when it's say, 9.5:1 everywhere else in the rpm range, from idle to redline except for that dangerously lean "hump." And you never know just from driving it or running it at the drag strip, hard data & proper tuning is a must for safe & healthy maximum power.

Your Mustang may very well be running 10's (and congratulations on having a 10-second car, by the way!) on the factory ECU, but that doesn't mean it's in an optimal state of tune. Unless you get the A/F's properly tested to see where they are at, get the vehicle on the dyno to get all the proper & required hard data for professional tuning, it's all guesswork, regardless of the vehicle running 10's. I know that may sound funny since the car is that quick, but it's easily possible that it's not in optimal tune.

Last, here we're not talking about older 5.0 Mustangs, which are far simpler compared to these OBD-II vehicles from a tuning standpoint. There's a *world* of difference between a 5.0 Mustang, virtually any of which will run on an A9L or A3M program, versus these new OBD-II vehicles, especially F-150's, which have *hundreds* of different software revision each model year alone, many of which differ drastically from each other.

Companies like Magnacharger, Holley, Vortech, and in fact, *most* other supercharger companies hire Superchips specifically to do the tuning R&D for their supercharger kits. Same thing happens with MAF companies like Pro-Flo (manufacturers of Pro-M, Granatelli, etc.), C&L, etc., most major aftermarket manufacturers comes to Superchips for tuning R&D.

Even with something as supposedly simple as a true dual exhaust, if you have an H-pipe or an X-pipe integrated, that will throw the A/F's off a bit (a little leaner, due to increased scavenging) and the ECU cannot just compensate for that fully and properly on it's own. That can only be done via geting the hard data & then proper custom tuning, if the hard data indicates a need for that, and it usually does.

You're absolutely right in that the 5.0 Mustang setup is legendary for how much more it can "tolerate" compared to speed-density factory systems and still run without exhibiting gross driveability symptoms. However, the tuning still won't be *ideal*, and you coudl very easily be running too rich for best safe power, or too lean for best safe power, either way. Anything running in the 10's should make a trip to a good dyno facility that can install a real time wide-band O2 sensor before the cats (no tailpipe sniffing for A/F's!) and check A/F's throughout the entire rpm range, at a bare minimum.

Thanks for your post, it's an excellent question/point indeed!

This is really far too involved to cover properly here typing it all out, if you'd like to give us a call, we can go over that with you.

Have fun!