Problem with a Superchip
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Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 515
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From: Melbourne, FL
Problem with a Superchip
Had a chance to dyno the L a few weeks back, and ran an air fuel probe at the same time.
The a/f ratio was a consistent 12 to 1 on the first pull. The next, it plunged off the scale (below 8 to one) as it ran way rich and belched fuel rich exhaust.
I see this happen on the street too, sometimes everything is great, other times when I mat it the exhaust looks like a power stroke diesels...
The chip is a Superchip flip chip, from Mike Troyer. Anyone else see anything weird like this? It doesn't throw any codes (Autotap checked) but a/f ratio is inconsistent as all hell.
The a/f ratio was a consistent 12 to 1 on the first pull. The next, it plunged off the scale (below 8 to one) as it ran way rich and belched fuel rich exhaust.
I see this happen on the street too, sometimes everything is great, other times when I mat it the exhaust looks like a power stroke diesels...
The chip is a Superchip flip chip, from Mike Troyer. Anyone else see anything weird like this? It doesn't throw any codes (Autotap checked) but a/f ratio is inconsistent as all hell.
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Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
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From: Virginia
Hey 2Cool,
Unfortunately due to your use of an anonymous screen name, I don't know who you are, or I'd be calling you right now.
I'm sorry to hear you are having a problem.
I'll respond here just briefly as I feel your problem needs immediate attention & correction.
First, you need to immediately FAX (no email, FAX only) over to us your A/F charts and then give me a call so I can talk to you personally about this. That is the *only* way we can help you get to the bottom of this, assuming this is even related to the Superchip in any way.
Unless you did not have us tune for your modifications (and I'm sure you did, you wouldn't just order a "standard" Lightning Superchip but run a big pulley like that), it can't be the tuning in the program of that Superchip. If there were an improper tune, you would not have had those consistent 12:1 A/F's on the first pull. The program inside the Superchip cannot ever change on it's own, the only way that program can be changed is if you send it in to us and we change it, or if the Superchip is damaged and/or subjected to a static electricity discharge event of some kind, causing file corruption. And if that were the case, it would *never* run right again after being zapped with static electricty.
It could be a failing PCM, it could be a ground problem on a harness, it could be a bent pin, it could be a connection problem between any component & it's harness, it could be a connection problem between the Superchip and the PCM, and it's obviously an intermittant problem so that is the first thing I'd check. It could be any number of things, but one thing it is NOT is the tuning inside that Superchip, if we tuned for your modifications.
By the way, just to let you know, we have never had any Superchip that we have provided ever cause anything like what you describe, and we have tuned literally thousands of Lightnings, we have been providing programs for these Lightnings longer than anyone else in the country. What you are experiencing is definitely not normal, but then you already know that, I'm sure.
It could be that the Superchip program has been corrupted by a static electricity discharge event of some kind, static electricity zapping the module. I suppose it *could* be a tuning issue if your modifications were not tuned for, but that would happen only if you didn't tell us about your modifications, and I don't think you would have done that, so I don't think that's the problem here, especially given the symptoms.
It could be that you do not have a good connection between the Superchip and the PCM, that could very easily cause this symptom and would be intermittant.
It could be that you have a failing PCM, that could very easily cause this kind of symptom & be intermittant. These computers certainly can & do fail every day, and it doesn't matter of it's modified with a chip or if it's bone stock, PCM's can & do fail, and when they do, this is one of the symptoms the vehicle can exhibit. If that is the case, eventually the PCM wil fail completely and the vehicle will never start again until it's replaced. I kinda/sorta doubt this is the problem, but the reality is we don't know at the moment for sure.
It could be a failed MAF (mass airflow meter), which could very easily give this exact kind of symptom, and could be inconsistant. It could also be that the MAF is installed backwards, which can also cause this kind of symptom, though the MAF will eventually burn completely out if it's installed backwards.
The bottom line is, it could be literally any of many different things, but what it CANNOT be is our TUNING if we were aware of your modifications, and I feel certain you wouldhave told us of all your modifications, of course.
The first thing you need to do is to grab your Performance Products documentation which has our Tech Support and facsimile telephone numbers for you, and FAX your A/F ratio charts over to us to my attention. Once you have done that, then call us so we can go over this with you, which we'll be more than happy to do.
So please, FAX over your A/F charts (all of them from that session, in the order they were done) and then give us a call so we can go over this with you. That way maybe we can help you determine what the *real* problem is.
Hang in there, & let's send your data to us & communicate about this so we can give you a hand, ok? Thanks!
Talk to you soon,
Unfortunately due to your use of an anonymous screen name, I don't know who you are, or I'd be calling you right now.
I'm sorry to hear you are having a problem.
I'll respond here just briefly as I feel your problem needs immediate attention & correction.
First, you need to immediately FAX (no email, FAX only) over to us your A/F charts and then give me a call so I can talk to you personally about this. That is the *only* way we can help you get to the bottom of this, assuming this is even related to the Superchip in any way.
Unless you did not have us tune for your modifications (and I'm sure you did, you wouldn't just order a "standard" Lightning Superchip but run a big pulley like that), it can't be the tuning in the program of that Superchip. If there were an improper tune, you would not have had those consistent 12:1 A/F's on the first pull. The program inside the Superchip cannot ever change on it's own, the only way that program can be changed is if you send it in to us and we change it, or if the Superchip is damaged and/or subjected to a static electricity discharge event of some kind, causing file corruption. And if that were the case, it would *never* run right again after being zapped with static electricty.
It could be a failing PCM, it could be a ground problem on a harness, it could be a bent pin, it could be a connection problem between any component & it's harness, it could be a connection problem between the Superchip and the PCM, and it's obviously an intermittant problem so that is the first thing I'd check. It could be any number of things, but one thing it is NOT is the tuning inside that Superchip, if we tuned for your modifications.
By the way, just to let you know, we have never had any Superchip that we have provided ever cause anything like what you describe, and we have tuned literally thousands of Lightnings, we have been providing programs for these Lightnings longer than anyone else in the country. What you are experiencing is definitely not normal, but then you already know that, I'm sure.
It could be that the Superchip program has been corrupted by a static electricity discharge event of some kind, static electricity zapping the module. I suppose it *could* be a tuning issue if your modifications were not tuned for, but that would happen only if you didn't tell us about your modifications, and I don't think you would have done that, so I don't think that's the problem here, especially given the symptoms.
It could be that you do not have a good connection between the Superchip and the PCM, that could very easily cause this symptom and would be intermittant.
It could be that you have a failing PCM, that could very easily cause this kind of symptom & be intermittant. These computers certainly can & do fail every day, and it doesn't matter of it's modified with a chip or if it's bone stock, PCM's can & do fail, and when they do, this is one of the symptoms the vehicle can exhibit. If that is the case, eventually the PCM wil fail completely and the vehicle will never start again until it's replaced. I kinda/sorta doubt this is the problem, but the reality is we don't know at the moment for sure.
It could be a failed MAF (mass airflow meter), which could very easily give this exact kind of symptom, and could be inconsistant. It could also be that the MAF is installed backwards, which can also cause this kind of symptom, though the MAF will eventually burn completely out if it's installed backwards.
The bottom line is, it could be literally any of many different things, but what it CANNOT be is our TUNING if we were aware of your modifications, and I feel certain you wouldhave told us of all your modifications, of course.
The first thing you need to do is to grab your Performance Products documentation which has our Tech Support and facsimile telephone numbers for you, and FAX your A/F ratio charts over to us to my attention. Once you have done that, then call us so we can go over this with you, which we'll be more than happy to do.
So please, FAX over your A/F charts (all of them from that session, in the order they were done) and then give us a call so we can go over this with you. That way maybe we can help you determine what the *real* problem is.
Hang in there, & let's send your data to us & communicate about this so we can give you a hand, ok? Thanks!
Talk to you soon,
Last edited by Superchips_Distributor; Aug 8, 2002 at 08:29 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 515
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From: Melbourne, FL
Mike, I didn't intend this as an attack on you, and hope thats not how you took it. Its just an intermittent problem that I can't figure out. As for the A/F dyno sheet, unfortunately the wife reports she used it as scratch paper and lord only knows if its still around now (dyno run was done June 29th). I should of called you then, but was too busy getting my drag car up for the dyno contest the next day.
Best I can do is tell you that by 3000 rpm the a/f ratio had literally plummeted to the bottom of the scale, and stayed there till throttle release at red line. The problem seems to happen on "hot" runs, as in hard acceleration right after running it hard. I experienced it last yesterday, playing with a C4 off the light, I chirped the tires and surged, released to mess with him, then when I nailed it again it belched black smoke.
The MAF and air intake are stock and haven't been touched, so the reversal thing is not an issue. I will try to reseat the chip, to see if thats a problem, but I had disassembled the case of the PCM to ensure good cleaning and contact, so don't think thats a problem either. As for static, not really common here in Florida with 80+% humidity, at least since I bought the truck and chip.
I will call you tomorrow on this one, as I do need some help diagnosing it. I also only made 374 rwhp, a bit lower than you would think for the setup. So at the very least I will need a relook possible reburn on the chip.
Best I can do is tell you that by 3000 rpm the a/f ratio had literally plummeted to the bottom of the scale, and stayed there till throttle release at red line. The problem seems to happen on "hot" runs, as in hard acceleration right after running it hard. I experienced it last yesterday, playing with a C4 off the light, I chirped the tires and surged, released to mess with him, then when I nailed it again it belched black smoke.
The MAF and air intake are stock and haven't been touched, so the reversal thing is not an issue. I will try to reseat the chip, to see if thats a problem, but I had disassembled the case of the PCM to ensure good cleaning and contact, so don't think thats a problem either. As for static, not really common here in Florida with 80+% humidity, at least since I bought the truck and chip.
I will call you tomorrow on this one, as I do need some help diagnosing it. I also only made 374 rwhp, a bit lower than you would think for the setup. So at the very least I will need a relook possible reburn on the chip.
