has anyone done it? Work well? So-so? Safe?

I know its been talked about before with no real conclusion so has anything changed? (more people tried on dyno, etc.)

I know about not getting all the power potential but I'm talking about safety with some added power.

All the tuner sites say you need a chip, a few I spoke with said that a 2# can be run with no chip but any more and you require one.

This site has a lot of good/bad info so I'm looking for some good info if anyone has some, thanks.

BTW - this being said if i used a 4# with no chip that would be on a 03 with 170 t-stat and cooler range plugs.

 

General concensis is- you will be RIGHT on the edge of safe A/F. Yes, it can be done in some cases. BUT you MUST check your A/F on the dyno immediately. I've seen 4lb no chip trucks that were perfecty fine at 11.8 and I've seen the same setup be in the 12s. Just check it if you do it.

 

I did it for about 6 months. No problems. I never got it dynoed so I never knew what the A/F ratio was but I did plenty of WOT runs. Never heard any bit of detonating. It ran great but when I got my upper intake and blower ported figured better get the comp reflashed. One thing that was on my side is that the weather in SoCal is warm all year around.

 

thanks for the posts

I am sure there are many factors

For example I've heard of a few people who show over 8# of boost on there stock guage while mine won't reach that - maybe guage, maybe altitude, maybe weather.

At first I was going to go with a 2# and no chip, now considering a 4# with a microtuner or predator - i'd like the predator except for the problems with the stock tune - custom tune would be nice but unsure if it can be tuned for this area, if a tuner is not from the area can they still provide a good tune? (i'm sure they can but then i'd have to find a dyno that good too, basically i'm limited from the area in which I live) Btw only have 91 oct gas and quality can be an issue

Thanks for the info/help/any suggestions one may have

Btw - Thanks Sal for being the first to reply
I've sent you an e-mail about a 2# - (no rush need for a reply as I won't be driving it till april so when you have a chance that will be fine)

 

personally, i ran a 2# with no chip, and waited untill i got the predator to run the 4#, i feel its better safe than sorry...

 

Thats my feeling exactly - which is why i'm kinda worried about the stock predator tune and am actually leaning towards the supertuner. The only problem with that is that a lightning owner in the area has a tuner (only mod) and he will get pinging using 91 depending upon where he fills up. This is not the later 1715 so i don't know if the tune has been updated or not. On the predator web site they say to run 93 (not avail) so thats a concern.

How did the 2# perform with no chip?

 

i use 91 octane also and i will get pinging if i dont fill up at Shell or 76 also depends on how cold it is. If its less then 50 out I wont generaly be hard on the truck.

 

Black 150
No offense but it appears you are being very persistant to have folks tell you to run your 4# pulley with absolutley no risk.

Forget that! You own the fastest stock production truck in the world. Your not happy? Sounds like your just being cheap or can't afford to play the game.

If you read what most of the fast guys are doing it is always with a chip and higher grade fuel.

If your not making 8# stock you need to do some research on it and get it running right rather than go for a bigger pulley. I would start by checking your boost gauge for calibration. No since putting a bandaid on your elbow for the sore that's on your knee.

Sorry Dude, not trying to be mean just telling it like it is.
Good Luck with whatever you choose.

 

No offense but then why don't you tell him how it really is?

1) You stock boost gauge is about as useful as an empty bottle of nitrous. Yeah it looks cool, but doesn't really do anything. It's a dummy gauge and will never be really accurate.

2) If your truck is stock, that sounds perfectly normal. (showing 8# of boost)

3) You CAN get away with a 4# and no chip/tune. Alot of people are doing it (even some with 6# pullies). That said, if you don't check your A/F you CAN ventilate your engine. Bottom line is if you value that hunk of steel under your hood, get a tune too. (predator's are much cheaper than a new engine )

 

One note on this subject. It is safer to run without a chip or flash with a 4# pulley than run with the predetor pulley tune. I put that POS in my truck after the pulley swap (4#) and couldn't beleave how far off their tunes are. Sounded like sizzling bacon under the hood and half throttle.

 

thanks for the info.

Basically I was going to run a 2#, line mod valve, 170 deg t stat and leave it alone. Had an order for a 2# ready, but then I was told I can't get one, so now I'm left with the next boost wich is a 4#. (metco interchangeable)

The plans was for stock pcm, with a little added boost which would still allow for cold weather opearation and hot weather (temp extremes in my area can go between -40 in winter and +100 in the summer, with spring and fall being the worst as the morning can start out around 30 and end up at 80)

Maybe I seem cheap but really I just want to add some power and not have to worry about switching a chip, reburns, going to get special fuel - ok so not cheap just lazy -

That is why I had a plan (2#) that would allow for that, so now I'm just trying to find out if the same plan but with a 4# would work for those conditions and if not then I'll have to look harder for a 2# or just leave the boost alone.

I'm not sure of chips/tuners/etc as I don't know if they allow the pcm to learn like it does normally - ford for the most part does a good job of having a vehilce run from -40 to over 100 deg with no need of reburns, checking a/f etc (when stock of course)

Anybody have experiences with both a 2# and 4# non-chiped to compare power levels and safty levels?

Thanks

 

i had no problems withit at all (and all i ran was 91 octane...cant get 93). never had any pinging, or any engine problems at all.

why would you use the stock tune from the predator? buy from most the tuners here and a free tune comes with it...personally i bought from jlp, great tune IMO (again on 91 octane)

i would give some consideration to the predator, sounds like that might solve some of your problems...you could pay 50 extra bucks for a second tune when you buy it (one for cold weather, one for hot), and the upload it to your truck in 2 minutes...no down time

good luck with whatever you decide

 

Actually black f150 offroad, the best thing (safest) is to get it dyno tuned with whatever mods you want. Then and only then will you know for sure that you are truely safe.

BTW: I ran a 4# lower for 6,000 miles. Pulled the plugs and they were a tint too white. I could have just run one range colder plug and probably been would have been just fine. ????

Rich

 

I drove for 15000 on a 5 pounder with no chip and it ran fine.
I did the dyno thing and the AF was mid 11s. The hp was 390, it was 354 before the pulley. I went to colder plugs berore installing the pulley.