Just installed my 3.73's this morning. Question I have is what are you guys doing to recalibrate the speedo besides using a chip? If its dealership equipment, no problem. I just need the procedure. Thanks!

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David Sauls (Alvin,Tx.)
White 99 #2895
Birth 7-16-99
Superchips
self made air intake
2" drop shackles
NLOC member #406
13.51@ 101.95 1st and only run on current mods

 

Dealership has a little Rotunda computer. They plug it into the big computer and punch in your vin. The main computer has two rear ends in it the stock 355 and 373. They click on the 373 and download into the Rotunda. They plug the Rotunda into your computer in your truck and download the data and your speedometer now works with your new rear end. Ain't amgic great. Now why can't they do that with different diament tires????????????????????
noelvm


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99.5 Red Ligntning, Syn Oil.
70 Vette LS-6

 

noelvm, do you know the specific names of the equipment they were using...SBDS, NGS, SBTS, or WDS? I work at a dealer and was unsuccessful at finding anything to do this modification. From your description, im guessing they downloaded info from the SBTS to data transfer card and plugged the card into the NGS and reflashed your PCM to do this. Does any of this sound familiar?

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David Sauls (Alvin,Tx.)
White 99 #2895
Birth 7-16-99
Superchips
self made air intake
2" drop shackles
NLOC member #406
13.51@ 101.95 1st and only run on current mods

 

From my experience with speedo correction, the only way was via a chip. For some reason, when we tried with my L, it wouldn't accept gear change with the NGST. Sal built me a chip and has the speedo right on the mark. I would be interested to hear if they are using a new tool to get in there and reset the gear program.

 

Hey guys, Sal here. There is no way for the dealer to recal your PCM for different gears. Anyone who has had this done, got ripped off. I'm a dealer tech myself, and it can't be done. There IS a procedure using the NGS to recalibrate a PCM in the F-series for gears or tires, BUT that only applies to trucks that came with different gear selections. In other words, if the regular F-150 came with say, 3.27s, 3.55s, 3.73, and 4.10s, that's what the NGS will allow you to select. The Lightning ONLY came with 3.55s, so the PCM ONLY has settings for those gears, and it will not allow the NGS to change it. The only way to do it, is with a chip, be it mine or a Superchip.

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SAL
13.209@104.3mph
Power Surge Performance 99 Lightning Chip and Filter Kit, full Bassani Exhaust, Nitto Extreme Drags
PowerSurgePerf@aol.com

 

Guess I got ripe off. Took mine back to my dealer and they said they did it. Stang58; I don't know what the equipment is called but it was a hand held unit which only had two choices for gear ratios in it. stock: 3:55, and optional: 3:73. Plugged just under the dash around steering wheel?
Not going to be happy if I get a ticket for speeding in school zone . The gear only made about 200 RPM difference so maybe its not off by much? Thanks Sal for the warning, I think I will go to Houston Speedometer and Cable and ask them to check it for me.

 

1BADTK and noelvm, If you had your vehicles reprogramed for your 3.73's you should be turing @ 2000 rpm at 60 mph, if you still read @1800 rpm all they did was take your money. I messed w/ this again today and was able to pull up different gear selections, but would not allow me to configure the pcm w/ a change in ratio. I called Ford and they told me to call back mon. and talk to a guy named Jacob Doss? to see if there is a way around it. Im begining to side w/ Sal on this one, this cannot be performed at a dealer, only w/ a chip

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David Sauls (Alvin,Tx.)
White 99 #2895
Birth 7-16-99
Superchips
self made air intake
2" drop shackles
NLOC member #406
13.51@ 101.95 1st and only run on current mods



[This message has been edited by Stang58 (edited 04-30-2000).]

 

double post sorry

[This message has been edited by noelvm (edited 04-29-2000).]

 

Hey Sal,
Your wrong according to 1BADTK. The 373 gear is a dealer authorized upgrade for the Lightning and the 373 gear is in the software you just discussed. Andre had it done to his and said it worked great. He has 373 gears in his 99L. When I asked my dealership they said it was no problem for the 373 gears only.

Whats interesting in what you say is the ability to calibrate for tire changes. I've been told as recently as yesterday that it could not be done. Do differernt dealerships have different factory equipment?
NOELVM


[This message has been edited by noelvm (edited 04-29-2000).]

 

Well, just to be sure I just went outside and tried it again. No luck. I recently did the 16.3 software update on my NGS, and thought maybe they added it since last I tried. You can select any gear ratio you want, but it will only allow the 3.55 to load in. If you try to change to the 3.73 or any other gear, a screen comes up saying "Warning, altering this parameter is not an approved modification" or something to that effect, and then it kicks you back to the main menu. When I asked the Hotline about it, I was told that since the Lightning is only available with 3.55s, the PCM will only allow that to be chosen. If someone had this done successfully, I'd like to know what they used, because NGS won't do it, you can't do it in SBDS, and I don't think WDS has that function, although I haven't personally tried the WDS for that function. And did anyone actually watch the NGS screen as they had it reprogrammed, or did the tech just say "yeah it's done" out of embarassment that the dealer said they could do it and in fact could not?

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SAL
13.209@104.3mph
Power Surge Performance 99 Lightning Chip and Filter Kit, full Bassani Exhaust, Nitto Extreme Drags
PowerSurgePerf@aol.com

 

Hey Sal,
Got my down's air system installed today (didn't want to wait for yours) What a piece of junk. If a kid did this for a high school welding project he'd get an F. The hole for the sensor (the one that turns) was way to small and had to be filed out. Two of the bolt holes were so covered up with weld that you couldn't get the bolts through and even when you reamed them out with a drill there was no place for the nut to seat. The facing was really rough and there was no gasket. The nut they provided for the bracket wasn't even close. The filter was krinkled. What a piece of junk. I'm returning it Monday. Will you accept my check and put me in line.
noelvm

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99.5 Red Ligntning, Syn Oil, Downs air filter, Bugflector, G&H Lens covers,
70 Vette LS-6



[This message has been edited by noelvm (edited 04-29-2000).]

 

Stang58:
I will check my RPM's tomorrow when I am on the way to the track. I do know that at 3000 RPM I am running just under 70 MPH in 3rd gear, drive not OD. Looks like 66-67 MPH.
Sal:
All I saw was on what was called a Rotunda hand held unit, two options for gear selections, 3:55 or 3:73. Did not see what happened after downloaded. I will go to Houston Speedometer and Cable next week and have to speedometer checked to see if is still off. Got my interest now. If it is not right I will make a return trip to my dealer. I buy about 30 vans a year from them and do a LOT of service work with them, also a lot of painting of high top custom vans for them, and sending people to them for rentals. I just built them two wheelchair lift vans for their rental dept. Hope I wasn't just dupped.

 

Stang58

Just read your post regarding changing over to 3.73s. Did notice a big differenct in pulling power? Do think it was worth the $$$.

What was the perforamce like?

Jim