A mechanic friend of mine purchased a Superchip for his Dakota that burned up on him after a short time. He told me not to waste $300 on the chip. He pointed out a $8.00 thermostat in the JC Whitney catalog that claimed to do the same thing as the chip.
Basically, my fuel mileage would go down the drain because the the thermostat would keep make the engine pump more fuel to try to "warm up".
Does this sound right? I would be willing to sacrifice a little fuel mileage for $8.00 and get the same performance as a $300 Superchip. Obviously there could be a problem here, otherwise everyone would go the cheap route and not buy the chip. Someone set me straight on this! Thanks

 

Hello there and welcome.
I am a chip user and a board reader. Thats all. Based on what I've read and experianced the chip (at least the one in my truck) dosn't add more fuel. It resets many computer controlled componants of the engine and automatic transmission. If the thousands of folkes here at F150 Online could get the results they're getting with a chip, with an $8.00 thermostat, they would.
Check out the "computer chips" section of the boards to get a better idea of what the chip actually does.

Tom

 

First of all, welcome to the site...

Second, there are hundreds, if not thousands of chip users on this board. Very few (if any at all) are unsatisfied with them. The computer chip forum is full-a-plenty with them. Check it out.

Third, the cooler thermostat will, in fact cause the engine to continue to try and reach operating temperature, but the only thing this will do is kill your mileage. This trick may have worked on older carbeurated (sp?) engines, but not on ours. Sorry to burst your bubble.

-Joe-


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98 Explorer (Lemon Law Case in Progress)

'00 F-150, X-cab, 4x4, Lariat, Off-road, Trailer Tow, Holandia Sunroof($1000), built 11/99 picked up 10/00!Clear Corners($36), Manik Stainless Steel 1-piece brush guard($700), Custom CB wiring, Uniden PC76-XLW CB radio($100) with K-40 Magna-Mount antenna (for now [$40]), 1 set of 165 watt KC Daylighters (for now... more on the way... $140) Fog Light Switch mod(free!!!), Custom switch mounting plate and overhead console, Bully Stainless Steel Trailer hitch drawbar w/ 2" stainless steel ball($80), Gray Tek Style Soft Tonneau Cover($250), Gray Line-X Bedliner ($450).
List of planned mods: Clear tails, torsion bar tweak, bug deflector, Chrome ORP rims.
93 Probe GT teal, OE rims painted to match, bone stock drivetrain, leaky exhaust.

 

Hi Gr8,

Well, that's kinda hard, seein as we do not even *make* a Superchip for the Dakota!

And no thermostat is going to increase engine power either, unless you're replacing an abnormally cold aftermarket thermostat with the proper factory unit to get coolant temps back up in the 190-200 degree range, where they belong. Your engine is going to make it's highest power levels at a coolant temperature of 190-200 degrees, which is why these vehicles are configured to run at those temperatures.

The only Mopar vehicles we have ever tuned (and it requires sending in the computer to us, we've never made a standalone "chip" for them that can be installed by an end user or owner, the computer itself must be sent in and modified) are the 1991-1995 5.2 & 5.9 motors in the Dodge trucks, the 4.0 inline 6 in the Jeep, and the 1995 Dodge Viper V-10 and the V-10 in the 1995 full-size trucks. Superchips has never made any kind of "chip" for any Mopar vehicles, as the design of their computers basically prevents this, requiring that they be sent in for physical modification.

The bottom line is that no Superchip hurt your friend's Dakota.

If he would like to call me about this, or ask us some questions, etc. I'll be happy to speak with him personally, just have him call our number listed below M-F 10-7 Eastern, and we'll be happy to talk with him, if he would like.

And if you'd like to get some correct and accurate information about the Superchip, and what it can do for any given vehicle, please feel free to give us a call as well, we're always happy to speak with you.

There are also, as another poster mentioned, *many* happy Superchip owners right here in the Computer Chips section, who will be happy to tell you of their experiences with the Superchip on their vehicles.

What may have happened is that he had another manufacturer's product, not a Superchip, but may be just referring to whatever he had in a "generic" manner, and calling it a superchip, but it wasn't a true "Superchip", as they simply don't exist for that vehicle.

Good luck whatever you decide!

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Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

[This message has been edited by Superchips_Distributor (edited 05-02-2001).]

 

Thanks for the info. It did sound too good to be true. My friend was using the generic "superchip" term. What I didn't mention is he has thousands of dollars in stereo equipment installed as well. I mean competition speakers, etc. So, if that had anything to do with the chip frying, I don't know. We just sold our Dodge Avenger and bought another Ford anyway. Never liked that car...Thanks again!

 

You listened to your friend, and he drives a Dakota, and is a Mechanic? Is he a Mechanic because he drives a Dakota? Keep thinking about that to yourself while remembering that you bought a Ford. Soon you'll figure it out.

Just kidding. I'm sure it was just a temporary mental thing he had no control over when he bought it But being a Mechanic, if he would have bought a Ford, he might be way ahead and have a super trick truck.

You got some great replies and I think you got your answer. Chip it man!!

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2000 EDDIE BAUER EXPEDITION 4x2

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• Tow Package
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[This message has been edited by FamilyRide (edited 05-03-2001).]