I've recently installed a 1715 Microtuner in my '02 5.4 2wd SCrew.

The truck makes the 1-2 shift a little higher than before, at about 5100-5200 compared to 4800-5000 previously.

I am wondering, what is the HIGHEST SAFE engine speed that I can adjust it to shift at? Maybe 5500 rpm?

I realize that the engine would be past it's peak HP at that point.

I ask this because after the 1-2 shift, the rpm drops significantly, and I think that my 1320 times would benefit from the overrev.

Thanks,
Vince

 

Two more questions!

If I hook up the Tuner to adjust the Shift Points and Shift Firmness, will I have to run through a tank or two of gas for the power gains to come back?

Also, If I decide the change to the MAX Program as opposed to the Max/Towing Program that is in it now, again, will I have to run thorugh a tank or two of gas for the extra power to take effect?

Thanks again,
Vince

 

set it to max and use the recommended settings by hitting > i believe, that should do it. you should notice right away. more run time makes it better. keep your foot in it as the adaptive learning process uses your driving habits.

 

Hi Vince,

Well, in terms of what will actually get you the quickest acceleration times, you're absolutely right - due to the huge drop in gear ratio between 1st & 2nd (2.84 to 1.55), and as long as you have an open intake and exhaust, having a 1-2 WOT upshift point of 5600 rpm will get the quickest acceleration @ WOT. However, with a stock 4R70W automatic tranny, I generally don't take them up that high - usually not more than about 5400 rpm, unless they also have a Factory Tech Valve Body.

Unless you have a good intake kit & cat-back exhaust, I would leave the WOT shift points at the Superchips defaults - only when the motor can breathe will you make a significant dent in the ET's by turning the 1-2 up to 5400 rpm or higher. It doesn't hurt the motor to turn 5500-5600 rpm briefly in 1st gear (I wouldn't spin a stock 5.4 motor any higher, it's really more of a consideration for the stock automatic transmission).

When you flash the PCM with a new tune, you get that new tuning right away - there's no waiting. However, you will also go thru the basic relearn cycle, etc., when you flash the PCM, thus it will usually take a few hundred miles to get up to full absolute 100% power any time you change the program. But the program change happens right away when you flash the PCM - the way it works is you get about 75%-80% of the power gain from the new tuning pretty much right away, with the remainder coming in a bit more gradually, as you accumulate the first 350-500 miles or so.

One important point - I do NOT recommend turning up the shift pressure manually any more than 2 to as most, 3 "notches" above the centerline on the 1715 Micro Tuner. Unless you also have a good shift kit or a Factory Tech Valve body, you reach a point where you're trying to drain a swimming pool thru a straw, because all the various orifice sizes in the valve body are still the same - stock. So not more than 2-3 notches above ST for shift pressures.

One last point - there is a nice driveability "trick" by going in and setting the 2-3 upshift point *precisely* 2 "notches" above the centerline. Though it's an adjustment to the 2-3, it helps the truck get back up into Overdrive quicker after cresting a grade that required a downshift, and works fine at WOT for the 2-3 shift point, too.

If you want to go over any of this in more detail, or discuss any of the other mods I talked about here, please feel free to give us a call at our number listed below.

Good luck!

 

You answered all my questions perfectly! Just what I wanted to know.

I will definitely change that 2-3 shift point 2 notches higher, as my truck tows 4500 lbs of stuff most of the time to and from races.

The chip works great as it is too! Went to the track Sunday to run it.

Slippery as hell, even with the limited slip I spun in first a bit. A 2.32 60' was the best it could muster. Still I ran a 15.98 @ 80.4mph. I was bracket racing so I backed off the throttle just past the 1000 ft cone to close the gap! It was running 84.8 mph on the other runs, and this is on the Towing Performance Setting with only 80 miles since the program install!

I ran it 1 year ago at the same track in similar conditions and ran a 16.28 @ 80.8 mph.

Thanks again,
Vince Woska

 

Hi Vince,

You're very welcome!

Once you can get those short times down into the 2.0-2.10 range where they generally belong at that weight & power level with good traction and a shallow stage, and use the "MAX" performance tune, you should be close to mid-15's under the same conditions you were running in. That's pretty darn good for a non-supercharged F-150 in that configuration with stock cylinder heads, cams, and gearing!

Have fun enjoying your Micro Tuner,

 

mike, does the lightening have the same 2nd gear ratio as regular f 150's?-thanks phil

 

The 4R100's have a little bit "taller" 1st & 2nd gear ratio as compared to the 4R70W - but they both have a rather large ratio spread between 1st & 2nd gear, so for best acceleration they both need to be wound in 1st gear a few hundred rpm past the power peak.

There is not quite as much of a spread in the 4R100 as compared to the 4R70W. The "W" in 4R70W denotes a "wide" gear ratio set.

In the 4R100 in the Lightning, the gears are: 2.71, 1.53, 1.0 & 0.712.

In the 4R70W in these F-150's, they are: 2.84, 1.56, 1.0 & .698.

Generally speaking, a stock 4R70W F-150 tranny shouldn't be wound to more than about 5400 rpm for the 1-2 or 2-3 WOT upshift points, even though a 5600 rpm 1-2 WOT upshift actually gives the best acceleration due to the ratio spread between 1st & 2nd. The stock 4R70W as used in these trucks just isn't up to turning more than about 5400 rpm, as the stock 12" torque converter starts to balloon above that point. The stock 4R70's used in the 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark 8's with their 4.6 DOHC motors can turn up to 6500 rpm, as they use some different internals & a smaller 11" torque converter that can turn more rpms before ballooning.

 

what does "balooning" mean in regards to a torque converter? I know for the most part a smaller TQ = harder (sooner) lock ups/launches but have never heard the term balooning before. Explain?
Also, you mentioned a stock 4R70W trans couldn't handle the extra RPM. Meaning it would take what?......more than an FTVB "along with" the smaller torque converter to handle the additional 200 RPM?
A 200 RPM difference doesn't sound like that much in this particular area. Is it?
Thanks for any education you can provide

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

Sorry, but I just don't have the time to teach torque converter operations - nor would that be appropriate here.

If you want to learn about torque converter operation, I suggest you buy a good book on the subject and read up on the basics of torque converters in automotive applications - and thanks for your understanding, Jeff.

 

Sorry to have bothered you with this Mike. I did do some research on the subject before I posted. From what little I know, “ballooning” means the converter inflates itself much like a balloon....it is distorted and misshapen from “extraordinary” internal fluid pressures caused by a fatigue failure at “high” rotational speeds. The weight of the oil in the spinning converter is able to deform it from the centrifugal forces. The distortion generally would take the form of the hub blowing wider across the converter axis, the converter sort of starts to turn itself inside out. Also, ballooning is something that takes incredible power at "very" high rpm on an already abused and end-of-fatigue-life part to occur.
Since what I think I know didn’t agree with what you obviously know, I was just curious is all. I will research it further and any future questions on the subject will be posted in the appropriate section.