After reading all the messages here about how much difference the chip makes, it did not appear to me that I was getting that much improvement with mine. I remembered that I really did not clean the contacts as good as most people here had, so I popped that computer and cleaned them really good. Now I noticed alot more impact than before. Is it possible I was not getting the full impact and my truck would still run? I have not had any problems before but I feel a bigger difference in the shifting now. Mike T. what do you think?

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1999 F-150 Lariat SC 2 WD, White/Silver, 5.4L, 3.55LS, K & N FIPK, Superchip, underdrive pulley set, Dynomax Super Turbo Series Exhaust, six disc CD changer, towing package and captain chairs

 

Hey Mikey88!!

I think this is impossible...I was told that the chip either works 100% or it does not work at all.

If your truck starts after installation, ....the chip is performing 100% and working perfect.

If your truck does not start after installation, ...the chip is not working and terminals need to be cleaned better.

MIKE: please correct me if I am wrong...be nice!

 

Hi Mikey,

There is so much difference in weight between all the possible configurations of these F-150's, that this makes an impact on how much is actually felt from the Superchip.

In other words, the Superchip adds the same basic amount of power on each engine in these F-150's, about a 10%-12% increase in peak horsepower, Now, adding 10%-12% more power to a 4500 lb. truck is going to feel more noticeable than when it's added to a 5700 lb. truck, but the Superchip is still adding 10%-12% more horsepower, regardless of vehicle weight. There is about 3000 lbs. of potential weight difference from the lightest 4.2 V-6 short-cab manual transmission 2WD to the heaviest 154" wheelbase V-8 automatic 4X4 F-150, just to give you an idea.

I don't think that going back and re-cleaning those contacts actually gave you any more power in and of itself, I would tend to agree with 2001's basic comments here, unless there was little to no coating removed when you originally installed it, in which case, you're lucky it even started with the Superchip installed! . The Superchip is basically an "all or nothing" type of device, it cannot just do part of it's job. As long as it's "fed" the proper high-quality premium gasoline, it's going to make it's power.

Now one thing that *can* affect this is if when you originally installed it, the computer's memory was not cleared, and if that happens, then sure, you'll pick up power by doing a battery disconnect and turning the headlights on for 5 minutes to drain all residual power from the system. What that accomplishes is a clearing of memory, and a complete fresh program load. If the computers memory is not cleared, then it takes longer for the effects of the Superchip to be felt, they happen much more gradually as the new program has to slowly overwrite what's already in memory, so this disconnecting of the battery & turning on the headlights serves to basically do a reset, clear the memory and get a fresh & complete program load. I had a very nice gentleman who just installed his Lightning Superchip, and he felt better shifting right away, but didn't notice any real power gain until he went back and did the battery disconnect with the lights on to drain all power and do a fresh program load. Once he did that, it came on like gangbusters, and he called me back very happy to report his results. That may be what has happened in your case, I don't know.

Without being there and seeing & feeling exactly what's been going on, that's about the best I can tell you. This may all just be a matter of perspective, as what you should expect from the Superchip is the vehicle should feel like it's picked up about 10%-12% more peak power, that's basically what the Superchip does.

It's also possible, though it's a remote possibility, that when you installed the Superchip there was still so much of that coating still on there that the Superchip never engaged that external override data path, and so it ran off the internal eprom, but there would have to be a *lot* of that coating still on there for this to happen. So it's *possible*, just not probable, if you get my drift.

The bottom line is that it's working as it should it sounds like, and I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it more now, so that just may have been what was needed in your case.

If you'd like to go over this in greater detail, please feel free to give us a call.

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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
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[This message has been edited by Superchips_Distributor (edited 10-25-2000).]