question for mike
#1
02-03-2001, 02:37 AM
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question for mike
Hi mike... I have a question about using 92 octane gas without a chip. The check engine lite in my truck came the other day (2001 f 150 )so i took it to the dealer to have it checked out - the computer eec test received codes p0300 randum misfire but did not find any problems. They asked me what type of fuel i was using aand i told them 92 octane and they said i should only use 87 octane because the truck is not set up to use the higher octane fuel and that should fix the problem. They also said they updated the computer program, the truck feels like it has more power now, With the superchip and 92 octane gas will i still have this problem? I was also thinking of adding a Granatelli motor sport maf sensor what is your opinion on this?. The only mods so far are K/N fipk and a flowmaster 40 series single in duel out. Thanks in advance for the information. Larry
#2
02-03-2001, 03:31 PM
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speeder
the Granatelli did absolutely nothing for my truck & will remove this spring. I tried a tank of 92 octane before the chip-mileage went way down & driveability suffered. After chip I run 93-94 octane. Truck runs great but will never recieve a MPG award.
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97 Lariet-sc-4.6-4x off road-auto-3.55 LS-
superchip-K&N-3"
pvc air box mod-Granetelli MAF
the Granatelli did absolutely nothing for my truck & will remove this spring. I tried a tank of 92 octane before the chip-mileage went way down & driveability suffered. After chip I run 93-94 octane. Truck runs great but will never recieve a MPG award.
------------------
97 Lariet-sc-4.6-4x off road-auto-3.55 LS-
superchip-K&N-3"
pvc air box mod-Granetelli MAF
#3
02-03-2001, 10:02 PM
Former Sponsor
Hi Speeder,
You just described exactly why Ford puts that notice in your owner's manual to use only 87 octane. Using premium gas with the factory program in these vehicles that are tuned for regular gas from the factory can cause driveability problems, worse mileage and less power, and it's because of the difference in burn rate between regular and premium gasolines. Premium gasoline burns considerably slower in the combustion chamber than lower octane gasolines do, in terms of the rate at which the kernal of the flame front propagates itself in the combustion chamber, and the factory program is calibrated for the burn rates of 85-87 octane gas. Feeding it premium can give you a soggy throttle response, as the motor basically "lays down". In your case, you got a Check Engine light from it, and I agree with your service department, those symptoms will go away when you go back to using regular gas.
Also, if you use the Superchip with premium gas as it is designed to be used, you will not have this problem again, as the Superchip re-tunes the engine specifically for the use of premium gas, taking care of the adjustments needed to the fuel curves so it won't lay down on you and misfire like that. What will happen instead is you will get a solid power & performance gain, as the engine will be using the exact fuel it's tuned for, premim gas with the Superchip.
If they updated your computer, let's hope they did their job correctly, and placed a Notice of Modification sticker under your hood as is required. Anytime they change the computer's software, they have to place that Notice of Modification sticker, identifying the exact new calibration, so that any future technician will instantly know. We will need to know that too, in order for us to be able to supply you with the correct Superchip. So check under your hood to verify that there is a new sticker there, this one should be a white sticker about 2 inches high by 3 inches wide, and it should have a hand-written code seequence on it, about 12-14 digits long. They usually place it in an obvious location, so you'll see it quickly after opening the hood and looking down in the engine compartment.
Also, just so you'll know, they cannot raise your power level with a different program at the dealership. All the different factory calibrations for each model & model year do not change power output. It probably feels better just due to them interrupting power to the computer long enough to clear it and let it re-start it's adaptive strategy adjustments again.
Installing an aftermarket mass airflow meter (MAF) or larger throttle body isn't going to do much on your stock engine, as the engine really can't make use of any more airflow capacity in those components until the engine is modified to the point where it can literally outstrip the flow capacity of those stock components. So I would wait on that if it were me. When you bolt on an aftermarket MAF, what they do is lean out the air fuel ratio (A/F) to make it feel peppier, and it will do that, but you can't run around like that as you're running too lean, so installing that MAF usually requires a custom program in a performance chip to properly re-set the A/F ratios. And that's fine if the motor needs it, but yours doesn't, at least not yet, so I would wait on that expense until you're doing further engine modifications, like say, if you decide to add headers after installing the Superchip perhaps; and definitely if you decide to install a supercharger. But not until then, would be my advice.
It's funny, you pick up nice power gains by reducing restriction in the air intake tract using an FIPK kit, but you don't pick up appreciable power from increasing the size of the MAF or throttle body until the motor can actually make use of additional airflow capacity in those components. The factory MAF & throttle body can still take you a long ways yet.
If you'd like to go over all of this , please feel free to give us a call, and we'll be happy to go over what you want to accomplish, budget, best mods to get you there etc., our contact info is just below.
------------------
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
You just described exactly why Ford puts that notice in your owner's manual to use only 87 octane. Using premium gas with the factory program in these vehicles that are tuned for regular gas from the factory can cause driveability problems, worse mileage and less power, and it's because of the difference in burn rate between regular and premium gasolines. Premium gasoline burns considerably slower in the combustion chamber than lower octane gasolines do, in terms of the rate at which the kernal of the flame front propagates itself in the combustion chamber, and the factory program is calibrated for the burn rates of 85-87 octane gas. Feeding it premium can give you a soggy throttle response, as the motor basically "lays down". In your case, you got a Check Engine light from it, and I agree with your service department, those symptoms will go away when you go back to using regular gas.
Also, if you use the Superchip with premium gas as it is designed to be used, you will not have this problem again, as the Superchip re-tunes the engine specifically for the use of premium gas, taking care of the adjustments needed to the fuel curves so it won't lay down on you and misfire like that. What will happen instead is you will get a solid power & performance gain, as the engine will be using the exact fuel it's tuned for, premim gas with the Superchip.
If they updated your computer, let's hope they did their job correctly, and placed a Notice of Modification sticker under your hood as is required. Anytime they change the computer's software, they have to place that Notice of Modification sticker, identifying the exact new calibration, so that any future technician will instantly know. We will need to know that too, in order for us to be able to supply you with the correct Superchip. So check under your hood to verify that there is a new sticker there, this one should be a white sticker about 2 inches high by 3 inches wide, and it should have a hand-written code seequence on it, about 12-14 digits long. They usually place it in an obvious location, so you'll see it quickly after opening the hood and looking down in the engine compartment.
Also, just so you'll know, they cannot raise your power level with a different program at the dealership. All the different factory calibrations for each model & model year do not change power output. It probably feels better just due to them interrupting power to the computer long enough to clear it and let it re-start it's adaptive strategy adjustments again.
Installing an aftermarket mass airflow meter (MAF) or larger throttle body isn't going to do much on your stock engine, as the engine really can't make use of any more airflow capacity in those components until the engine is modified to the point where it can literally outstrip the flow capacity of those stock components. So I would wait on that if it were me. When you bolt on an aftermarket MAF, what they do is lean out the air fuel ratio (A/F) to make it feel peppier, and it will do that, but you can't run around like that as you're running too lean, so installing that MAF usually requires a custom program in a performance chip to properly re-set the A/F ratios. And that's fine if the motor needs it, but yours doesn't, at least not yet, so I would wait on that expense until you're doing further engine modifications, like say, if you decide to add headers after installing the Superchip perhaps; and definitely if you decide to install a supercharger. But not until then, would be my advice.
It's funny, you pick up nice power gains by reducing restriction in the air intake tract using an FIPK kit, but you don't pick up appreciable power from increasing the size of the MAF or throttle body until the motor can actually make use of additional airflow capacity in those components. The factory MAF & throttle body can still take you a long ways yet.
If you'd like to go over all of this , please feel free to give us a call, and we'll be happy to go over what you want to accomplish, budget, best mods to get you there etc., our contact info is just below.
------------------
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
#4
02-04-2001, 01:38 AM
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Hi mike. Thanks for answering my questions. I went out and looked under the hood for the sticker and found none. The service rep was probably feeding me a line. When i picked my truck up from the dealer i did ask if there was a sticker with the new code and was told no code change was needed for what they did wich was probably nothing. I will be talking to you in about 2 or 3 weeks when i get my tax refund back i will order my chip. Thanks for the help and information. Larry