How will chip enhance towing
#1
10-27-2002, 03:55 AM
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Columbia, MO
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How will chip enhance towing
I have a 98 Expedition w/ 4.6. The truck is used for towing our boat. (MasterCraft 209 #4000 lbs). We travel alot with the truck and it does alright. By adding a chip how will it affect the vehicle? What I would like to see is the stronger shifts and have a stronger 2nd gear pull. Currently it dies out and then picks back up once it gets to the torque curve again. Mike I have emailed you with more specific information. Any information would be appreciated!!
#2
10-27-2002, 04:20 PM
Former Sponsor
Hi prostar,
Yes, the Superchips tuning will help, and specifcally by giving you about 10% more power on tap all the time, at any throttle position or rpm, in addition to all it's other benefits like the improved automatic transmission shift characteristics, etc.
The 4.6 doesn't make much torque (though Ford has done a pretty good job of getting as much torque as possible), it's power is certainly up higher in the rpm range.
An Expedition with a 4.6 towing 2 more tons out back has a huge load on it, to be sure. The Superchip tuning will help with that.
We recommend doing several things, from optimizing the powertrain programming with the Superchip tuning, to reducing the restriction in the air intake tract and on the exhaust side, as well as getting the ignition system upgraded. You will pick up nice horsepower and torque gains (and to a lesser extent, better fuel mileage as well) from each of these modifications on that 1998 4.6 Expedition.
Many people start out with the Superchip tuning first, and for some doing that alone is enough to get them the performance they need for their situation.
I don't think I've had a chance to read your email yet, but in any event the best thing to do is to give us a call when you get a chance if you can, so we can go over this with you in proper detail.
Best of luck with your Expy, & hope to talk with you soon!
Yes, the Superchips tuning will help, and specifcally by giving you about 10% more power on tap all the time, at any throttle position or rpm, in addition to all it's other benefits like the improved automatic transmission shift characteristics, etc.
The 4.6 doesn't make much torque (though Ford has done a pretty good job of getting as much torque as possible), it's power is certainly up higher in the rpm range.
An Expedition with a 4.6 towing 2 more tons out back has a huge load on it, to be sure. The Superchip tuning will help with that.
We recommend doing several things, from optimizing the powertrain programming with the Superchip tuning, to reducing the restriction in the air intake tract and on the exhaust side, as well as getting the ignition system upgraded. You will pick up nice horsepower and torque gains (and to a lesser extent, better fuel mileage as well) from each of these modifications on that 1998 4.6 Expedition.
Many people start out with the Superchip tuning first, and for some doing that alone is enough to get them the performance they need for their situation.
I don't think I've had a chance to read your email yet, but in any event the best thing to do is to give us a call when you get a chance if you can, so we can go over this with you in proper detail.
Best of luck with your Expy, & hope to talk with you soon!
#3
10-29-2002, 05:35 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Southern California
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I have the 4.6L F150. I am pulling a trailer about 5,500lbs loaded and I have a heck of a time pulling the trailer. I installed the following:
- K&N FIPK
- Hypertech chip reporgrammer
Even with this installed, the performance I gained was not substantial for towing, especially uphills.
If you install a larger exhaust and the features that I installed, please provide me with your personal opinion on the performance. I was a bit disappointed after the money I spent.
Waiting to hear from you or anybody with an opnion for towing performance enhancements.
- K&N FIPK
- Hypertech chip reporgrammer
Even with this installed, the performance I gained was not substantial for towing, especially uphills.
If you install a larger exhaust and the features that I installed, please provide me with your personal opinion on the performance. I was a bit disappointed after the money I spent.
Waiting to hear from you or anybody with an opnion for towing performance enhancements.
#4
10-29-2002, 09:05 PM
Former Sponsor
Hi Martymart,
Welcome to F-150 Online!
Towing upwards of 3 tons with a 4.6 is a big load, it sure could use some help!
Your K&N FIPK kit was a good investment, believe it or not. There are intake kits that add a little bit more power (AF1 would give 15 hp for example), but K&N's is certainly OK, it adds a solid 12 hp gain on the 4.6 F-150.
Your Hypertech Power Programmer is another matter, as it isn't doing you much, if any good. Hypertech only changes engine tuning when you are in open-loop operation where there are no emissions standards to be met, so it only has the potential to add power when you are at 81% throttle or greater, which means it basically does nothing for towing or "normal" driving.
Also, Hypertech's tuning is completely generic, meaning there is only 1 performance program for all similar vehicles, and that makes a big difference too. It can mean the difference between a 10-12 hp gain (about the most we've ever seen from Hypertech on a 4.6) to actually losing 3-5 horsepower, it just depends on how close the software revision in your vehicle's PCM is to the program Hypertech puts in the PP unit. (These F-150's have hundreds of different PCM software revisions each model year alone, so this is a big issue) Even at best, it still can only add power at extremely heavy to wide-open throttle.
You may not like hearing this since you've already spent money on that Hypertech unit (and my apologies, just trying to help), but the single most cost-effective aid to performance is having your powertrain programming *properly* optimized with the Superchip tuning. Superchips makes the same basic type kind of device, so you can just plug it into your OBD-II port, but it will actually do something for you, where the Hypertech does very little. The Superchips tuning is made for each individual vehicle's PCM revision, so you get a program that was actually made for *your* vehicle, not one compromised to run on all similar vehicles. Also, the Superchip tuning adds power *all* the time, regardless of throttle position or rpm or vehicle speed, you are always going to have about 10% more power on tap from the Superchip tuning. You don't have to use any special cold thermostat with the Superchips tuning either. The maximum power gain from the Superchip tuning for the 4.6 F-150 is 26 hp & 40 lbs./ft. of torque (and the max gain varies a little bit based on fuel quality & altitude of course), but I think the most accurate way to look at it as basically a 10% power gainer.
Other modifications that will help are to get that exhaust breathing better, but here you have to be *very* careful; there is only 1 exhaust system I would use, and that is the Magnaflow cat-back system. It's the *only* one we've ever tested that actually shows positive torque gains at any throttle position (most systems show torque losses below about 3000 rpm, the last thing you want), as well as at any rpm. Additionally, the Magnaflow cat-back system, which is a 3" single system that is relatively quiet, makes more raw horsepower gain than any true-dual system for these vehicles, a clear demonstration of superior flow engineering.
From there, then it's on to things like converting over to electric cooling fans, for example, that's a great modification as you not only gain horsepower and torque *everywhere* (about 15 hp & 24 lbs./ft.), but you also pick up some fuel mileage as well, all from no longer having to turn that 10 lb. dead mass on the front of the engine. You'll also have better cooling capability as well compared to the stock factory mechanical fan.
There are *many* things you can do to improve the performance of that truck for everyday driving and towing that big load, it's all just a matter of how far you need/want to take it, like most things I suppose.
If you'd like to give us a call at our number listed below when you get a chance, we can spend some time with you going over all of this in detail, see just how you're using that vehicle & where, it's exact configuration, what you need to be able to do & the best way to get there most cost-effectively, etc. We'll be happy to go over all of that with you so you can give it some thought, if you like.
Welcome to F-150 Online!
Towing upwards of 3 tons with a 4.6 is a big load, it sure could use some help!
Your K&N FIPK kit was a good investment, believe it or not. There are intake kits that add a little bit more power (AF1 would give 15 hp for example), but K&N's is certainly OK, it adds a solid 12 hp gain on the 4.6 F-150.
Your Hypertech Power Programmer is another matter, as it isn't doing you much, if any good. Hypertech only changes engine tuning when you are in open-loop operation where there are no emissions standards to be met, so it only has the potential to add power when you are at 81% throttle or greater, which means it basically does nothing for towing or "normal" driving.
Also, Hypertech's tuning is completely generic, meaning there is only 1 performance program for all similar vehicles, and that makes a big difference too. It can mean the difference between a 10-12 hp gain (about the most we've ever seen from Hypertech on a 4.6) to actually losing 3-5 horsepower, it just depends on how close the software revision in your vehicle's PCM is to the program Hypertech puts in the PP unit. (These F-150's have hundreds of different PCM software revisions each model year alone, so this is a big issue) Even at best, it still can only add power at extremely heavy to wide-open throttle.
You may not like hearing this since you've already spent money on that Hypertech unit (and my apologies, just trying to help), but the single most cost-effective aid to performance is having your powertrain programming *properly* optimized with the Superchip tuning. Superchips makes the same basic type kind of device, so you can just plug it into your OBD-II port, but it will actually do something for you, where the Hypertech does very little. The Superchips tuning is made for each individual vehicle's PCM revision, so you get a program that was actually made for *your* vehicle, not one compromised to run on all similar vehicles. Also, the Superchip tuning adds power *all* the time, regardless of throttle position or rpm or vehicle speed, you are always going to have about 10% more power on tap from the Superchip tuning. You don't have to use any special cold thermostat with the Superchips tuning either. The maximum power gain from the Superchip tuning for the 4.6 F-150 is 26 hp & 40 lbs./ft. of torque (and the max gain varies a little bit based on fuel quality & altitude of course), but I think the most accurate way to look at it as basically a 10% power gainer.
Other modifications that will help are to get that exhaust breathing better, but here you have to be *very* careful; there is only 1 exhaust system I would use, and that is the Magnaflow cat-back system. It's the *only* one we've ever tested that actually shows positive torque gains at any throttle position (most systems show torque losses below about 3000 rpm, the last thing you want), as well as at any rpm. Additionally, the Magnaflow cat-back system, which is a 3" single system that is relatively quiet, makes more raw horsepower gain than any true-dual system for these vehicles, a clear demonstration of superior flow engineering.
From there, then it's on to things like converting over to electric cooling fans, for example, that's a great modification as you not only gain horsepower and torque *everywhere* (about 15 hp & 24 lbs./ft.), but you also pick up some fuel mileage as well, all from no longer having to turn that 10 lb. dead mass on the front of the engine. You'll also have better cooling capability as well compared to the stock factory mechanical fan.
There are *many* things you can do to improve the performance of that truck for everyday driving and towing that big load, it's all just a matter of how far you need/want to take it, like most things I suppose.
If you'd like to give us a call at our number listed below when you get a chance, we can spend some time with you going over all of this in detail, see just how you're using that vehicle & where, it's exact configuration, what you need to be able to do & the best way to get there most cost-effectively, etc. We'll be happy to go over all of that with you so you can give it some thought, if you like.