if something major happens, i guess i'll have to spring for a new computer, to replace my "stolen" one. they really should have an alarm on a truck like this.

 

Bill,
it is easier if you remove the battery, the computer is inside the cab, under the glovebox,on the right, sticking thru the firewall, connected to the wiring harness w/10mm bolt, once you remove the bolt (back behind the battery) you can unbolt the computer from inside the cab, and take it inside where it is cool and do the work.

 

Dear Bill Murray,

Each Lighting Superchip comes with installation instructions, I have a copy right in front of me, and they mention a *LOT* more than just needing a 10mm socket and not to leave the keys in the ignition, that's just what they say at the beginning. Because Ford uses literally hundreds of different mounting types, styles, and locations for that same size computer in all their various vehicles, the instructions do assume that you know where the computer is. Which is why I go over that with my customers, as I did with you in our conversation, if you will remember. (I just checked my notes on our conversation to make sure)

On *ALL* 1997 & up F-150's, (which is what the Lightning is, of course) the computer is located on the passenger side, and it straddles the firewall, with most of the computer under the dash, and the first inch or so protruding thru the firewall, which is where it connects to the wiring harness, behind the battery. To remove the computer, you do not need to remove the battery in the Lightning (at least I didn't this afternoon working with a local Lighting, nor has anyone that I've talked to after they've installed theirs), you can reach right behind the battery with either an open-end wrench or a small-drive rachet and 10mm socket. All that has to be done to remove the computer is to loosen (do not remove) the one 10mm bolt that retains the wiring harness to the front of the computer, then pull the harness from the front of the computer. Then go into the cab, and look under the dash on the passenger side, and you'll see the computer held to a metal bracket with a brown, black, or white plastic clip that simply slides off, allowing you to pull the computer out. Perhaps 5 minutes. Some F-150's that are equipped with either the off road package or the self-leveling suspension option will have a pair of solonoids on the firewall that block access to that 10mm bolt, and in that case the battery will have to be removed, but this does not apply to the Lighting. The installation instructions pick up right there, telling you exactly what to do to install the Superchip module, along with some b&w photo repros to show what the back of the computer looks like with the module installed properly, and with it installed improperly, so you can easily see the difference. In addition, there is a reminder sticker that is deliberately placed over the slot on the Superchip, blocking the slot until you remove this sticker, that reminds you to clean the edge connector prior to installing the Superchip. There is also a piece of Scotch-brite pad to scuff up the contacts of the edge connector. It starts with the 2 items that you quoted were all the instructions contained, so it's right there on that same page, and continued on to another, along with other materials.

If your instructions are different, please fax a copy to me at (540) 862-9485, if you would be so kind, and I will *immediately* notify Superchips of their error, and get you the correct instructions faxed over from Superchips. Just so you know how they do this, they have 2 people who package that stuff as a team, one who observes the other doing it, who then double-checks this for each and every package going out, so if this didn't happen, a couple of people are going to hear about it very shortly, I can assure you.

Also, don't forget that you have the toll-free number for Tech Support directly to Superchips, which is 888-227-2447. I give this to everyone who orders a Superchip from us at the time of order, and this is also included on a white card with each Superchip, so you get it twice, once over teh phone from me, and then in writing included with the Superchip. Tech Support at Superchips is open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, M-F, Eastern, and we're of course open later here at Performance, except for today due to a bad electrical storm here in the mountains, which shut us down around 6pm.

Good luck with your installation Bill, and please don't hesitate to contact Tech Support for any questions.

All the best,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

 

Dear Boss 302,

The normal price for the Lightning Flip Chip is $450, but we have a special discount that lowers that quite a bit, only for our F150online participants. Please contact me privately for that special price, my email & phone numbers are below, as we don't discuss discounted pricing here on F150online.

All the best,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

 

Blacklight,
1st g-tech 90drgf, 90%hum,2ft below sea level
dial in @5000lbs
position 1(stock) 305hp
position 2 (mod) 331hp
last time i did a g-tech hp run w/o chip was
329hp (70drgf w/low humidity & a cold truck) the hotter this truck gets, the worse it runs
this hot air stinks for testing, but the trade off is, no snow or ice year round, for the 99.5's tires.

 

Mike:

Biff Bam Sock Pow Smack Crunch.
Ouch!!

I knew the minute I hit the send button on my note it was a mistake. Bear with me.

1. I sent it after 7:00 in the hopes you would be enjoying a tall one and counting all the Superchip orders you got yesterday.
It was just a question and I really, specifically did not want to bother you with my dumbness.

2. I knew, and I was correct, that BBQMAN or someone else that had just done the job would solve my little problem.
That is the true beauty of this Website; need help, you get help from the members.

3/ Re: the instructions. A context problem here. The instructions vis a vis the actual installation of the chip are probably the best I have seen for an aftermarket product. Leaves no question unanswered.

4. That was actually why I posted the note. It is that simple that I thought I would try to do it myself instead of having a tuning shop do it. That was when I discovered I did not know where the computer was and the installation instructions do not cover that aspect except to mention the 10 mm socket and to turn off the ignition. I wasn't knocking the instructions, just couldn't figure out the computer part.

I love 'ya Mike, love your posts and your commitment and I know I will love my Superchip. I was just trying to give you a break from your busy day and use the board for one of it's purposes.

I have an appointment at 2:30 today for the baseline dyno test and after the chip is installed will take it back for the after test.
I'll post it here so you can have some more figures for your data base.

PS: I told Steve that we are going to buy a bunch of the window stickers and give them away with every Tamiya 1/10 Lightning RC truck we sell. We are also donating a built up one to the site so Steve's wife can have something to play with while he maintains the site.

Your Buddy Bill

------------------

Bill Murray
60 going on 17 w/my:
99.5 White Lightning
Summit Racing Decal
G-Tech Performance Meter. Superchip by 07/31


[This message has been edited by Bill Murray (edited 07-29-1999).]

 

Intalled Superchip late yesterday afternoon. WOW!!

First let me give some additional info on the installation. As discussed several times in different posts, remove the 10mm screw on the connector. Simple enough. Many of my friends refer to my hands as meat hooks not designed to get into small places (I have no enemies, just people I don't know yet), but had no trouble loosening the screw until the connector backed off the computer. Went inside the cab and under the glove box, and mounted to the inner fender above the kick panel, is the computer. There is a plastic clip holding the computer snugly to a bracket mounted to the inner fender and is slightly cradled by that bracket. Note that the clip was in the middle from top to bottom of the computer. The plastic clip just rotated off by pulling towards you on the convenient tab (on the drivers side of the clip) and the clip came off in my hand. If you move the computer away from the bracket by ¼ to ½ of an inch toward the drivers side, it is now free from the bracket. Pulling the computer towards you away from the firewall is all that is required to have it in you hands. The instructions are clear about how to remove the plastic port access cover and how to mount the chip…….. but here is where it gets interesting.

I taped the Superchip in place as suggested in the instruction sheet. I replaced the computer in the hole in the firewall, but when I tried to mount the computer to the inner fender bracket, I noticed that the Superchip is in the way of the little flanges on the bracket that cradles the back end of the computer. I thought I would fiddle with it and in the process I apparently forced the little flange between the Superchip and the computer ( I thought that the tape was holding it). I placed the clip back on the computer/bracket just below the Superchip, and proceeded to reattach the connector on the engine side. I put my key in the ignition, and the engine would crank but no sign of life. WON'T START. My first thought was that I just didn't clean the terminals good enough, but I was very thorough and I took my time, so how could that be?? Well, I removed the computer again (I'm getting much better at this) and I discovered that when I fiddled with the computer and the bracket the bracket flange pushed the chip off the terminal block. I proceeded to removed the two screws holding the bracket and bent flat the flange area that was interfering with the Superchip. Those two screws were a pain to remove as there are several sharp things up there to tear up the back of you hand, but it was worth it (so watch out)! I reinstalled the bracket and the computer fit perfectly. The clip fits snug and looks like it was made to be there. The screw on the computer connector was easier to install this time (not bad before, just easier the second time). Truck started easily! YEAH!!!!

Off the line it a whole different truck. ¼ to ½ throttle is all that is required to get those meats spinning! 1-2 shift is much improved, but there is still a slight exhaust burble which I assume is some spark retarding that wasn't completely removed. The 1-2 actually chirped the tires a couple of times. Haven't had enough road to experience the 2-3 upshift at WOT. I'll be at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix on Friday night getting hard numbers and will report back then. Good Luck you all!


------------------
Joel.......
99.5 White Lightning, all the required options.
Superchip is in the mail!!

 

Thanks MRBBQMAN for the favorable report on the new SuperChip. Mine should be here today or tomorrow, and I have plans to install it Saturday when the wife's not home. Can't wait for that throttle response from a standing start, every hot rodder likes to be able to burn a little rubber now and then.

As for the Ford computer, attached below is part of an email from a co-worker. Mike, can you shed any light on this, and how to get around it, if possible? Regardless, my chip is going in, and I'll worry about the consequences down the road.

Lightning Bob
99.5 "Arrest Me Red" Lightning, Bright Red Rhino Lining, Glasstite "Rally" Hard Tonneau, SuperChip this weekend.

 

I forgot the attachment in the last post. Enjoy!

A consideration to be made before installing performance-chip,

new ssm
12991
p0605 (rom test error) - check for 'aftermarket'
devices,some obdII vehicles may exhibit a key on engine off
(koeo) self test dtc of p0605 (pcm rom test error).this may
be caused if an aftermarket performance device is
installed on the pcm.typically aftermarket devices are
installed between the pcm & vehicle harness or
connected to the j3 connector on the back of the pcm.if any
afterarket devices have been installed ,then the
repair is not reimbursable under warranty (refer to section
3 of the warranty & policy manual under
non-reimbursable conditions). continued on 12992 ssm 12992

But I would think removing the "chip" and disconnecting the battery for how ever
long it takes to erease the above fault code,
would be a way around voiding your warranty.

Lightning Bob

 

MIKE
in your above post you mentioned, no rpm change at wot 1-2 shift, this am with a cold truck, i saw my tach hit 6k (end of red) on the 1-2 wot,boost went right past 10psi, i flipped it to program I, and 1-2 was@5400rpm and boost about 8-9. comments?

 

A thoroughly satisfying day!!!!!!!!!!

Took the truck to the dyno guy, got set up and did the runs. Bear in mind, ambient temp. was 94 degrees, humidity around 70% and altitude about 600 ft.

Average HP bone stock 304.7
average TQ bone stock 410.1 ft lb

I am no expert, but I believe that with a 20% loss for tranny etc., our 360 flywheel hp should translate to 288 hp at the wheels. So, I am happy guy.

Told dyno guy I would return for comparison runs after installing chip. Dyno guy says, "hell, I put those things in every week". Told dyno guy to get his 10mm socket and get to work.

20 min later, we are done.

With not one inch of "relearning" we put her back on the dyno. Results:

Average hp Chip in #2 328.9
Average torque " " 433.8 ft lb

A full 7% under absolutely wrong test conditions.

Dyno guy says let's try Chip in #1 and see if it goes back to 304 and 410. I say sure.

Interesting. HP was exactly the same to the tenth. Torque was down 3 ft lb. Rev limiter was back. I assume that this is maybe due to no learning time.

Observations:

As with BBQMAN, engine revs till you chicken out. We used 6000 as a limit, and I was sweating bullets. In position 1, rev limit is back.

On the road, same results as others, great shifts, need to start a savings account for tires, and incredible response off line at any throttle opening. Absolutely no complaints, not one.

Dyno guy stated that he had not installed a Superchip before, but had done many, many competitor chips. Had never seen any that gave any measurable HP gains, never. He and the three other techs were extremely impressed to say the least.

He will give me a free set of pulls after I put a few hundred miles on the chip. He is totally confident we will see at least 400 HP at the flywheel based on the dyno HP we will get on an "educated" chip.

God only knows what the truck will be like if we can get the blower electronics dialed in. I suspect no more gross horsepower, that comes in pretty far up the rev curve, but the off the line torque could be dangerous to those of us at my age.

Mike, I am a happy older man. If I can just get a decal, life will be complete. Don't yell, I will get it myself.

Bill Murray

------------------

Bill Murray
60 going on 17 w/my:
99.5 White Lightning
Summit Racing Decal
G-Tech Performance Meter. Superchip by 07/31

 

for all the non-believers in the g-tech, check out my g-tech hp figures, 2days ago in this post, and compare them to bill's chassis dyno, with and without the superchip, same trucks, same chips, same weather (atlanta/new orleans)

 

Dear Bill Murray,

Hey, no need to duck, I wanted to make sure that you have gotten the right instructions. The background on this is,I had mentioned to Superchips that I thought the instructions for the Flip Chip needed improvement about 6 weeks ago. They were gracious enough to rewrite them, and submit to me for my comments. So I was concerned that you might have somehow gotten the old directions, and I wanted to be clear about it, and get them to you ASAP if that had been the case. I didn't mean to sound heavy-handed, not at all, I just assumed this is what happened, and that I'd have to make it right, which is of course fine, that's my job. It just shows me with my pants down if someone gets the wrong instructions, and I hate it when that happens! Makes me feel rather thick, gotta call Superchips to let them know what they did, yada, yada. And of course, it's right in front of everyone here, which goes with the territory when you support your product line so publicly, etc.

What a great forum we have here, the feedback is so direct and immediate. And there's a bit of give & take built into the process, I think.

Great posts, and glad to hear you're up and running with your Superchip!

You & I are permanently "cool", so please don't ever worry about expressing yourself, especially to me. You gotta call 'em like you see 'em, and let the chips (I had to say it) fall where they may!

See you around the campfire,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

 

Dear Lightning Bob,

Glad you posted that, this will help a lot of you, hopefully.

First, anytime anything is attached to the edge connector that is on the rear of every single EEC-IV & EEC-V computer Ford ever made, it acts like an on/off switch. It tells the computer to turn off it's internal EPROM, and to seek it's instructions externally. So just as it's designed to do, when you connect the Ford SBDS machine to retrieve diagnostic codes at the dealership, it will give the technician this "false" error code, telling him/her the computers internal EPROM has failed, and to replace the computer to eliminate error code. It's supposed to do that. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the computer in actuality, it hasn't failed in any manner whatsoever, it's just turned off it's EPROM, just as Ford designed it to. This is why I suggest that either you remove the chip, or tell the service writer that they will get this result with the chip present. I suggest making your choice according to your relationship with your service department. Some technicians and service departments will try to point their finger at the chip and say it's the source of whatever problem you brought the vehicle in for, without making any effor to determine the facts, and some are on the ball and know the deal. (I don't mean to attack Ford technicians, by the way, policies are determined by management)

Now, as for the comment in there about the warranty claim not being covered, that is just not true. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is the specific legislation that covers this, and one of it's provisions states that *prior* to the denial of a warranty claim, the automaker must first *prove* that the aftermarket part in question was the sole cause of failure of a related part, and further, that this part would not have failed if the aftermarket part had not been used. Automakers, like insurance companies, sometimes predicate their warranty policies on their assumption that the vast majority of people do not know the law, and they won't stand up for their rights. Thank God (and SEMA) for the law! They cannot automatically void your warranty for using an aftermarket part; they must first *prove* that it did the damage, according to the law.

Another interesting key provision of Magnuson-Moss is this: no manufacturer can condition their warranty upon the use of their original brand name replacement parts, UNLESS they provide those replacement parts completely free of charge. For many years, the automakers (not all, but many, including American) tried to establish a virtual monopoly on replacement parts, using any and all tactics and strategies they could get away with, until the lawmakers finally enacted some tough legislation, with real power and clout. And we can thank SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) for getting the job done here. I've worked with Service Managers who didn't care if you installed a supercharger, they would only charge you the extra labor they incurred if they had to work around it. And I have seen service departments that are absolutely opposed to the use of anything without a Ford logo on it, and everything in between. There are Ford dealers who sell and install Superchips, and there are Ford dealers who will give you nothing but grief, until you get their Zone Rep involved, who knows the law.
Knowledge of your rights under the law is your best weapon against those who would seek to abuse you. And in this case, it's the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Now before everyone starts asking me for copies of this law, I'm not a source for it, sorry. Check with the SEMA website, I think they're at www.sema.com, I'm guessing here of course. The home page right here I think has the SEMA logo, and probably a link to take you right there.

Cheers,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com

[This message has been edited by Superchips_Distributor (edited 07-29-1999).]

 

Okay, I'm convinced. I've been readin' and droolin' long enough — time to order me a Superchip! Look-out Mike ... I'll be dialing your phone tomorrow

------------------
Mark Sellers
99.5 Black Lightning, SNUGLid, Rhino Liner

[This message has been edited by Lightning Mark (edited 07-29-1999).]