I have a 04 F150 with 5.4L automatic and 3.55 rearend. I pull a 29' travel trailler. Can anyone tell me if I would see a benifit from buying the superchips 1714 tunner. The truck does alright the way it is but if I would see an improvement with the tune I will get one. Also can you tell me if all F150's come with a tranny cooller? My truck does not have a factory optioned towing pkg but it does have a factory installed tranny cooller and I was wondering if the towing pkg cooller was maybe larger. Any help is appreciated.

 

Welcome....

I can't be of any help on the tuner, as I have not tried one, but as far as your truck goes with the aux cooler, since you have the 5.4, you get a 'standard' aux trans cooler. The trucks equipped with the factory 'tow package' do get a larger cooler. It just has more plates to it compared the the 'standard' one.

The only way to know how hard you are working it is to get some real aftermarket gauges. The stock temp gauge is worthless until you are already overheating and if there is any sensor or light for the trans temp, it too will only go off when it's overheating.....

Mitch

 

Thanks for the reply. I have been looking into a temp gauge for the transmision and will be installing one for sure. I think I will wait and see what temps it reads before upgrading the cooller. I would still like to hear if anyone has experience with the aftermarket tunner programs and towing because tommorow is the last day I can order one at a discounted price and I don't want to go ahead if it looks like it's not really worth it. Thanks again.

 

blurosco,
Although I have not towed with my F150 yet, I have installed a tuner and I'm quite please with it. It is the older model and has only 1 setting. The newer tuners have 3 settings: 87 octane, 91 octane for performance, and 91 octane for towing. I recommend Mike Troyer at Troyer Performance. Following is his contact information for Superchips:

Mike Troyer
Troyer Performance/Performance Products, Inc.
Truck & SUV Performance Specialists
Supercharging & Custom Tuning Experts - America's Oldest Superchips Distributor & 1st Superchips Custom Tuning Dealer
Web Site: TroyerPerformance.com
(540) 862-9515
Email: Sales@TroyerPerformance.com
National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

For the record, ALL FORD 97-03 F-150 AUTOMATICS have a transmission cooler. It's an oil-to-water cooler built into the radiator. *some* have an auxiliary cooler.... '97-03 had them with the super cooling package which was available separately, and came with the towing package. It was not standard with the 5.4 unless you opted for the heavy duty cooling package or the towing package.

Can't speak for the '04-up though...

-Joe

 

I tow a 27' TT with the 87 octane performance program installed and the only thing I've noticed is the transmission shifts more crisply. My mileage hasn't changed at all nor do I really feel any more power while towing.

I do want to try the 91 octane towing program just to see if it does anything but I haven't worked up the courage to pay for the gas. I may get a couple more mpg but that would get offset by the higher gas prices.

Unless you are racing your truck, my opinion would be to save your money and just be a little more conservative in your driving style.

Russ