I`ve been reading posts and advertisments about this and am lost.Is there a chip you buy to replace one from the factory?Is it a tuner that fine tunes the factory settings?How often do you have to reset it that makes it worth 500 bucks? Why doesn`t the truck come from the factory with these settings already dialed in? Can one tuner be used to do more than one truck?

Thanks for your help,

Jim........

 

The tuners recalibrate factory setting for more performance, usually with 2 or 3 different settings: stock,towing, and high performance. This usually requires you to upgrade to high octane fuel. You can't use a tuner on more than one truck at once, you have to return the first truck to stock settings before you can use it on a different truck. As to why they cost around $500, well that's just what they go for. Do more research into the different brands, some of them are diagnostic tools as well and you can change shift points, increase top speeds, recalibrate for different size tires, ect....

The programmer/tuner forum a little further down has more info as well

 

There's No Chip involed ........Tunner Changes your timeing shift point,s and many other settings you have 3 settings on the superchips tunner which gives your truck i belive 12 to 25 rear wheel horse power . you can also get the Diablo Predator which has 2 settings but you can update your tunner via the net and it takes about 2 min to download the tune or reset your truck when you take into service and it gives you 18 to 25 RWHP I have the Diablo and love it and you can not tune more then one truck at a time it is vin locked to your truck until you rest it then you can tune a diffrent Ford Truck.
......2004 Screw

 

Just seeing if I understand correctly: you can also reset your truck back to factory settings for Service and the dealership cannot tell that anything was ever changed? So this would keep them from being able to turn down a warranty claim....right?
If so, I may have to get one of those......

 

If you have your PCM reflashed at a dealership before you purchase a Supertuner can you still hook up the Supertuner and change your settings or does it have to have the factory flash when you plug it in for the first time ?

 

Surely someone knows the answer to this question.

Moderator ?

 

Mathwiz
It will work Before the flash and after.
Hope this helps

 

The reflash, if done by a Ford dealer, will still be a factory flash code.
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To answer one of the questions of the orginal poster: The reason why it doesn't come from the factory is mainly because the factory wants to offer a product that satisfies to the masses. Most don't want to run the premium required to gain the full benefit of a tuner. Most folks want a smooth shifting tranny and mnot the firm shifts that a tuner can offer.

The aftermarket answers what us enthusiasts want.

Plus, the Diablo is only $350 from the Online Store.

 

Get a tuner, it is by far the best bang for the buck!

 

Chips and tuners adress the same issue... a more powerful than factory "tune-up" for your vehicle. Chips require an expansion slot on the ECU of your vehicle. Some vehicles have them, some don't. My last truck had an expansion slot, my 04 Ford does not. Therefore, if I want to change the tune of my present truck, the only option available to me is a tuner.

It's my understanding, the lion's share of the power gain comes from advancing the ignition timing. The factory setting is optimized for regular octane gasoline and to minimize emissions.

You can advance the timing a bit without going to premium but in order to go to the maximum performance setting without engine knock you have to run premium. In the old days, you could do this with a screwdriver, now you have to have an expensive tuner. On the other hand, in the old days the spark advance was mechanical and adjustments were the same across the entire rpm range of the motor. With computerized advance setting, adjustments can be different for different rpm ranges.

BTW, I don't even remotely agree that you start with a tuner or chip. Start with your intake and exhaust. When your done with those, then think about a tuner.

 

I bought the Diablo and installed the 89 octane performance tune when my truck had about 2K miles on it.

There is a HUGE difference in how the truck performs. It really is a great mod if you ask me. I never want to go back to the stock tuning...

 

I am glad this thread is on FTE Forum. While I am interested in purchasing a tuner, it is my understanding that if my truck receives a flash from the dealer, that in order for the tuner to now work I have to either download an upgrade to the tuner or send it back to the company so they can do it. Another issue I have is when to ask for the turck's computer to be flashed? Is this necessary only when there is a problem, or is it a good idea just to have it done periodically to correct some existing faults even though I have not noticed any problems. Is this reflash under warranty?

Thanks,

Rich

 

Before taking the truck in for service, you need to restore the factory flash back into the truck. The diablo stores this for you as a backup. If the dealer reflashes your truck, or even if he doesn't, you simply flash the performance tune back into your truck when the service is complete.

If you leave your performance tune in the truck, and the dealer flashes your truck, your performance tune will be overwritten. Then you need to send your tuner back to the tuner company to have it restored. I think the first one is free, after that it costs money. They do this to prevent theft. So I don't flash my truck, and someone elses, etc.

 

Can anyone honestly give the high and lows of the 2 tuners available on the market. Has anyone had any problems that we should know about before buying a tuner?

 

Actually there are 3 hand held tuners available.

Diablosport Predator, SCT XCalibrator, and Superchips Microtuner.

One thing no oone has mentioned is the improved shifting, and throttle response that these units provide.

Diablosport and Superchips are pretty equal, the main difference being the added features of the Predator (datalogger)

The SCT Xcalibrator is custom programmed to the modifications of the customers vehicle. If you want your truck to shift hard, I can make it shift hard, etc.