I am interested in purchasing a performance chip for 02 psd. I am looking for a little extra towing power. I don't want to spend a lot of money on modifications to the exhaust. What chip would you recomend and are they hard to install.

I have also heard that they will void the warrenty is this true

 

If your looking at not doing any mods other than the chip I would recommend the superchips micro tuner that you can purchase from this site. The lower program (the tuner has two programs 60 or 80 HP) can be used without any exhaust mods. Although I would personally recommend at least a Pyro gauge to keep an eye on the EGT temps. Installing the program is very easy and can be done from the drivers seat in about 5-6 min. It's like a small hand held computer and walks you through the process step by step. You can just as easily undo it when you need to take the truck into the shop for service. The reason you would want to do that is because Ford from time to time will "Flash" your computer with updates etc. And yes, Ford can void your warranty if indeed a failure to your system was caused by the chip being programed, or by any other aftermarket product for that matter. However they can't void your warranty simply because the truck has an aftermarket product on it. They have to prove that the device is what caused the failure before doing so. By returning the program to stock prior to going into the shop may help to avoid any potiential warranty issues. Hope this helps, I think you'll find that most of the people here on the FTE board have a chip of one kind or another.

 

Put the Superchips microtuner in it, you will be very pleased. If you need to take the truck in for service, simply reprogram to stock setting and ther is no trace that any thing was ever modified.

 

My truck had the Superchip set-up in it when I bought it. I like it a lot and would recommend it. There is a hi-performance mode and a towing mode, and you also have the option to raise the RPM limit. Mine had the high-perf deal in it, and I later changed it back to stock, just to see what the difference was, and to see if the MPG changed significantly. There is a big difference, and I think the MPG is actually a little better with the high-perf set-up. When I went back from the stock mode to high-perf, I turned the RPM limit up, and there was even more of a difference. Actually it scared me just a little (I'm a diesel novice) with all those extra revs. There was about a 75-100 RPM difference or so at 75 MPH on the Interstate. I figured that had to hurt my fuel mileage, so I turned the RPM limits back down and left the high-perf mode in it. Pretty sure the book that came with it says you need no further modifications unless you need to tow over 4000 pounds, or something like that, but most comments I have read on this forum advise to modify the exhaust. Guess that part would be up to you. I admit that I am considering a set of guages to monitor my EGTs and all that stuff. I don't haul or tow anything (yet), so I'm not worrying too much about it. The tuner can also be used as a DTC reader. As a side note, every time I changed my program with the tuner, my truck generated a 603 code, but all I had to do is clear it out. Hope all this gabbing helps.........

 

Ditto:

Highly recommend the SupeChips MicroTuner. Runs great on my 1997 F-250 PSD. Very happy.

Had to replace stock downpipe in my 97, but no exhaust mods should be required to run the standard program on models 1999 or later.

A three-guage cluster [Turbo Boost, Trans Temp, Pyrometer/EGT] on the A-pillar is also a real good idea.

I pull a 9000-lb boat and my tranny temp guage has already saved me.... Recently, after a four-wheeling excursion, I noticed an abnormal 30-degree jump in the transmission temp baseline. Turned out to be a loose "orifice valve". Without the guage, woulda never known. Had I pulled the boat any long distance, woulda destroyed [burnt-up] the tranny....



-T

 

I just bought a Diablo Predator from Ken and I absolutely love it! Even at the middle-of-the-road 60hp setting, the difference in performance was amazing!

It is more expensive than the MicroTuner but it has 3 available programs plus stock and additional diagnostic capabilities.

My next purchase will be gauges - I think you can also get them from Ken which helps to support this site.