"You didn't really expect free overnight shipping at the prices we're selling them for? UPS ground."

Nope. THe prices on the site are very good. The tuner was $50 cheaper than the 2 program one the locals were selling. Thanks for you time and help on the decision.

Chris

 

New guy here, I have a stock F-550 PSD I just rebuilt from a rollover. I installed a pyro 2 inches downstream of my left exhaust manifold in anticipation of buying the Microtuner. Now, my local shop (Dynosource) says the probe was supposed to be downstream of the turbo outlet, not the manifold...????
With the stock chip, the EGT reads about 1100 on the nastiest of pulls, with the 1100 gallon water tank full, foot to the floor, 4th gear, 2900 rpm.
So... is it supposed to be post manifold or post turbo? Seems the turbo dump will be so cold you would never show an overheat.
Thanks gentlemen!
Mike
(yes, same truck I had trouble with last month with diesel pumping into the coolent. I changed the sleeve and it still pumped diesel into the coolent so we pulled the body off and changed the #$^%@*& engine)

 

There are two ways to install a pyrometer probe:

pre-turbo and post-turbo.

Pre-turbo is far more accurate but there is the (slight) possiblity you can melt the probe tip and it would fly into the turbo blades. However, you'd have to get it awfully hot to do that and I've yet to see someone here who's had that happen (air-craft and most big-rigs mount them pre-turbo).

Post-turbo is "safer" from a probe tip point of view, but you need to add about 200 degrees to the temp to have an idea of true temps or use a gauge that has its redline set for post turbo (we've got ISSPRO gauges, one for pre, and one for post).

 

Thank you Ken. Your`re spot-on about the planes. I`m an aviation mech(ret Coast Guard) and we always did the probe pre-turbo and even the ultralights I now fly are probed very close to the exhaust port, tho` with the 2 strokes, because of the flame front pulses, probe placement is even more critical.
Ok, say I decide not to keep the chip I bought today ($500) and get the microtuner, where do you reccommend I take it`s temp? With the 70hp chip I got today, it is VERY easy to run the egt to 1300 where the probe is now.
As an aside, my 1990 7.3 has the ATS turbo and they installed the pyro probe at the same place as me, 2 inches aft of the manifold. The shop here insists strongly that only idiots install a probe at the manifold, and that all the vehicle manufacturers reccommend post turbo probe placement.
The truth is sometimes very elusive...
with that argument..if I place the probe at the tailpipe, I`ll never burn up my engine.....................................
Thanks!

 

If you're hitting 1300 pre-turbo its too hot and you should consider an intake system or larger exhaust to drop the temps. You can keep the truck at 1250 all day long. At 1275 the turbo blade tips start to glow. Its okay to go over for a few seconds but I strongly recommend backing off the throttle when you see that.

If you're running those temps with 70HP, then the tune is poor or you're at higher altitude. For $500 I'd expect to get better results.

As to the probe, it sounds like they don't know much about them. Probes are generally rated to 1500 degrees and if you're seeing tems that high then the probe is the least of your worries! Racers will see that high briefly (and higher) and usually go with a competition probe rated at higher temps. So long as you did a clean install and didn't get any metal chips into the pipe you ought to be just fine. Just smile at them and nod when they say that (knowing your temp readings are far more accurate then the probes they install). The problem with post turbo is depending on driving conditions your temps may vary from 100-300 degrees from pre-turbo. There is no way to know if you're 100 off or 300 off and thus you have to drive more conservatively post-turbo.

There are people on both sides of the fence with this issue but if you ask around here you won't find anyone who's probe has flown into their turbo (if it did they probably damaged it anyway from the heat)!

 

Ken, thanks for the good intel! This guy claims to have 400 dealers around the USA selling his chips. I smelled melted steel when he said the pre-turbo temp could hit 2,000 degrees and it did`nt mean a thing. He claimed the only important temp was taken post turbo!
Crap. I don`t usually fall for the "Hard-sell" but I did this time. I went in to see if he could tell me if the vibration under load was the turbo, as two of the four housing bolts fell out the other day....and I left with a chip. I`ll be returning the chip tomorrow, and as soon as credit is posted on my account I will order one from you. I`m now glad I installed the pyro BEFORE I got the chip put in, as I was able to see an instant 200+ temp increase at all RPM`s, even in cruise.
I`ve just about had it up to here with PSD`s. First engine pumps diesel into the coolent, then I order one from Texas , supposedly with 750 total miles since new(out of a wreck), and it`s got an oil pan full of water and oil, and he claimed it`s a 2000 year, and the flexplate says 2002....... (no, I did`nt get my money back, he screwed me) and now the engine I get in Seattle has a bad turbo(once the turbo is spooled up the engine shakes like a dog pooping peach pits) I think. Meanwhile my firefighting water truck is not making money.... and I`m tired of pulling off the body to change engines!
Is there any good used PSD`s out there?
Well anyway, thank you for the advice you help a lotta folks here. You probably have saved me even more grief.
Mike

 

Ken,

Where is the best position to mount the probe? X amount of inches off the turbo?

Thanks,

Chris

 

Hey Ken...sorry to beat this to death.

I purchased a 1705 model with the two settings a month ago with the understanding that anything more would be a bad idea for engine and drivetrain longevity. Why would the 110 program be any worse than the 80hp setting if EGTS are about the same. Right now I am running no more than 800 degrees post turbo with the 80hp setting. What advantage would there be in purchasing the newer model aside from the added power. I have all needed gauges.

Thanks in advance and for your patcience

Mark

 

A couple of things:

1. newer tuner has lower EGTs. EGTs kill turbos.
2. transmission shifting is software

I don't think the difference is going to be as huge as you might suspect, because of the way it was dyno'd (ie, the numbers now seem rated higher than other tuning products of similar power). Remember, its a numbers/marketing game for the chip companies!

 

So would there be any advantage to purchasing the new chip? Also I just called superchips about that swap +$200 and they claimed that they knew nothing about it.

Thanks for your speed in reply.

Mark

 

Ken,

Do u know where i can get some WHITE Superchips stickers?? I didnt get any with my new Microtuner and on my old one, i received black ones. Black doesnt work since i have a black truck with dark windows?? Thanks.

Ken Lagerquist
Fairbanks, Alaska

 

Use the contact form on www.motorhaven.com. I'll forward it to Jolene and have her send one.

 

I have the old micro tuner for my 2002 7.3 . Will it read codes on my 2000 X with the V10?

 

Yes.

 

Hey Ken earlier in the post you said that Superchips will upgrrade existing 1705 +$200 do you know how to go about getting this?

Thanks

Mark