I have a chip in my 4.6, 4 cam, 32 valve engine (Lincoln)and it works great. Now I am told that the 1998 and newer computers will accept a program and respond better than a chip. Something like the chip will not cover all the bases like a re-program will do.
Does anyone know if this is the same for the 1999 5.4 SOHC F-150 computer?

 

What do you mean by a reprogram? A chip module is a reprogram.

Ken Payne
[img src="/dcforum/User_files/webmaster/usaflag.gif" valign=top align=left] Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin

 

Since the factory module comes with a program.No chip but within the module. I mean the extra chip that we so conveniently plug in and the performance improves in the areas that the chip programmer has changed.

The orginal module has many more options if the orginal module is looked at for all options.
When some vehicles are reflashed with a different code, these values then change without a chip.

Down sides are that you lose you vehicle for the programer and mail time.
Once you get reprogrammed, you cannot remove the program unless you start this downtime all over.
So in short what performance improvements can be made by re programming the module vs a chip to be plugged in?
If I am making no sense, write me a e-mail with your telephone # and I'll try to explain.
Anyway I need to get my code off the computer.

Larry

 

Correct, MOST chips do not replace all the factory code. That does not mean they don't change all the things that need to be changed. Ford computers have 4 banks of information. The tuning, shifting, and other performance characteristics are kept in tables in 1 bank.

The Diablo and Superchip (and others) override this bank with their own bank. The software in the performance chip has to match the software in the other 3 stock banks. If it doesn't your truck doesn't start. This is what happens when the dealer reflashes your computer.

Diablo now has a chip called the X14 that overrides all 4 banks. Because of this, the dealer can reflash and the Diablo still works. Unfortunately at this time the X14 is only for the diesels.

Now, when you mention a programmer, you may be referring to a hand-held (or sometimes laptop based) programmer. They override the stock tuning tables in the same way a performance chip does. The difference is they are not a ROM and can be changed on the fly. They allow you to adjust the tuning characteristics (they do this by changing values in the tuning tables held in their RAM). Superchips has one (we can sell these) and Diablo is coming out with one that's going to knock out the competition. The problem with such a programmer is the price/performance ratio. For the casual person looking for added performance its too expensive. It just doesn't offer much, if any, tuning advantage over a performance chip for stock trucks (note: air intakes, exhausts, etc. are still "stock"). When you start playing with cams, MAFs, superchargers, heads, nitrous, then a programmer might be right up your alley, especially if you like to tweak your hot-rodding changes....


Ken Payne
[img src="/dcforum/User_files/webmaster/usaflag.gif" valign=top align=left] Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin

 

Excellent answer. Thanks for the time. I'll get the code and be calling you.

Larry