I have a 99 F350 4x4, 5.4L, auto, 3.73, about 6K on the odometer that currently gets about 10mpg. I was wondering if installing a computer chip would aid me in my quest for a little more fuel efficency. I feel the main cuase of my low fuel mileage is the shift points in the transmission are to high when I'm just cruising around(mostly local driving some highway). Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ray

 

Raymond,

Something doesn't sound right. I've got a '00 SD F250 CC 4x4 6.8L automatic with 4.30 gears and I'm getting about 11 mpg with under 2,000 miles on the truck. My miles are all 2wd non-tow miles, about 2/3 freeway and about 10 mph above the speed limit. All things being equal, you should be getting better mileage than me.

Maybe you've installed taller tires and haven't adjusted your calculation accordingly, or you tow a lot, or you drive like a bat out of hell, or ???.

 

I have a '99 F-250 SD 4X4 Supercab with the 5.4L engine and 4.10 rear end. I used to get about 9 MPG city driving with it. I purchased a Superchip and now I get about 12 MPG (a 30% increase). The downfall is that you MUST use premium fuel to achieve this.

Doug.

 

I have a 00' 250 SD SC LB with the 6.8L and 3.73 rear. I am averaging a touch over 12MPG over 2800 miles. I am planning on adding a chip next month. I expect that you should see mileage at least as well as mine unless you have a serious lead foot or you buy really poor gas. I haven't heard of any chip on the market adding more than about 1-2 MPG if you are lucky, but the performance gains have sounded impressive. They also tend to make automatic shifts a lot sharper.

 

Your mileage seems to be really low. I have '99 crewcab, 5.4L and 3.73 gears and average 14 around town and depending on terrain, 16 to 17 on the highway. Am looking at adding a chip just for the extra horsepower as '99 was only rated at 235. In everything I have read, horsepower and torque are the only promised advantages, but in talking to others that have added a chip, miles per gallon have improved some.

 

Steve R,

What computer code do you have on your 5.4 auto 3.73?
Thanks

 

I know it sounds stupid but where have they stuck the computer? I checked on the pass side kick panel but not there.
Thanks

 

If the goal is the increase MPG, then your trying to save $$. If the chip requires premium fuel which is about 20% more expensive, then the chip needs to provide at least an average increase of 20% or more. So, if your averaging 10mpg, you'll need to chip to average 12mpg, just to break even!

Actually, your not even yet, because you had to dish out $$ for the chip in the first place..

So, if you want more power then the chip is the way to go. In my opinion, the chip will not solve your MPG concerns.

 

Raymond,

The computer is on the driver's side kick panel on the Superduties.

 

Be careful on the chips. Not all Ford dealers are pleasant to deal with once you have the chip installed. Buddy of mine had one and then needed some warranty work - dealer said the chip voided the warranty and would not work on the vehicle anyway until the chip was removed (wrong codes showing up on the engine analyzer). Not saying don't do it - just be cautious and maybe check with the dealer. You are hot-rodding your truck and not all dealers will honor a warranty on a hot-rod.

 

I can get my 2 cents worth in here.

I have a 99 F250SD V10. I installed a Superchip last summer. The reasons for installing the chip were.

1. firm up the lousy shift points in the tranny
2. increased power
3. mileage increase if any

I can definately say that I have achieved 1 and 2
but NOT 3. No mileage gain whatsoever. But I am sold on the performance gains.
A friend of mine bought the same truck as me, but a 2000 (310hp vs 275 hp). We raced twice and I was able to beat him both times!

Now for the warranty issue. The dealer I bought my truck from is installing Superchips at the dealer, so he will not void the warranty, however, I had some work done at another dealer. While there, i had a great discussions on cips with the service manager. He said that they would void the warranty on ceratin items if a chip was installed. Most of his reasoning was due directed at the powerstrokes. He said that they have a numerous diesels with chips that either lost compression in cylinders or had transmission problems. They were attributing those problems to the chips. His reasoning was that the performance gains were to extreme and the engines and drivetrains could not handle it. I did ask him about chips inthe gas engines, and he said they have never really had an issue with the gas motors, just diesels.
The moral of the story? Remove the cip when you go in for service. It is a 10 second task.

mike
99 F250SD SC V10 Superchip, 2" superlift,35x12.50 BFG Mud Terrains

 

If you switch your superchip out with the stock chip before going into the dealer for service, can the dealer tell that you previously had a superchip. Any tattle-tale codes stored anywhere?

Will the superchip work ok with 89.5 octane ethanol fuel. Some areas the 89.5 ethanol is as high as you can get.


Scott

 

The code on my door is MER4. Hope this is the right number.
Ray

 

Okay, here is my experience and 2 cents on dealers. All dealers are inherently bad to start with. They are there to make money and do not treat normal people right. Every dealer that I have ever gone to has been bad to start with. However, after having a talk with a the service manager and the service writers. Things tend to work out great. The key to getting good service is to establish a good relationship with the service manager and the service writers. It is very important that the people at the dealer understand that you expect perfection, great service, and respect in both directions. It is also important that they understand that you are educated on the problems and expected operations of the vehicle. It is important that they feel that you are a friend and that they want to keep it that way. I know all of the parts people, service writers, most Mechs, and the service manager.

Let me site and example: when I first moved to Maryland I took my ’95 Cobra into the local dealer to have a TSB performed to correct a vibration in the steering wheel. I had been working on the problem for a year in a half before Ford finally came up with a fix. Anyway, I had the TSB # and the appointment all set up. I dropped the car off in the morning and at about 2 PM I called to see how things where going and was informed that they would not work on the car at all since it had lowering springs, Cobra R rims, and Steeda sway bars. I immediately went across the street to the dealer and talked to both the service writer and the service manager. Informed them that the parts where SVO and installed at a dealer. I also told them that the problem existed in stock form and has gotten better with the after market products. The manager quickly said that it would not be a problem and they performed the TSB. From that day forward I never had a problem with the service department again. They were always eager to help, took special car of me and the car, and never questioned a warrantee issue. This was specially helpful since I had a supercharger and extensive mods on the car. They performed many repairs for me at a reduced cost that were not warrantee issues. They even asked me if I would like to use one of there service bays on Sat. when I needed a lift for certain changes.

They new that I autocrossed and road raced the car and still performed warrantee work on the suspension/transmission.

At this point when I get my truck, an after market chip would not phase the dealer at all. However, they expect me to work with them in the PD work. If there is a trouble code in the engine they would expect me to remove the chip and see if the problem went away. This is were building a relationship with the dealer is critical, so the trust is there. I have been able to gain this type of service/relationship at 3 different dealers over the last 5 years. Maybe I am lucky but I feel that everyone can gain a great deal better service if they work the dealer a little. It is a well know trick of the BMW club to give the service manager, service writes, and Mechs. a box of donuts, this goes a long way to improving you service level.

Hope this helps people get better service. Greg

 

>Raymond,
>
>Something doesn't sound right. I've
>got a '00 SD F250
>CC 4x4 6.8L automatic with
>4.30 gears and I'm getting
>about 11 mpg with under
>2,000 miles on the truck.
> My miles are all
>2wd non-tow miles, about 2/3
>freeway and about 10 mph
>above the speed limit.
>All things being equal, you
>should be getting better mileage
>than me.
>
>Maybe you've installed taller tires and
>haven't adjusted your calculation accordingly,
>or you tow a lot,
>or you drive like a
>bat out of hell, or
>???.

i just got my 2000 250 4x4 i have 373 gears and i am getting 13 mpg now and i only have 450 mile s on truck maybee it will get worse but so far it is better than my old 88,