I recently purchased a 2004 F250 4x4 crew cab with a 5.4 and 3.73 gearing. I'm considering buying the Superchips 1815 to help with fuel economy and power for towing a 6000# boat. Is this going to be money well spent and will I see a definate improvement. Does anyone have some real numbers for HP and TQ gains with a 99-04 5.4 liter using the Superchips programs?

Also, I read that the stock programming must be installed to begin the tuning process. How do I determine if I have the stock program? For all I know, the previous owner may have changed the program. I'm assuming it has to go the dealer. Thanks for any help

 

Let me know if you get an answer to your question, I have similiar requests. For a 05 F 250 with the 5.4l. I'm wondering if there might be a different forum with tech savvy fellers on it...

 

I wouldn't spend a dime on a Superchips tuner. Only SCT or Diablosport gets my money. Either tuner can be loaded with a tune from a delaer and can be used on another truck in the future if you trade your truck in. I recommend the XCal3 because I don't like having a unit like the livewire where everyone can see it.

The biggest improvement on 87 will be in allowing wide open throttle fuel enrichment and adjustments made to the shift strategy and torque converter lockup. With an economy tune you can pick up a very small amount of mpg but nothing spectacular. You'll get the most power out of 93 fuel but the gains arn't too shabby on 87 either.

Good info here and he knows the modular motors well. Got a 5.4L V8 Ford F150-F250-F350-E Series Van?

How do I determine if I have the stock program?

There is a strategy code that should tell you. The tuner will save the tune that is in the truck to the unit.

 

I have the XCAl3 and see a big difference in low end power ( power at take off). I am running a 93 tune and saw no increase in MPG. Worth the money for power increase

 

I have the Superchips 1815 in mine, and you will not pick up enough MPG increase to write Mom about. As for the torque/hp increase...kinda the same thing. It's noticeable, especially the Tow setting, but as noted, you have to use 93 octane. IF you don't, your engine will knock on acceleration. I picked up my Superchip fairly cheap, and would not recommend it unless you could get it cheap.

As for the "stock" "they" are referring to, I think the mean in the Superchip device itself. In other words, the chip must be returned to stock (they must reset their programming to stock before the chip can be used in another truck). Mine was, and I made sure it would install before I handed money to the guy I got mine from.

I got my best performance increase when I put in my 4.30 gears. That with the Superchip really beefed things up. But with anything you do as far as the chip alone, you're not going to see any siginifcant increases, either hp/torque or gas mileage. Just too much truck for that engine.

Quill, your's is going to be different because you have the 3V 5.4L with the already increased HP/Torque. You will have a different chip as well.

 

I think it's a truck by truck thing. The 1815 really woke my turd up and I give it nothing but praise. The MPG increased by 2 but then again it was only getting 8 when I got it.

 

Thanks for the replys. I would have to say that I am suprised at how quick my F250 is with the 5.4 in such a heavy truck. The only thing I can compare it to was my 98 Expedition with the 5.4, and my 04 definately has better throttle response and acceleration than my Expedition did. I've been reading posts about guys able to turn the tires over with the 5.4. I seems to me like it would take a lot more than 260 stock HP to turn over the tires in a straight line with an F250 crew cab with a 3.73 limited slip and automatic transmission. Am I missing something here, is there more potential through tuning for my motor? My truck has decent pick up, but it certainly doesn't turn over the tires. Thanks again

 

Check out Mike at 5-star tuning, username is "fordmdb" here. He's an SCT dealer, a sponsor, and a great guy to deal with.

His usual recommendation is a custom tune (or three total) with an SCT X3.

 

I just traded in an '04 F150 Supercrew with the 5.4L and I had run the 87 octane Superchip for about 4 years. I remember when I first tuned it for the 93 octane, it made some difference that I could feel mainly in the shifts. When gas went up so much, I changed the tune to 87 octane and I couldn't tell much difference. About a week before I traded it in, I reprogrammed back to the stock program. I drove it for a week, and it felt sluggish and I couldn't hardly stand it. Felt VERY slow and sluggish.

I think you would like the tuner. I don't know about the other brands, but I know a lot have been improved since I bought mine. I would think it would definitely be worth it in a F250 5.4L.

I traded my F150 in for a F250 diesel about 1 month ago and I'm very happy now. Good luck.

And what a previous poster said is true about the stock program. That only matters if you take it to the dealer for work and they reflash it. If you had another program in there other than stock, you would need to send the tuner back in for reprogramming. And it's not cheap. So just be sure to reprogram with the stock program before you take it in for work and you'll be fine.

ETA: I also had a K&N intake and single-in Dual-out flowmaster exhaust, and I'm sure that helped, too.