Perfornance Chip

GasCan II · Sep 10, 2012

Hello;
I have a 2008 Ford F-150 4X4 that I use to Pull my Proline 231 WAC around. I am thinking about installing one of the aftermarket performance chips,but before I do , has anyone used these before ? If so what was the results ?
Thanks !

H20Rat · Sep 10, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

Performance 'chips' on a non diesel or non turbo engine are worthless. They work by screwing with the air temperature reading, making the computer think it is either colder or warmer than it actually is. (they aren't a chip, they are just a resistor) At best, your engine will make SLIGHTLY more power, like 2 horsepower max. At worst, you are risking running your engine lean, and you can guess where that will end. $$$$$$ For a gasoline naturally aspirated engine, there is no easy fix to get more horsepower. You need to make it breath better and get rid of the exhaust more efficiently, a chip will do nothing.

(if you want the full long story, there is actually a really good article on ebay about it... http://reviews.ebay.com/Fake-Modifi...d-quot-Gas-Savers-quot?ugid=10000000001478993 )

And finally, there are performance tuners, not chips, that can help some. In a NA vehicle, most of their benefit will be to firm up and change shiftpoints, again, you aren't going to gain much HP without physical changes. Tuners are not cheap though, expect around $300-$400+ for one. (hypertech and bullydog)

http://www.autoanything.com/performance-chips/61A4442A0A0.aspx
http://www.autoanything.com/performance-chips/61A3637A0A0.aspx

jkust · Sep 10, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

The only chip I know that does anything is not a chip but a reprogrammed pcm on some platforms. Mostly the big difference you notice is the removal of torque management in some vehicle that manage it heavily. I'm betting your truck offers you all the tourque that's available. For example both of my SUV's have the same large v8 that much larger trucks with more robust everything else have. You can reprogram the pcm and be hugely impressed but at the expense of breaking stuff or at least that is the theory. If you tow, you would select less torque management removal. There are companies that specialize in this where they send you a loaner pcm, you install it, send your pcm in, they reprogram it and return it to you to reinstall and send the loaner back.

GasCan II · Sep 10, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

Thanks for the replys' you just saved me some $.
Thanks again !

haulnazz15 · Sep 10, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

For the 2008 F-150, look into a Diablo or a Gryphon programmer. They are NOT "chips", they are actual performance modules that allow you to select between 3 different "tunes" and can be custom tuned by several tuners for your specific truck. The tunes usually include an 87-octane performance tune, an 87-oct towing tune (mainly revised shift points and tq converter lockup), and a 91/93 octane performance tune. These programmers also provide additional gauges, like transmission temperature, etc.

Check out http://www.f150online.com/forums/2004-2008-f-150-80/ for more information on your truck.

jclem · Sep 10, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

I'm hesitant to start messing around with after market programmers and chips. Can't help but think it affects longevity of your truck. I must be fortunate my 2000 GMC half ton is bone stock and pulls my #4,000+ Larson through the hills of Arkansas with no problem. Of course I'm not trying to pull it at 75 mph either. I don't see a reason to pull faster than 60-65 max, I just don't think it's safe. Slow down you'll get there. I'm sure your F150 pulls your Proline around just as well. If you want more power you'll have to feed it more fuel, save that for your boat!

scott8058 · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

Why do you want to add a chip, does it not pull it very well, or trying to get better mileage? I have an 05 f150 fx4 and it pulls my 20ft bayliner like nothings back there, i know its lighter than yours but i can't see your truck having much problem towing yours either. I agree w jclem, 65mph tops when i tow, id rather spend my $ on stability and stopping power than acceleration.....thats what i have my boat for!

kenmyfam · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

Personally I would leave the aftermarket stuff alone. If it was good for your vehicle then it would be factory fitted.
I see this thread is sprouting some more "tows like nothing is back there" posts. :facepalm:

h2odick · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

If you want more towing power, or speed, buy a diesel. Performance tuning your gasoline towing rig is a bad idea. Sorry, but that F150 is still a half ton, with a half ton chassis, and equipment designed for a half ton truck. I like my tow rig as reliable as possible, performance tuning a diesel is one thing.. a half ton gas truck? that you're using for towing, not racing.. yeah, probably not a good idea.

haulnazz15 · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

Well, I only mentioned the programmers above because they have been proven in thousands of 04-08 F-150's. I wouldn't recommend them on other vehicles because I am not familiar with them. The reason they aren't on from the factory is that the factory doesn't provide options for specific driving conditions, it provides a one-size-fits all tune that is well within the engineering safety parameters for the engine/transmission. The programmers do not go outside of those same safety parameters, but they may push closer to the edges of them. They can adjust for a different intake, aftermarket exhaust, efans, etc all with a tune sent to your email after you send them a file created by the programmer which takes inputs (recordings) of YOUR truck's data.

To each their own on whether you want to use one, but they (Gryphon or Diablo) usually get you another 20-30HP & 25-30 ft/lbs of tq at the flywheel for the 5.4L. The throttle response on the 5.4L is also markedly improved. Like I mentioned, research those programmers and see what you come up with.

haulnazz15 · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

h2odick said:
If you want more towing power, or speed, buy a diesel. Performance tuning your gasoline towing rig is a bad idea. Sorry, but that F150 is still a half ton, with a half ton chassis, and equipment designed for a half ton truck. I like my tow rig as reliable as possible, performance tuning a diesel is one thing.. a half ton gas truck? that you're using for towing, not racing.. yeah, probably not a good idea.

That just sounds ridiculous. The 04+ F-150 (or any other modern half ton) is as capable as some of the mid-90's 3/4 tons were a decade ago. You don't need a diesel to tow a 20' boat. You can have great towing power and still be a gasser. Performance tuning on gas engines is much more widely practiced than on diesel engines, and both are successful. The primary difference is that the majority of gas engines don't have turbo chargers they can simply turn the boost up on like most diesels do.

h2odick · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

I didn't realize there was such a huge following of people performance tuning their trucks for means of TOWING. Performance tuning gas engines for racing maybe, but for a truck that spends its life towing? Even tuned diesels can grenade a rear end, or transmission from too much torque, turbos grenade from too much boost.. and you think its a good idea to performance tune a gasser towing vehicle? heh.. see you on the side of the road. Have fun with that. Look - to each his own, but generally, I wouldn't risk an extra 15 hp, or 20 ft lbs of torque for unreliability, on the vehicle that gets not only myself, but my entire family and my several thousand pound load safely to our destination..

haulnazz15 · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

Again, the tunes can be DESIGNED FOR TOWING! Changing shift points to take advantage of the torque, etc, can all make the towing a better experience. If you think the rear end on a half-ton truck is going to grenade from an additional 30-40 foot lbs of torque, then I don't know what to tell you. I'm not sure where you get unreliability, either, as there is no difference in reliability from what I've seen over the past 5+ years of people using them. You are speaking of someone who knows nothing about the units, which is fine, but don't chastise what you don't have knowledge of. Also, most people don't keep a 2008 F-150 just for towing, it's normally a daily driver as well, so getting more performance, sometimes fuel mileage increases, and better throttle response is beneficial for everyday driving as well.

h2odick · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

No of course, changing things from stock factory can never create unreliability. And Im sure you have 24/7 feedback from all the "people using them" for 5+ years in tow vehicle situations. Nobody said the rearend of a half ton truck would grenade from 30 ft lbs. But you can keep arguing with yourself, this thread is veering off topic. Everybody have a great day!

haulnazz15 · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

I have been a very active member on a number of F-150 forums (which is why I feel I can comment about this particular situation). Of course I don't get feedback from people just towing with the custom programmers, but like any other forum, you generally only hear about the bad stuff. On the contrary, 95% of the posts regarding the programmers I mentioned are extremely positive threads. I do not sell, nor do I have any involvement with these programmers (or any other automotive product for that matter), so I have no real stake in this aside from providing some knowledge about this particular truck/subject.

I'm not arguing with myself, and this thread is completely on-topic as it is providing the OP information about the performance "chips" which is an old-school term. Very few "chips" are available, and I absolutely would not recommend any "chip" like Superchips, etc. Smokingcrater was spot-on with his recommendation.

jkust · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

haulnazz15 said:
Again, the tunes can be DESIGNED FOR TOWING! Changing shift points to take advantage of the torque, etc, can all make the towing a better experience. If you think the rear end on a half-ton truck is going to grenade from an additional 30-40 foot lbs of torque, then I don't know what to tell you. I'm not sure where you get unreliability, either, as there is no difference in reliability from what I've seen over the past 5+ years of people using them. You are speaking of someone who knows nothing about the units, which is fine, but don't chastise what you don't have knowledge of. Also, most people don't keep a 2008 F-150 just for towing, it's normally a daily driver as well, so getting more performance, sometimes fuel mileage increases, and better throttle response is beneficial for everyday driving as well.

I think haulnazz15 and I are talking about the same thing. It is very common and the most bang for the buck performance and real results-wise. I agree about possibly affecting longevity but I've known people to tune their 100,000 mile trucks and have them last another 100,000 miles. Of course that is too small a sample to draw a conclusion but anecdotal works for me in this case. One of my suv's was inadvertantly tuned by the dealer under warranty when they replaced the PCM. As it turns out it is my main tow vehicle and the throttle response is markedly better than it was plus I have another identical suv to compare it to. I would have called BS until I experienced it. I don't subscribe to Tuner Monthly and don't dabble in the aftermarket myself but tuning the PCM can yield results.

haulnazz15 · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

Agreed, jkust. I'm not talking about tuning to the extremes and running race fuel. I also don't subscribe to any auto magazines, lol.

h2odick · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

I agree with both of you in the case that a tuner can, does, and will provide benefits. Otherwise no one would use them.
However, you also can't ignore the fact that they also introduce some element of unreliability over stock form.
I also know people first hand that run tunes for many, many miles and have no issues (in trucks, and cars). On the other hand, I also see failures related to computer programming changes in both gasser, and diesel applications. If you want to spend the money on a tuner, go for it.. I surely don't mind. Just as long as you're aware of both the pros, AND cons.

Sidenote: Do I *really* have to go into work today? I don't wanna!

jkust · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

h2odick said:
However, you also can't ignore the fact that they also introduce some element of unreliability over stock form.
I

Absolutley 100% agree. With risk comes the potential for reward or failure. The common sensical feeling in my SUV plaform of which both mine have 5.3 liter v8's but not the same robustness as the trucks that got the same engine is that torque etc was heavily managed to rein in warranty claims. I don't know if that it true or just legend but both the engine options held a lot back. Each has 303 hp and 330 lbs tq which is less than the equivalent engine in Suburban, Tahoe or Yukon.

oldjeep · Sep 11, 2012

Re: Perfornance Chip

One thing to remember is that the modern half ton is equivilant to a 70's/80s 1 ton in terms of frame strength and even the rear ends that are in most of these trucks. Personally I see no reason to mess with a tuner, but my 1/2 ton already has 390hp/407tq and the trans has a tow mode.

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