Apten Chip questions......

[padeerslayer03]

Ok, I`ve been thinking about buying the apten chip for my 93 X, but first I have a few questions about it.

1. Is the basic chip I need the one for around $265-$285??

2. I read that it can give you up to 30 more horsepower...In all honesty, that tells me nothing, because I dont know MUCH about hp and all that, so, would that like be enough extra hp, that you could beat a car in a "race" that you normally coundnt beat? (im not talking a vett or mustang, but within reason).

3. How hard is it to install??

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Go to the group buy forum, they have the Apten Chip web site listed along with the person's email address that sells the Apten Chip. They are the simplest install you can ever do.

If I can do it, anyone can. LOL.

HotDogs

 

[Rhett]

1. I'm not sure of the prices now. You can get a single program chip, 93 octane performance program. I have a dual program chip, where I can flip a switch and go between STOCK, 87 octane perforance, and 93 octane performance. Depends which gas I want to run mainly.

2. First of all don't expect miracles with power on your 4.0 OHV OBD I truck. It's got 160 hp at the engine stock and even with all bolt on mods, including chip, you'll rarely dyno much above 190 hp. That said, when you're at 190 horse you'll notice quite a difference over stock.
If you want to race other similar SUVs, you'll want more mods than just the chip though...
My truck has all the "basic" mods, and I don't generally hot-rod it, but my truck has smoked a few SUVs and ricer wanna-be's on the rare occasions that I need the power. Basically it's got noticeably more power than stock and will open peoples eyes, if you're looking for that.

3. It's easy, the instructions are good, and it takes about 20 minutes.

 

[old mechanic]

The thing that has me not wanting a chip is the fact that I will have to use premium gas! I know that you can buy the dual chip and go back to regular gas. But if I was in a situation that I needed the extra HP and wanted to switch to more HP mode, I would only be able to do that if I used up the regular gas in my tank and added premium to it.
I doubt if any gain in gas mileage would justify the extra cost for premium gas.
But thats just thoughts for my needs!
I can understand you guys that just want that extra HP!
GO GET IT!!!

 

[Purdue72]

I was thinking the same thing "old mechanic". I wonder, and I haven't searched for it yet, how hard it would be to get the "dual" fuel tank setup out of a F-150, so you could switch back and forth..... or better yet tie the switching of the tanks to switching between programs. I thought that would be neat. Not sure it would fit and then I suppose you would add that much extra weight....

 

[Rhett]

Originally posted by old mechanic
The thing that has me not wanting a chip is the fact that I will have to use premium gas!

No, you don't have to run premium gas.
You can have 87 octane PERFORMANCE chip, and get power + use regular 87 octane.

 

[ton_e_montana]

Another selling point to be made is if you have an auto tranny the shift points are drastically improved from what has been reported here by other members. The install requires attention to detail when it comes to cleaning the contacts before installing the chip. Take your time and do it right, its key to your truck running correctly. Otherwise its an easy job.

P.S. To be honest I have 87 and 93 mode and once I felt the 93 mode I have never switched back.

 

[Rhett]

shift points..

Having to run premium gas is a MYTH...

To expand on what was said...With the shift points, you will get very little improvement there with a 1st GEN truck, since the A4LD is not computer controlled. All the chips can do is play around with the torque converter settings, which helps a little, but not as much as with 2nd gen/3rd gen trucks computer-controlled transmissions.

 

[ton_e_montana]

Thanks Rhett for the more detail on the gen 1's. My knowledge of them is very little. So you are saying you do not have to run 93 with a chip?

 

[SGR1600]

You can run whatever fuel you have the chip programed for. You can also get a "dual" chip where there will be a toggle switch so that you can switch between either two performance settings (i.e. 87 and 93 octane) or one performance setting and stock. Very versitile chip, I'm in on the next group buy.

 

[Rhett]

SGR is right; if you want a chip but still want to run 87 octane gas, Apten can do that for you.

If you want it to run 93 octane, they can do that...

If you want to run both octanes, Apten can set you up with a dual program chip where you can hit a switch to run 87 octane, 93 octane, etc. etc.

If you want a "Fuel Economy" program, Apten can do that ...

I sound like an Apten salesman, I had better leave that to Brian H.

 

[old mechanic]

Originally posted by Rhett Browning
SGR is right; if you want a chip but still want to run 87 octane gas, Apten can do that for you.

If you want it to run 93 octane, they can do that...

If you want to run both octanes, Apten can set you up with a dual program chip where you can hit a switch to run 87 octane, 93 octane, etc. etc.

If you want a "Fuel Economy" program, Apten can do that ...

I sound like an Apten salesman, I had better leave that to Brian H.

Hummm! Fuel economy program? I'm going to make a note of that. Thanks!
Also does the chip put any extra strain on the trannie?

 

[Rhett]

Originally posted by old mechanic
Hummm! Fuel economy program? I'm going to make a note of that. Thanks!

Yes, ya might consider an 87 octane fuel economy program. I don't have any fuel saving program on my chip but even so I gained about .5 mpg out of it..

Originally posted by old mechanic
Also does the chip put any extra strain on the trannie?

I don't know. I would have to defer to a tranny expert on that one...
All I can say is my A4LD hasn't blowed up so far. Really the A4LD transmission is barely impacted by a chip, since it's not computer controlled.

 

[MONMIX]

Hmmmmmm a flip chip with dual gas tankes.
Now THAT is a neat idea.

 

[Billy177]

only thing is you have to turn the car off to switch settings

the weight of the second tank would also rob more power than the chio would gain

 

[Purdue72]

yeah I figured the extra weight would be a wash, but then you could keep both just half full.

 

[SGR1600]

Maybe you could replace the one tank with two smaller ones. THere isn't too much room for another tank under the x as it is now.

 

[Billy177]

then again will the cost of this project justify the cost of the premium fuel

 

[Purdue72]

I was just dreaming out loud, which is free.
I was trying to figure out how to get the most of a dual program chip, otherwise why have a "dual" program chip?

 

[Rhett]

Originally posted by Purdue72
I was trying to figure out how to get the most of a dual program chip, otherwise why have a "dual" program chip?

For one, with a dual program chip you can go back to stock program easily (without pulling the chip). Why would you want to go back to the stock program? Offhand I can think of a couple of reasons:
If you are troubleshooting a problem, it is often helpful to go back to stock PCM. If you take it to a dealership for some service, it might also come in handy. If you run a 93 octane program, and the price of gas goes up to $2.50/gallon, you might want to go back to the stock program.