Performance Chip Warning

[jaybyrd]

A friend has an 02 explorer and put a superchip in it. After a couple months his transmission went. So he took out the chip and reset the computer and had it towed to the ford dealer. He then recieved a call from the dealer telling him the cost was coming out of his own pocket because he had been using a chip at unrecommeded engine levels which in their opinion had contributed to the premature deterioration of his trasmission under stressed shifting. Apparently if you have used a chip and reset the computer after removing it the EEC still keeps an eeprom memory of any attempts to alter the computers operation.

Take it for what you will, maybe its just on the newer explorers but he's out over $2K and not real happy about deciding to use a superchip.

 

[jssong]

i think thats true for the newer explorers,, i thought it was only 03 and up.. but maybe later 02's as well. but im not sure

 

[aldive]

Brian, please comment on this.

 

[Explorer46L]

So why is it just '02s and up that have problems with this? The new Explorer has an incredible transmission and the engine is the best that Ford has ever used in an Explorer.

 

[jssong]

i remember something like this from a thread before, how the 03s ecus were somehow taking information in and storing it, so that techs could see how the car was being driven, and just info on how the ecu is processing. if a chip is inserted and used, the ecu takes info of it, and the tech can see whether or not a chip was used. but dont quote me on this, i just remember reading something like this on a previous thread. i am almost positive that it said 03 and up

 

[Robert]

Have your friend call SuperChip's toll free number on the card that should have came with his chip. Mine came with a post card that stated if my dealer ever refuses warranty service due to the installation of my SuperChip to call them for assistance. I have heard that somewhere around '02 on the Explorers that they have a lot more capabilities with regards to data extraction than the older ones.

Al, you shouldn't need to worry about it. On the EEC-V from '01 and earlier, when a fault is triggered their are only about 10 parameters that get recorded. RPM is one of them but unless your failure occured at an RPM higher than Ford designed into your engine they don't really have a way of finding out you had a chip in there unless you told them, left it in or left signs on your PCM.

 

[Smurfslayer]

If you choose to run a chip, to increase performance, often times what the chip program contains is a line pressure increase in the trans to 'firm up' the shifts - what we used to do with a valve body. Increasing the 'line pressure' strains the trans pump beyond capabilities, and will prematurely fail it.

This is a BIG issue with the Lightning, because the Lightning trans can handle 500 foot pounds of torque. Stock, it has 450, and for less than $1k, any Lightning can put out over 500 (crank) foot pounds. The Lightning uses a torque reduction in the 1-2 shift and a number of custom chip tuners eliminate this & increase the line pressure. The Lightning trans is a modified powerstroke trans... and the increased line pressure is a known Lightning trans killer.


Anyway, the chip's 'evidence' may be removed by a scan tool, simply removing the chip & resetting the computer by disconnecting the battery isn't enough.

Nevertheless, IF the pump in the trans was fried, I'll bet the tech would've pulled the computer to check for evidence of chip installation...

 

[rgiles]

Jaybird, I'm guessing he had a V8 because Superchips doesn't make one for the V6 yet correct?

Thanks for the warning. Let us know how it turns out if he gets superchips involved.

 

[Black Magic]

The whole chip/warranty issue is a real pain in the A$$!

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by rgiles
Jaybird, I'm guessing he had a V8 because Superchips doesn't make one for the V6 yet correct?

Thanks for the warning. Let us know how it turns out if he gets superchips involved.

Contact Brian at Apten Chips, he should be able to help you.

I can't say enough good about his customer service and his product.

 

[Rick]

Our computers are becoming more like black boxes in aircraft recording various paramaters which can help clear the auto manufacturer of blame in accidents.

I was told by a Ford engineer that the new computers will record the speed, rpm, Gs upon impact and other bits of info that they can then put together to help prove that Ford was not negligant in it's design in severe accidents. They are trying to use our own $30k cars against us.

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by Smurfslayer
. . . If you choose to run a chip, to increase performance, often times what the chip program contains is a line pressure increase in the trans to 'firm up' the shifts - what we used to do with a valve body. Increasing the 'line pressure' strains the trans pump beyond capabilities, and will prematurely fail it.
. . .

My SuperChip increased my line pressure from 25 PSI to 28 PSI at idle (I never paid much atention to it under throttle though). My chip has been in for the last 60K miles (3 1/2 years) and the operation of my transmission hasn't changed a bit. In fact I won't even tow my tent trailer without it because my transmission shifts way too slowly. I would am more concerned about failures without the chip installed than I am with it installed. Less slipping is a good thing. More line pressure can also be a bad thing if over done. I don't think my chip over does it though.

 

[dejello]

Originally posted by Rick
They are trying to use our own $30k cars against us.

Hmm... You think those newer computers are upping the price some too?

 

[Black Magic]

We should sue for a violation of our privacy!

 

[DeagleDave]

so i'm guess the guys with the old Xploders are pretty safe right? specially those of us with the 5spd manuals, right?

 

[james t]

to add to what Rick said, i also read a while back that in the future, it is a possibility that the computer will record speed/g's etc. and transmit the data straight to the police computer on the same frequency as pager's.
in other words, there will be a repeater posted on every speed limit sign. this repeater will send signal to car that the speed limit is 55 mph. the car will compare this data with the fact that you are doing, say 70 mph. if you are over the limit for a pre-determined time, it will transmit the data to the police and you will get a ticket in the mail.

obviously, this is just a conspiracy theory. but it is possible, and it can be "eased in" by preparing us with things like the data record we have now on '02 and newer cars...

i cant remember were i read this article, but i laughed at first and then realized that further down the road it COULD happen.

 

[Jason_25]

Originally posted by Smurfslayer
If you choose to run a chip, to increase performance, often times what the chip program contains is a line pressure increase in the trans to 'firm up' the shifts - what we used to do with a valve body. Increasing the 'line pressure' strains the trans pump beyond capabilities, and will prematurely fail it.

See, this is what worries me about getting a chip. Making the tranny do what it was never designed to do. I would love to get a new chip (just for tranny shifting) but If stuff like that is gonna happen, I would rather not.

 

[Robert]

Jason, the whole point of the chip is to make your entire drivetrain do something it wasn't designed to do. It changes your air/fuel ratio, lets your engine rev higher, shifts your transmission at higher RPMs, increases the line pressure and several other things that are outside of normal operating parameters. The question is whether or not it increases them to outside of safe levels. All manufacturers design components to withstand forces higher than what they should normally see. The last 60K miles of my 97K miles have been with my SuperChip in. Engine still runs strong, gets better mileage than new and shifts perfectly.

 

[Rick]

Most automatic transmissions are purposely designed to shift too soft. Most soccer moms don't want a firm shift. They want a"stepless" shift where they don't feel a thing. Trouble is a soft shift means clutch slippage, which leads to excessive tranny fluid temps, which leads to premature failure...

Decreasing shift overlap, (quicker shifts) will increase the life of a transmission that's still in good shape.

 

[Xplodor]

Never thought about it that way. Any recommendations on fixing that? Is it a seperate module, or would we reprogram the comp?