What do you guys make of this?

[DonM]

First I would like to thank Brian from Apten Chip company. For offering such a great product and customer service. He is great.

Now on to my questions...

For the past few years ive posted on here asking you guys about some of the problems ive had with my truck. Basicly the main problem has been with the engine running rough! Ive been writing Jason_25 back in forth over the last year. He is also having the same problem as me. You could say, the exact same problem.

Engine shakes, vibrations are felt thru out the truck. You can feel it in the seat and from the stearing wheel. Some of you may remember my threads from the past?

Ive replaced the IAC(twice), replaced the MAF, all new plugs wires and everything else that could possibly cause the problem I mentioned above. I also tightend down the lower Intake bolts and looked for Vaccume leaks. All though, im not sure if I covered the Vac hoses completey?

So, since installing the "Apten Chip" the engine has smoothed out greatly. It feels almost perfect. The engine ran so crappy, when I drove down the road(any speed) I could feel vibrations. I thought it was shocks, or somthing wrong with the suspention. The whole time, it was the engine.

The other day, I went out for a test drive. Came to the end of my street, waiting for street light to turn green. While waiting, I couldnt notice if the engine was running? I thought it had stalled out, it didn't. That is how much better my truck is running!

Like I said above, the engine is running much better. But it's not perfect, or atleast, I feel it's not perfect.

So my question is, could the Apten Chip finally point me to finding the problem? Im not sure what the Chip has done, but I love it!

Ive allways thought the problem could have been Fuel related, or possibly a Vac leak?

Now after the Chip install, what do you guys think the problem could be? I hat e to bring up the same questions, but the Apten Chip just might narrow things down?

So what are you thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JDraper]

My thought is that Ford probably screwed up the factory chip when they built the truck. They might have had the fuel/air mixture off.

 

[Black Magic]

I am glad to see that the Apten chip helped your problem! Brian is great and the chip is awesome. I agree with what JDraper said.

 

[Alec]

Yup, either not enough fuel or bad spark timing with the stock computer programming. If you're gonna keep running the Apten chip don't worry about it. To fix it you'd want to try a computer reflash of the stock computer.

 

[psychotic]

yep fuel/air mixture or timing was probably off, and the apten chip changes both of those.

 

[DonM]

Originally posted by Alec
Yup, either not enough fuel or bad spark timing with the stock computer programming. If you're gonna keep running the Apten chip don't worry about it. To fix it you'd want to try a computer reflash of the stock computer.

Alec, I hope you guys are right? This has been an on going problem for over two years now! I cant believe somthing so simple could be the cause.

So wait, the Apten Chip is kinda working like an Override now? Yes I do plan to keep the Chip, so wouldnt reflashing the Stock computer help even more?

BTW, if the stock computer is off and having it reflashed would fix it? Any idea, how much a Mech would charge for somthing like that?

Thanks for the input guys, KEEP THEM COMING!


Don

 

[Alec]

Ford will probably charge $150-300 for that, you'd have to have Ford do it.

There is no need though since the chip is overriding the stock programming. As long as the truck runs with the chip out, then don't worry about it.

 

[DonM]

Alec,

Great, that's what I wanted to hear. I can save that $150-$300 for more mods.


Don

 

[DonM]

Bump, anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by DonM
Bump, anyone else have thoughts on this?

I have read some info which says that it is more difficult to ignite a mixture which is slightly lean that when the mixture is at 14.7 to 1 (stoichiometric). However, the emissions will be lower when the mixture is slightly lean. So the car manufacturers may set the idle mixture to be slightly lean for better idle emissions. This may be the origin of the "lean idle missing" or shaking.

Jason_25 had a long thread on rough idle a few months ago, and I offered this as a possible explanation for his problem: Dead Link Removed