Chip contest

[Sludgy]

I've been fascinated with installing a chip in my Powerstroke, particularly since my mileage has been so bad this winter. The last time I went that route, I installed a Granatelli Mileage Miser. The truck ran like a P.O.S., and the mileage got WORSE. I took it out.

Still, the Hypertech ads are too enticing to stop at Granatelli. They claim 2-6 mpg improvement. I'm going to try a Hypertech chip as soon as I can trot down to the dealer. The Blue Beast has a decent set of mileage data, so the results ought to be obvious. I plan to average the first 5 tankfuls, so the test will take over a month. I'll let you know when the test tanks start.

I'll send a $25 check to the guy that guesses the MPG improvement most closely, compared to the current gaslog, 17.96 mpg. Negative gueses are allowed.

[Big Dave]

Commercially available chips might help a little if you have a really egregious fuel hogs, but idoubt it will help much.

Commercially available chips do advance injection and that helps efficiency but generally their fueling ""ramps" are so steep as to make it impossible to keep EGT down.

Everyone I've tried resulted in WORSE MPG. Today I run a one-of-a-kind custom-burned special MPG chip and it only gained me 0.75 MPG.

[DRW]

What's the weather like in your part of the country?

[SD26]

My MPG did get better. Ran it on the lowest setting, Super Chips Micro Tuner, and that added 100 ft/lbs of torque. Great for getting moving from a stop and to maintain momentum on the interstate with small throttle openings.

The trick is that they become more fun to drive, and that sometimes causes one to use the throttle a bit more often...

[Sludgy]

Originally Posted by DRW

What's the weather like in your part of the country?

It's the Boston, MA area. We got a lot of snow and cold last month. Better now in January.

[lovemysan]

I guess I'll draw first blood. 19.5mpg

[101mpg]

I'm guessing 18.4 mpg.

[Red]

20.2 Mpg

[Erik]

How else could a chip help a diesel engine except tweaking the injection timing? Or maybe advancing automatic transmission shift points?

Since diesels run ultra lean (unless you floor it), it seems like they ought to be pretty hard to improve on for mpg (without changing mechanical parts).

[lovemysan]

Originally Posted by Erik

How else could a chip help a diesel engine except tweaking the injection timing? Or maybe advancing automatic transmission shift points?

Since diesels run ultra lean (unless you floor it), it seems like they ought to be pretty hard to improve on for mpg (without changing mechanical parts).

It could better control the torque convertor. Our PSD doesn't shift out of first until 2k rpms.

[DRW]

I'll go out on a limb and guess it'll change by -1.75, or 16.21mpg average.

[SD26]

In the same conditions as your 17.96 MPG, I say you'll gain .8MPG to about 18.76 MPG.

[Sludgy]

Originally Posted by Erik

How else could a chip help a diesel engine except tweaking the injection timing? Or maybe advancing automatic transmission shift points?

Since diesels run ultra lean (unless you floor it), it seems like they ought to be pretty hard to improve on for mpg (without changing mechanical parts).

I can think of at several reasons why a chip might help my diesel:

The Powerstroke is a turbodiesel with variable turbocharger vanes. Ford has those variable vanes set at a highly restrictive setting at low RPM to keep the boost up. I suspect it's mostly for better throttle response, or perhaps NOx control. At any rate, this high boost condition causes a lot of exhaust backpressure and pumping losses. Opening up the vanes for a given fueling rate will cause lower air pumping losses.

Second, the chip might allow more torque at low RPMs. This would allow the auto tranny to shift into a higher gear.

Third, it might shut the cooled EGR valve. This would both lean out the engine, and reduce the thermal load on the cooling system. The thermostat would close off the flow more and reduce water pumping losses.

Neener

[SD26]

I believe that it also drives up some of the fuel pressure too since that's all controlled by electronics, even on my old '96.

[Sludgy]

OK, the programmer went in Saturday. I'll keep it in for a month. It's snowing here today, so mileage on this tank will be dreadful. The average of tanks between Jan 11 and Feb 111 will be used to determine the contest winner.

[Erik]

Can you tell any difference in the way it drives/shifts?

[Sludgy]

Originally Posted by Erik

Can you tell any difference in the way it drives/shifts?

So far the shift points seem higher. I've had to feather the throttle to get it to shift into a higher gear.

[maxxgraphix]

I've got one of those tuners from Superchips. MPG sucks as usual. 14 is typical. I used to get 17 but after 120k miles, somethings not right. Runs fine except for the stalling caused by the crappy cam sensors!

I had a Western Diesel chip to start with. The best I know of is the http://www.dp-tuner.com/
Everyone on the Powerstroke forums prefers it.

I should have waited to get one of these. You get more tune options. One is an econo tune.

FYI: If you have an AUTO 4R100 trans, set aside $2500 for a new one. The trans is crap and will fail right after the warranty. It can't handle pulling or tuned motors. That's why the 7.3TD is detuned from Ford. It makes the trans last longer.

[SD26]

Originally Posted by maxxgraphix

Runs fine except for the stalling caused by the crappy cam sensors!

I think there's a global recall on the cam sensors from 1998 to something very recent. Might want to use Google for that information.

I had some sputtering in my '96, and I replaced it with the '98 and up sensor...less expensive, $30 vs $100, and takes ten minutes to replace. Works great.

[Sludgy]

OK, the results are in, and the contest is over. Here is my mileage over the past 5 tanks:

miles diesel
627.4 33.6
497.5 29.505
445.3 29.807
490.7 28.244
484.8 29.248
2545.7 150.404

16.92574666
It looks like DRW is the winner. The truck LOST 1 mpg with the chip. I was careful to stay off the throttle too, drafting semis and such! Does ever aftermarket company lie about mileage? I'm returning the Superchips unit.

DRW, send me a private message with an address, and I'll mail you a $25 check.

[DRW]

WOOHOO!!! I WON!

Sorry about the drop in mileage, my guess was based on lousy wintertime weather. Are you sure the weather didn't have an effect?

I promise I'll use the money for a good cause, probably get a little more coroplast or some screening to complete my underbody cover. Maybe try a rear wing or wheel fairings.

or beer! hahaha

[Sludgy]

Ya gotta send an email with your name and an address to send the check.

[maxxgraphix]

I bet a good way to get better FE on these big PSD's would be to have another gear. Like a 2 speed dif. The first for towing and the second for running unloaded. The higher gear would keep the RPM's down and simply use the tourqe. The truck would feel a bit sluggish off the line, but one rolling you wouldn't notice.

Honestly, these things have more power than is needed. I know that there are kits that provide an extra overdrive. About $4000k for it. Even if it helps FE a little you wouldn't save a $.

[SD26]

Originally Posted by maxxgraphix

Honestly, these things have more power than is needed.

No, just some people aren't pulling enough. And one can't complain about the resale. Back to $$.

[Sludgy]

Originally Posted by maxxgraphix

I bet a good way to get better FE on these big PSD's would be to have another gear. Like a 2 speed dif. The first for towing and the second for running unloaded. The higher gear would keep the RPM's down and simply use the tourqe. The truck would feel a bit sluggish off the line, but one rolling you wouldn't notice.

Honestly, these things have more power than is needed. I know that there are kits that provide an extra overdrive. About $4000k for it. Even if it helps FE a little you wouldn't save a $.

Why doesn't Ford offer a 3.23 or 3.42 diff? The Powertroke has more power than God, it doesn't need 3.73's, or even a 2 speed axle.

[SD26]

Top gear on the E4OD and the R4100's were a .71 ratio. 3.55's are tall if you're gonna pull a 24ft enclosed trailer, or larger, loaded up for any regularity. 3.73's are a nice compromise.

I don't know exactly what the new transmissions have for their top ratio, but I'm betting its very similar to the previous, but it has more gears now than four.

[maxxgraphix]

I've got a Sniper Diesel Tuner kit on the way. I think you can program a lean burn for when you are running unloaded. You can also load a tune into a chip. So this way you can have one in the ECU and one on a chip. Econo / Towing

http://www.snipertuning.com/new/

I'll post back after a few trials.