I was talking to a fellow co-worker this morning and during conversation I mentioned that our Dually was a little slow going up steep hills with the lqtrs trailer in tow.  He mentioned the Superchip thing.  

Any opinions?

windwalker2, I think that Superchips makes a good unit and is user friendly. There are literally hundreds of aftermarket chips available to change the parameters of your diesel engine in your truck. I'm a little partial to Superchips since my mechanic uses that particular brand and he can use anything he wants. I do most of the work on our trucks myself, but when I get in over my head I take our trucks to him, whether it's our work truck or the newer pleasure truck. He likes the Superchip for the price, user friendly, horsepower options and you can easily return the truck to it's original parameters. I haven't had the need to up the hp in our diesel yet, since it does a pretty good job like it is. Our truck has a manual tranny and comes with about 25 more hp than a truck with an automatic tranny. If I decide to up the hp, it will be with a Superchip upgrade. Anyone else I talk to seems to think that "Edge" and "Bullydog" make really good units. The "Edge" is a little on the pricey side, but gives you a LOT of options, like "programming on the fly."  "Bullydog" is sort of in the middle, but is capable of giving you some serious horsepower, but there are some disadvantages to having that much horsepower. If I ever upgrade to the Superchip option on our truck, it will probably be the mildest setting. They claim that you will get better milage, smoother idling and so on. I'd like to have another 25 hp and 2 more mpg if possible, but like I said earlier, it's not a big deal for me right now.

By the way neighbor, what are you towing with?

Happy trails.

Hello Deranger......

First off, we have a "gas" dually. We only use that truck for towing the horse trailers and it sit's 99% of the time. We tow a 3h lqtr's Super Chief Cherokee. ( I think that's what it's called).  It's a little slow going up steep hills. ( Personally, I don't give a rat's rear end if the traffic behind us get's annoyed.) but a little more power would be nice. That's why I was questioning this chip thing.  They say it will give it some extra power.......

Okay Reg, in your opinion,,,,,,,,,should we purchase one? 

We sell Superchips and Edge. Superchips bought out Edge. That should cause a price increase, we'll see. Edge has a power advantage, but I view Superchips as safer. There are a lot of extreme diesels in Colorado with 1000#'s of torque. I've seen a few Ford trucks with the Edge in the top setting in Ford service centers with major engine damage. There are safety triggers in most of the programmers and downloaders to defuel when EGR's or boost or some other perimeter are passed. The newer Flashpaq Superchips is programmable from the Internet. So when up updates or changes from the OEM come out, you just download the latest program.

The best I've seen in improved mpg is from the Edge EZ. But I've only seen it do this with Cummins. Several folks I know with a 4 mpg improvement, which is huge. When you do add a module (Edge) or a downloader (Superchips), you need to monitor turbo heat and it's good to add a free flow exhaust and cold air intake. To use more fuel and injector timing efficiently you need more air and the exhaust needs more room too. It takes 18,000 gallons of air for each gallon of diesel. Diesels suck in a good way.

Reg, I don't think for a minute that any of us neophites are stupid enough to think there is anything magic about getting a 4-5 mpg increase by changing the parameters of a computer controlled diesel engine. 

So please help us neophites understand how the "magic effeciency factor" does not occur when we get an increase in fuel effeciency by using a product from say.........Superchips? 

From what you said, "more power out, requires more fuel in" right?  Soooooooooo lets get skippy and splain where the magic is?

Wait! I've got it! Your retirement fund is completely invested in Exxon?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? That's got to be it! Right? And you don't want us to use the aftermarket chips to get the extra mpg's right? It took me awhile, but I think I got it. Happy trails.

I'm using a Superchips Max Microtuner on my PowerStroke and I like it fine, I really like that it "talks" to your transmission at the same time that it's "talking" to your engine 'puter.  A lot of the "chips" just deal with the engine and don't change any transmission setting as where the programers do.  I honestly did NOT notice an increase in mpg's. in fact I lost about 1.5-2 mpg's during "around town" driving.  I also opt for the safe route, and leave mine on the "tow-safe" setting which is the lowest setting, but supposed to be good for as much weight as the truck is rated for, the "performance-tow" setting is good for wagons up to 6,000#'s, and the "performance" setting is NOT to be used for towing ANTHING.  Any how that's my experience with the Superchips reprogramer FWIW.

  Talk to y'all later...

Reg, I don't think this is that hard to figure out from where I'm standing. If we buy a product and start "wildly" exceeding the builders design, we pay the price. If we choose to modify a product for better performance, or personal preference we are still taking a risk, but it is a more controlled risk and not "wildly" exceeding the original limitations of the product.

When we change the parameters of a computer on a diesel engine, we are taking a risk. I haven't changed mine yet, but there is a good possibility that I may do so in the future. But only after careful consideration of the "cost/benefits ratio" since I operate on a very tight budget.

When we change or reprogram a diesel computer we are usually asking the computer to control the engine more to our liking, or more customized to our praticular use. The builder produces a product that will operate relatively well at the equater or the arctic. I'm asking my diesel to operate in a narrower band of use. There for I should gain a higher use and effeciency.

Happy trails.

I don't know about these "CHIPS"

My vet put a chip in My horse..

But I cant see any improvement.

Maybe he put it at the wrong end? Or maybe he misunderstood and installed a "micro-chip" instead.  Geesh, these vet's should pay more attention, don't ya think?

I think you are taking the wrong approach by having your vet install chips in your horse. I install mine myself and years of experimenting I think I've hit on what works. I tried "potatoe chips" and got maginal increases in milage, smoother running, but about the same on exhaust fumes.

THEN I tried "sweet potatoe chips" and man you can't believe the difference!!! Milage increased right away! I couldn't believe how smooth those horses were running and cut WAY back on the exhaust fumes as well!

I suggest you stop using the vet to install your chips. If you are not completely satisfied with the results, send a SASE to your vet and ask for your money back. Happy trails.

Sweet potatoe chips mmmmmmmm.

Worth a try,especialy if I can cut down on emissons.

Do My part for the ozone level.

One for My horse one for Me,one for my horse,one for me.repeat till bag is empty.

Untill I can get some of them chips I will have to use alternative methods to move My stock.

Pretzels may work.   My buckskin love's em.  Although it does create a problem when were on the trails.  He seems to know when I'm eating them................he'll turn his head constantly wondering why I haven't given him his share........kinda causes the forward motion to slow down a bit.............but maybe I could attach a pretzel to a string, then attach it to a crop and dangle it in front of his "face" while were on the trails.  Now that should keep him going forward at a pretty good clip......

What do you think?