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November 2004 Issue

Power Play

Hypertech: Performance Made Easy

story by Steve Temple

Remember how things used to be? When you wanted to boost performance to climb a grueling grade or slog through a mud bog, you had to pop the hood and fiddle with the carburetor’s jets and settings. Thanks to improvements in technology, those sorts of mechanical hassles can be mere memories in the hearts of old-timers. All today’s generation of performance addicts have do is plug a Hypertech Power Programmer into the diagnostic connector of their late model pick-ups and presto: You’ve changed the factory settings on your vehicle’s computers and custom-tuned the powerplant for more torque and horsepower.

Is it magic? Sometimes it’s easier to just chalk it up to that, unless you’ve got a degree in computer technology and automotive engineering. But it’s really not that tough to understand if you’ve got the help of the likes of Amy Faulk, Jim McFarland and Marla Moore from Hypertech.

We should start at the beginning, though, with Mark Heffington, Hypertech’s president. Armed with a degree in mechanical engineering, Heffington launched Cam Dynamics, a high-performance and racing-engine camshaft company, in the 1970s. He sold Cam Dynamics in the early 1980s and began consulting on camshaft design and engineering.

Heffington was working with General Motor’s Buick Motor Division at the same time that the concept of computer-controlled engines was on the horizon. With his aftermarket background, he realized that computer-controlled tuning could seriously impact the industry. From that realization, Hypertech was born in 1985 and the first Power Chip was on the market in the spring of 1986. The company’s range of offerings has since grown to a wide range of performance-enhancing products, but the key one is still the Power Programmer.

That’s easy to understand, given the factory settings on most production vehicles. Granted, for some light truck drivers, there’s not much motivation to tinker with the engine. The factory-installed set of compromise parameters, such as shift points, timing, rev limits, etc., are usually adequate enough for everyday, on-road non-adventurous driving. So why bother to re-tune the engine if you’re not putting any extraordinary pressure on the powerplant?

For off-road enthusiasts, or those herding a tow vehicle loaded with dirt toys to the trailhead, those compromised parameters just won’t hack it. Off-road and tow vehicles both come under the heading of “performance,” whether its blasting up sand dunes or stomping on the go pedal to hit freeway speeds while hauling a full load. Not only that, some of the most common off-road upgrades, such as oversized tires and altered gearing, totally confound the stock computer tuning and require some tweaking of the software. More on that later.

“The factory tuning makes compromises for variations in quality of fuel and standard driving patterns,” explains McFarland. “But there are those drivers who subject the vehicle to conditions for which the tuning has not been optimized, who demand more from their vehicles than the average driver.” And that’s where computer upgrades or re-programmers can be of significant value.

The Hypertech Power Programmer’s list of features is a menu from which the vehicle owner can choose. What you end up with after installation is custom, optimized tuning, just as if you’d twiddled with the carb and distributor in the days of yore.

Speaking of installation, you definitely don’t need a graduate degree or high-tech brain to handle the process. Simply plug the programmer into the diagnostic connector under the dash and answer a couple of questions with a “Yes” or “No.” Then just kick back and let the Power Programmer download the power tuning software and store the stock parameters so you can restore the factory tuning whenever you’d like such as taking your vehicle in for service. That’s all there is to it.

Here’s a run-down on what the Hypertech Power Programmer can adjust on your vehicle:

More horsepower and torque — let’s face it, who wouldn’t appreciate a boost in both? We all know that the engine’s performance is dependent on the amount of air/fuel mix it can burn. For gasoline-fueled vehicles, the Programmer optimizes ignition timing and air/fuel ratios for an increase of 10 to 20 hp (more depending on the make and model of the vehicle) and a torque increase hovering around 30 lb.-ft (again, depending on the vehicle). To put the power increase in perspective, the gain translates into up to three seconds quicker acceleration from 0 to 70 mph, giving you plenty of merging time onto the freeway. (You should check the Hypertech website for specific power curves and gains.)

If you’ve added an aftermarket air cleaner or cat-back exhaust system, two of the most common upgrades, and weren’t sure you could tell the difference in performance, there’s a reason. The stock computer doesn’t know you’ve added the upgrades and continues to plod along with its original power parameters. Once you’ve power-tuned your engine, these performance enhancements from the cleaner and exhaust should come shining through.

Improved shifting/recalibrated speedometer/odometer

The Power Programmer can also increase automatic transmission line pressure for firmer shifts, reducing the slippage and tranny oil temperatures. Another advantage, in addition to a firmer feel during shifts, is a longer-lasting transmission.

The programmer also gives you the option of adjusting the shift points for better acceleration. The big plus of shift adjustments will be realized by off-roaders with larger-diameter tire/wheel packages.

“A factory transmission only knows the shift points for stock equipment,” McFarland points out. “The OE computer tuning is programmed for a certain road speed based on wheel speed. A bigger set of tires will get you from point A to point B faster; but the tranny shifts too early for the road speed and you end up lugging the engine. The Power Programmer re-establishes the relationship between road speed and wheel speed.”

The same is true of altered rearend gear ratios. The original computer settings may upshift too soon or hold a gear too long. The re-tuned computer gives you shift points that match engine speed and load for maximum efficiency. Along those same lines, oversized tires and non-stock gear ratios impact your odometer and speed readings. Manufacturers suggest, and the law requires, that you make the necessary adjustments to your speedometer and odometer. If you get caught in a speed trap, using that innocent protest, “But officer, my speedometer read something much more legal than your radar shows, gosh, maybe it’s because I’ve got oversized tires,” just doesn’t work. Believe us, we’ve tried it.

3-Stage Performance for Diesels

With Hypertech Power Programmers, you can select what level of performance you need. This feature is especially critical for tow vehicles which are driven under maximum load, up and down steep grades, or empty and cruising the freeway.

Using the Power Programmer for 2001 to 2004 GM 6.6L Duramax diesels as an example, the driver can opt for Stage 1, protecting the engine under the most extreme operating conditions in terms of heat and load, and still see an increase of 56 horsepower.

The next notch up, Stage 2, calibrated for continuous high engine loads (towing up a steep, long grade) generates a 77+ horsepower increase.

Stage 3, with a 96+ horsepower increase, delivers the best performance under virtually all driving conditions.

It’s important to note that Hypertech goes to great lengths to monitor critical exhaust gas temperatures (EGTs) and deliver tuning that is safe for all stages of power. No disclaimers or transfers of liability are required to use all levels of power provided.

Dual Fuel Tuning for Gasoline Engines

Vehicles are tuned for a specific octane level of fuel. Low-compression engines are designed to run on regular and putting premium in the tank won’t increase performance. You’re basically burning money with no return on your investment. Higher compression engines have to use higher octane gasoline. With the Power Programmer, you select your engine’s fuel option and you get optimum performance. In other words, for regular gasoline engines, you get the same performance enhancements you thought you’d get by pouring high-priced premium into the tank. Hypertech’s exclusive “87 Max” tuning is the only tuning available to optimize the performance of regular grade fuel, providing the most power obtainable with low-compression engines without the added cost of premium.

RPM Rev Limiter and Top Speed Limiter Adjustments

These parameter changes impact high-performance street machines more than the typical off-road vehicle or tow vehicle. But if you’re into high-speed desert racing or look for the straightest line up the mountainside, listen up. The stock computer is a killjoy, shutting down the engine when it hits redline. That’s not a bad thing since the alternative could be a burnt out engine. But if you’ve added performance upgrades that allow the engine to safely exceed its pre-programmed rev limit, the Power Programmer opens up the wonderful world of beyond-red-line. Your engine now has access to the kind of power only available at high rpm.

Adjustments to the top-speed limiter come into play for off-highway competition. The engine is programmed to shut down when the speed exceeds the stock tire’s speed-rating. For vehicle’s equipped with speed-rated tires, that’s a drag. The difference is significant, ranging from the T rating (a maximum speed of 118 mph) to the infamous Z-rated tires (good for as much as 149 mph, if not more). For off-roaders or tow vehicles, this top end is irrelevant, but it’s fun to think about, especially if you’re toying with idea of running Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Now that you’ve decided you can’t enjoy life without a Hypertech Power Programmer, the good news is the company manufactures programmers for a broad range of rigs, from diesel tow vehicles to almost every light truck and Jeep on the market. So, if you’ve ever found yourself pining for the good old days of backyard tuning by the seat-of-your-pants, don’t give it a second thought. Now you can achieve far more performance with a minimum of hassle, and without even opening your hood.

Buy Hypertech Products from www.4wheelparts.com.

 

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