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Superchips, Inc. Optimizes Performance
Superchips, Inc. Optimizes the Performance of Your Off-Road Rig
story by Steve Temple
photos courtesy of Superchips
Superchips are available for a broad range of gas-powered and diesel light trucks, from compact pickups to one-ton haulers.
“I-think-I-can-I-think-I-can-I-think-I-can.”
Remember that mantra from “The Little Engine That Could”? How often has it come to mind when you’re cresting a steep grade that’s coated in adhesive mud or wheelwell-deep snow? How often have you muttered those words through clenched teeth, maybe with a few expletives thrown in, as you tow your prized 4x4 to the top of a mountain?
The Little Engine was underpowered and, despite advances in automotive technology, off-road enthusiasts often find that their trucks aren’t up to the adventurous tasks required of them. A downside of technology is that factories often set performance parameters for the everyday commuter — what the industry calls “the average driver.” That’s the guy who’s never been on mountain trails, towed heavy loads, or climbed anything steeper than a strip-mall speed bump. Thanks to quick engine retuning using a Superchips Max, though, that mantra can change into a triumphant “I-can-I-can-I-can.”
As automotive technology becomes more computerized, the skills of shade-tree mechanics become more antiquated — it’s like using an abacus to balance a checkbook. Early computer modules intimidated the generation that relied on wrenches and a good ear to boost performance on carbureted engines.
Now that computers have taken over multiple functions in everyday life, tapping the keypad on a tuning module seems as natural as changing out the jets on a Holley carb. With these advances in technology, simple plug-in modules can fine-tune a much wider range of engine functions to meet specific driving conditions.
Performance gains vary, of course, depending on the application. But a high-end example of the Superchips Max MicroTuner gains is 126.4 more horsepower and 184.4 pound-feet of torque on Ford’s 2004 6.0-liter PowerStroke diesel.
Founded in England more than 20 years ago by Peter Wales, Superchips, Inc. was one of the first companies to recognize the need for tunable computer-controlled vehicles as a means of generating a higher level of performance.
If you think the English automotive realm is limited to little-bitty roadsters that drive on the wrong side of the road, think again. This is the same country that produced Grand Prix legends like Jimmy Clark and Graham Hill — those who dominated road-race circuits and made an impact on the Indianapolis 500. It’s been said that the one sure thing that will bring a Brit to his mechanic is if another Brit passes them on the highway, not minor repairs or cosmetic changes. Speed and performance are as British as pubs and fox hunting.
The initial Superchips were tested and perfected on the track in England. The U.S. office opened in Florida in 1992 and continued this tradition with racing participation and sponsorship.
Currently, the Superchips SuperTeam is wreaking havoc on the competition in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The SuperTeam includes Roush Racing veterans Ricky Craven, Mark Martin, and the next generation of winners, Carl Edwards and Todd Kluever. The four represent Superchips in the Craftsman, Bush, and Nexten Cup Series, finishing last year’s series just short of the championship.
Back to the real world: Do you need a degree in computer and/or automotive engineering to retune your engine? No. The guys who developed the product have the degrees and have used that training to develop a handheld unit that’s no harder than turning on a computer.
A key to Superchips quality is the level of development and testing of each application, with extensive dyno testing to crack and reprogram stock computer codes.
The Superchips’ product is vehicle-specific, so all the horsepower, torque, and other upgrades locked into the Max MicroTuner’s circuit boards are designed for your particular application.
Let’s go over the basic operating procedure in a few simple steps: First, plug the MicroTuner into the diagnostic port of the vehicle computer. That’s the port (usually located under the dashboard) that mechanics use to troubleshoot mechanical problems.
Then Max will ask a series of Yes/No or A/B questions. After you answer them, unplug the Tuner and you’re good to go, with more power and a range of more efficient, smoother-
running parameters. The MicroTuner saves all the stock tuning information so it can be reprogrammed back into the vehicle when you take it in for service.
Improving performance begins by plugging the Max MicroTuner into diagnostic port of vehicle’s computer, usually located under the dashboard.
Superchips are available for a broad range of gas-powered and diesel light trucks, from Ford Ranger-size to super-duty haulers. Depending on the application, the MicroTuner gives the driver three tuning options.
The first option, identified as the 87 Octane for gas engines and Tow Safe for diesels, provides minimum engine tuning, but firms up the transmission shift points and other options, such as increased top speed limiter and rev limiter, along with calibration for changes in tire size and gear ratio.
The next option up the performance scale, 91-93 Octane Towing or Performance Tow, tunes for optimum full-load towing. And the top level, 91-93 High Performance or High Performance, is just that — maximum horsepower and torque.
Programming is simple: the Max MicroTuner will ask a series of Yes/No or A/B questions. After answering them, unplug the Tuner and you’re good to go, with more power and a range of more efficient, smoother-running parameters.
The performance gains vary, of course, depending on the application. But a high-end example of the Superchips Max MicroTuner gains is 95 more horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque on the 2004-2005 GMC Duramax Diesel. That’ll get you on the freeway and down the road with a significant adrenaline rush.
In any discussion of performance computer modules, the emphasis is almost always on horsepower and torque gains, but there’s more to an efficient, high-performance engine than sheer power. The improved transmission shifts reduce clutch slippage and lower transmission fluid temperatures, which, for the long haul, extends the life of the truck’s transmission.
Bigger tires, often followed by new gearing, are among the first upgrades for off-road rigs. The problem is, the original equipment tuning doesn’t know you’ve made the changes. The shift points on the tranny, the speedometer, and the odometer will be off, and you won’t realize a lot of the advantages of those massive mudders.
With the MicroTuner, you can make the internal adjustments. Speedometer and odometer readings will be accurate, the torque will be fully realized at the base of a near-vertical climb, and the engine will be purring right along with optimum efficiency and performance.
Superchips programs vehicle-specific, so horsepower, torque, and other upgrades locked into the Max MicroTuner’s circuit boards are designed for your particular application.
The rev limiter and top-speed limiter adjustments come into play for off-road enthusiasts — at least for the kamikaze variety who’ve yet to meet an ascent too daunting or spend weekends flying across the desert at full throttle. Limiters programmed into your vehicle at the factory are based on the factory tuning — tuning for “Joe Average Driver” who none of us can identify with.
Since the Superchips MicroTuner has retuned the engine, the factory rpm and speed limiters (both serious buzz kills), need some work as well. The rev limiter adjustment shuts the engine down and keeps it from blowing up when you reach redline. By reprogramming the rev limiter, your engine now has access to the kind of power only available at high rpms.
Adjustments to the top speed limiter come into play for off-road competition. The OE tuned 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 no fun at all. The difference is significant, ranging from T-rated tires with a maximum speed of 118 mph to the Z-rated tires that are safe at 149-plus mph (under perfect conditions).
Depending on the application, the MicroTuner gives the driver three tuning options, ranging from modest to maximum performance gains.
One of the keys to Superchips quality is the level of development and testing of each application. The first step is a test drive of the stock vehicle, then a run on one of Superchips three dynamometers to determine stock horsepower and torque ratings. The stock computer codes are cracked and reprogrammed to optimum horsepower and torque increases.
The vehicle is then put back on the dyno to verify the new parameters and later tested under real-world driving conditions. If the engineers feel the new program doesn’t achieve maximum power, they repeat the process until it does. Once everyone is satisfied the vehicle is running at top performance, the circuit boards are built and put in the tuner housing, and the new application is available for legions of performance addicts.
While performance is certainly a worthy goal, one of the best things about the Superchips tuners is that the performance is the result of an engine that’s running at peak efficiency. Your rig will not only run better, but also run better longer. And that’s based on real-world testing, not just “I think I can.”
Bigger tires are one of the first upgrades for off-road rigs, and, with the MicroTuner, you can make adjustments so speedometer and odometer readings will be accurate.