Heya all.

A couple days after I got the "kegger mod" completed, I am happy as a clam, enjoying absolutely no pinging on 91 Performance and enjoying the added power I have on the highway.

Then the Superchips forum tells me there is a new beta of their software out for 64 bit Vista. Up until the past two months or so, they haven't had a 64 bit version of their software. I downloaded the original beta, so I thought, yeah, gotta stay current. So I download the new beta, plug in my 3815, and it updates to the latest tunes, dated 04-03-09.

I figure, nice, lets see if they changed anything. I go out, plug in the tuner, reprogram for 91 Performance. Everything looks hunky dory.

Then I start the truck and try to take off... it hestitates, tries to go, hesitates, tries to go, acts like its choking. I instantly think misfire, as it feels like a severe version of a Ford F150 my dad had once that had something wrong with one cylinder. It wouldn't fire properly sometimes, intermittently, and this felt like that, only here every other second this was happening. Well, sh*t, I change the tune to Towing setup. Same problem. I change it to 87 octane. The problem is a little less, but still there big time. I change to stock, then reprogram for 91 Performance (as this supposedly sometimes fixes issues). No dice.

After driving around with the "miss" for a while, it seems to suddenly come out of it. It pings at WOT unlike before, so I know its not 100% right, but it doesn't miss.

So I reset it to stock. Start the truck, drive around. No problems.

I've informed Superchips. Their calibration team is looking into it, I guess.

I've replaced my pre-cat O2 sensor. No change. I've changed spark plugs from the Autolite 3923s to NGK V-Power plugs, and routed my wires so they matched the TSB. I never had a problem with that before the tune change, but figured it couldn't hurt. At first, it seemed like that had done the trick. It pinged a bit at WOT on the highway, so I thought maybe it was the improper wire routing and I needed to reinstall the 3923s. I fill up at my favorite BP station that I've always filled up at, start the truck. Problem's back. On the highway especially, the truck at times shakes like its misfiring something awful, just like before.

I pull over, go through setting it to tow, 87 octane, etc. etc. the whole procedure over again. No change. Set it back to stock, no problem, runs fine.

My question is, am I overanalyzing this? Do you think its the Superchips, or do you guys think the Superchips is bringing out an existing problem that my stock program doesn't?

 

Tough call. I mean I never have pinged on stock program, but have on the superchips 91 tune w/ 93 octane in second gear at WOT just before it shifts for a fraction of a second. I heard it one time but haven't heard it since. But from what your saying is you did the keg mod and everything was fine, then updated the tuner and put it back on and thats when the problems began. Well.... if you were closer id offer to let you untune yours and give my SC a shot that was updated a month ago or so (doubt they update our tunes anymore so I haven't since then). But yeah that would take the updated tuner out of the equation. I guess you could bring out a vaccume gauge to check for the plenum leak which I assume you fixed with the keg mod. After that... I haven't the slightest clue. You seem to have double checked the obvious so far. Wish you luck!

 

Thanks for the support.

Yeah, while the intake was off I had a Hughes aluminum plate and Felpro gasket installed. So no more plenum problem. Even when I had the busted plenum gasket, though, it would ping like nuts on the performance tune at 3/4 throttle to WOT, but it never missed.

According to the "About" selection on the programmer itself, the database is 247, dated 04/03/09. Can you do me a favor and plug your 3815 into your computer, and see what your "About" says?

 

Well, installed the new finalized (not beta) version of the Superchips Easy Update program, and it says it needs to update the tuner. Its doing that now. Gonna cross my fingers and hope this fixes the issue.

 

No Problem!

/* 98-08 DODGE GAS TRUCK */
/* FLASHPAQ 3815 V1.32 */
/* DATABASE: 240 022709 */

Hope it can help you out. Like I said I figure all they are doing is updating the hemi's and such. I asked if they were planning a 93 octane tune and they said they had no plans of it for now at least for our 2nd gens. When they do something major, then ill probably update it then.

 

Yeah, thats the update I had before. I shouldn't have touched it, d*mn it. Should have left well enough alone. Wish there was some way to revert back to a previous database. Think I'll ask them.

BTW, the new update tonight did nothing. Same problem. The only change is the tuner now says databse 248, 04/07/09.

 

Go in the flashpaq support section and post. It may take a week for them to get back to you but worth a shot at least. I've read through a number of those threads where they have modified tunes for people. Im sure if they have the capability to revert (im sure they do), then im sure they can make it happen. lol.... but by doing so they will also tell you to never update it again. Haha... which you shouldn't have done in the first place jk jk jk. Hopefully more people speak up and the problem is fixed if it is a superchips problem. At least you do have a working database number to work off of if they can't figure it out for you here soon. I'll check in tomorrow afternoon when I get a chance to see what you figured out.

Wish you luck,
Greg

 

Thanks again for the light hearted support.

Already posted and discussed it with Ron in the "Vista troubles" thread. He said he's forwarded it onto the Dodge calibration team. I sent him a PM tonight asking about the reverting to an earlier database as well, so we'll see what pans out.

 

Bump. Does anyone else have any other ideas?