I ordered a Superchips Flashpaq (#3815) from Stripper Motorsports at the end of February. It took them half a week to finally ship it out (strike one).
I received the unit and it would not detect my ignition on. A call to Superchips confirmed that the unit was bad and it needed to be exchanged (strike two).
I contacted Stripper Motorsports and arranged (begged) for them to issue a call tag to have it picked up. Four days go by and no sign of U.P.S. to pick up the device. Another call to Stripper Motorsports and they e-mail me the call tag (strike three/four).
I verified that Stripper Motorsports received the Flashpaq and asked (begged again) them to three-day the replacement to me. They shipped it two days later U.P.S. Ground (strike five).

Almost finished here.

I tried to install the second Flashpaq and it comes back with a message that it needed to be updated. I attempted to update it through my home computer (Winows ME) with no luck. I tried to do it on my company lap top (Windows XP) with no luck again. A call to Superchips and they say that Windows 98 is not compatible and that a lap top does not have enough power to run the program. I bum the use of my friend's home computer with Windows XP and still nothing. I call Superchips again and they tell me that the computer's Anti Virus and firewall(s) need to be disabled. We were not able to or comfortable to do this (strikes six, seven, etc). I ahve now lost faith in the Flashpaq!

Shold I say, forget the Superchips product and go with the Hypertech product instead? Or should I just leave it alone and not mess with it? Thank you for your opinions.

 

id give hypertech a try or wait for the bully dog programmer that HeloPilot i believe it was, tested out on his hemi.

and i believe hypertech has a new programmer coming out called the hyperpaq i think. i read something about it in the charger section if you want to try and look it up. it looks far better than anything i have ever seen.

 

I dunno, I'm afraid of any hypertech products after my buddy completely fried half his vehicle computers with one.

 

yeah thats a pretty good reason to be afraid, but i wonder was that an isolated incident or a more widespread problem? the new bully dog programmer might be the better choice. i think when HeloPilot reviewed it, it was within 1 or 2 hp and tq of the superchips. in some areas it was better, in some areas the superchips was better, but they were basically the same.

 

Check out www.jtsperformance.com they have a deciant selection.

 

Sorry to hear that, my superchips flashpaq has been great

 

I feel your pain but for every horror story about Superchips I hear 100 good stories too. If I had a bad experience with a programmer I would be real tempted to just not get another one. It's your call but I would'nt give up. My Superchips works great and I've neverhad a problem

 

I had a bad experience and will be sticking with my stock program from now on out.

 

Most of the power and torque gains from either Superchips or Hypertech come from a slight leaning (not richening) of the extremely rich full throttle air fuel ratio (about 11 from the factory PCM settings) and a slight advance of the ignition timing, less than 5 degrees because the dual sparkplug configuration of the modified 'Hemi' head is that close to 'mean best torque' settings at every rpm.

How could you get these power and torque gains (and more)
your self without buying the expensive chips?

Port your own cylinder heads
and switch to 93-96 octane gasoline!

How does this work?

The porting will increase airflow at wide open throttle.
The stock PCM computer uses a 'speed density' control system that will not adjust for this increased airflow from the ported heads, and the WOT air/fuel will lean somewhat, typically by about 15% to about 12.6, which is near the 'mean best torque' ratio.

This leaner air to fuel ratio will also increase the 'flame speed' of the burning, which will have an effect like an increase in ignition timing...only better. This will take up a few degrees of the 5 degree retard, and if you want to advance it a little more, cut back and sharpen your stock sparkplugs and increase the gap to around 0.060 inches....keep in mind this also means you need to check this big gap more often than what the factory recommends at about every 15,000 miles. Don't underestimate the time it takes on a 5.7 to check and regap 16 sparkplugs.

You also need to buy the highest octane gasoline because this change also puts you closer to detonation, particularly in hot dry summer weather.

Where do you find advice about what simple porting changes can make a 'as cast' 5.7 ports flow 15% better?

In the web link below (lotsa other good info to know too)

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec...engine_review/

sample pictures



after porting


before


after porting


Too chicken to tear into a V8 engine?
Afraid you will skin a knuckle, drop a little blood,
or gasp, have to ask someone older and wiser to help you?

Well, you are the kind of sucker both Superchips and Hypertech is looking to lighten the wallet of

 

I would love to port my heads and actually see the difference. It really doesn't seem that hard to do. I don't know any shops around my area that do it.