Superchip question

**Silverstreak** · 06-09-2009, 01:55 PM

I have a 2004 Silverado 5.3L. In the superchip manual they state for performance and tow mode you need to run at least 91 octance or detonation will occur. Is this true. Could you get away with 89 octance instead? Or should I just run it on the economy/87 octance mode. I ran a tank of 87 octance and a bottle of octance booster with performance mode and noticed no knocking or anything weird.

Thanks,

SS

**heavy chevy** · 06-09-2009, 02:19 PM

First off you need to send the superchips back I had nothing but problems out of mine. Second if you are gonna keep it you need to run the gas that they tell you to. You cant always hear spark knock. You should not tow in economy mode if you do not have the right gas take the tune off an use it to tow.

**ki4kma** · 06-09-2009, 08:35 PM

I know a buddy who has one, and he has no problems, but i would recomend the bully dog.

**heavy chevy** · 06-09-2009, 09:41 PM

he might not have put it to the test yet. You cant tell anything from seat of the pants. You got to see numbers. That is something that I didnt see with suckerchips.

**Silverstreak** · 06-10-2009, 07:10 PM

My buddy who I bought the truck off of is a high performance parts sales manager/accounts manager and he swears by the superchips. I will put it back on economy after this tank so I can run 87 octance instead of 91 on performance mode. I would probably put the truck back to stock as it is equipped with the stock tow haul mode option.

**heavy chevy** · 06-10-2009, 07:32 PM

Good luck a lot of people swear by stuff. Hope it works well for you.

**ricodog77** · 06-11-2009, 04:20 AM

I got the Superchips Cortex specifically for towing upon recommendation from my buddy at the local GM dealer. I definitely noticed a significant change. Nothing like a cable tune, but it's easily switchable. If I try to run Tow mode or Performance without 91 in it, it will knock like a mfer when I step on it and even trying to get up to speed on the highway with the trailer behind it. At the start of summer it takes me two bottles of Lucas octane boost to get a tank of 87 close to 91.

Of note, pushing the tow/haul button does nothing when your running the superchips tune as the computer disables it, or at least that's what Superchips told me. I don't think the rest of their programmers do, but the cortex has a powertrain warranty with it, if that means anything. I know two guys that fried their PCM with hypertechs.

**Silverstreak** · 06-11-2009, 11:37 AM

Ok I was wondering why my tow haul mode was not working, makes sense with the superchip on. Running 91 octance on performance mode currently. Do not think I have noticed much difference from 87 octance mode.

Is it worth running the superchip tow option or just use the stock tow/haul the truck is equipped with?

**sstoner911** · 06-11-2009, 12:49 PM

I also have the Superchips, however, I am not sure if I am happy with it....I would like to try another programmer just to see if its the programmer or if what I am getting is all the truck is capable of with a programmer.

I was using performance with 91 octane and getting about 300 miles to a tank....switched to performance 87 octane and got 340 miles to a tank - switched back to performance 91 octane and kept the 340 to a tank...went back to stock when I took it to the dealer and then went back to performance 91 octane and now I gor 280 miles to a tank....

I just filled up and decided to try the economy X to see what i get.

Even with performance I am not sure I can really tell a difference from running stock. I am not really concerned about the mileage when running performance mind you just pointing out some things...

**Silverstreak** · 06-11-2009, 01:03 PM

I have been told that sometimes it can take the computer a little bit to learn the new program. This was the case with my wait4meperformance tune my S10 had. So maybe switching it back and forth does not let it learn a consisten timing or something so fuel mileage is affected. Calibrate for tire size?

I know my truck rips much better with the chip. Mine is a flashpaq though, not a cortex.

My tranny is also supposed to be done up a bit, do not know if this would make the chip more noticeable