superchip lost it's tune?

[SuperHO]

i've got a superchip for my 95 that was burned for me by doug lewis. i've had it for years. and the only times i've pulled it is when i can't find 93 octane, which has been twice. however, since it's been warming up here in michigan, i've been noticing heavy spark knock under load. pulled the chip, and it's gone. can these things erase themselves?

 

[gmorrell]

I think the Superchips used EEPROM, which should have a data retention life of 10 years minimum if they were programmed correctly.

I think it's more likely that:
1. Your engine has aged a bit and there is some carbon buildup causing increased compression ratio.
2. Your fuel octane isn't what you think. There is a guy here in Colorado Springs with an octane test engine, he routinely tests the pump gas around town and finds it wanting for 2, or sometimes 3 points.
3. In the early 90's, I had several versions of SuperChips in my '89, all programmed by Peter Wales, president of SuperChips. None of them worked terribly well, some programs were awful (rev limit -vs- PIP filter issues), and all had too much timing advance.

You in St. Joe? I used to live outside Stevensville, had a duplex on Rocky Weed Road just west of Hollywood Road.

 

[SuperHO]

what's even more odd is that i grew up just south of colorado springs down there in fountain. now i live right on the corner of red arrow and defay. anywho, so i should just leave it out and wait till i can afford a tweecer or have it put on a dyno?

 

[gmorrell]

If you have the time and $, dyno with and without the Superchips, it would be nice to see the difference. Post it here. If it's knocking badly, it would seem that the timing has been advanced past the point where the engine would be making mean best torque, so I'll wager that it's slowing you down. I'd leave it off.

Back when SC's was the only game in town for chipping these engines, the changes they were making were mostly raising the rev limit (of questionable value for a stock engine...), adding WOT fuel (there's already enough...), and advancing timing (quite often too much and in the wrong places...).

If your engine is tweaked and needs a tune, save for a TwEECer.

Say hi to my old girlfriend Lisa, she lives in Benton Harbor.