Creating A Custom Chip
Once the customers decide which tunes they want, Tipton saves them to his laptop, hooks up his Moates programmer (burner), and encrypts them onto a chip. Customers can choose between F5 and F6 Smart Chip models, which offer on-the-fly adjustability. Although tunes can only be programmed onto the F5 chip one at a time, the process only takes a few minutes. Tipton's new Freedom module offers an upgrade for F5 customers, effectively allowing them to receive new tunes by email and program them without removing the chip. This makes it similar to the F6 Smart Chip, which also allows customers to download updated programs without removing the chip. Equipped with a USB port, new programs can be purchased from DP-Tuner's online database and then uploaded onto the Freedom module or F6 Smart Chip via email.
Plenty Of Options
Along with altering transmission shift points and shift feel in trucks equipped with E4OD or 4R100 automatic transmissions, Tipton also offers a deceleration tune, which acts like an engine brake for those towing heavy loads. By closing the exhaust backpressure valve (EBPV), the engine helps slow the truck more effectively than relying only on the vehicle's brakes. And, as many Power Stroke owners remove their EBPV, Tipton can still offer the same tuning option by making the transmission downshift more aggressively.
For Power Stroke owners looking for a unique tune, Tipton offers a drive-thru tune that quiets a 7.3L's injection noise by reducing injection timing and ICP, a loping-engine-idle tune, a speed-limiter tune (for those who borrow your truck and attempt to hot-rod it), several high-idle settings for engine warm-up, or for boosting the truck's air conditioner output, as well as custom dyno, sled pull, and drag race tunes.
 Once out on the highway, Tipton...  Once out on the highway, Tipton created a 60hp tow tune that effectively told the truck's PCM to increase injection control pressure (ICP) and slightly increase the injection timing. The result was obvious: with Tipton's PCM tweaks, EGTs only rose to a little more than 1,100 degrees where they were previously 150-200 degrees hotter under the same towing conditions. In addition, with the truck's new tow tune, only 10 percent throttle input was used on cruise control (going 67 mph), which will be very helpful for fuel economy while towing. |  After Deol's towing problem...  After Deol's towing problem was solved, it was time to unhook the camper and tune the truck for performance. The fact that the truck was equipped with a cold air intake, 4-inch exhaust, and a Garrett GTP38R ball-bearing turbo gave Tipton a good idea of which PCM tweaks would get the most out of Deol's setup. Starting with what Tipton called a 60hp economy tune and progressing all the way up to a 140hp performance tune, Deol jammed through the gears and decided which tunes he liked best. |  In order to program Deol's...  In order to program Deol's chip, Tipton first hooked the Moates programmer up to his laptop, where the selected settings were downloaded. Then, the settings were downloaded onto an F5 chip through an emulation cable. |