Cruz Pedregon

Dave Grubnic Interview

Dick LaHaie Interview

Clearing up Converter Confusion

Project Muscle Part 6

Bruce Litton’s Inspirational Story

Jerry Toliver

IHRA Texas Nationals – San Antonio, Texas

IHRA – San Antonio Photo Gallery

The Real McCoy

The Day Glidden almost ended up in an Olds

Clutch University Part 2

Fuel Delivery 101 – Electrical

On the Chip – Hypertech Tech Article

Pete Millar – The Legend of the Cartoon Man – Part 2

When the Lions Roared

NHRA Nationals – Las Vegas – Same Day Coverage

NHRA Las Vegas – Photo Gallery

NHRA Gatornationals – Same Day Coverage

NHRA Gatornationals – Photo Gallery

NHRA AMS Pro Modified Challenge – Gainesville

NSCA No Problem Coverage

NSCA No Problem Gallery

NSCA No Problem Photo Gellery

Goodguys March Meet – Photo Gallery

FFW – Orlando Coverage

Spring Open Coverage

Spring Open Photo Gallery

Unless you race your daily driver, chances are you own a truck, SUV or van that you use to tow your race car to the track. Most racers would rather eat worms than work on their tow vehicle. Racecars are relatively simple – you can change carburetor jets and adjust ignition timing without a computer science degree. But opening the hood of a late-model truck can be a frightening experience.

Somewhere under that maze of wiring and the tangle of tubing there must be an engine – but how can a drag racer improve the performance when he can't even see the motor? The answer is to use a Hypertech Power Programmer.

Hypertech's Power Programmer is a self-contained automotive computer that can reprogram a truck's onboard computer to increase power and improve drivability.

The advent of electronic engine controls has opened new avenues to improving performance. It's no longer necessary to turn wrenches and get greasy if you want to boost horsepower and torque in a late-model truck. A case in point is Hypertech's Power Programmer for 1999-2003 Ford trucks and SUVs equipped with 7.3-liter turbocharged Power Stroke diesel engines. Ford's turbo diesel has earned a reputation as a reliable and powerful workhorse. When we heard that Hypertech had a Power Tuning program that could add up to 94 horsepower and 155 ft./lbs. of torque to a stock Power Stroke engine, we had to see it to believe it.

There aren't any computer scientists on the Competition Plus staff, but we didn't need one to install the Hypertech Power Tuning program. In fact, it was as easy as changing TV channels with a remote control. The whole procedure required less time than it takes to drink a cup of coffee, and we never even opened the hood.

Like a CD that automatically installs computer software, the Power Programmer contains the codes to recalibrate the onboard computer automatically to produce more horsepower and torque. Unlike a computer, however, the Power Programmer doesn't require any special commands or programming skill. The LCD display asked a series of questions, we answered by pushing the “Yes” or “No” buttons, and the Power Programmer did the rest.

The first step was to plug the Power Programmer into the data port under the dashboard of our truck. This is the connection that the technicians at the dealership use to access the onboard computer; it's the gateway to the vehicle's “brain.”

We plugged the Power Programmer into the data port under our Ford's instrument panel. The Power Programmer automatically checked the Vehicle Identification Number and selected the correct calibrations for our engine/transmission combination.

First the Power Programmer verified our truck's powertrain specifications by downloading its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN contains a code that specifies the engine and transmission – in our case, a 7.3-liter Power Stroke with an automatic transmission. Next the Power Programmer reads the Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) stored in the vehicle's onboard computer. This new feature allows the owner to view detailed information on the vehicle's operation and clear them at the push of a button without purchasing expensive diagnostic computers or scanners used by dealership technicians. Then the Power Programmer looked up the correct calibrations for this specific engine/trans combination.

The new calibrations for our diesel were developed by a team of engineers and technicians at Hypertech's sparkling engineering center near Memphis , Tenn. First they tested a representative sample of late-model Power Stroke-equipped trucks on two computerized chassis dynos. Then they road tested the new calibrations under real world driving conditions to validate the results.

The Power Programmer for Power Stroke diesels actually contains three different tuning programs. This feature allowed us to safely select the settings that suited our driving style. Exclusive to Hypertech, each level has been developed to allow sustained operation while towing the maximum allowable gross combined weight rated suggested by the factory. Stage I is calibrated to safeguard the engine under the most extreme operating conditions of heat and load. Stage 2 is intended for continuous high loads such as towing a trailer up a steep grade. Since we wanted maximum power from our Power Stroke, we chose the full-tilt Stage 3 program.

The Power Programmer asked a series of questions on its LCD display. We answered the questions by pushing the Yes/No buttons that customized the computer calibrations for our truck. The Power Programmer then downloaded the new calibrations into the onboard computer and stored the stock calibrations in its memory so we could go back to the factory program in the future.

Next we firmed up our transmission's shifts without spilling a drop of transmission fluid. We did it electronically by selecting the Shift Firmness option with the Power Programmer. In the past, we would have to do the messy work of removing and modifying the transmission valve body to get the same results. We certainly don't miss lying in a pool of ATF while changing a valve body! The firmer, faster gear changes noticeably improve acceleration, and the quick shifts also reduce clutch slippage and transmission wear. This feature further enhances reliability under demanding conditions.

We had replaced our stock tires with 33” tires for better traction. The change threw off our speedometer and odometer readings. With the Power Program we corrected our speedometer and odometer, which is required by law and hopefully will keep us from getting a hefty speeding ticket.

Test results from Hypertech's computerized chassis dyno showed that Power Tuning produced an impressive gain of 155 ft./lbs. of torque and 94 more horsepower than the stock tuning. That's power you can really feel!

In the old days B.C. (Before Computers), the only way to improve performance this dramatically was with mechanical changes to the engine. This trial-and-error approach was expensive, time-consuming, and messy – and it didn't always produce the expected results. With the Power Programmer, we reprogrammed our truck's computer electronically. Hypertech also offers Power Programmers to recalibrate GM Duramax diesels (92 horsepower and 151 ft./lbs. of torque improvement!), the Dodge Cummins diesel (49 horsepower and 137 ft./lbs. of torque improvement!), as well as Ford, Dodge, and Chevy/GMC trucks and SUVs with gasoline-burning engines.

The Power Programmer actually stores the stock calibrations in its memory, so we can restore the factory program at any time. Since we respect the environment, it was comforting to know that Hypertech's Power Programmer for Power Stroke diesels is emission-legal in all 50 states and does not void the factory warranty. Since we aren't planning on racing our truck, we were also relieved that we didn't have to drive under the guise of “for off-road use only”.

Working on a computer-controlled vehicle can be intimidating, but with the Hypertech Power Programmer, it's actually easy to modify a truck for towing. Instead of turning wrenches, we just pushed buttons. There's no better way to put more fun into getting to the races!