I just recently bought a 2003 F-250 Super Duty, 6.8 V10, Automatic, 4x4 short box, and bought a new Gibson Performance Cat-Back Dual Exhaust system. I've installed a Fram AIR HOG air filter (yes I know - K &N would've better, but AIR HOG was less than 1/2 the K&N price), and I know all of these mods so far will give me a tad bit more horse power, and even noticable fuel savings.

I also just got a Hypertech Programmer III and am embarassed to admit it. But I know nothing about the the options with thier "Tunes" that they/the programmer offers.

First, I guess I'm looking for some real world examples as to what some people have already set to a similar truck like mine. I'm not unhappy with it's stock performance, I just want to be able to get the "most" out of it without killing my engine or my tranny. I understand that some of the performance increases can only be noticed on a DYNO, but I still want to "try".

First, it talks about rev limiters, and shift points. I assume most of this has to do with acceleration, but how they tie together I don't know. Please treat me like a total vehicle idiot and answer all my questions that way and let me know this. What do either of these two things do? Is it typically better to increase, either or both of them, and what does the increase, or decrease do? Any known risks with doing either?

Second, it talks about shift firmness? Wha...???? That's right, I got no clue - big suprise huh? I guess I'm a fool for buying a hypertech programmer, but I'm looking to actually maybe get better gas miliage, or even more horse-power. I figure, of I don't buy one and figure it out, then I'll never really know what I'm missing. Just, call it a "truck" guy sickness of always wanting more... MORE...! :-P

So I have the same question with shift firmness as I had with the rev limit and shift points. What does it do, and what happens when it's increased or decreased on the Hypertech programmer?

It'd be great if someone out there, even on a different model truck, could give me some examples of what they increased and what they decreased, and exactly what settings they set their Hypertech to, so I can have a rough idea of a "safe range" of adjustment on my programmer.

I wish I knew of a forum, or area of this forum that addressed the specific settings of these aftermarket performance chips and their settings. Any help would be great.

Some history to report on my decision as to why Hypertech over any other programmer. I did quite a bit of research, and I actually would've preferred a Diablo Predator programmer, as it seems it has the most "customizable" options that I've been able to find. But they don't yet offer a programmer for my truck, I was stuck with Superchips or Hypertech, and I chose Hypertech. Mainly because Hypertech offers DUAL FUEL programming, so I don't have to go out and buy 93 octane fuel all the darn time. I can just continue to run on low grade 83 octane and the programmer set all my settings to match that.

Some other future upgrades I'm looking at are some Gibson Headers to maximize exhaust airflow, and some custom wheels. I've already got on order a Tonneau cover for the truck to get rid of the huge wind catching "parachute" that is known on all trucks as the "truck bed", to help reduce wind drag.

For those of you who are interested, before I got the exhaust, and the high flow air intake, I was averaging 11 mpg/city and 13 mpg/hwy, and now I average 13.5 mpg/city and 15 mpg/hwy. I'm not sure if the hypertech will help my gas, or kill it, that's why I'm here asking. I may even one day go for a different catalytic converter, but for now I want to keep it street legal.

Thank you all in advance for any help.