Just bought a 2012 F-150 FX2 w/ eco-boost. Will a chip help improve my MPG? Im new to this kind of stuff and would appreciate any insight given.

 

The fuel mileage is usually up to the driver. If you drive easy, the fuel economy is greater. Hard acceleration will lower mileage. What kind of mileage are you looking to achieve?

 

got ya...the reason i was asking is because people, who dont strike me as subject matter experts, tell me that this performance chip will improve my gas mileage my up to 8mpg. I have the eco-boost so i wasnt sure how much of an advantage i would actually gain. before i go spend the money i thought i would do my due diligence.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that is is a tottally new powertrain (the ecoboost). In it's truck version, It's still not quite even a year old.
Another thing; when you chip an engine, it usually gives power at one part of the range and takes it from another; or just ignores it altogether. When these engines are designed, the engineers have to keep emmissions, driveability, and power (notice the order in which I listed those, it's important) in a very narrow box for everything to work out, then make it last.
For example, if you could retune the turbo bypass valves in the turbos, I could give you fairly unlimited (or at least a great boost) in power. If you could tune the turbos to give 50 psi instead of 30, it would be great. For a while, until things started to break.
And the entire reason we are now in a hurry for turbos and the rest of it is due to fuel milage. You only really need the V-8 when accelerating, and once at cruise, the power requirements are much lower, so a 4 clyinder (in most cases) would do. Thus, forced induction is now reasonable.
But to be sure, the best requirement for the best fuel economy is the "nut behind the wheel". You can't be how the car is driven for fuel economy.

 

My SD runs a Diablo Predator at near 400HP.

In the beginning, it was hard not to 'play some' and doubt that I ever saw any mileage gains then, but the power enhancement was very noticeable.

I've seen my best mileage gains driving smart like keeping max speeds down to 65 or so. Hard to do though on long hauls. The SD is like pushing 'box' through the air, and higher speeds tend to shave off miles. Also, idle times when I used to commute tended to eat available miles on a roll'n stop drive. I would try and skirt around traffic, and even when waiting for my morning 'joe' at the local coffee shack, I either don't let it idle for extended times in line, or kick it into neutral/park so not to drag off fuel with the converter at idle. Moderate warm up times, even correcting tire inflation pressures + (geeez I sound like Obama) since the factory fill is usually set lower to get a 'smooth' ride, but increases rolling resistance. Shop for the best fuel pricing helps too with the overall fuel pains. Sometimes I get lazy and, I try and group my stops more 'these' days with the fuel costs rising to help with my monthly use and bill.

I doubt you would see a gain of 8 miles a gallon with any programmer or chip, think the best I ever saw was about 2 on a long haul (empty) if so, I'd be pretty sure the manufacturers would use a similar programming level (if possible and still maintain emissions standards) given the 'mileage wars' between models/manufactures.

Don't know how long if ever, it took to offset the cost of the programmer to rated fuel mileage savings, but when adding any power enhancement product 'does' come with some risk. My experience with at least the DP, was that I haven't lost any mileage with the power build under normal driving, some mileage increase depending on habits and condtions. When towing/hauling heavy, the program is retured to factory original so I can't add any claim there. Just MO..

 

That describes my gaining best!