Input On Tuning My 8.1

scottman70 · January 31, 2011

Getting ready to get a tuned PCM from:

Blackbear or Nelson etc.........

I am running a 180F thermostat and everything else is stock. I tow an 11K toy hauler about 3 times per year through the Rocky Mountains. I have the 4L80 trans with 3.73 gears. I will be running 87 octane gasoline too.

Questions are:

1. How much torque management should I remove to keep things reliable?

2. Should I have them adjust the trans shift to firm all of the time or only at WOT?

3. Are their any other parameters of adjustment that you could reccomend to be adjusted in the PCM?

Being new to my 8.1 I am relying on all your experiences with the 8.1 to best choose which way to go! Thanks for any input!!!!!

700 sportsman · January 31, 2011

I would highly reccomend Black bear I have delt with them a few times and have been great both times. I was talking with Justin in pittsburgh and he said he really likes tuning the 8.1's because he can really get a lot out of them. I would talk with Justin and see what he reccomends about the torque management, I have 75% removed, and a slightly firmer than stock shifts all around which I find find for most of my uses.

Also if you happen to be in a somewhat reasonable distance from Pittsburgh, there will be another tune meet this spring. They are elsewhere too, I highly reccomend an in person tune if he's going to be in your area

scottman70 · February 1, 2011

I would highly reccomend Black bear I have delt with them a few times and have been great both times. I was talking with Justin in pittsburgh and he said he really likes tuning the 8.1's because he can really get a lot out of them. I would talk with Justin and see what he reccomends about the torque management, I have 75% removed, and a slightly firmer than stock shifts all around which I find find for most of my uses.

Also if you happen to be in a somewhat reasonable distance from Pittsburgh, there will be another tune meet this spring. They are elsewhere too, I highly reccomend an in person tune if he's going to be in your area

Thanks for that info! What's an in person tune?

Is Justin on this site? What's his forum name?

stlavsa · February 1, 2011

I would highly reccomend Black bear I have delt with them a few times and have been great both times. I was talking with Justin in pittsburgh and he said he really likes tuning the 8.1's because he can really get a lot out of them. I would talk with Justin and see what he reccomends about the torque management, I have 75% removed, and a slightly firmer than stock shifts all around which I find find for most of my uses.

Also if you happen to be in a somewhat reasonable distance from Pittsburgh, there will be another tune meet this spring. They are elsewhere too, I highly reccomend an in person tune if he's going to be in your area

Thanks for that info! What's an in person tune?

Is Justin on this site? What's his forum name?

I have a feeling that if you want to get the most out of the tune you would need to run a higher octane than 87. I have seen however how the stock 8.1 is and i believe there would be some benefit in being able to just tune the A:F ratio even though u want to run 87. I would inquire about how much power is gained through the switch from 87 to 93. The difference in cost per fill-up isn't very much money. If its 5hp, then no its not worth it, if its 15whp+ (which it very well might be) then you might wana consider running 93.

If you look in the vendor section you will see thread for black bear... you can learn more there.

8.1HD/ALLISON · February 1, 2011

Just got a tune done by Justin at Blackbear on my 8.1L. Only had it a week but I love it. I removed 100% torque management, firmed the shifts up a little and running 87 octane. Like the other guys said the best person to ask would be Justin. I just sent back my modified data log yesterday with some more questions about maybe doing a 93 tune and his opinions on what he would do.

tanked_darren · February 1, 2011

JennaBear is the one to talk to.

700 sportsman · February 1, 2011

An in person tune is when you attend a meet where Justin flies in and tunes several peoples vehicles over a day or two, Justin is on the site but not a whole lot. His wife is, as mentioned by another poster her name is Jennabear. It is easier to contact him by email, usually responds quickly unless he is out busy.

I would highly reccomend Black bear I have delt with them a few times and have been great both times. I was talking with Justin in pittsburgh and he said he really likes tuning the 8.1's because he can really get a lot out of them. I would talk with Justin and see what he reccomends about the torque management, I have 75% removed, and a slightly firmer than stock shifts all around which I find find for most of my uses.

Also if you happen to be in a somewhat reasonable distance from Pittsburgh, there will be another tune meet this spring. They are elsewhere too, I highly reccomend an in person tune if he's going to be in your area

Thanks for that info! What's an in person tune?

Is Justin on this site? What's his forum name?

TravisAZ · February 23, 2011

Im kinda in the same situation as the original poster.

I would love to have an economy tune for day to day driving (yes, I know its a bigblock, but id rather have the money going into my kids college fund than in the pocket of some saudi oil shiek) - and be able to load up a max grunt program for towing.

Actually, in my case, I would love to be able to switch them on the fly (well, stop and re-load the tune). Like when I tow the boat (~8k) to san diego, it is 300 miles of flat freeway towing, and then the mother of all grades where you pull a 6% grade for like 11 miles. Last time I did this tow in August, it was 117* according to my thermo in the truck, so it is a pretty serious towing test (see edmunds 2011 tough truck test, this is thier tow test grade).

A couple MPG difference would mean 70-100$ difference in fuel consumption. The difference would really blow up if I could run 87 for the 600 miles of easy flat towing, and a 93 hot tune for the ~75 miles of hilly terrain.

Ive been seriously considering the diablo + 2 custom tunes from diablew or someone similar.

Thoughts?

8.1HD/ALLISON · February 24, 2011

Go for the Blackbear. Its money well spent. I had Justin do an 87 tune for mine. Adjusted the tranny shift points(Allison). Its like a whole new truck. As far as I can tell I picked up about 1 mile per gallon better. Haven't had many highway miles yet though. Mostly in town.