Tunes and headers

lineman74 · November 14, 2016

So I'm seriously considering having Santa bring me a BBP tune. My question for you guys that have tuned is, is it a waste of time to tune without putting on headers and a cai?

My main goal in the tune is just to unlock the trucks potential, I don't need a top hp machine.

Thanks

truckguy82 · November 14, 2016

So I'm seriously considering having Santa bring me a BBP tune. My question for you guys that have tuned is, is it a waste of time to tune without putting on headers and a cai?

My main goal in the tune is just to unlock the trucks potential, I don't need a top hp machine.

Thanks

I am very happy with my truck completely stock with a tune.

If you go with blackbear, you get free tunes afterwards if you decide to modify.

So you are not wasting a nickle if you upgrade in stages and see how you like it.

Tune first

That's also what I did, told my wife I wanted an early xmas present, just got it done about a month ago. Now she won't have to spend another few hundred of my money on some other gift!

lineman74 · November 14, 2016

I am very happy with my truck completely stock with a tune.

If you go with blackbear, you get free tunes afterwards if you decide to modify.

So you are not wasting a nickle if you upgrade in stages and see how you like it.

Tune first

That's also what I did, told my wife I wanted an early xmas present, just got it done about a month ago. Now she won't have to spend another few hundred of my money on some other gift!

lineman74 · November 14, 2016

That's what I'm up against at my house also. I've never modified any vehicle besides tires and now I'm having to justify how to spend my money. Isn't marriage grand!

That was my thought as well, just tune now and add in the future. I wasn't sure if there was any benefit to adding before doing the tuning.

Thanks

speedbump · November 14, 2016

What kind of performance enhancements can be expected from a tune?

I tuned my old 2001 Sierra C-3 with a 6.0 liter engine and didn't see much difference except in shift points.

LongrangeLauber · November 14, 2016

You won't regret it, the stock tune is kind of crappy in these trucks

lineman74 · November 14, 2016

What kind of performance enhancements can be expected from a tune?

I tuned my old 2001 Sierra C-3 with a 6.0 liter engine and didn't see much difference except in shift points.

Look at Black Bear's website, they can custom tune your truck. There are several guys running their tune and have seen awesome results. AFM delete is a biggie with most guys

speedbump · November 14, 2016

Thanks for the info, I'll check it out.

crushNchowda · November 14, 2016

So I'm seriously considering having Santa bring me a BBP tune. My question for you guys that have tuned is, is it a waste of time to tune without putting on headers and a cai?

My main goal in the tune is just to unlock the trucks potential, I don't need a top hp machine.

Thanks

Not a waste of time at all particularly on a GM vehicle w/ a smallblock V8 & automatic tranny. GM is notorious for tuning down there performance drivetrains in an effort to meet CAFE regs, "protect" consumers who may not be capable of handling 450hp w/ no electronic nannies, & "protect" components from excessive wear for warranty purposes. The performance tune will do a few things - remove speed limiter, tweak/lower the torque mgmt programming (this is what pulls engine tq goinf to the rear wheels), eliminate pulled timing, increase shift torque pressures so there's less "slop"/delay in shifts, address shift points, adjust air/fuel mix for more power & even better mileage (it's common for stock vehicles to run on the richer side as a precautionary measure since they have the stingy heavy duty cats anyhow the extra fuel doesn't hurt emissions).

Additionally w/ these new DI engines allow for even finer tuning of the A/F ratio I've heard & are capable of netting even more power from a tune alone vs. your standard FI engine all else being equal.

The benefits from the tranny tuning alone would make it worth doing regardless of any power gains.

If you have a reputable engine tuner w/ a dyno in your area who's familiar w/ GM vehicles I would recommend trying that route first as the gains will be better & the tune will be custom matched to your specific truck. On my old '04 GTO w/ the LS1 I had a diablosport handheld tune on it w/ a CAI & exhaust, I ended up getting a custom tune b/c I wanted to add headers...just to prove to me it was worth going to him in the future even on a stock vehicle vs. getting a mail order or handheld tune he dynoed my car stock & then adjusted everything prior to adding the headers I picked up an extra 11whp just from his tune over the diablo tune.

I have also had custom dyno tunes done on other stock GM vehicles (they didn't all stay stock LOL) like my old '08 G8 GT, my '03 Z06, my previous '07 Silverado....I have yet to get my current 6.2 Sierra done only because I'm waiting until spring when I put on bigger/heavier BFG K02's - that way they can address the speedo & I'll get the max benefit of the tune doing it w/ the heavier tires on it so its tuned to full potential w/ that setup vs. the stock rubber.

That's not to say there's anything wrong w/ going w/ black bear, I'm just saying if you have access to a good dynotuner you would get more performance for your $$$ IMO.

Edited November 14, 2016 by crushNchowda

truckguy82 · November 14, 2016

What kind of performance enhancements can be expected from a tune?

I tuned my old 2001 Sierra C-3 with a 6.0 liter engine and didn't see much difference except in shift points.

The 5.3 and 6.2 are both powerful engines, they just don't feel like it, at all. The tune essentially makes it feel like the power is there. Changing the shift rpm, the throttle, shift speed, and reducing torque managment is way more important for the driving experience than power. Your old 6.0 had a real throttle cable and no torque managment, I am absolutey certain you will see a much bigger difference tuning your current truck.

If you asked me what would be more fun, a 500hp truck on the factory tune, vs a 420hp truck with a tune, I'd take the 420hp truck any day.

Edited November 14, 2016 by truckguy82

Rawyzf · November 14, 2016

Not a waste of time at all particularly on a GM vehicle w/ a smallblock V8 & automatic tranny. GM is notorious for tuning down there performance drivetrains in an effort to meet CAFE regs, "protect" consumers who may not be capable of handling 450hp w/ no electronic nannies, & "protect" components from excessive wear for warranty purposes. The performance tune will do a few things - remove speed limiter, tweak/lower the torque mgmt programming (this is what pulls engine tq goinf to the rear wheels), eliminate pulled timing, increase shift torque pressures so there's less "slop"/delay in shifts, address shift points, adjust air/fuel mix for more power & even better mileage (it's common for stock vehicles to run on the richer side as a precautionary measure since they have the stingy heavy duty cats anyhow the extra fuel doesn't hurt emissions).

Additionally w/ these new DI engines allow for even finer tuning of the A/F ratio I've heard & are capable of netting even more power from a tune alone vs. your standard FI engine all else being equal.

The benefits from the tranny tuning alone would make it worth doing regardless of any power gains.

If you have a reputable engine tuner w/ a dyno in your area who's familiar w/ GM vehicles I would recommend trying that route first as the gains will be better & the tune will be custom matched to your specific truck. On my old '04 GTO w/ the LS1 I had a diablosport handheld tune on it w/ a CAI & exhaust, I ended up getting a custom tune b/c I wanted to add headers...just to prove to me it was worth going to him in the future even on a stock vehicle vs. getting a mail order or handheld tune he dynoed my car stock & then adjusted everything prior to adding the headers I picked up an extra 11whp just from his tune over the diablo tune.

I have also had custom dyno tunes done on other stock GM vehicles (they didn't all stay stock LOL) like my old '08 G8 GT, my '03 Z06, my previous '07 Silverado....I have yet to get my current 6.2 Sierra done only because I'm waiting until spring when I put on bigger/heavier BFG K02's - that way they can address the speedo & I'll get the max benefit of the tune doing it w/ the heavier tires on it so its tuned to full potential w/ that setup vs. the stock rubber.

That's not to say there's anything wrong w/ going w/ black bear, I'm just saying if you have access to a good dynotuner you would get more performance for your $$$ IMO.

This pretty much says it all. Great post.

I tuned my truck before headers, and it was worth every penny. Just the shifting characteristics was worth the tune in my opinion.

Gains are to be had as well on a stock truck. My tune wasn't done on a completely stock truck (Catback and MIT Tube), but I gained 30hp and 34tq from tuning with my 5.3L.

Link in my sig for e85 has Dyno charts for my truck.

speedbump · November 14, 2016

OK guys, your getting me excited. The truck is a year old and I just had the new torque inverter installed because of the studder when trying to downshift thingie going on. I am not pleased with the way the truck shifts now and never have been, so that improvement would be great by itself. I don't know if there is a tune guy in my area but I'm going to find out. No matter what I end up doing, I will come back and tell y'all about it.

One more quick question, is the Wife going to like the truck better after the tune, because she drives it now and then.

truckguy82 · November 14, 2016

OK guys, your getting me excited. The truck is a year old and I just had the new torque inverter installed because of the studder when trying to downshift thingie going on. I am not pleased with the way the truck shifts now and never have been, so that improvement would be great by itself. I don't know if there is a tune guy in my area but I'm going to find out. No matter what I end up doing, I will come back and tell y'all about it.

One more quick question, is the Wife going to like the truck better after the tune, because she drives it now and then.

I'd be scared to local with DI and the 8speed.

Chances someone has extensive experience on these is slim and there are certain things, which I'm not aware of, that the 8speed does not like and is easy to screw up.

If you were doing turbo's or nitrous, I'd probably say go local as you'll need wideband tuning.

I'd rather have a blackbear tune than a local tune any day for a mostly stock vehicle. He's tuned 100's of them. Could it be a little conservative, sure, but 10hp isn't worth the risk IMO.

Also blackbear doesn't really do "canned" tunes. While the mail order service doesn't have "live tuning", he still looks at what your individual truck is doing through stored sensor data and makes adjustments from there.

You could also go custom through blackbear if he's coming to your area. That's what I did.

lineman74 · November 14, 2016

My truck came with cat back exhaust and I am planning an MIT upgrade over stock intake. It sounds like headers aren't a necessity at this time and will probably go ahead and "risk" the tune with only 2300 miles on it. Thanks for the input gentlemen.