Advice for the best programer

slickman · September 19, 2017

I have a 2014 5.3 Silverado LT, which programer will give me the best and most aggressive tune?

Penguin VII · September 19, 2017

Around here getting a tune from either Black Bear Performance or Diablo Tune. I can only speak for my personal experience but the Black Bear tune is awesome. I also have the 5.3.

Payton34 · September 19, 2017

I have had both. The Diablo (with a custom tune from Lew) and a Blackbear tune are essentially the same in the performance gains. Diablo is nice in that it can be returned to stock if you go to the dealer and they need to reflash for a repair or recall. If you have a Blackbear the tune will be erased when it is reflashed.

I had BlackBear on my last truck which was well out of warranty but my current truck was new and dealer had to do a few updates in the last 3 years. I am out of the 3yr/36k warranty now but have extended warranty and the powertrain still in effect. I need to go in Friday for a reflash for a recall on the electric power steering. I just return to stock before going in and reload the Diablew tune after I pick it up. Diablo is also nice because you can change things such as tire size down the road, With Black Bear you need to send the computer if you need to change anything. Diablo can also make changes for free within a year if you make major changes.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Payton34

slickman · September 19, 2017

I have had both. The Diablo (with a custom tune from Lew) and a Blackbear tune are essentially the same in the performance gains. Diablo is nice in that it can be returned to stock if you go to the dealer and they need to reflash for a repair or recall. If you have a Blackbear the tune will be erased when it is reflashed.

I had BlackBear on my last truck which was well out of warranty but my current truck was new and dealer had to do a few updates in the last 3 years. I am out of the 3yr/36k warranty now but have extended warranty and the powertrain still in effect. I need to go in Friday for a reflash for a recall on the electric power steering. I just return to stock before going in and reload the Diablew tune after I pick it up. Diablo is also nice because you can change things such as tire size down the road, With Black Bear you need to send the computer if you need to change anything. Diablo can also make changes for free within a year if you make major changes.

You never had issues with the dealer finding out that it was flashed with the DIablo?

KARNUT · September 19, 2017

I've only used hand helds programmers can't speak on the others. My interest was transmission tuning, TQ management rasing top end, and shift points. The little gains from engine tune didn't feel much. On my 14 with hypertec it was that plus turning off the V4. I could run E85 that was noticeable.

Hey_Fam · September 19, 2017

I purchased a blackbear tune earlier this year, and what a difference it made. Yesterday i took my truck to the dealer so i went back to stock for the first time. I noticed a immediate difference going back to stock.

Payton34 · September 19, 2017

You never had issues with the dealer finding out that it was flashed with the DIablo?

No dealer issues but I have never had a power train problem that needed to be fixed under warranty that would cause them to search the computer for a tune.

If I had brought it in with the Diablo tune installed or a Blacbear installed they would know right away since the 4cyl mode is disabled.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Payton34

slickman · September 19, 2017

I got my 14 used from a dealer I guess I can always play stupid and say it must have been the last owner.

slickman · September 19, 2017

What about the Hypertech tuner?

1qwikss01 · September 20, 2017

An in person tune with the correct spark plugs is always your best option...but if you don't have a good local LS tuner +1 for black bear....and it doesn't matter how you've flashed your ECM if it's been flashed they can tell...best bet is spend the $$ and get spare ecm/tcm's

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2017SierraSLT · September 20, 2017

I used the Diablosport Intune I-1000 in my 2013. I was very happy with the power gains, and overall increase in refinement. I just wish it worked on my 2017.

Penguin VII · September 20, 2017

A few things.

Blackbear does offer the ability to return your truck to stock with their EFILive scan cable. They email you the tune files, you load them to the tuner, then onto your truck. Your tuner has space for a few tunes so you can swap back to factory at any point, just takes a few minutes.

From the Blackbear FAQ page: (ignore the info about the PCM if you buy the scan tool)

What if I take my truck in for service, should I remove the tune? How is this done?

In most cases, nothing at all will happen. The dealer is unable to disassemble the tune that is on the PCM and read it to determine what, if anything, has been changed by looking at it with a scan tool. Generally, the worst case scenario would be that they have an update for the software on the PCM and will flash over the tune you have. To combat that, you have the option of keeping your stock PCM when we send out a new one for just the cost of a PCM core charge. Then, when it is time to go in for service, all you would need to do would be to swap out the tuned PCM for the stock one.

Now, they obviously don't state that if you blow your tranny GM won't look into it, but unless you're running something crazy I find it unlikely that they are going to spend so much time on it. I'm sure people will disagree with me, some will say "I've been through that", etc. Just my opinion, you've gotta figure your own willingness to take risk here.

I've heard that GM has some sort of flash counter on the truck, no idea if thats true or not but they can't argue that because it's in V8 mode all the time that it's tuned. Just say that's part of why you brought it in. It's a non-mechanical system, bugs happen.

Skidsareforkids · September 21, 2017

I just got a Hypertech Max Energy 2 for my ‘17 6.2 8sp... All I was interested in really was having the speed limiter removed (it drove me nuts when it pulled like a train for 3 seconds into an overtake and then felt like hitting a brick wall), and maybe a basic performance bump. I have no plan to mess with rev limits or V4 mode etc, as I’ve generally been pretty happy with everything. I’ve put just over a hundred miles on it since, and holy crap it feels fantastic! It’s harvest season here in Kansas so our long straight roads are littered in semis and convoys, and the truck now leap frogs them like it’s nothing. I love love love the improvements and thoroughly recommend the system to anyone in the market... Next upgrade, a cat-back system and bigger wheels [emoji41]

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BowtieFever17 · September 22, 2017

Around here getting a tune from either Black Bear Performance or Diablo Tune. I can only speak for my personal experience but the Black Bear tune is awesome. I also have the 5.3.

+1 on that. It made a huge difference on mine. I was a little skeptical thinking I would notice it a little but not the case. Very happy and well worth it.