2012 programmer?

[sdeeter19555]

Been a while...

 

Have a 2012 2500hd with the 6.0l and 3.73s.  190k on the clock, looking for a tad more pulling power until I upgrade trucks in a year or two.  Truck is well maintained, probably change transmission fluid more than some change engine oil.

 

I know Blackbear was the go-to, but I'm not interested in swapping the module out...looking for a plug and play programmer.  What's out there that is worthwhile and not downright unsafe for one of these?  I know I become my own warranty station, but that ship sailed many years and miles ago.

[CamGTP]

To be honest with you, there just isn't a ton of power to unlock without actually doing mods to the engine. No magic tune is going to give you 30+ horsepower type of thing. Most of the tuners can help you get what is already there, just faster because the factory calibrations are very emissions friendly. It'll feel like a bump in power though.

 

Diablo and HyperTech are what many people use, I have never used them though. I suggest running 89+ octane with whatever you end up picking.

 

Your biggest performance increase would come from a gear change. Going to 4.10's or 4.56's would make that truck pull so much better than 3.73's. But that is a very costly change.

 

 

[sdeeter19555]

Changing the gearing at this point isn't really a viable option, would have been at one point (lower miles), but the truck is a short timer for me at this point.

 

I knew programmers on the gassers weren't nearly as effective as the diesel world, but you confirmed what I already kinda figured the answer would be.

 

Thanks!

[MORSNO]

The EPA pretty much shut down the big tuner companies and now all that is left is piggy back things like Pedal Commander, Hyper Tech, etc.  I always thought a super charger would be the ticket, but they are pretty rare upgrades too.

[Rico Swanson]

What would a custom tune at a guy with a dyno do for him? How much power / tq?

[CamGTP]

Kinda depends. You could try to squeak out every last bit of horse power running 93 octane or take less with 87 octane.

 

There are just lots of variables too. Health of the engine, fuel used, weather, density altitude, elevation and so that can be change the gained numbers. I wouldn't expect more than 10-20hp/tq gain. That would be a lot of money for a dyno tune and little results. Unless they were super good with transmission tuning as well.

[KARNUT]

I used plug in tuners all the way up to my last new 14 GMC. Added exhaust and cold aid or drop in air cleaner. On the 14 to turn off cylinder deactivation, raise shift points, knock off some TM in the tranny. I left the engine tuning alone on that one, it had the e-85 option. It would take all the hesitation and slushy out and felt quicker, faster. On one vehicle it felt useless a 99 4.6 F-150. At 220 hp to start with there’s not much you can do. That one got a s/c. Only at 60 I started leaving vehicles alone. Not really much point. Comfort has move to the number one position. My wife’s car is faster than most of my hot rods of the past. No mods needed. Come to think of it so is the CRV. 

[pokismoki]

I would start with tranny tuning, get the slip out of the driveline 1st, then add power later