Jump to content

Flashpaq super chips

matt grz
 Share

Recommended Posts

matt grz Enthusiast

matt grz

Posted
Posted

Im looking at getting the flashpaq by super chips and running the 87 tune and disabling the DFM BS.  Has anyone done this?  I’ll be doing this in a 2020 GMC Sierra 5.3 10 speed.

 

My main concerns are Illinois emissions and towing.  
 

I’m wondering if I will fail emissions or get a “not ready” status running this tune with DFM disabled?  I’m also wondering if it’s ok to tow with that 87 octane tune.  The one video I watched on it said it’s not for towing for some reason.  
 

Just wondering if anyone else has gone this route and can answer these questions and maybe give me some honest feedback about the flashpaq.  Thanks.

  • 2 months later...
schwingaling Enthusiast

schwingaling

Posted
Posted

Matt, 

I have the Superchips Flashpaq. I ran the 87 tune for one tank, and I will tell you it is not worth it. The tunes will not affect emissions, but if you are considering using it for towing, use the "tow tune" and run the higher octane fuel. The 87 tune will likely not get you the performance you want. 

 

For context: I have a 2021 GMC Sierra AT4 with a 5.3 10 speed. Exceptions - I am running a Fabtech 4" lift, 35x12.5x20 Toyo AT3 tires, Cold Air Inductions CAI, and the Borla S-type exhaust. 

 

Flashpaq bonuses: the button memory is great; it disables all the silly things you don't want a V8 to have. The calibration for tire size is pretty much spot-on. The pedal sensitivity adjustment is enjoyable, but it can decrease fuel economy due to the fun of it all. My "real world" numbers on 93-octane and the performance tune: average of 425 miles to empty on fill up; 17-18.5 mpg by hand and on the computer (400-mile distance calculation), and incredibly fun to drive. 

 

Respectfully,

Doug 

matt grz Enthusiast

matt grz

Posted
  • Author
Posted
49 minutes ago, schwingaling said:

Matt, 

I have the Superchips Flashpaq. I ran the 87 tune for one tank, and I will tell you it is not worth it. The tunes will not affect emissions, but if you are considering using it for towing, use the "tow tune" and run the higher octane fuel. The 87 tune will likely not get you the performance you want. 

 

For context: I have a 2021 GMC Sierra AT4 with a 5.3 10 speed. Exceptions - I am running a Fabtech 4" lift, 35x12.5x20 Toyo AT3 tires, Cold Air Inductions CAI, and the Borla S-type exhaust. 

 

Flashpaq bonuses: the button memory is great; it disables all the silly things you don't want a V8 to have. The calibration for tire size is pretty much spot-on. The pedal sensitivity adjustment is enjoyable, but it can decrease fuel economy due to the fun of it all. My "real world" numbers on 93-octane and the performance tune: average of 425 miles to empty on fill up; 17-18.5 mpg by hand and on the computer (400-mile distance calculation), and incredibly fun to drive. 

 

Respectfully,

Doug 

Appreciate all of this info Doug!  Thank you!

johnnyquick Enthusiast

johnnyquick

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, schwingaling said:

Matt, 

I have the Superchips Flashpaq. I ran the 87 tune for one tank, and I will tell you it is not worth it. The tunes will not affect emissions, but if you are considering using it for towing, use the "tow tune" and run the higher octane fuel. The 87 tune will likely not get you the performance you want. 

 

For context: I have a 2021 GMC Sierra AT4 with a 5.3 10 speed. Exceptions - I am running a Fabtech 4" lift, 35x12.5x20 Toyo AT3 tires, Cold Air Inductions CAI, and the Borla S-type exhaust. 

 

Flashpaq bonuses: the button memory is great; it disables all the silly things you don't want a V8 to have. The calibration for tire size is pretty much spot-on. The pedal sensitivity adjustment is enjoyable, but it can decrease fuel economy due to the fun of it all. My "real world" numbers on 93-octane and the performance tune: average of 425 miles to empty on fill up; 17-18.5 mpg by hand and on the computer (400-mile distance calculation), and incredibly fun to drive. 

 

Respectfully,

Doug 

Hi, so is there a HP/ TQ  gain with this in the performance tune or is it just the throttle sensitivity?

Is the the one that has the "locksmith" to unlock the ECM and the TCM?

schwingaling Enthusiast

schwingaling

Posted
Posted
49 minutes ago, johnnyquick said:

Hi, so is there a HP/ TQ  gain with this in the performance tune or is it just the throttle sensitivity?

Is the the one that has the "locksmith" to unlock the ECM and the TCM?

The performance tune has a modest HP/TQ gain in addition to the throttle sensitivity. The "performance" tune is more HP than TQ, while the "haul" tune is TQ-focused. The power increase is not as drastic as the numbers you are going to see with the 6.2 (which are the numbers they advertise), but I have no issues with get-up-and-go running a lift and 35s while doing truck things. For the 5.3, it definitely increased the joy of driving and seat-of-the-pants performance.  

 

It is important to note the "performance" tune is not for hauling, but with the ease of switching tunes, it is not a terrible headache to switch when I need to haul something (which is not very often and planned well in advance).  

 

Yeah, you have to send the ECM to the company (Holley is the parent company, I believe) to have it unlocked to work with the handheld flash tuner. It was about a 72-hour turnaround. 

 

My only concern now is whether or not I am able to add a supercharger since another company unlocked the ECM. I am going to send inquiry emails to tech support at Magnuson and Whipple to see if I can use my current ECM or if I need to get a new one for the supercharger tuning. 

  • Like 1
  • 4 weeks later...
schwingaling Enthusiast

schwingaling

Posted
Posted

Update: You no longer have to send the ECM to the company for unlocking. They sell the FlashPaq with Locksmith device, which allows you to unlock everything in your garage using the hand tuner and update software via your personal computer. The new system (2849-F) allows you to unlock the TCM previously unavailable on the older FlashPaq tuner for the 19-22 Sierras. This is great because, depending on what tune you used, some of the shift points would be a little off (surge/holding high RPMs when not accelerating). 

 

I have reached out to Superchips to see if there will be a kit/software update for those of us with the older FlashPaq (2847-S) so we can benefit from unlocking the TCM and correcting some of the shift issues. 

 

website: https://www.holley.com/products/tuners_and_programmers/handheld_tuners/superchips_f5_flashpaq/gm_flashpaq_with_locksmith/parts/2849-F

website: https://www.americantrucks.com/superchips-sierra1500-flashpaq-f5-tuner-locksmith-2849-f.html

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Tommy 1960
      Magnetic ride struts

      By Tommy 1960 · Posted

    • KARNUT
      OCI, not when but why?

      By KARNUT · Posted

      Well if you insist.
    • diyer2
      OCI, not when but why?

      By diyer2 · Posted

      You have to have the last word. 
    • Chuck FB
      summer road trips in the 2026 2500HD

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I am sure that was quite the pass experience and not a great place to experience during the winter when the conditions are not good. I've seen video of that pass and also more detailed information and pictures about the wrecks at that one hair pin turn where tractor trailers have flown right off the cliff and I am sure from all the warning signs that you know the exact curve that was !. After all there is a reason why a song was made about Wolf Creek Pass !. By the way and I didn't realize this either when I bought my truck as its nothing I even thought of that would be programmed into the cruise control and this occurs in either the basic or the more advanced cruise that controls your distance behind a vehicle and that is the brakes going down a hill are being applied as soon as the vehicle goes a certain speed over the set cruise speed. While it certainly does force downshifts in the transmission as you found out with cruise on while going down hill, its also dragging the brakes as needed to keep the speed controlled to what the cruise was set to. For me, I find that unsettling simply because I have no concept then as to how MUCH brake input is being used a and just how hot are those brakes getting and the wear factor as well. I can see that system getting a person into trouble on long mountain grades while pulling a trailer as it would not only be standing on the brakes of the pickup without any driver input, it would also be automatically applying the trailer brakes and it could cause a run away unit by overheating the brakes. Its one thing on a shorter hill and if the driver allows it to do its thing but on a long mountain grade is where things could get so out of hand. As someone a while back on this forum said, they had someone following them at night I believe on a down grade and had the cruise set and the person behind them could see the brake lights being energized all the way down the hill. I figured when I saw your comment that you didn't know and would have no way of knowing that your truck was applying the brakes and that you would and rightfully so assume you only used the brakes when you pressed on the pedal to slow down more than the cruise set speed for the slower sharp curves. So its good knowledge to know this about the newer GM trucks, certainly when doing any descending on long mountain grades. In the future try kicking off the cruise and use the the manual mode on a pass to see what that is like as I know myself when I first experienced it I thought no way can this engine be holding me back this well and tried the same hill in manual mode and sure enough the engine was revving way up and still could not hold the trucks speed down like it could in cruise mode.    Fuel mileage, that is where a really low sleek type of car can do better at higher speeds, certainly it starts sucking fuel too but a tall pickup is pushing massive amounts of air and also allowing a lot more air under it and the tow mirrors as in elephant ears pushing through the wind  as well. Driving like grandpa is about as good as one can do when driving one of these if trying to get the best fuel economy they can. I bet these trucks would get the best mileage they can if driven on a freeway in Florida if not busy traffic at a sedate speed and that sea level elevation without hills, vastly different then Colorado !. 
    • KARNUT
      OCI, not when but why?

      By KARNUT · Posted

      It’s over for almost 24 hours. Are you playing Eddie Haskell? 

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...