Torque management?!?! Tuning help on 2016 6.0 2500hd BANKS OR HP TUNERS?

topshelfproducts · August 23

New to me 2016 2500hd with the 6.0. I really love the truck so far, I see a banks automind tuner listed locally for the truck for $200.00. My local HP Tuner gm specialist said he could tune the truck for $450.00.

The truck is primarily going to be used for towing car trailers. Currently only has 55k miles on it and has been well serviced. I want the truck to last, and really only want to add tuning if it will give me better shift points and help with the longevity, as I realize horsepower and torque tuning on a stock truck doesn't make big numbers.

I have done a lot of reading, and like much of the internet anymore the answers vary greatly from site to site.

So my question is, does removing torque management wear the transmission faster, or allow it to live longer? Can someone explain it to me like I am 5? I would think logically the manufacturer would put torque management in for longevity, but have read many others that saying tuning it out actually can help it last longer.

Also has anyone ran the banks tuner on a similar setup?

newdude · August 24

21 hours ago, topshelfproducts said:

New to me 2016 2500hd with the 6.0. I really love the truck so far, I see a banks automind tuner listed locally for the truck for $200.00. My local HP Tuner gm specialist said he could tune the truck for $450.00.

The truck is primarily going to be used for towing car trailers. Currently only has 55k miles on it and has been well serviced. I want the truck to last, and really only want to add tuning if it will give me better shift points and help with the longevity, as I realize horsepower and torque tuning on a stock truck doesn't make big numbers.

I have done a lot of reading, and like much of the internet anymore the answers vary greatly from site to site.

So my question is, does removing torque management wear the transmission faster, or allow it to live longer? Can someone explain it to me like I am 5? I would think logically the manufacturer would put torque management in for longevity, but have read many others that saying tuning it out actually can help it last longer.

Also has anyone ran the banks tuner on a similar setup?

Torque management has to be played with VERY carefully. You don't remove all of it as that is how stuff breaks.

Custom tuning with HP is usually the way to go as they can adjust ECM and TCM. A good tuner can get power with minor massaging of TM. Some guys will just pull TM way down and jack the power and it never ends well.

Handhelds can be okay if you aren't looking for custom tuning.

topshelfproducts · August 24

Thank you! Yes the more I read it seems removing some torque management but not all can help with longevity. I am wondering if the autominder removes tm and if so how much.

CamGTP · August 25

No idea if they do and likely you can't get a straight answer from them anyway.

The thing is, you can basically dial the engine side torque mgnt way way back without causing any real harm at all. You just don't change the max values or tell that it's making 800 ft lbs of torque when the setting had a max value of 450 ft lbs in the peak torque table. Neither value can be achieved but GM does that for some reason. It's like that on all the E78 and E92 controllers.

I honestly leave the transmission TM completely stock but change stuff around it. Shift speed for mph and shift speed as in quickness. I adjust the pressure presets slightly to make the shift quicker without slamming into gear and other little odds and ends. Same with torque converter tuning, to help make them last longer. Custom tunes are the way to go but that price seems little high for such a simple tune on a truck that isn't even modded.

But I see that around here too. Guys will charge $400-500+ for tune with no real mods at all. Something like this doesn't even require a dyno, can all be street tuned. Just doesn't make sense to charge someone so much for such little work. They'll be done in 1 hour but are basically charging you $300 an hour or more to tune it. I charge maybe $100-150 on top of the cost of credits for basic tunes that aren't going to take me hours and hours to do. Sure part of it is a business thing but when no dyno in needed and it's not going to take 3 hours to do, why charge so much.

topshelfproducts · August 25

Yes it is a bit frustrating at the pricing for a one time hook up. I get the vin license cost etc, but it really can't vary much from one truck to the next. Maybe a bit of data log fine tuning to really dial stuff in. I guess I am wondering if it is really worth it, or if I should just change the trans fluid and filters frequently and cross my fingers. Thanks for your reply.

CamGTP · August 25

Yeah it honestly doesn't vary much at all. I know of many tuners and they all have "base" files if you want to call them that, that they can basically just copy and paste into a truck as a starting point.

I do the same thing mostly, I make roughly the same exact changes that I know work and make the most differences without doing anything crazy or that can harm the engine or transmission. I will then go for a quick 10 mile drive or so, running it through all the gears and what not and see what needs to be changed from there.

$100 for the license and maybe another $150 on top of that just for my time and knowledge if more than enough for me. A decent amount of money for maybe 2 hours of my time.