Chevy vs Chevy

J-rod · March 26, 2004

Well, as you can see in my sig, I recently (a little over a month ago now) purchased a PCM from Mr. Wester complete with his 93 octance 'hot' tune. My truck is pretty much stock other than a K&N panel filter, single in / dual out Flowmaster, and now the PCM. I was curious as to how much difference the PCM actually made. I can feel firmer shifts and can definitely tell the TM isn't holding me back so much off the line now, but still, I wondered. Anyway, on the way to a gun shop after work yesterday with one of my co-workers (I promised fastdrvr23 I wouldn't tell you it was him so shhhhhh! ) who also drives a Chevy and got beside him at a red light. He just ordered a Wester's PCM as well so I'd told him I wanted to do a before and after comparison to see how much difference it made in his truck.

The results of the 'before' test:

It was my 4wd '02 extended cab short bed, 5.3L, 3.73 verses his 2wd '03 RCSB, 4.8L, 3.42 ... we revved our engines wildy and stared each other down like it was high noon on the O.K. Corral. I sneered at him as if to say "bring it you pansy!" and he whimpered like a whipped little puppy. Ok, so maybe I made that part up, anyway ... I had no doubt I'd get him off the line despite my heavier truck thanks to the better gears and lowered TM. I was right! I killed him off the line and put ... oh, about a truck length between us up to about 60 where I believe I quit putting distance between us. I held it to about 80 and I don't think he ever gained on me. Needless to say, I was pretty surprised. I expected it to be even closer (as in maybe even he would beat me) just due to the extra weight I was toting. It was cool though ... he was like ... I was his daddy!

So would you guys have expected that? Because I sure didn't! Who do you think will win the 'after' test (he ordered the 89/93 tune)? Oh well, fun stuff. I imagine he'll be making his own 'kill' post this time next week!

fastdrvr23 · March 29, 2004

Yeah, yeah... I've already had to put up with the shame, no sense in rubbing it in! lol.

It was fun stuff, and the outcome was about how I figured it would be. After a little experimentation, I've decided one of my problems was trying to brake torque at the start, evidently the TM really don't like that... lol. Anyways, J-rods truck did pull like a fiend, especially from a start. The tune made a huge benefit for him it seemed for his lower and mid-range power delivery. Once he pulled ahead, it seemed to even out like he mentioned at ~50 or 60. I figured with a weight advantage I'd do a little better from a stop, but that blasted retarded TM quelled any hope of that (That and my stump pulling 3.42 rear gear, LOL.)

At any rate, props to Jolly Green Giant, as it did slap me around like a rented mule. We're gonna have to try again soon though.

... we revved our engines wildy and stared each other down like it was high noon on the O.K. Corral. I sneered at him as if to say "bring it you pansy!" and he whimpered like a whipped little puppy...

Yeah right, it was more like you looked over at me with some sort of butt-lovin' look on your face, and while I was sitting there dry-heaving, the light changed and you took off... LOL