Is it possible to lose power with a Volant?

2003yukonxl2500 · April 13, 2005

I recently installed a Volant intake (to go with the Westers PCM I did last year) and it feels slower to respond when I jump on the gas. I love the sound but is it possible that I might have lost power? I installed the same intake on my buddy's 2005 2500HD (W/out a Westers) and his got a bit quicker.

Somebody tell me I'm losing my mind and it will get better with time.

Thanks,

-Jeff

Indy · April 13, 2005

I recently installed a Volant intake (to go with the Westers PCM I did last year) and it feels slower to respond when I jump on the gas. I love the sound but is it possible that I might have lost power? I installed the same intake on my buddy's 2005 2500HD (W/out a Westers) and his got a bit quicker.

Somebody tell me I'm losing my mind and it will get better with time.

Thanks,

-Jeff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You need to have the Wester's retuned for the new intake.

az'03Silverado · April 13, 2005

Could it be the shift points? I'm asking because I have a similar problem with my K&N FIPK II. It lugs BAD when I put my foot down. Like it thinks it has enough power to stay in the higher gear. I have to press way down on the gas to get it to downshift or even for the converter to unlock. I don't have a Westers or any programming on mine. Do I need to have the shift points changed?

Butch 02 Denali · April 13, 2005

Give it a little time to learn the new air-flow from the Volant. The computer is fully capable of retuning itself for an air intake, Wester's tune or not. No retune needed!

Did you remove the mafs screen when you added the Volant?

Are you POSITIVE there aren't any air leaks from the air cleaner box to the throttle body?

fastdrvr23 · April 13, 2005

Could it be the shift points? I'm asking because I have a similar problem with my K&N FIPK II. It lugs BAD when I put my foot down. Like it thinks it has enough power to stay in the higher gear. I have to press way down on the gas to get it to downshift or even for the converter to unlock. I don't have a Westers or any programming on mine. Do I need to have the shift points changed?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you disconnect the battery when you installed the FIPK? Mine did the same exact thing when I first installed it. I disconnected the battery, and after it learned for about a week it felt a whole lot better. Good luck!

snoman · April 13, 2005

I recently installed a Volant intake (to go with the Westers PCM I did last year) and it feels slower to respond when I jump on the gas. I love the sound but is it possible that I might have lost power? I installed the same intake on my buddy's 2005 2500HD (W/out a Westers) and his got a bit quicker.

Somebody tell me I'm losing my mind and it will get better with time.

Thanks,

-Jeff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You need to have the Wester's retuned for the new intake.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I tend to agree because the intake is tuned and he changed the tuning.

2003yukonxl2500 · April 14, 2005

"Give it a little time to learn the new air-flow from the Volant. The computer is fully capable of retuning itself for an air intake, Wester's tune or not. No retune needed!

Did you remove the mafs screen when you added the Volant?

Are you POSITIVE there aren't any air leaks from the air cleaner box to the throttle body?"

Butch,

I did remove and reinstall the MAF. I'm pretty sure it's all installed correctly with no leaks. This is the second one I've done.

I'm curious about the Westers tune. I installed mine in November 2003. Aren't there better/improved tunes since I did mine. You mentioned 3-D mapping. Did the tunes in 2003 have that? I did not see any improvement in mileage with mine.

Wouldn't the performance improve if the Westers was tuned for the Volant?

-Jeff

Butch 02 Denali · April 14, 2005

"Give it a little time to learn the new air-flow from the Volant. The computer is fully capable of retuning itself for an air intake, Wester's tune or not. No retune needed!

Did you remove the mafs screen when you added the Volant?

Are you POSITIVE there aren't any air leaks from the air cleaner box to the throttle body?"

Butch,

I did remove and reinstall the MAF. I'm pretty sure it's all installed correctly with no leaks. This is the second one I've done.

I'm curious about the Westers tune. I installed mine in November 2003. Aren't there better/improved tunes since I did mine. You mentioned 3-D mapping. Did the tunes in 2003 have that? I did not see any improvement in mileage with mine.

Wouldn't the performance improve if the Westers was tuned for the Volant?

-Jeff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lots of new tuning tricks from Wester's in the last year. the new 3DMapping one of the best, very noticeable difference in gas mileage. What tune do you have now? Maybe time for an update to get the latest enhancements!

No need to retune for a simple air intake. The GM programming is more than capable of retuning and adjusting the correct A/F ratios for it. For instance...If Lyndon's tune is asking for a 12.5 A/F ratio, the computer just adds more fuel to make up for the additional air flow of the Volant. You still end up with the asked for 12.5 A/F ratio.

r8rs4lf · April 14, 2005

A few people on SilveradoSS.com did some G-Tech test with the old and new Volant VS. stock VS. Outlaw CAI.

If I remember correctly, the stock box was better than the old style Volant and the new style Volant wasn't much better. The Outlaw CAI made some very impressive numbers though.

Late- Alex

2003yukonxl2500 · April 14, 2005

Butch,

I believe I just ordered a real basic 87 octane tune. I don't remember having a lot of options when I ordered mine.

How do you go about upgrading to a new one. Do I just email Lyndon?

What tune would you recommend? I drive about 90 miles per day, rarely tow.

I would like all around performance and better mileage would be great.

-Jeff

Butch 02 Denali · April 14, 2005

Butch,

I believe I just ordered a real basic 87 octane tune. I don't remember having a lot of options when I ordered mine.

How do you go about upgrading to a new one. Do I just email Lyndon?

What tune would you recommend? I drive about 90 miles per day, rarely tow.

I would like all around performance and better mileage would be great.

-Jeff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just e-mail or call Lyndon Jeff.

Which tune to upgrade to is based on what you want out of it and what you do with your truck. Here's a list of tuning option's. Lets start here then ask any questions.

Are you near the Spokane area? In a few weeks, I will have a local dealer in that area that can load your update directly into your truck with no core returns to deal with!

Wester’s Performance Tuning Options

Octane level. Wester's performance tunes are now available with these octane choices:

1) Dual 87-91 Octane tune -- automatically adjusts for octane. Our basic working truck tune. Many improvements over stock. Using the higher octane will usually increase the gas mileage in all our tunes!

2) Dual 89-93 Octane tune -- automatically adjusts for octane. More performance than the 87-91 tune, but requires using 89 minimum octane. (These dual octane tunes are recommended for all dual purpose (work/play) trucks.

3) 91 Octane HOT tune -- much more aggressive than the 87-91 dual octane tune. (Recommended for performance trucks where higher than 91 octane fuel isn’t available, like in California.)

4) 93 Octane HOT tune -- much more aggressive than the 89-93 dual octane tune. 93 octane is recommended. (Recommended for performance trucks. No, or very limited, heavy towing or hauling for both these Hot tunes!

5) Dual 89-91 Octane HOT tune...The most aggressive and hottest tune available for 91 octane limited area’s! Eliminates pinging issues with some engines running 91 octane by automatically adjusting to 89 octane tuning if pinging is detected. 91 octane is recommended. Suitable for areas where only 91 octane is the highest available.

(Recommended for performance trucks. No, or very limited, heavy towing or hauling!)

5) Dual 91-93 Octane HOT tune...The most aggressive and hottest tune available! Eliminates pinging issues with some engines running 93 octane by automatically adjusting to 91octane level tuning if pinging is detected. 93 octane is recommended. Suitable for areas where 93 octane is available, but this tune will run fine on 91 octane occasionally.

(Recommended for performance trucks. No, or very limited, heavy towing or hauling!)

6) Diesel tunes in all HP levels from mild to wild.

Of course we can custom tune any of the basic program tunes to your specific requirements and modifications.

The new 87/91, 89/93, 89/91 and 91/93 dual octane tunes will be able to run with the lower octane in MOST conditions with good performance, or with the higher octane or anything in between when even more performance is wanted. The dual octane tunes are capable of tuning themselves automatically for a higher octane, and retuning again automatically again when a lower octane is used. The factory tune will only advance the timing to the limits set in the original spark tables. Filling the gas tank with at least 5 gallons of gas will trigger the automatic octane detection and re-tuning feature in the Wester’s tuned PCM. It’s like getting a custom dyno tune every time you fill your tank!!!

Under MOST conditions, all the tunes will run fine with the octane programmed for, but altitude, towing, load, condition of the engine, temperature, poor fuel quality, oxygenated fuels, or sensor variations may require choosing a higher octane. Just be aware that under certain conditions a higher octane fuel may be required, and that more performance and sometimes better fuel mileage is available just by using higher octane.

Torque management. Torque management is GM's effort to reduce transmission wear by reducing engine output through timing retard during “abusive” maneuvers. The problem here is that GM believe acceleration from a stop is an “abusive” maneuver, as is punching the throttle during a highway merge. Both of these maneuvers cause an immediate reduction in engine power – the characteristic fraction-of-a-second delay you experience when you try to make your truck . We reduce this approximately 75-80%, which still leaves enough TM to protect from the most abusive maneuvers. We believe it makes for a safer and more responsive truck without introducing unnecessary wear on the drivetrain. The “Remove most all” option on the order form is appropriate for most owners.

Transmission shifting. This refers to how long of a delay there is between gear shifts. The “firmer” the shift, the shorter the delay. GM sets shifting for smooth shifts, which gives their trucks more of a “car-like” ride. While this might appeal to some customers, the flip side of a smooth shift is that it actually shortens the life of the transmission due to the slip between shifts. We can increase the line pressure to give you a firmer-than-stock shift and reduce the shift timing to eliminate delay between gears. An ideal setting for most customers is midway between “Normal” and “Firm”. Select “Normal” if you have installed a shift kit or other transmission shift modification.

Shift RPM. The RPM at which an upshift occurs at wide open, or full, throttle (WOT). The stock setting for our trucks is usually 5200 RPM. Some customers will want to leave this stock, but we recommend 5600 as the best all around shift point. 5800 RPM is the maximum recommended value for this parameter with stock cam and valve springs, but we can and will set this to any RPM you desire.

Speed limiter. GM trucks come programmed from the factory with a speed limiter set at appx 100 MPH

Most customers choose this to 130MPH, effectively eliminating the speed limiter. We can set this to any speed you request, just be sure your tires are rated for the speed you actually go!

3D mapping. This is an optional proprietary tweak to the tune that we can perform to increase gas mileage. If you're concerned about gas mileage, you will want to select this. Otherwise, leave it blank for maximum power/torque gains. Most customers will experience modest mileage gains of 1-2 mpg around town, and 2-3MPG on the highway with the higher octane tunes without selecting this option.

Tow/haul button. We can program this button for firmer shifting and a higher shift RPM. If you plan on towing with your vehicle, leave this blank. Otherwise, check “Race” for added performance! We will normally set “race” to shift

at 5800 RPM with one step firmer shifts than were chosen in the tune itself

Speedometer calibration for tire diameter. Most assume that tires of the same size are the same diameter between manufactures. This is not always true, and diameters can vary as much as an inch, causing your speedometer to read incorrectly. If you have replaced your tires, even with the same size that originally came on the truck, do a rollout test or at least measure the loaded diameter of the tire to determine a true circumference. This will assure that your speedometer will get the correct calibration and will show your true speed.

Standard with all performance tunes

Complete reflash of the PCM to your VIN, with all factory updates.

Dyno developed performance tune optimized for your exact engine and transmission combination.

Raised and optimized shift points.

Firm, but not harsh, shifts.

Elimination of all torque management that can be safely removed

Some of the more common modifications to ask for.

Raising the top speed limiter to any speed you specify.

Specifying the exact shift points you want in every gear.

Firmer (or softer) shifts.

Specific tuning for your modifications, like larger than stock tires, gear ratio change, supercharger, turbo, headers, cam change, higher stall converter, engine modifications, etc.

The Guarantee

We will get your tune right, or will re-tune it at our expense (with the exception of core return shipping) until it is!

Lifetime warranty (no cost or fees, even if the dealer re-flashes it!)

Lifetime updates for all future mods (nominal shipping and handling fee)

Lifetime full price paid credit toward your next custom tune for your next vehicle (nominal shipping and handling fee)

For maximum performance and convenience, road testing with real-time data recording and direct loading of Wester’s tuning into your vehicle is available in some areas of the country. Please inquire for more details about this service.

“Dual Octane tuning” and the term “Hot Tune” was developed by and is a trademark of Wester’s Garage & Advanced Products 2/2005 A/P

2003yukonxl2500 · April 14, 2005

Thanks for all the info Butch. I'm about 240 miles from Spokane, but it might be easier to just drive out there then to send it to Canada. Doesn't Lyndon send you the new one first so your trucks not down?

Did you do 3-D mapping on yours? I'm interested in increasing my mileage but don't want to lose too much performance. I think I would go with the 87-91 dual tune. Gas prices in Seattle are well above the national average.

-Jeff

az'03Silverado · April 15, 2005

Could it be the shift points? I'm asking because I have a similar problem with my K&N FIPK II. It lugs BAD when I put my foot down. Like it thinks it has enough power to stay in the higher gear. I have to press way down on the gas to get it to downshift or even for the converter to unlock. I don't have a Westers or any programming on mine. Do I need to have the shift points changed?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you disconnect the battery when you installed the FIPK? Mine did the same exact thing when I first installed it. I disconnected the battery, and after it learned for about a week it felt a whole lot better. Good luck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No I didn't disconnect the battery. I'm gonna try that. Do I need to leave it disconnected for any length of time? Or just off and on?

fastdrvr23 · April 15, 2005

Could it be the shift points? I'm asking because I have a similar problem with my K&N FIPK II. It lugs BAD when I put my foot down. Like it thinks it has enough power to stay in the higher gear. I have to press way down on the gas to get it to downshift or even for the converter to unlock. I don't have a Westers or any programming on mine. Do I need to have the shift points changed?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you disconnect the battery when you installed the FIPK? Mine did the same exact thing when I first installed it. I disconnected the battery, and after it learned for about a week it felt a whole lot better. Good luck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No I didn't disconnect the battery. I'm gonna try that. Do I need to leave it disconnected for any length of time? Or just off and on?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've always just disconnected it for about 20 minutes... I'm sure there's probably a set time in a manual somewhere, but that amount has always worked for me.

Let us know how it turns out. It may take about 200 miles or so for the computer to get it all figured out, or that's about how long it takes mine anyways.

Butch 02 Denali · April 15, 2005

Thanks for all the info Butch. I'm about 240 miles from Spokane, but it might be easier to just drive out there then to send it to Canada. Doesn't Lyndon send you the new one first so your trucks not down?

Did you do 3-D mapping on yours? I'm interested in increasing my mileage but don't want to lose too much performance. I think I would go with the 87-91 dual tune. Gas prices in Seattle are well above the national average.

-Jeff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Absolutly no loss of performance with Wester's new 3Dmapping! It's a win/win deal! I do have it on my 91/93 dual hot tune. haven't had a chance to get on the highway with it yet, just short around town driving so far. I usa a remote starter and let it warm up for 20 minuets too so I haven't seen much difference yet. Summers comming!

The new Wester's dealer in Spokane area will be all set-up in the next couple of weeks. if you want to wait, I'll get you set up with him.