Review: Black Bear Performance Tune

Jennabear · October 30, 2009

What is autocal? Haven't heard the name.

Just FYI there is no absolute requirement to swap PCMs. I wanted to keep an extra in case some helpful dealership updated mine w/o asking. When I had received the 2nd PCM (he sent it already programmed for my VIN & tire size) I asked if he really cared which we programmed & which I put up on a shelf. Justin recommended I use his so he could program the re-learn on it (only done once) which would make it just like my stock one as far as the rest of the truck's electronic systems were concerned. Other than that, he didn't seem to care.

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=103670

Thanks. That's really interesting and great idea. A place like BB Perf could really expand w/o having to have a minimum number of people sign up for a certain city or meet. I'm a little confused by Jenna's post in the link. The red text says it's for a shop to buy and send out to their customers but in her own note below the pic she talks about customers buying or owning their own (which would be fine if they're not too expensive) so they can update or re-program remotely. I'll definitely want to trade my spare PCM for one of these. Now I understand the reference in the earlier post about keeping multiple tunes on file. What a cool option to have. Thanks for the info.

Anyone have updated info or prices yet?

The red text was what EFILive has up on their website. We intend to use them with our customers as well as shops.

jimlem · October 30, 2009

What is autocal? Haven't heard the name.

Just FYI there is no absolute requirement to swap PCMs. I wanted to keep an extra in case some helpful dealership updated mine w/o asking. When I had received the 2nd PCM (he sent it already programmed for my VIN & tire size) I asked if he really cared which we programmed & which I put up on a shelf. Justin recommended I use his so he could program the re-learn on it (only done once) which would make it just like my stock one as far as the rest of the truck's electronic systems were concerned. Other than that, he didn't seem to care.

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=103670

Thanks. That's really interesting and great idea. A place like BB Perf could really expand w/o having to have a minimum number of people sign up for a certain city or meet. I'm a little confused by Jenna's post in the link. The red text says it's for a shop to buy and send out to their customers but in her own note below the pic she talks about customers buying or owning their own (which would be fine if they're not too expensive) so they can update or re-program remotely. I'll definitely want to trade my spare PCM for one of these. Now I understand the reference in the earlier post about keeping multiple tunes on file. What a cool option to have. Thanks for the info.

Anyone have updated info or prices yet?

The red text was what EFILive has up on their website. We intend to use them with our customers as well as shops.

How do you use it? Is it like using a thumb drive moving files from one PC to another? ie BB Perf sends me an updated file to tune my PCM, I D/L it from my PC to my Autocal, take my Autocal out to my truck (with or w/o a laptop?) plug it in and it overwrites or re-programs my PCM, then I disconnect it until I wish to make another change? Or, will it need to stay plugged in to the OBDPII port all the time, like a handheld? I do hope it's the some version of the first idea. Thanks for the info.

Jennabear · October 31, 2009

Yes, what you have said in the first instance is more or less the idea. However, we won't know the full potential of the tool until it is released.

Full Metal Jacket · October 31, 2009

Jim, read your entire post because you are feeling the BB Tune grin as I was for about a week. I just love my truck and yes, my first two tanks of gas were truely wasted on acceleration runs and tire chirping..

My truck with 98k miles feels spaking brandnew..

Have you put up your BBTune sticker yet? I have not, cant decide if I want it on my rear window, side rear window, top front windshield or in my engine compartment..

Anyways, I love my truck now. Should have done it a long time ago!

Sergio

P.S. Jenna do you have a "store" where once can buy stickers of different sizes or colors or t shirts or anything like that? Even just an extra sticker would be great..

Jennabear · October 31, 2009

We do sell t-shirts, and I can get you another sticker if you just shoot your address to [email protected]. The t-shirt thread is stickied in our forum.

jimlem · November 1, 2009

Jim, read your entire post because you are feeling the BB Tune grin as I was for about a week. I just love my truck and yes, my first two tanks of gas were truely wasted on acceleration runs and tire chirping..

My truck with 98k miles feels spaking brandnew..

Have you put up your BBTune sticker yet? I have not, cant decide if I want it on my rear window, side rear window, top front windshield or in my engine compartment..

Anyways, I love my truck now. Should have done it a long time ago!

Sergio

P.S. Jenna do you have a "store" where once can buy stickers of different sizes or colors or t shirts or anything like that? Even just an extra sticker would be great..

Hey Sergio,

Yeah "the BB grin" is a good name for it. I still have mine because I only ever drive the truck a few times a week. Mostly taking the kids somewhere and picking them up. I gotta plan a day trip somewhere just to use a tank of gas in a good highway mileage situation so I can see what the MPG is really like.

After I wrote the post about needing just a little bit of throttle now, as compared to before, I got stuck at this intersection where the left turn light was staying green for about 10 seconds. The guy in front of me was afraid to go and just kept sitting there. On the third green light he finally went and by now I'm all frustrated and impatient and I just sort of punched it to clear the intersection and go around him. I completely forgot things like custom tunes and my truck being almost 22' long and damn! I almost ended up in the weeds. The guy in front of me would not go on a green light but I ended up looking like the jackass. I had to brake hard in the middle of my turn to keep from running up the curb or hitting this guy.

I need to put that sticker on my dash or something as a reminder. I know there are many stock autos out there much faster than my truck and even after a tune, it's no tricked out show car or super-charged HP monster, but it's the DIFFERENCE between stock and now that feels so amazing. It feels like a tricked out high HP car compared to before. That's good enough for me. I can't believe GM's engineers tested the truck under many different PCM programs and tunes and decided on the one they did. It should have been like this from the factory. I guess they have other priorities. Have fun with it, I am.

Craig62102 · November 28, 2014

Hi Guys,

I was wondering with the auto-cal can you keep a few different tunes in the can including the stock tune if going back to the dealer? Maybe one for towing another for performance and one for long distance (mileage) ?

CB

66nova · November 28, 2014

Hi Guys,

I was wondering with the auto-cal can you keep a few different tunes in the can including the stock tune if going back to the dealer? Maybe one for towing another for performance and one for long distance (mileage) ?

CB

Yes. You can store a few tunes.

66nova · November 28, 2014

Hi Guys,

I was wondering with the auto-cal can you keep a few different tunes in the can including the stock tune if going back to the dealer? Maybe one for towing another for performance and one for long distance (mileage) ?

CB

Also, if you haven't bought one yet...