PCM TUNE?

05SierraZ71 · September 6, 2006

I want to tune my truck, but am unsure of what to do. I want a programmer, so I can change the settings if I need to take it in to the dealer for warranty work. I just want to eliminate the torque management/engine retarding/falling on its face- part of the stock tune, and maybe pickup a few miles a gallon as well. There is a local guy, who specializes in computer tuning, and I just talked to him yesterday.

Now I have heard that you will see an increase in power, but he is claiming that after he tuned a 2004 1500 with a 5.3L it had an increase of 86hp, and his customer claimed to have a 4-5 mpg increase. He claims all he did was reprogram the computer. Now I have driven a 06 2500 with a duramax, that this guy tuned and it would run 13s in the quarter mile, but thats a diesel... Is it possible to get that much power?? How much power do you get with a hypertech programmer?

desrtrat · September 6, 2006

I want to tune my truck, but am unsure of what to do. I want a programmer, so I can change the settings if I need to take it in to the dealer for warranty work. I just want to eliminate the torque management/engine retarding/falling on its face- part of the stock tune, and maybe pickup a few miles a gallon as well. There is a local guy, who specializes in computer tuning, and I just talked to him yesterday.

Now I have heard that you will see an increase in power, but he is claiming that after he tuned a 2004 1500 with a 5.3L it had an increase of 86hp, and his customer claimed to have a 4-5 mpg increase. He claims all he did was reprogram the computer. Now I have driven a 06 2500 with a duramax, that this guy tuned and it would run 13s in the quarter mile, but thats a diesel... Is it possible to get that much power?? How much power do you get with a hypertech programmer?

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increase of 86 hp....... ...

4-5 mpg....maybe 1.5-2.5

sounds like this guy is blowing the crack he's smoking up your a**

hypertech might give you 15-20 hp on there tune. MAYBE...

your in P.A. contact bryan @ pcmforless he will take care of you...

Nice rig · September 6, 2006

05SierraZ71 · September 6, 2006

Yeah, the verdict is still out on this guy, he moved here from out west somewhere and opened up a performance shop. I think he is full of you know what, but I've been told he is reputable. I dont question what he can do with a diesel, but the 86 hp increase screamed bs when he told me that. He said after he tuned the guys truck, he had it dynoed and it had an increase of 86 hp, yeah maybe after he installed a supercharger.

OnyxMAX · September 7, 2006

86 on a diesel is lame on gas that wack kinda depends on were the truck started at.

although superchis claims 52hp i think on the LQ4 91 octane tune.

a tuner tuning for 91 octane only can prolly eek out a fairly huge gain. around 3ish hp per * of advance on ls1's we could dial in 17-18* 50+hp (only did that on race fuel you could on 93 but it wasn't safe just impressed the buyer. then we backed it down to a safe advance) depending on conditions. if someones been getting bad 87 (i.e. it was less then 87) the computer would pull timing. take the dangerous on the edge 17-18* + prolly 10* pulled by the pc from bad gas that's 27-28* added in to what the truck was running = 81-84 hp gain. i expect a good 40ish hp from a safe dynotune.

05SierraZ71 · September 8, 2006

86 on a diesel is lame on gas that wack kinda depends on were the truck started at.

although superchis claims 52hp i think on the LQ4 91 octane tune.

a tuner tuning for 91 octane only can prolly eek out a fairly huge gain. around 3ish hp per * of advance on ls1's we could dial in 17-18* 50+hp (only did that on race fuel you could on 93 but it wasn't safe just impressed the buyer. then we backed it down to a safe advance) depending on conditions. if someones been getting bad 87 (i.e. it was less then 87) the computer would pull timing. take the dangerous on the edge 17-18* + prolly 10* pulled by the pc from bad gas that's 27-28* added in to what the truck was running = 81-84 hp gain. i expect a good 40ish hp from a safe dynotune.

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I just talked to him today, I guess the tune he gave it was an extreme type of tune, and he was running race fuel turbo blue which is like 115 octane. He said the truck was nocking pretty bad, and it was hard on the engine, but thats what his customer wanted. He claims he can get me about 40 hp safely, without harming anything. He said I could take my truck in and he'll tune it, and let me try it over the weekend, if I don't like it he will take it off and wont charge me. I think I am gonna give it a try.

OnyxMAX · September 9, 2006

you will prolly like it alot even if he just got rid of most of the torque management and gets the a/f correct at WOT.

05SierraZ71 · September 13, 2006

you will prolly like it alot even if he just got rid of most of the torque management and gets the a/f correct at WOT.

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I had the tune done and it hasnt really impressed me as much as I expected... The top end is definetly better- once you get on it and it gets past about 3500rpm, you can definetly feel the difference, and he changed the shift points so it winds out quite a bit more, and shifts harder.... all that I like. Plus it seems I am getting about 2 mpg better, I havent ran the full tank yet so I'm not sure exactly what it will be. I guess he also got rid of the top speed limiter as well.

The one thing that didnt impress me was the bottom end. It still lags on take off, it might be a hair better, but i was expected to punch it and spin the tires, and that isnt happening.. Another thing that he did, that I didn't like was he made it so the electric fans come on if the engine gets hotter than 180 degrees... I dont know about you guys, but my truck runs just under 210 even if its 10 degrees outside... so the fans are constantly on once it gets hot... I guess I could change the thermostat, or just have him take it off. I'll probably change the thermostat, so it will run cooler.

So my question is, are my results similar to a hypertech type of tune??

Do some of the other tunes give better bottom end?

I think he said he was gonna charge around like $400-500, and I figure unless it is a lot better than something I can buy and do myself, its definetly not worth that...

05SierraZ71 · September 13, 2006

Another thing I have noticed since I have had it done is that on cold start up it bogs for a few seconds before running normally. Is this common with tunes?

05SierraZ71 · September 21, 2006

Now the guy is telling me that to get more bottom end power, you have to replace some fitting in the fuel system that allows more fuel to flow.. He said it takes about 3 hours to do and that the part is only $3 bucks or so. Has anyone heard of this????

Rammer · September 22, 2006

Another thing I have noticed since I have had it done is that on cold start up it bogs for a few seconds before running normally. Is this common with tunes?

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NO

Is this guy on crack? You'll use more fuel at WOT at the 1-2 shift than anywhere else, especially at low RPMs. Fans on at 180 degrees with what a 195 degree thermostat? Better get him to put your PCM back to stock. Doesn't sound like he has a clue!

05SierraZ71 · September 22, 2006

And thats exactly what I am going to do... He wants about $400 bucks for this bs tune he gave me... I think I'm gonna go with a wait for me.

Rammer · September 23, 2006

If you ever come down my way, I'll hook you up with a tune that works for free.

Schmids5.3l · September 23, 2006

Another thing I have noticed since I have had it done is that on cold start up it bogs for a few seconds before running normally. Is this common with tunes?

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NO. On a cold start up mine always jumps up to 1400ish rpms then drops to maybe 700. Now with wait 4 me it maybe jumps to 1500 then down to 700. Tell that guy you want it back to stock and get a wait 4 me or Westers or something. Good thing is with wait4me you keep your old computer. Mine is in the garage. Im very happy with it