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New Gears.... now what???

roadjunkie
Explorer
Explorer
I posted another thread on swapping my 3.23 gears for 4.10 on my RWD 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 5.3L and 4 speed auto (4L60e).

I took the truck in this morning and picked it up about 2 hours ago. I can't really test anything until I get 500 miles on it and change out the break in oil so I was advised to do short trips of varying speeds and then let it cool for a while.

So the first thing that I did notice was that the speedo is way off, which I knew about. That, along with my ABS light and BRAKE light being on constantly are next to be addressed.

My question is for those who've done it, do I have it super-tuned on a dyno for $350 or buy a programmer/tuner like Bully Dog, or comparable, for $430?

There's a guy in Kansas City that does custom tunes an a dyno for $350 on my truck. Since he's mostly into high performance cars, he said I would need to burn 87 octane pump gas for normal driving and 91 for towing. I'm not wild about paying for premium gas to tow with if I can custom tune it myself for the application needed at the moment.

A Bully Dog programmer/tuner is about $430 and I can adjust as needed. Will either of these options remedy my warning light problems on BRAKE and ABS as well as correct the speedo?
108 REPLIES 108

roadjunkie
Explorer
Explorer
Clockman wrote:
All you need is A Hypertech Programmer, It will fix your Speedo and Abs light issue, and will give you slightly more power, I have a 2000 Silverado that I went with 4:56's because of bigger tires, no problems with the Hypertech works perfect..


I'm going with a custom tune done on a dyno for towing and it will address all of the issues with the ABS warning lights (speedo) plus slopping shifts and throttle response. The tune guy tells me i'll see a bumpy of 20 to 30 HP and more torque, something a few of the guys that have posted on this thread have argued.

I'll have 500 miles on my new gears by the end of today and an appointment tomorrow for the gear oil change. Yesterday was the first day for me to drive it on the highway and I can already feel a huge difference.

roadjunkie
Explorer
Explorer
Ron3rd wrote:

.... to the guy wI disagree. The 5.3 is a dog for towing with that gear ratio.

The gear swap was a good idea.


Thanks.... I realized that yesterday when I got it on the highway for the first time.

Ron3rd wrote:
But I would pose these questions to the guy who did the gear swap.


Pose what questions to who? Me.... the guy that had the gear swap done or the shop that did the actual gear swap for me?

Ron3rd wrote:
Did you ask him, and if so, what did he say?


Did I ask who, what?

Ron3rd
Explorer
Explorer
True temper wrote:
You wasted your money, your truck only has so much power. Changing the gears might help a bit climbing hills but on the flat you will suffer. You are not going to get blood out of a turnip. Should have bought a smaller trailer or a more powerful pickup.


I disagree. The 5.3 is a dog for towing with that gear ratio.


The gear swap was a good idea. But I would pose these questions to the guy who did the gear swap. Did you ask him, and if so, what did he say?
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Clockman
Explorer
Explorer
All you need is A Hypertech Programmer, It will fix your Speedo and Abs light issue, and will give you slightly more power, I have a 2000 Silverado that I went with 4:56's because of bigger tires, no problems with the Hypertech works perfect..

lawrosa
Explorer
Explorer
roadjunkie wrote:
lawrosa wrote:
Forgot to ask... Does that truck have AFM? My 2006 does not. I have the LM7 also so I assume you do not have AFM.


My truck has AF/FM STEREO, CD-PLAYER and BLUETOOTH. Yours didn't come with that? Does your truck have a 6 cyl. with 3 on the tree and crank up windows? 😄


AFM I think started in 07. Active fuel management nightmare. Turns off 4 cylinders. Lifters are problematic..
Mike L ... N.J.

2006 Silverado ext cab long bed. 3:42 rear. LM7 5.3 motor. 300 hp 350 ft lbs torgue @ 4000 rpms
2018 coachmen Catalina sbx 261bh

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
Hey Rick, my great uncle had a GM 6 cyl, with 3 on the tree. It was always kept inside, beautiful truck. Yup, crank windows too, as those mid 60s pickups were just for function, and cheap. I always wanted to buy it from him, but lost track, and don't know what ever happened to it.

You need to get off the net, and get some miles on your truck, as I, like many, are waiting to hear the tow report with the 4.10s. 🙂

BTW, if I lived close, I'd be hitting you up, for a couple kick back days, sailing on that boat, sipping some cold ones!!

Jerry

roadjunkie
Explorer
Explorer
lawrosa wrote:
Forgot to ask... Does that truck have AFM? My 2006 does not. I have the LM7 also so I assume you do not have AFM.


My truck has AF/FM STEREO, CD-PLAYER and BLUETOOTH. Yours didn't come with that? Does your truck have a 6 cyl. with 3 on the tree and crank up windows? 😄

roadjunkie
Explorer
Explorer
Hey Lawrosa..... if I get a tune and don't get a bump in HP and torque when on the dyno but the truck feels and drives like it did, doesn't that count?

roadjunkie
Explorer
Explorer
dodge guy wrote:
Am I the only person that doesn't have a problem with their tuner? and I`m running an 89 octane. and a PCM will not relearn its old ways because you removed the factory tune and downloaded a new one. it cannot relearn what is not their. it will learn as it drives though. a good tune will add power across the rpm range.

If all you have done is read about then you don`t know anything about what a custom tune can do. ask anyone of us the has a tune from 5star tuning and everyone of us will tell you its the best thing we`ve done!


😉

roadjunkie
Explorer
Explorer
lawrosa wrote:
lol..... You must really be bored. wrote:


LOL... Im going to talk you out of buying that tuner if it kills me....

Your post actually made me read more on tuners and I pulled up a lot of documentation regarding them.

Its somewhat of an education process. But when all is said and done all I see online is a bunch of kids on you tube flooring their vehicles back and forth up a road .

Swearing that thier car or truck is faster.

Buy a $48K truck, put a CAI on, rip the exhaust off, put a tune in because 375HP is not enough.

Im into longevity at my 51 years of age. I dont beat on my vehicles as I did as a kid.

But no computer management back then. tuning was different.

69 chevelle or the 68 442 I had was fast but we wanted faster..

If your an older gentlemen Im supprised your buying into it because as we know, gears, cams, exhaust, pistons and heads where the way to go. But with computer management it will be problematic..


Google will return the results that you ask for so if you type in, "what can a tuner do my tow vehicle" Google will give you positive results. If you ask, "Are tuners all they're cracked up to be?" then you'll get the negative results. Personally, I rely more on first hand experience because I have a lot friends that are into hotrods.

I grew up around drag racing and spent my summers at KCIR (Kansas City International Raceway). Weekends were funny cars and top fuel dragsters. Wednesday night was grudge night where we all went to the strip with our cars to race each other.

I have friends that raced professionally in the funny car class and I have friends who are weekend warriors. I know about 4 bolt mains, Dart heads, camshafts, headers, 4bbl carbs, 3 deuce set ups, forged steel cranks, chrome-moly push rods, electric fuel pumps, pistons, shift kits, 9 bolt Fords, high rise manifolds, forced air induction and on and on. I also know that the proper custom tune will be beneficial to my needs. I can't say for sure regarding boxed tunes but I'd bet they're better than factory tuned.

I have 14 years experience on you, have owned my fair share of fast cars. I've owned for Camaros, a 67, a 69RS, a 74LT and a 2000 Z-28. I drove a 1969 Dodge Super Bee in high school with a 383/375HP Magnum and factory Hurst 4-speed. I've owned fast Jap cars and fast Jap bikes so I've been around speed most of my life. I even had a buddy that had a V-drive drag boats so as you can see, life has been a real drag for me.

My truck now is pushing a little over 300HP. I'm happy with that and, like you, I don't drive it hard because I don't make the bucks I used to and broken parts are expensive to replace. My truck is light weight and has plenty of power. From 70mph to over 100mph is only a matter of seconds but it's like a lead sled from a dead stop. The throttle response is horrible because I have to depress the pedal to the floor to bring the engine to life. There's a long, lull in between gears (no throttle) and slow shifts. The downshifts are horrible and require putting the pedal to the floor and often it's all just motor with no help from the gears because it won't downshift.

The ECU is detuned for low emissions and better fuel economy that robs power from what is there. There are 3 things that custom dyno-tune will resolve. The 4th is the ABS warning lights. I could drive the truck for the rest of it's life with the lights on but I don't like it. Another 10 to 20 HP and 10 or so pounds of torque are possible just by removing the restrictions that the factory has placed on it and that's good news too.

You keep listening and you'll soon be telling me that you finally saw the light and woke yours up too.

dodge_guy
Explorer
Explorer
Am I the only person that doesn't have a problem with their tuner? and I`m running an 89 octane. and a PCM will not relearn its old ways because you removed the factory tune and downloaded a new one. it cannot relearn what is not their. it will learn as it drives though. a good tune will add power across the rpm range.

If all you have done is read about then you don`t know anything about what a custom tune can do. ask anyone of us the has a tune from 5star tuning and everyone of us will tell you its the best thing we`ve done!
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lawrosa
Explorer
Explorer
lol..... You must really be bored. wrote:


LOL... Im going to talk you out of buying that tuner if it kills me....

Your post actually made me read more on tuners and I pulled up a lot of documentation regarding them.

Its somewhat of an education process. But when all is said and done all I see online is a bunch of kids on you tube flooring their vehicles back and forth up a road .

Swearing that thier car or truck is faster.

Buy a $48K truck, put a CAI on, rip the exhaust off, put a tune in because 375HP is not enough.

Im into longevity at my 51 years of age. I dont beat on my vehicles as I did as a kid.

But no computer management back then. tuning was different.

69 chevelle or the 68 442 I had was fast but we wanted faster..

If your an older gentlemen Im supprised your buying into it because as we know, gears, cams, exhaust, pistons and heads where the way to go. But with computer management it will be problematic..
Mike L ... N.J.

2006 Silverado ext cab long bed. 3:42 rear. LM7 5.3 motor. 300 hp 350 ft lbs torgue @ 4000 rpms
2018 coachmen Catalina sbx 261bh

roadjunkie
Explorer
Explorer
lawrosa wrote:
dont you think all the HP tune claims, CAI, and other gadgets are done on the dyno at WOT? Most of the power increase are probably from running hi test. Who runs @ WOT. I never do.

IDK why one would want to tune out the torque management gm uses to re tard the timeing on the shift points. Keeping the timeing advanced through shifts will shorten the life of trans dont ya think?

As I said I was a gear head back when( speed freak) but that was before computer management.

Have you read even with a tune the truck will eventually relearn its old ways. Youll just have to reload it when you realize it... if you do..

It would be popular opinion that to download stock tune back after upgrade plays havoc with the trans..


Can we ask, Have you ever had a tune before.

And instead of us stating why we dont like tunes,and why its a farce, Tell us what you think a tune will do for you.

Personally I dont think you educated yourself enough on it..

Now we know you need to fix the speedo, but any speedo shop instrument shop can do it. I know its a cost thing.

cheapest recall unit I know is from Jet,, about $140

I still dont know why the rear guy will not recal for you. Did I miss that in the readings below?



lol..... You must really be bored.

lawrosa
Explorer
Explorer
Forgot to ask... Does that truck have AFM? My 2006 does not. I have the LM7 also so I assume you do not have AFM.
Mike L ... N.J.

2006 Silverado ext cab long bed. 3:42 rear. LM7 5.3 motor. 300 hp 350 ft lbs torgue @ 4000 rpms
2018 coachmen Catalina sbx 261bh