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Flashpaq Tuner on 6.0 GM

Rwake901
Explorer
Explorer
Anyone use the "Flashpaq" tuner to get more power out of their 6.0 GM, and does it work? I called them and they claim you will get 30 more HP using their tuner in tow mode. I was just wondering if anyone else has used one and if it helps at all... Thanks
15 REPLIES 15

philh
Explorer II
Explorer II
ShinerBock wrote:
I will add that if OEM's wanted their transmissions to last longer then they would tune every transmission to shift firmly as quickly as possible instead of these buttery smooth shift that crates more slippage, more clutch wear, and more heat. However, most people would not like a transmission that shifts this way so the OEM's tune them to shift smoother, even though it reduces longevity, to please most consumers.

You mean like Ford's DPS6 that was loved in Europe and absolutely hated in US?

ShinerBock
Explorer
Explorer
I will add that if OEM's wanted their transmissions to last longer then they would tune every transmission to shift firmly as quickly as possible instead of these buttery smooth shift that crates more slippage, more clutch wear, and more heat. However, most people would not like a transmission that shifts this way so the OEM's tune them to shift smoother, even though it reduces longevity, to please most consumers.
2014 Ram 2500 6.7L CTD
2016 BMW 2.0L diesel (work and back car)
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 3.0L Ecodiesel

Highland Ridge Silverstar 378RBS

ShinerBock
Explorer
Explorer
On major reason why the 6.2L is not in the HD trucks is because it has an aluminum block which is not ideal for a gasoline HD truck. Cars like the the ZL1 is meant for the track. Not the one that goes in a strait line, the one that has turns and is constantly shifting up and down gears creating heat.

Going back to GM Authorities 6L90 spec sheet, the "maximum validated GVW" is 15,000 lbs and the max GCVW is 21,000 lbs.

Heat in a transmission is usually generally from slippage and/or constant high line pressure. If the 6L90's torque converter is locked and has enough clamping force to handle the amount of power and weight that a tuned 6.0L is rated for then there will be no slippage. Most transmissions that fail from added power is due to slippage, but as stated in the spec sheet, the 6L90 is rated to handle way more than what just a tune will do to a 6.0L even in a truck application.

The valve body line pressure is depended your right foot and engine load so it will get hot under constant high load with added power or not if the trans cooler cannot keep it in check. Added power has nothing to do with this heat and in fact added power may even help if the engine does not have to be at such a high load as often.

However, this is why tuners have tow tunes and unloaded tunes. Tow tuned generally have lower power numbers and alters shifting to be at optimum rpms with firmer shifts. Firmer shifts are to keep slippage between shifts at a minimum which reduces heat. Unloaded tunes generally have higher power numbers while keeping the buttery smooth shifts(more slippage) from the factory. So you select the tune and customize it based on how you will using your truck instead of being forced to drive a one size fits all tune made for applications/situations you will probably never drive your truck in.
2014 Ram 2500 6.7L CTD
2016 BMW 2.0L diesel (work and back car)
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 3.0L Ecodiesel

Highland Ridge Silverstar 378RBS

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
A good analogy and will add...

Why isn't the GM 6.2L all aluminum in +8,600 lb GVWR trucks? Duty cycle...

What is the GVWR and GCWR of the 'cars' with high HP/Torque mated to the 6L90 ? How well would the 6L90E do with a 5,000 lb to 7,000 lb or larger trailer in tow? Duty cycle required to tow for hours in hot conditions and steep incline will kill it...of course stated 'unloaded', but this is a towing/RV forum/application...then again, most TV's will weigh more than those 'cars'...

Worked for and was partners in small firms supplying test stands to automotive industry, military and other industrial markets (and many other markets). Largest disc brake I've designed was a 48" dia at the outer swept area...most others were in the 17"-20" range and all had 100% duty cycle ratings. My designs were much smaller than GE's, Westinghouse's, Reliance's...because they were all designed decades ago and continued to be offered

Biggest test stand was for DOT testing tires and wheels. Locomotive traction motors were the only electric motors that had the duty cycle they spec'd out, which included a 100% duty cycle for the drum at max RPM/Max Load/Max Slip angle/etc. Their old ones used hydraulic's and did NOT have the duty cycle ours did, not the fine controls they required.

All are opinions on these freebie forums...some empirical...others theoretical based on learned knowledge to actual practice. Readers must decide for themselves on the info presented, or not...
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

ShinerBock
Explorer
Explorer
If the 6L90 can handle 556 hp and 551 lb-ft in the CTS-V or 580hp and 556 lb-ft in the ZL1 on the track, then I think it can handle what a 6.0L 2500 can put out unloaded. According to GM Authority spec sheets on the 6L90 the max horsepower it can handle in a gas truck is 452 hp and 531 lb-ft which is far from what a 6.0L will be able to achieve with just a tune.

Having worked for engine/auto manufacturers and being involved in testing, I can say the public assumption/perception of why things are the way that are, and the real reason as to why things are the way they are often are not the same. Also, what may have been the case decades ago may not still be today.
2014 Ram 2500 6.7L CTD
2016 BMW 2.0L diesel (work and back car)
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 3.0L Ecodiesel

Highland Ridge Silverstar 378RBS

LIKE2BUILD
Explorer
Explorer
kw/00 wrote:
Since I have a GM 6.0 I recommend the black bear auto tune. Really wakes up this engine, reduces TQ management

This is really the big issue on the GM 6.0L. These engines make really nice HP and torque, but to add longevity of the transmission they used torque management to choke off the engine so it didn't kill the tranny. As BenK stated, it's all about duty cycles and there is quite likely more torque the transmission can handle. By reducing the torque management you get more of the power the engine makes delivered to the transmission.
'14 Ram 2500|Crew Cab Long Bed|4X4|Cummins
Curt Q20 with Ram 5th Wheel Prep
2000 Crownline 205BR
1997 Ranger Comanche 461VS
'01 Polaris Virage TX PWC
'94 Polaris SLT750 PWC
3 Wonderful Sons (21, 15, & 13)
1 forgiving wife!!!

kw_00
Explorer
Explorer
Since I have a GM 6.0 I recommend the black bear auto tune. Really wakes up this engine, reduces TQ management and does provide better economy if u keep your foot out of it. I like my tune, it solved a few issues for me, most noticeable was the pedal lag and lazy tranny shift. I paid 600.00 for mine. Itโ€™s simple, he sends you a handheld scanner, plug it in, drive and download. Afterwards email him the downloaded scan and he ask you what you want from you tune. He then emails you back the new tune, you then download it on to the auto cal handheld unit, plug it into the truck and download. GM 6.0 will gain 35-40 horse with 50 TQ on the performance tune and 91 octane. I use the normal tune at 87 octane. If towing I use the 89 tune. I have used the 91 tune after a few tankfuls and was able to burn the rear tires.... of course not my style but non the less it will do it. Anyway the normal 87 tune removes most TQ management and you will gain some HP and TQ. Overall I like it and have been using the tune for a few years with zero issues. Blackbear never tunes your truck to exceed where it should be, there no crazy blow you engine up within a short distance tune, Justin is the guy who owns it and really is a knowledgeable guy and keeps everything in check. So thatโ€™s my take, I zero issues with it and it has given me a noticeable performance with increased mileage and corrected a few GM quirks... let me know if you have questions.
A truck, a camper, a few toys, but most importantly a wonderful family.

ShinerBock
Explorer
Explorer
Grit dog wrote:
" Then there was the EPA mandated cylinder fuel cutoff if the engine has more than one misfire in a certain amount of time. The Ecoboost intercoolers were not allowed to have weep holes like many older turbo charged cars used to have since the EPA does not allow unfiltered air to escape the engine. This caused moisture to pool at the lowest point of the intercooler and would sometimes get ingested by the engine. Not enough to harm it, but enough to cause a few misfires which would then cause the truck to shut off all fuel going to those injectors for 30 seconds causing a dangerous bucking situation with low power. Why? Because un-burned fuel will damage a catalytic converter so the EPA forced automakers to have this in their programming. "

Is this what the early Eco intercooler problems were? Something that could be solved with a 1/16" drill bit in 5 minutes? Sounds about right. I work almost exclusively for public agencies and am astounded daily with ignorance, bureaucracy, and just plain lack of comprehension whether hereditary or programmed...lol.



Yeah, mine did it several times in hot humid weather within the first year I got it. Dang near scared the **** out of me the first time it happened. After doing some research on what was causing it, I drilled a 1/32 hole at the lowest point of the intercooler and it never did it again in the several years I owned the truck. It also fixed the issue for many others in the forums as well.

I was able obtain a PDF copy of Ford's response to the NHTSA investigation on the cause of the issue. I figured that was why there was never a recall on it since the cause of it was due to EPA mandated programming and not allowing a weep hole.
2014 Ram 2500 6.7L CTD
2016 BMW 2.0L diesel (work and back car)
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 3.0L Ecodiesel

Highland Ridge Silverstar 378RBS

APT
Explorer
Explorer
The only tuner I recommend for GM is Black Bear. While I agree that you will not get much more power in the rpm range you want to drive (<3000rpm), the most benefits come from improved throttle response, transmission shifts and set points, as well as removing GM's "Torque Management".
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS
2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R
2x 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV (Gray and Black Twins)

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
" Then there was the EPA mandated cylinder fuel cutoff if the engine has more than one misfire in a certain amount of time. The Ecoboost intercoolers were not allowed to have weep holes like many older turbo charged cars used to have since the EPA does not allow unfiltered air to escape the engine. This caused moisture to pool at the lowest point of the intercooler and would sometimes get ingested by the engine. Not enough to harm it, but enough to cause a few misfires which would then cause the truck to shut off all fuel going to those injectors for 30 seconds causing a dangerous bucking situation with low power. Why? Because un-burned fuel will damage a catalytic converter so the EPA forced automakers to have this in their programming. "

Is this what the early Eco intercooler problems were? Something that could be solved with a 1/16" drill bit in 5 minutes? Sounds about right. I work almost exclusively for public agencies and am astounded daily with ignorance, bureaucracy, and just plain lack of comprehension whether hereditary or programmed...lol.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

2oldman
Explorer
Explorer
philh wrote:
I never understand why people insist on modifying their factory tunes.
There are a lot of hicks around here who like their diesels to blow black smoke. That's quite a thrill for them.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

ShinerBock
Explorer
Explorer
philh wrote:
I never understand why people insist on modifying their factory tunes. OEM's spend millions upon millions of dollars testing their calibration programs to ensure they are safe and will work in all environmental conditions.


seriously, what are you going to do with 30 more hp that's only available at Wide Open Throttle? Even tho it's claimed they get that much, at what fuel economy cost?

I have one (Predator Tuner) on my Dodge Charger, because that car is modified. There's one on my wife's Dodge Challenger, 1st because she won it as a raffle prize at a car show, and 2nd, because I HATE 1-4 skip shift.

On my F150, used for towing, not a chance in H E double tooth picks.


They spend millions upon millions to ensure their factory fuel mapping meets emissions first. In many cases, the factory mapping may reduce engine life just to meet emissions.

Take my F150 Ecoboost for example. On my data logs, the factory emissions mapping would cause the engine to have a significantly greater amount of knock events versus my emissions removed tuning which allowed it to run more efficiently with increased timing.

Then there was the EPA mandated cylinder fuel cutoff if the engine has more than one misfire in a certain amount of time. The Ecoboost intercoolers were not allowed to have weep holes like many older turbo charged cars used to have since the EPA does not allow unfiltered air to escape the engine. This caused moisture to pool at the lowest point of the intercooler and would sometimes get ingested by the engine. Not enough to harm it, but enough to cause a few misfires which would then cause the truck to shut off all fuel going to those injectors for 30 seconds causing a dangerous bucking situation with low power. Why? Because un-burned fuel will damage a catalytic converter so the EPA forced automakers to have this in their programming.

Then there is the fact that the factory mapping is generic for many situations as you stated. Custom tuning allows you tune the truck specifically to how the owner uses his truck instead of the one size fits all factory tune that is safe for ways the OP is NOT using his truck.

Both my current diesel and my old Ecoboost had tunes for unloaded and loaded driving that I can switch to depending how I was using my truck at the moment. If I wasn't towing, then I would have it on a street tune that was more fun to drive with greater efficiency. When I was towing then I would flash my tow tow which reduced power output, but altered the turbo mapping to make torque come one sooner.

Also, with most modern trucks, transmission shift points and torque converter lock up strategy can be altered as well. The stock trans is often tuned to shift too soon to conserve fuel leaving you in too low of a gear and too low in the power band when towing. Not only that, but the factory converter may not lock when you need/want it to and the throttle may be programmed with a lot of lag. Custom tuning these things alone without adding any power makes a huge difference in driveability.

OP, I would not go with any "canned" tune like the Flashpaq. They are just that, a canned tuned with just a little horsepower over stock and most don't even alter shift points, torque converter lock up, and/or throttle input. I would go with a custom tune from places like 5 Star Tuning. My cousin has a tune from Black Bear Performance on his 6.0 and loves it. Either will make a custom tunes specifically for you and how you use your truck, and also do trans tuning as well.
2014 Ram 2500 6.7L CTD
2016 BMW 2.0L diesel (work and back car)
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 3.0L Ecodiesel

Highland Ridge Silverstar 378RBS

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
We live in a world made up of bell curves and this topic also lives in a bell curve

Automotive OEM's design their products to all kinds of bell curves and this topic is with the ICE bell curve

OEM's has to have enough duty cycle for performance for the worst conditions out there and still perform to specifications. Plus longevity to survive the warranty period(s), plus a bit. Not enough and their product will not live long enough and cost in the service department(s). Too much, and they have left too much on the table to lose money and/or not be price competitive

The ICE is not a stand-alone component/system. There are many other components and sub-systems involved

Tuners play with this ICE bell curve to push it from where the OEM chose (normally the mid point) and pushes it towards the high end, which has less longevity and/or duty cycle
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

Rwake901
Explorer
Explorer
philh wrote:
I never understand why people insist on modifying their factory tunes. OEM's spend millions upon millions of dollars testing their calibration programs to ensure they are safe and will work in all environmental conditions.


seriously, what are you going to do with 30 more hp that's only available at Wide Open Throttle? Even tho it's claimed they get that much, at what fuel economy cost?

I have one (Predator Tuner) on my Dodge Charger, because that car is modified. There's one on my wife's Dodge Challenger, 1st because she won it as a raffle prize at a car show, and 2nd, because I HATE 1-4 skip shift.

On my F150, used for towing, not a chance in H E double tooth picks.


This is why I am asking because I know nothing about it. I donโ€™t want to be wasting money on something that doesnโ€™t help or work. Thanks for your advice.