96-99 454 Vortec owners?

[bankspowered98]

Banks Powerpack System
http://bankspower.com/System.cfm?appid=AC05&sysid=SC08

[bankspowered98]

NODIH, could you tell a bunch when you slapped your Wait4me computer in? I am debating on if it should be the next purchase or not

[N0DIH]

Oh yeah, you'll notice it. Jesse fixes a lot of things that are just plain stupid by GM. Like PE mode stuck on a 1 minute timer. You'll feel that one big time. That and if you run 87 octane, drive it for a while and then go 93 octane, you'll think it just got retuned again. Mine REALLY wakes up with 93 octane....

Only issue I don't like is he updates with GM and the latest tune. The "Towing Improvement Program" comes in and you lose lockup until 68-69 mph. That hurts mpg, but saves the converter during towing. Locking and unlocking in towing is bad on the converter...

So if you don't want that, make sure Jesse knows NOT to update the trans tuning from GM and keep yours.

SOTP dyno says 40-50 lb/ft torque boost with Jesse's tune. It really wakes up.

[bankspowered98]

Excellent, thats what I needed to know. I think I will contact him this week and go ahead and order one. When he updates the trans, does it seem to shift any better?

[N0DIH]

A little, not harsh, 1-2 probably hardest shift. I would like a tad faster. But I also tune LT1's and 4L60E's, so I have a better idea what those will do.

Again, if you don't want to lose lockup until 68 mph, make sure he DOESN'T use the Towing Improvement Program. If you tow a lot, you might wanna keep it, but if not, you may not. Basically you can't cruise at low locked up rpms. It isn't bad, but messes with you if you aren't ready for it. I am still mixed on it....

[Red376]

Originally Posted by bankspowered98

What tune would you gentlemen suggest to get just a shade bit more power out of the BB?

You're the one getting 14mpg while pulling a car trailer, is there any advice out there that you could actually gain from? You ought to be teaching a clinic providing your numbers are accurate.

[bankspowered98]

Alright, thank you for the heads up. I emailed him yesterday and told him what I wanted. Hopefully I can have it in about a week and keep everyone updated on the tune and how this engine with the mods reacts. I will more than likely tell him to NOT update the towing program. The truck does very well once you hit 65-70 and the converter locks up. Trans temp stays right around 210 so I am not to worried about.

[imprezkid]

where did you get the tb spacer from?

[bankspowered98]

The tower is a HELIX power tower.

[dietzster]

I just installed a new pcm with wait4me tune and holy sh*t that thing is f'n awesome! It has way more power, shifts better, I'm impressed. There's a big hill near my house that my truck would normally drop about 15 kph and most of the time downshift to 3rd. Tonight I hit it at 110 kph and it didn't lose ANY speed at 1/2 throttle and the tcc clutch didn't even come off. And in my big dually I can literally hack donuts on pavement with no effort. I'll have to make a roadtrip soon and see how the milage is doing.

It still isn't close to a race car but big improvement. The next step is a transgo shift kit before I hook onto the 5th wheel in the spring! The last time I pulled it the truck was bone stock, I'm pumped too see how it will make out, fricking trailer is 13,000 lbs empty!

[N0DIH]

You might need to retune the trans with Jesse after the shift kit. Make sure you use the HD2, not the SK kit.

With my 99 K2500 Burb 454, I was pulling a 6000+ lbs trailer, up a fairly large hill, and I never even downshifted. Stayed at 65 mph in OD with no issues whatsoever....

Towed a 28 footer with my household stuff in it loaded very heavy, 10K# and same deal, no drop out of OD on even steep hills. It pulls great!

Oh, wanna have fun? Run some 93 octane through it, you'll find MORE power yet!

[dietzster]

Yeah, the next trip home will be 93 octane and see what happens. I was planning on using the sk 4l80-e for now until my trans burns up, only because I read that the trans has to be out to put in the hd2, is that right? Also the trans has 200,000 kms on it and I didn't want to do the reprogram kit at such high milage. I'll be keeping this truck for a long time so I'll do the next trans with the hd2.

[N0DIH]

Talking to another trans guru (he does specialize in 4L60E's, not L80's) said the SK is a waste of $ compared to what you get with the HD2.

Compare the kits, for the money, the HD2 is better off. It fixes a lot more than the SK and from what I have heard on the L60, is not so harsh and it does much better improvements. I have installed 2 HD2's in a L60 and if you are going in that far, do it right the first time...

[skills4lou]

Hey guys, do you have a link for the HD2?

Also, I yanked the cap and rotor a few days ago. Holy $#!t the front screw on the cap was a tight fit for some reason. I'm gonna have to get a set of torx screwdrivers and grind down the shaft to make it a little easier to fit behind the upper intake. Anyways, the cap/rotor was in good shape, and my AC' 91-433's where pretty good, but somehow the gap was only .053. I cleaned 'em up and re-gapped at .060. I also found that the breather hose on the right valve cover had come off somehow!? Not sure how long that's been like that, but it damn sure explains the occasional stumble at a stop light: can you say vacuum leak! I got everything put back together and took it out for a little drive. Wow, the SOP dyno showed at least another 20hp. The G80 got a little workout (and yes it still works at ~118k miles)
It's amazing what a decent tune-up does, huh? I was thinking about doing a full MSD ignition, but now I'm thinking an e-tune may get me more bang for the buck. I'd like a little more power, but do you guys know how Jesse does with more of a MPG tune?
Thanks

[dietzster]

www.transgo.com is the link.

[N0DIH]

Actually, narrowing the gap to 0.045" on the L21 454 (the RV/Medium Truck version) is worth 20hp on the dyno (yes, a RV shop dyno's them and proved it out). So I have found my 454 runs much nicer, idles better, and generally overall better with the narrower gap.

Reasons from a few racers I have talked to fully support it, as the narrower gap eliminates misfires, and creates an easier gap to arc under harsh conditions, something a 454 will likely see in a lot of driving.

If you look at most of the higher performance engines, they stick to a narrower gap.

I initially gapped to 0.060 and I had some idle miss, and narrowed the gap to 0.053 and it got better, and then narrowed further to around 0.045 and it was nearly completely gone. Started easier too.

Originally Posted by skills4lou

Hey guys, do you have a link for the HD2?

Also, I yanked the cap and rotor a few days ago. Holy $#!t the front screw on the cap was a tight fit for some reason. I'm gonna have to get a set of torx screwdrivers and grind down the shaft to make it a little easier to fit behind the upper intake. Anyways, the cap/rotor was in good shape, and my AC' 91-433's where pretty good, but somehow the gap was only .053. I cleaned 'em up and re-gapped at .060. I also found that the breather hose on the right valve cover had come off somehow!? Not sure how long that's been like that, but it damn sure explains the occasional stumble at a stop light: can you say vacuum leak! I got everything put back together and took it out for a little drive. Wow, the SOP dyno showed at least another 20hp. The G80 got a little workout (and yes it still works at ~118k miles)
It's amazing what a decent tune-up does, huh? I was thinking about doing a full MSD ignition, but now I'm thinking an e-tune may get me more bang for the buck. I'd like a little more power, but do you guys know how Jesse does with more of a MPG tune?
Thanks

Jesse can make a lot more power than stock. As for mpg, well, depends on the trans tune you get, your original tune's trans program stay with if you don't want full time tow/haul mode, as GM did a "Towing Improvement Program" in the early 2000's as a fix on the 454 trucks. You lose lockup until 68-69 mph. Good for towing, bad for mpg not towing. I am often in places I can't get over 69 mph due to traffic and just plain people who can't read the speed limit signs.... Let him know what you want. But overall it never hurt mpg, and it helped power a lot, and with 93 octane it really helped power even more than with 87 octane.

I have a fueling issue that is preventing me from decent mpg anyway, and I hope to get that fixed soon as I can get the intake off and look into it. Or get in and tune my own PCM, but that is another issue..

[skills4lou]

That's new to me on the .045 gaps. I can see it improving the spark if your ignition is weak, but it seems counter-intuitive if the rest of the ignition is up to the task of jumping the .060 gap. Anyway, my L29 felt better with a bigger gap. It'd be nice to find a dyno near me to see what MY truck likes. The SOP dyno can easily be mislead

[N0DIH]

That was always my thoughts too. Heck, Olds ran a 0.080 gap on the 350's in the late 70's....

BUT, the tip temps climb a lot when the gap is wide, I guess good for emissions to ensure a clean tip, but makes a heck of a hot spot and makes it prone to preignition too. They also like to run the L29 plugs in the 8100's too. Or course, I am doing the opposite, I am running the 8100 plugs in my 7400/L29.... For the reason of getting the spark off the chamber wall more out in the open. They think that is bad, but I'll mess with it another day if I feel it hurts power. I don't....

Dyno didn't lie, changing back and forth between the plug gaps made more power. And the L21's have a lot better ignition system than us L29 454 boys and girls. They have the CNP (Coil Near Plug) like the LS1's. The 496 borrowed it from the L21 454. They don't NEED more ignition power, they already have it. They have forged cranks, rods, pistons stock too, sounds like same cam, same intake, no distributor, special front cover for crank sensor for CNP.

Go try this, you have it set now for 0.060. Go run 3 back to back 0-60 mph times. And then run 3 40-70 mph times (running start, say start off at 25 and start the stop watch @ 40 and stop it at 70) and record all your times.

Then regap to 0.045" and then repeat. Be as consistent as possible. If you are faster, you got it, if not, change back....

I feel mine is better with 0.045 than 0.060.

At WOT you won't feel a couple misfires. But you won't have power on that piston on that revolution. Key is to make 100% power on each stroke.

Originally Posted by skills4lou

That's new to me on the .045 gaps. I can see it improving the spark if your ignition is weak, but it seems counter-intuitive if the rest of the ignition is up to the task of jumping the .060 gap. Anyway, my L29 felt better with a bigger gap. It'd be nice to find a dyno near me to see what MY truck likes. The SOP dyno can easily be mislead

[KL7]

So glad I found this thread....tons of good information here! Add me to the list of 454 owners.

[N0DIH]

Glad we can be helpful, we need more 454 owners! We are all too rare in a field of small blocks! Gotta show them who is king of the road! :) Hook up a trailer and show off!