LT Headers and stock exhaust

[Mojo88]

.....I plan on a HPTune as well and will have to find a tuner in Minnesota or Wisconsin unless it can be done remotely?...

I recently bought the whole HPTuners setup, with brand new unlocked PCM from them. I downloaded my stock tune (very easy to do), emailed that tune to them, and they loaded it into the new PCM. I then swapped that new PCM into my truck, and put the OEM PCM safely away on a shelf.

I've been changing a few things in my tune since than. Very easy to change a tune and load it into your truck, but tuning is complicated and you gotta be diligent, you could blow something up without too much trouble.

Be careful when looking for a remote tuner, I've had mixed results over the years. The one thing I'll never buy again from a tuner is a "locked" tune. This is where you won't have the ability to make any changes in the tune. Many tuners feel that their tuning is extra special, top secret stuff, and maybe sometimes it is. But if you're just adding headers, you could (after some learning) probably tweak the tune yourself, and then retain the ability to make small changes here and there, to dial it perfectly in for your needs. And being as you use the truck for towing, you wouldn't want a balls-to-the-wall, top secret performance tune anyway.

 

[Wild one]

Thanks for that. There is an optional wiring harness. Is that needed for the conversion? I don't do Facebook, so the kit looks good.

Get the optional short runner extension harness,it's easier then soldering longer wires to your existing short runner valve wiring

 

[hemihustlin]

What these fellas are mentioning is exactly what I'm currently doing with my truck, if these damn headers ever get delivered...
TSP LT's
Custom 3" exhaust to dual 2 1/2" outlet w/ 5" tips
6.4L truck intake manifold using 5.7 injectors w/ fore spacers (already installed)
Caulk bypass (already installed)
Planning to use FRP to have it tuned w/ HPTuner

if you are going to go through the custom exhaust route why not use the proper single exhaust pipe size? like wildone mentioned earlier in this thread

personally I prefer x pipe and true duals but you can bet if i was going single it would be with a very unstock y pipe and a 3.5 pipe all the back

if you are leaving the stock y pipe and cat back to muffler than sure its fine 3" but if you are going to pay to change something might as well make a noticeable change no?

 

[GeauxinUp]

View attachment 565256

if you are going to go through the custom exhaust route why not use the proper single exhaust pipe size? like wildone mentioned earlier in this thread

personally I prefer x pipe and true duals but you can bet if i was going single it would be with a very unstock y pipe and a 3.5 pipe all the back

if you are leaving the stock y pipe and cat back to muffler than sure its fine 3" but if you are going to pay to change something might as well make a noticeable change no?

Collectors on the headers are 3", would it make sense to go 3" to 3.5" to dual 2.5"?

 

[Wild one]

Collectors on the headers are 3", would it make sense to go 3" to 3.5" to dual 2.5"?

No

 

[hemihustlin]

Collectors on the headers are 3", would it make sense to go 3" to 3.5" to dual 2.5"?

then go directly to dual 2.5 all the way down skip the messing around lol

 

[skates15]

I recently bought the whole HPTuners setup, with brand new unlocked PCM from them. I downloaded my stock tune (very easy to do), emailed that tune to them, and they loaded it into the new PCM. I then swapped that new PCM into my truck, and put the OEM PCM safely away on a shelf.

I've been changing a few things in my tune since than. Very easy to change a tune and load it into your truck, but tuning is complicated and you gotta be diligent, you could blow something up without too much trouble.

Be careful when looking for a remote tuner, I've had mixed results over the years. The one thing I'll never buy again from a tuner is a "locked" tune. This is where you won't have the ability to make any changes in the tune. Many tuners feel that their tuning is extra special, top secret stuff, and maybe sometimes it is. But if you're just adding headers, you could (after some learning) probably tweak the tune yourself, and then retain the ability to make small changes here and there, to dial it perfectly in for your needs. And being as you use the truck for towing, you wouldn't want a balls-to-the-wall, top secret performance tune anyway.

I've been following your threads, kudos for learning all of it. I am considering remote tune by FRP. I will ask if the tune is locked. I was going to have them adjust the fan curve at the same time. I plan the same approach, get a new unlocked PCM and put the OEM away.

 

[Wild one]

I've been following your threads, kudos for learning all of it. I am considering remote tune by FRP. I will ask if the tune is locked. I was going to have them adjust the fan curve at the same time. I plan the same approach, get a new unlocked PCM and put the OEM away.

As far as i know there's only 1 paranoid tuner with an over inflated ego in the truck world that locks his tunes,and his tunes are basically crap

 

[Mojo88]

I've been following your threads, kudos for learning all of it. I am considering remote tune by FRP. I will ask if the tune is locked. I was going to have them adjust the fan curve at the same time. I plan the same approach, get a new unlocked PCM and put the OEM away.

Thanks, but I'm just a rank beginner. I'm not a 'tuner', that's for sure. I recently paid a tuner to tweak my transmission shift points and firm up the shifts. He made a lot of changes. But it turns out I didn't care for the firmer shifts, so (because the tune was unlocked) I actually went into the trans tune myself and simply reverted all his 'firmer shift' mods back to stock. Then I wanted the shift points still a little higher, so I went in and adjusted all those myself a couple of times, so now this thing is shifting just wonderfully, it's not lugging any more. It's like a different truck now, the engine and trans are working seamlessly and smoothly together, an amazing difference from when I bought it last year.

 

[Wild one]

Thanks, but I'm just a rank beginner. I'm not a 'tuner', that's for sure. I recently paid a tuner to tweak my transmission shift points and firm up the shifts. He made a lot of changes. But it turns out I didn't care for the firmer shifts, so (because the tune was unlocked) I actually went into the trans tune myself and simply reverted all his 'firmer shift' mods back to stock. Then I wanted the shift points still a little higher, so I went in and adjusted all those myself a couple of times, so now this thing is shifting just wonderfully, it's not lugging any more. It's like a different truck now, the engine and trans are working seamlessly and smoothly together, an amazing difference from when I bought it last year.

You got to be careful tuning the 8 speed,you were probably wise to remove some of the tuners tweaks,alot of tuners aren't exactly what i'd call pro's when it comes to tuning the 8 speed . A poor tranny tune will burn up an 8 speed in a hurry,ask me how i know

 

[skates15]

Thanks, but I'm just a rank beginner. I'm not a 'tuner', that's for sure. I recently paid a tuner to tweak my transmission shift points and firm up the shifts.

Was this a remote tune? If so, how do they know what to adjust if they are not the driver?

 

[Mojo88]

Was this a remote tune? If so, how do they know what to adjust if they are not the driver?

Yes, this was a remote tune. I data-logged (using HPTuners on my laptop) as I drove around, various speeds and loads. This captured specific information (a list which he provided) and allowed him to formulate a trans tune based on all that. For instance, below is a snapshot of the data-log so you can see some of the info that was captured. Pretty much all custom REMOTE tunes will require some sort of data-logging. The tuner can then see what's going on, and make adjustments accordingly.

I actually ended up wasting my money, as I did not like the feel of the tuned shifts, but that was easily reverted back to stock (by me). All I really needed to be happy was higher shifting points, which I could have done myself, oh well.

 

[Wild one]

Was this a remote tune? If so, how do they know what to adjust if they are not the driver?

The best street tunes are done with your tuner sitting in the pass seat,with you driving,any dyno tuner,that also doesn't get in the pass seat with his laptop while you make hits on the street,is a tuner you want to avoid.
Of course a remote tuner doesn't have that option,so he relies on you being able to do the driving and recording datalogs,then sending them to him

 

[skates15]

Yes, this was a remote tune. I data-logged (using HPTuners on my laptop) as I drove around, various speeds and loads. This captured specific information (a list which he provided) and allowed him to formulate a trans tune based on all that. For instance, below is a snapshot of the data-log so you can see some of the info that was captured. Pretty much all custom REMOTE tunes will require some sort of data-logging. The tuner can then see what's going on, and make adjustments accordingly.

I actually ended up wasting my money, as I did not like the feel of the tuned shifts, but that was easily reverted back to stock (by me). All I really needed to be happy was higher shifting points, which I could have done myself, oh well.

View attachment 565415

Very cool. Seriously granular. It would be nice if the tuner was sitting with me as Wild One suggested, to dial it in further.

Sounds like I just need to get a cable and download the software to create a log file. Easy.

 

[Wild one]

Very cool. Seriously granular. It would be nice if the tuner was sitting with me as Wild One suggested, to dial it in further.

Sounds like I just need to get a cable and download the software to create a log file. Easy.

My tuner is 3 hours away,and i've made probably 30+ trips to his place so he can sit in the passenger seat with his laptop.Last time we were together visiting we figured he probably had close to a 100 hours in my pass seat,tweaking/fine tuning the truck But for a basic bolt on/small cammed truck with nothing more then a 70 shot,it would outrun 717 horse hellcats in the 1/8th,and give them a hell'va run through the 1/4,and if they were sleeping on the tree,it'd take their Hellcats,lol.I've got a few buddies with Hellcats that wouldn't line up beside the truck,as one buddy told me,it's embarrassing when a mild daily drivable 4X4 beats their Hellcats
Getting a good tune is usually not a 1 and done thing,it entails time

 

[Mojo88]

Very cool. Seriously granular. It would be nice if the tuner was sitting with me as Wild One suggested, to dial it in further.

Sounds like I just need to get a cable and download the software to create a log file. Easy.

@Wild one has some good advice in his last couple of posts. The post above, talking about the "100 hours" the tuner has in his passenger seat is pretty freakin 'Wild'.

But honestly, if you're just looking to tweak things a little bit, I'd recommend doing it yourself. It's fun learning the stuff. The guys on HPTuners Forum are pretty helpful with the basic stuff. So if you just want a little more pep and make the truck overall drive better, then DIY. However, if you're looking for the balls-to-the-wall tune, then yeah, a good tuner is needed.

 

[Wild one]

@Wild one has some good advice in his last couple of posts. The post above, talking about the "100 hours" the tuner has in his passenger seat is pretty freakin 'Wild'.

But honestly, if you're just looking to tweak things a little bit, I'd recommend doing it yourself. It's fun learning the stuff. The guys on HPTuners Forum are pretty helpful with the basic stuff. So if you just want a little more pep and make the truck overall drive better, then DIY. However, if you're looking for the balls-to-the-wall tune, then yeah, a good tuner is needed.

I'm lucky,my tuner is a pretty good friend,and he hasn't really charged me what he would most guys,but i make a point of taking up some of my wifes baking everytime i go see him,and that helps,as he loves her homemade cookies
Her cookies work better then beer when i'm paying car bills,everybody can buy beer,you can't buy her cookies,and i've never ran into anybody who doesn't love her cookies,them cookies have saved me a pile of money over the yearsEven my buddy who's one of the top cops in the city, if he finds out she's baking,comes out and parks his ass at her kitchen table,and the SOB always brings out a company car,then i'm explaining it to my neighbours He swears her cookies are more addicting then cocaine

 

[Mojo88]

Hahhahahhahahaha... ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^