Tuning with a laptop

[cool_as_crap]

Has anyone tried tuning their vortec 350/454 with a laptop?
What application do you use?
Is there an OBD2 cable to buy?

The reason I'm asking is I'd like to start tuning myself after my rebuild is complete.
I've looked up EFIlive through black bear tuning, but seems kind of ridiculous to pay $900 for a handheld tuning device.
I've researched tuning for other vehicles and seems to be easier.

Has anyone tried tuning GMT400s with their laptop connected to the obd2 port?

 

[df2x4]

If you're interested in doing the 0411 PCM swap you could go with HPTuners. I'm not sure what programs support the black box PCMs... Interested to see what info this thread collects.

 

[df2x4]

Actually just looked on the HPTuners website and they list Silverados from 1998 to 2017 as compatible, so it would appear that HPTuners works with '98 and up black boxes.

https://www.hptuners.com/products/vcmsuite_vehicles.php

 

[Christian Steffen]

Yeah HPT will support your black box ecm, but honestly if you're going to fork over the money for HPTuners you might as well get the 0411 too. The 0411 is much more advanced than the old black box. There are more tables that you can alter and more features that can be enabled. There is a learning curve to the tuning but it isn't rocket science. If you're interested, maybe start reading some 3rd gen GM tuning tutorials for HPTuners.

I've been working on tuning my truck with HPT over the last couple weekends, when I have time and I have no real complaints, it just takes time. Having a wideband o2 installed makes it pretty easy.

 

[Jorge6.5]

Yeah HPT will support your black box ecm, but honestly if you're going to fork over the money for HPTuners you might as well get the 0411 too. The 0411 is much more advanced than the old black box. There are more tables that you can alter and more features that can be enabled. There is a learning curve to the tuning but it isn't rocket science. If you're interested, maybe start reading some 3rd gen GM tuning tutorials for HPTuners.

I've been working on tuning my truck with HPT over the last couple weekends, when I have time and I have no real complaints, it just takes time. Having a wideband o2 installed makes it pretty easy.

Care to shine some light on using a wideband O2 sensor?

 

[Christian Steffen]

Care to shine some light on using a wideband O2 sensor?

With HPT pro you can run analog inputs into the HPTuners unit, so I can datalog my AFR in the vcm scanner for the purpose of tuning.

So I have a histogram setup in vcm scanner that calculates the percent error between command AFR and actual vs rpm & MAP.

I can then use that error to adjust the VE table. It takes several iterations to accomplish this, but when you're done the airflow table that your computer uses for fueling matches what your engine is actually consuming.

And then you do something similar to tune the MAF.

This can all be done using the stock narrowband o2 sensors but I think it is a little more time consuming. It is also worth noting that you can use the NB's only while commanding 14.7 AFR, but once you try to run at any other AFR the NB's aren't accurate so to tune anything in PE mode you need a wideband anyway.

Is that what you're looking for Jorge?

 

[Christian Steffen]

Has anyone tried tuning their vortec 350/454 with a laptop?
What application do you use?
Is there an OBD2 cable to buy?

The reason I'm asking is I'd like to start tuning myself after my rebuild is complete.
I've looked up EFIlive through black bear tuning, but seems kind of ridiculous to pay $900 for a handheld tuning device.
I've researched tuning for other vehicles and seems to be easier.

Has anyone tried tuning GMT400s with their laptop connected to the obd2 port?

I guess I didn't really answer this question. As far as I know the best way to tune our vehicles is with efilive or HPTuners. There are other software options out there, but they don't have near the support as far as I know.

 

[cool_as_crap]

I guess I didn't really answer this question. As far as I know the best way to tune our vehicles is with efilive or HPTuners. There are other software options out there, but they don't have near the support as far as I know.

I'm sure i'll end up with the 411 eventually, afer I get everything running.

I'm just trying to reduce cost and skip the handheld.

For example, I can tune my evo with this plus the app:
http://www.tactrix.com/index.php?pa...category_id=6&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53

Maybe it comes down to the difference between ecu vs. pcm?

 

[Black_cirrus]

Ecu vs pcm vs ecm is mostly just one manufacturers term to another's. Though in GM odb1 speak an ECM is engine controller and a PCM is powertrain because it controls the transmission also.

 

[Christian Steffen]

I'm sure i'll end up with the 411 eventually, afer I get everything running.

I'm just trying to reduce cost and skip the handheld.

For example, I can tune my evo with this plus the app:
http://www.tactrix.com/index.php?pa...category_id=6&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53

Maybe it comes down to the difference between ecu vs. pcm?

It's just a matter of where companies spend their R&D time, it just so happens that the big two for GM are efilive or HPTuners. I'd be interested to see what all can be changed with that app. Something like that for GM stuff would be nice for people that want to make some changes to their tuning, but don't necessarily need all the functions of HPT or efilive.

And since your cam choice isn't going to be anything crazy, your truck should run okay on the stock tune. I don't know that I'd go do a whole bunch of WOT runs on it though, you'll be running the risk of going lean.