1996 5.0 vortec to 1998 5.7 vortec swap questions.!

[Aloicious]

most of the time you send the PCM out to the tuner with info on what you want done and they do everything and mail the PCM back to you, when you get it, you can plug it in and go.

its up to you if you want to do your mods first or not. most mail order tuners offer free updates, so you can usually send the PCM back for alterations with future mods, but thats something you'll want to discuss with your tuner...

as far as who to go with, there are quite a few out there. whoever you talk to, make sure they understand it is a 1996 PCM, which requires different software to program than the 98+ ones (its a long story, just make sure they are fully aware it is a '96 PCM)...I know the admin here, Mike, does tuning, however alot of his tuning is autocal based (which doesn't work on the '96's.), so you might want to contact him about that.

if you want to get into tuning yourself, I can help you with that, but it requires alot more money and time....it really just comes down to how deep you want to get into it.

 

[gerardobernal1]

Ok sweet. ill look more into the tune and different places. Thanks this helps me out alot!

 

[gerardobernal1]

so i ended up getting a black bear tune and the truck feels alot better, but for some reason the check engine light came back on, my o2 have been deleted and cat also i believe. any suggestions? im thinking its a misfire....

 

[LoudnLifted88]

so i ended up getting a black bear tune and the truck feels alot better, but for some reason the check engine light came back on, my o2 have been deleted and cat also i believe. any suggestions? im thinking its a misfire....

go to a local parts store and have them read the code for you most will do it for free

 

[gerardobernal1]

i finally got time to get the code checked and this is what i got.
p1153
p0155
p0154

it says their all o2 sensors, but i had gotten them tuned out? kinda confusing me now. im gonna email and make sure the o2 sensors got deleted..

 

[Aloicious]

those codes are all for front O2 sensors. you cannot delete ALL O2 sensors, you will NEED to run the front 2 sensors (one for each bank). the ones that can be deleted safely are the rear O2 sensors only...the PCM requires the feedback from the front O2 sensors to correctly trim the fueling and keep the engine running accurately....

there is a way to run without the front O2 sensors, but doing so is only useful in certain situations, and it is NEVER advisable to do so on an ongoing basis, and definitely not from any kind of mail order (or even in person) tune done by someone else. since it requires special equipment and constant observation...EFI is alot different than carb, it requires feedback from things like O2 sensors (and more) to provide proper, accurate, and safe fueling.

 

[gerardobernal1]

"Only rear codes are to be removed for headers. What may be happening here though is GM used two front O2 sensors on the 5.7L but only one on the 5.0L. That may be causing that set of codes there. I would need to re-write the tune using 5.0L software instead of 5.7L software in that case." this is what i got in response from black bear.
im not sure what it exactly means.

 

[Aloicious]

how many oxygen sensors do you currently have on the truck?

 

[gerardobernal1]

Stock 3 i believe.

 

[DGA1]

The 5.7 has 4 total O2 sensors 2-front, 2-rear, where the 5.0 has 3, 2-front, 1-rear. I'm guessing that the basis of the tune needs to be different between the 5.7 and 5.0 to account for the missing/extra sensor.