Finally got me a tow pig

yoder519

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Location
Abingdon, VA
bought me a 2003 Chevy 2500 excab 4wd 5spd 6.0 with 109k miles monday. was waitin til i got outta school in May but seen this and decided to go ahead and get it. The 5spd is kinda hard to find in them, and plus its got power windows and locks. Really wanted rubber mat and vinyl with crank windows, but couldnt pass this truck up. got a SMOKIN DEAL on this truck. does better on gas than i thought it would. few questions, what grade gas do you guys prefer to run in these?
 
Not sure why you would "want" vinyl and crank windows but whatever trips your trigger. I do like mine fully loaded with the rubber mat still :)
As far as gas, there is NO reason to run anything but regular in it. The 6.0 is so severely detuned and runs low compression it doesn't need the higher octane. Even if you were to experience any detonation under the hottest and most strained conditions the knock sensors would retard the ignition temporarily.
Now then if you were to get a tune (NOT a handheld-diablo, superchips, hypertech or any of that crap) but an actual PCM tune via EFI-Live or HPTuners, there is a ton of power to be found in simple tuning. Nelson Performance has recorded gains of 50-60 hp from nothing but a tune.

Allen said:
Hello Guys, last Friday when I picked up my engine, I had a 6L waiting for me on the dyno to tune. It's a completely stock engine with no mods, right out of the crate.

This engine put out 311HP and 351TQ on the first pull.

I wanted to see what timing did as it was increased:

Stock - 14-16degs : 311hp/351tq
Tuned- 20 degs : 350hp/380tq
Tuned- 25 degs : 356hp/390tq
Tuned- 30 degs : 357hp/392tq

Fully tuned with a/f ratio and max timing of 31 degs:
367HP/401TQ

Gains: 56HP/50TQ

There might have been a few more ponies left if we leaned it out just a few more points, but their wide-band wasn't working right.
Click to expand...

With that much timing, you would want to run premium to keep the knock sensors from retarding the timing, but it is well worth it. Other tuners should get similar results and there are plenty of good ones out there.

Keep in mind, you may not want to advance it that far since you did buy this primarily as a tow rig, with that said, I have towed 10k with mine, with similar tuning on 37-38" tires (regeared of course) with no pinging, or temp issues.
 
Those custom rubber mats fit real nice and keep the mud off the carpet...just hose em clean...good luck w/ your new tow rig. :huggy:
 
GCncsuHD said:
As far as gas, there is NO reason to run anything but regular in it.
Click to expand...

Ditto... I ran a short tank of 93 in my Vortec 5.7 (87 pump was bagged) and it ran like total arse! Took another tank of 87 to get it flushed out and it went back to "normal".

The folks on FSC beat me up over that one... Kinda like the folks here wheeling powerline trails with 39"s on a D35! :lol:
 
GCncsuHD said:
Not sure why you would "want" vinyl and crank windows but whatever trips your trigger. I do like mine fully loaded with the rubber mat still :)
As far as gas, there is NO reason to run anything but regular in it. The 6.0 is so severely detuned and runs low compression it doesn't need the higher octane. Even if you were to experience any detonation under the hottest and most strained conditions the knock sensors would retard the ignition temporarily.
Now then if you were to get a tune (NOT a handheld-diablo, superchips, hypertech or any of that crap) but an actual PCM tune via EFI-Live or HPTuners, there is a ton of power to be found in simple tuning. Nelson Performance has recorded gains of 50-60 hp from nothing but a tune.
With that much timing, you would want to run premium to keep the knock sensors from retarding the timing, but it is well worth it. Other tuners should get similar results and there are plenty of good ones out there.
Keep in mind, you may not want to advance it that far since you did buy this primarily as a tow rig, with that said, I have towed 10k with mine, with similar tuning on 37-38" tires (regeared of course) with no pinging, or temp issues.
Click to expand...

Thread hijack...

Interested in this. I have 2004 Yukon XL with the 6.0. It has good power (compared to 5.3s I have driven) but I figured there was more potential. Any shops in the triad that you know of that do PCM tunes?
 
BigClay said:
Thread hijack...
Interested in this. I have 2004 Yukon XL with the 6.0. It has good power (compared to 5.3s I have driven) but I figured there was more potential. Any shops in the triad that you know of that do PCM tunes?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure of the triad area, but if an hour isn't too far to drive, there is a plethora of tuners in the Mooresville area.

Alvin at PCM4less.com is the first that comes to mind for a simple tune such as this. The original base file on my tune came from a mail order tuner wait4me performance, although I have had Nick Williams at Heintz Racing (formerly Williams Performance) do a few tweaks on it, though he focuses mostly on cars, not trucks. Also there is Blackbear Performance who performs mail order tunes and is one of the most respected on GM truck forums.

I believe there are a few in the Raleigh area as well such as RPM.

Keep in mind, the numbers I quoted above were at the crank, GM rates the LQ4 6.0 at the crank as 300hp 340tq, a little less than the base Nelson quoted, but not far off. Generally you can assume 15-20% loss through the transmission and heavy axles in these trucks, so that "56" hp gain would be more like 45hp at the wheels, still very impressive, and puts the work truck LQ4 6.0 right in line or above the stock rated 345hp LQ9 6.0 that comes in the Escalade/SS. FYI the only differences between the LQ4 and the LQ9 are flat top pistons which bump the compression ratio 1/2 point, stronger rods and tuning. There is not as much "potential" left in the LQ9, and fully tuned in stock trim is usually good for only 5-10 hp more than the LQ4 due to the bump in compression. 05+ LQ4's got the LQ9 rods, leaving the only difference the tuning and flat top pistons.
 
If you dont mind making the drive Aaron at Tru Dyno Sports in Conover, NC has plenty of experience tuning LSx motors. He has been working and testing out a tune that can help net good fuel mileage but also give you the bump in power when you really want/need it.

http://www.trudynosports.com/index.html
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
If you dont mind making the drive Aaron at Tru Dyno Sports in Conover, NC has plenty of experience tuning LSx motors. He has been working and testing out a tune that can help net good fuel mileage but also give you the bump in power when you really want/need it.
http://www.trudynosports.com/index.html
Click to expand...
Pretty much any tune will improve on fuel mileage with an increase in power, there is soo much room for improvement with the fuel maps on these engines. Claims are 1-2 full MPG improvements on most tunes, I got my tune before I had more than a couple tanks of fuel through my truck so I can't comment on "gains", but before I was lifted I regularly saw 14-16mpgs where most other 6.0s I hear about were struggling to see 14 or so.

There is also the option of lean cruise (a feature GM preprogrammed into the PCM but left deactivated due to cooling and emissions issues), but I do not recommend it for the inexperienced or someone who will be towing alot, as it is good for a couple mpgs highway by itself, but also raises engine temps at highway speeds.
 
thanks a tone for all the info GN. ill think about the tune, when you said RPM, you mean in Bristol, TN?

i would much rather have a rubber mat and crank windows. dont ask me why. Plus its less to mess up. thanks again for the info. ill post pics tonight
 
yoder519 said:
thanks a tone for all the info GN. ill think about the tune, when you said RPM, you mean in Bristol, TN?
i would much rather have a rubber mat and crank windows. dont ask me why. Plus its less to mess up. thanks again for the info. ill post pics tonight
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Not sure about any RPM in Bristol, TN, I was speaking of RPM in Raleigh when I was replying to BigCLay. The BlackBear Performance I was speaking of used to be located in VA, but is now in Cali I think. Although if you go to their website, and look at the Calendar, they schedule in person tunes all over the country, or you can do mail order with them.

The rubber floor I get, I won't buy a truck without one, but I can't survive without power windows/locks etc in something I drive daily/often (I've been trying to train my dog to roll down the passenger side window in my 78, currently it's not going so well, but he's great at locking the doors when I leave my keys in the ignition:lol:). Heck, we've had a fully loaded truck, leather, sun roof, digital climate control, Bose, steering wheel controls, etc with rubber floors. Besides, it's just as much of a pain in the but when you bust a regulator with manual windows as it is with power windows to replace it, and the motor takes all of 5 minutes to replace if it goes out.:huggy:
 
hmm, they must be different owners. theres a RPM OffRoad in bristol tn. I dunno, guess im just a vinyl floor and crank window kinda guy. how much does one of these tunes normally cost?

Also, will these trucks clear 315/75/16s on factory wheels with a leveling kit?
 
yoder519 said:
hmm, they must be different owners. theres a RPM OffRoad in bristol tn. I dunno, guess im just a vinyl floor and crank window kinda guy. how much does one of these tunes normally cost?

Also, will these trucks clear 315/75/16s on factory wheels with a leveling kit?
Click to expand...
The RPM I spoke of is Ryans Performance Machines in Raleigh, strictly LS based engines (which the LQ4 in your truck is based of the GenIII smallblock LS platform)

As far as the 315s, is your truck a 2500 or a 2500HD? A 2500HD essentially has a 2" body lift compared to a 2500 due to the frame height and body mount position. This adds a little more clearance to the rear of the front fender, not so much to the front bumper because they leave it low and instead use a taller top pad to make up the 2"


Still, 315s are an easy fit either way on STOCK wheels. Don't waste your money on a leveling kit, if your stock keys have enough adjustment to level it.
 
Mine is a 2500HD, i didnt know they made just a regular 2500? Yea i figured id have to trim a little of the front bumper. its sets factory right now and i love the looks of 315s on stock wheels on these trucks.
 
ai213.photobucket.com_albums_cc272_kxrider519_IMG_20120131_174430.jpg


ai213.photobucket.com_albums_cc272_kxrider519_24396760432314871877IM103565x421_A562x421.jpg
 
yoder519 said:
Mine is a 2500HD, i didnt know they made just a regular 2500? Yea i figured id have to trim a little of the front bumper. its sets factory right now and i love the looks of 315s on stock wheels on these trucks.
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Looks like a nice clean look.

Yea they made a 1500HD and a 2500, both are basically the same, then the 2500HD had a higher GVWR, 14FF rear instead of 14SF, taller framerails, and the 2" body raise.

This was my 03 GMC on 315s
ai44.photobucket.com_albums_f43_GCncsuHD_dmax_DSCN3019.jpg

and on actual 35s.
ai44.photobucket.com_albums_f43_GCncsuHD_dmax_DSCN2061_1.jpg


My bumper was raised 2" to get rid of the black spacer used on the GMC HDs, you could easily raise your front bumper 2" and use the 1500 bumper cap to gain more clearance with a factory look without trimming.

315s fit easier than the 35s requiring no trimming, the 35s required tying the drivers side fender liner back at the parking brake cable to eliminate rubbing.
 
I like the looks of that front bumper. Might consider this. Think I'm just gonna crank my tbars to level. And look into that bumper setup.Thanks again for the info
 
If I was to just advance the timing to 25deg would I just to adjust the air to fuel or have anything else done to it? What fuel would you want to run?
 
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