help dialing in tune 08 silverado 1500 6.0L

[tkwyo12]

Hi Everyone,

My trusty truck did 220K prior to an AFM lifter failing... I pulled the motor and rebuilt. Specs below.
I've read many guides on this forum, and tried to tune it. However I'm not really happy with the drivability and results. The truck hesitates when trying to accel particularly bad ~30mph, and sounds like its pinging from 1-2K rpm in town. Seems happy at 70mph on the highway, idle is ok.

I'm not logging much spark retard, so not sure if I need to increase the sensitivity? or if its not really pinging and instead i'm hearing some other noise?

Note Truck had been tuned when motor was stock, so I'm tuning from the closest to stock baseline I have.

Specs.
-4.010 x 3.622, calculated CR 10.4:1
-Heads decked with mild porting.
-Cam is 209/217 112 + 1 .550/.550 Lift, 3-bolt. (VVT Delete)
-LS7 lifters. (AFM/DOD delete)
-91 octane.
-NGK plugs TR6 (#4177)
-4.10 gears

Tuning Changes.

-Disable VVT and DOD. (Disable MIL Codes P0010, P3401, P3425, P3441, P3449)
-idle airflow final minimum +20% from 0-1000rpm
-idle startup airflow +5%.
-COT disabled
-dynamic air disabled.
-Failed MAF and tuned V-VE with LTFT
-Enabled MAF and tuned MAF. (seems to fluctuate about 1% offset depending on the day)

Please let me know your suggestions and if you have any questions / need files. I've uploaded the latest logging and tune.

Thanks so much!

TK

[kevin87turbot]

Just a few observations...
The target idle speed is pretty low. I'm typically shooting for 650-675 with that same combo.
The high octane and low octane tables appear to be very conservative for the most part. I see that from 1:25-1:47 in the datalog, you accelerate from 1660-3500 rpm. The ignition timing varied from 11-17 degrees. That's pretty conservative. I didn't see any knock retard in that area. I would add timing in that area...but just to the high octane spark table. Leave the Low Octane as it is. It looks like you'll be between 11 and 15.5 degrees of timing at WOT. That's very low. I'd add 4 degrees at WOT to start with...just to the High Octane table. You will still be conservative. If you have any knock retard, the OE algorithm will begin to move from the High Octane table towards the Low Octane table.
I'm surprised that you hear any detonation with the current tables. Out of curiosity, are you using a Top Tier gas?

Go to the PE Enable tab and 0 the Enrichment timer. I'd also lower the TPS threshold for PE Enable and lower the rpm just a bit as well.

There's also some transmission tuning to be done. Unless you have a fully built trans, you'd be better off to increase the line pressure. After you do that, you can reduce the TM some as well.

[tkwyo12]

Just a few observations...
The target idle speed is pretty low. I'm typically shooting for 650-675 with that same combo.
The high octane and low octane tables appear to be very conservative for the most part. I see that from 1:25-1:47 in the datalog, you accelerate from 1660-3500 rpm. The ignition timing varied from 11-17 degrees. That's pretty conservative. I didn't see any knock retard in that area. I would add timing in that area...but just to the high octane spark table. Leave the Low Octane as it is. It looks like you'll be between 11 and 15.5 degrees of timing at WOT. That's very low. I'd add 4 degrees at WOT to start with...just to the High Octane table. You will still be conservative. If you have any knock retard, the OE algorithm will begin to move from the High Octane table towards the Low Octane table.
I'm surprised that you hear any detonation with the current tables. Out of curiosity, are you using a Top Tier gas?

Go to the PE Enable tab and 0 the Enrichment timer. I'd also lower the TPS threshold for PE Enable and lower the rpm just a bit as well.

There's also some transmission tuning to be done. Unless you have a fully built trans, you'd be better off to increase the line pressure. After you do that, you can reduce the TM some as well.

Hi kevin87turbot- thank you for the suggestions.

-Raised idle for next tune.
-Adjusted PE in the direction indicated.
-i'm using Costco gas, its listed as top tier, but I will try elsewhere on next fill up w/91 .
-The motor sounded like it was pinging on first few runs / tunes so I swapped std. temp range to the NGK TR6.The colder plug, seemed to quiet it down but logging didn't show much difference.
-If you look at the + knock instead of the avg, maybe there is some knock? Sensors are original and I installed poly motor mount bushings which are stout and change the sound of the engine. Do you think it can still detect knock accurately?

-I'm looking at timing advance vs rpm vs 8 cyl. calculated airmass in the high octane table. How do I adjust the spark at throttle % instead of air mass? What table are you looking at or plotting? I will test increasing the high octane table and see how the drivability / retard logs / and engine sound change.

-When I paid to have my truck tuned at a shop years ago they made plenty of changes I'm just starting to understand...The transmission is mostly stock with vette servo, and sonnax servo. Any suggestions for increasing line pressure?

Thanks again. Will post the next tune after I get a chance to upload and test it hopefully tomorrow.

[travisty75]

What do you have as far as exhaust is concerned? I don't have any first-hand experience, but I've heard a lot of guys complaining about headers creating a sound that sounds like knock.

Sorry I don't have anything else to add

[tkwyo12]

What do you have as far as exhaust is concerned? I don't have any first-hand experience, but I've heard a lot of guys complaining about headers creating a sound that sounds like knock.

Sorry I don't have anything else to add

Thanks. Stock headers right now. but I think its something along these lines, how the exhaust / engine sound has changed with the mods and poly bushings.

[tkwyo12]

Just a few observations...
The target idle speed is pretty low. I'm typically shooting for 650-675 with that same combo.
The high octane and low octane tables appear to be very conservative for the most part. I see that from 1:25-1:47 in the datalog, you accelerate from 1660-3500 rpm. The ignition timing varied from 11-17 degrees. That's pretty conservative. I didn't see any knock retard in that area. I would add timing in that area...but just to the high octane spark table. Leave the Low Octane as it is. It looks like you'll be between 11 and 15.5 degrees of timing at WOT. That's very low. I'd add 4 degrees at WOT to start with...just to the High Octane table. You will still be conservative. If you have any knock retard, the OE algorithm will begin to move from the High Octane table towards the Low Octane table.
I'm surprised that you hear any detonation with the current tables. Out of curiosity, are you using a Top Tier gas?

Go to the PE Enable tab and 0 the Enrichment timer. I'd also lower the TPS threshold for PE Enable and lower the rpm just a bit as well.

There's also some transmission tuning to be done. Unless you have a fully built trans, you'd be better off to increase the line pressure. After you do that, you can reduce the TM some as well.

Made changes in the directions you suggested. Drive ability is better, and pulls harder under load. Generally big improvement.

Latest tune and logs attached.

rev17 changes.
-slight revisions of maf / frequency calibration table based on data logged.
-PE enrich 3 down to 1.5s, throttle from 80 to 70%. Min Map from 75 to 65kPa., RPM down to 2600 to 2500.
-high octane spark tables advanced.

Planning to keep moving in the directions you suggested to moving the PE starting point lower (rpm, kpa, throttle, delay time).

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks!
TK

[ehall8702]

Yeah mine u can hear the "pinging" as exhaust exits the runners into the collectors. Spent alot of time looking for non existent leak

[ehall8702]

Nd Kev on rite track to get ya running tops, dude knows his shit for sure

[tkwyo12]

Just a few observations...
The target idle speed is pretty low. I'm typically shooting for 650-675 with that same combo.
The high octane and low octane tables appear to be very conservative for the most part. I see that from 1:25-1:47 in the datalog, you accelerate from 1660-3500 rpm. The ignition timing varied from 11-17 degrees. That's pretty conservative. I didn't see any knock retard in that area. I would add timing in that area...but just to the high octane spark table. Leave the Low Octane as it is. It looks like you'll be between 11 and 15.5 degrees of timing at WOT. That's very low. I'd add 4 degrees at WOT to start with...just to the High Octane table. You will still be conservative. If you have any knock retard, the OE algorithm will begin to move from the High Octane table towards the Low Octane table.
I'm surprised that you hear any detonation with the current tables. Out of curiosity, are you using a Top Tier gas?

Go to the PE Enable tab and 0 the Enrichment timer. I'd also lower the TPS threshold for PE Enable and lower the rpm just a bit as well.

There's also some transmission tuning to be done. Unless you have a fully built trans, you'd be better off to increase the line pressure. After you do that, you can reduce the TM some as well.

Hi kevin87turbot, all,

Been working on my tune and reading everything I can on the forum.
Wondering if I could ask for your advise, on the high octane spark tables? How much more do you think I can push it?

Updates

1-Switched gas to Sinclair, pinging is gone. (so much for Costco being top tier).
2-tuned high octane spark table.
3-worked on transmission, shift times, line pressure, and torque converter clutch lockup.
4-Logged 0-90mph WOT throttle today, attached. Truck felt good but my time is slow...(unloaded actual weight is 6k lb on scale) so maybe I'm asking too much for my new motor.
5-suggestions to work on?

Thank you!
TK

[kevin87turbot]

There are still a few areas to improve.
It looks a bit rich at WOT. Do you have a wideband on it yet?
I would disable burst knock. Just zero the 12765 table.
Also zero 12704 table. It adjusts the min allowable timing for TM.
I would increase the transmission line pressure a bit more. it would be ok to add at least another 40 kPa from 254 lb ft - up.
You can reduce the tansmission TM a considerable amount. I typically zero the TM on the 1-2 shift (very seldom do you see a band failure...it's typically the high gear clutch pack.) I would just reduce the 2-3 TM by 30%.

[tkwyo12]

There are still a few areas to improve.
It looks a bit rich at WOT. Do you have a wideband on it yet?
I would disable burst knock. Just zero the 12765 table.
Also zero 12704 table. It adjusts the min allowable timing for TM.
I would increase the transmission line pressure a bit more. it would be ok to add at least another 40 kPa from 254 lb ft - up.
You can reduce the tansmission TM a considerable amount. I typically zero the TM on the 1-2 shift (very seldom do you see a band failure...it's typically the high gear clutch pack.) I would just reduce the 2-3 TM by 30%.

Hi Kevin87,

Thanks again for all your help.

Don't have a WB yet, looking at the Aem 30-0334.
Applied your suggestions but was conservative with the TM reduction. (trans has alot of miles on it, plan to remove all TM when I can get a fully built trans)
Today, the truck seemed to be pinging again so I went and bought 91 at Chevron, afterwards there was a big difference in the MAF vs LTFT logging.


-zero the 12765 table. (disable burst knock)
-zero 12704 table, min allowable timing for TM.
-pattern x and pattern Y 1-2 and 2-3 upshift +48kpA
-TM 1-2 shift -40%, and 2-3 shift TM -20%.