New to hptuners, needing Info

So got me a new to me G8 GT. Time to add a few mods.
Quick background on me: GM master tech so able to access many vehicles and access to unlimited "stock" calibration but very limited knowledge of aftermarket tuners.

My biggest disappointment is that the G8 has torque vectoring - so there goes part of the only fun of a large disp. motor. NEED TO DISABLE!
That is my first step-- to disable torque vectoring - but a mpvi2 plus credits just for that? Yikes, should I wait?

Planning to install my (already owned) "lsa" oem stock boost supercharger. a cam , valvesprings, chain etc, torque converter (zl1) and guess a CAI (maybe) and here is my first question.:

I need to delete DOD (AFM). So need a new cam- should I ls9? or other better for low end torque stage 2? . not racing or drag....its a daily driver...but like a bit of a big cam idle. Not out to get any power trophies. likely wont see a dragstrip (and would like to keep 6l80 tranny in one piece).
Do I need a zl1 fuel pump and larger injectors as I sure I'll be under 550 HP.

And now the main question: If I buy the mpvi2 and credits- can my tunershop which runs hptuners (from what I deduct from their laptops) use my credit to flash? is it locked to my mpvi with the actual VIN? or just ECM VIN?

I have a second ECM that I programmed cars stock calibration with VIN in - does the credit care which ecm gets modified- (so I can have one a little more "aggressive" track tune). or do I need another 2 credits? Is the trans tuning included in the 2 credits?

Since this (supercharger on g8 l76- is a common swap- does HP repository have any existing tunes that I can flash (or copy, paste into my editor) so I can drive car to tuner without damaging engine- (its highway 50+ miles).

Any help advise appreciated.

So your G8 has an active rear diff and or AWD with that torque vectoring??

Did you mean torque management instead?

Disabling TM is not exactly advised, you need to be aware that these calibrations and the transmission use torque mngt to help the transmission shift. Removing it all will cause shifting issues and poor performance. You can lessen some of it but fulling disabling it is not something you would do.

Hp Tuners also can not disabled anything traction control related or ABS related, you have to use the button in the vehicle to do that.

The LS9 would be a terrible camshaft choice, it would be a dog down low and only shine above 5,000-6,000rpm. Get a camshaft designed for boost. Any of the mild boost camshafts from like texas speed or BTR will do the job. Keep it mild if staying with a stock like torque converter, too big of cam will hurt performance and drive ability.

Get larger injectors, the stock LS9 injectors are like 56lb/hr. Should be plenty over the stock 40-42lb/hr that a G8 has (I think). Or If you want aftermarket, plenty of places sell 60lb/hr injectors that would support the blower on pump gas. I don't know how big that fuel pump is stock, you may need to look into that further to see what people upgrade too.


The PCM/TCM costs only 2 credits on that car. It's a one time fee, then it's unlimited changes. The license is for that computer and the VIN/OS pair and will only be licensed to your MPVI2. If someone else also has a MPVI2, then can edit your tune but can not flash it without a license. It's best to give them your MPVI2 and use that during the whole process, this was all the changes will be made with your device and you will retain all the files on your computer.

If they had to use their device, it would cost another 2 credits and that is just wasted money in my eyes.

There is no reason to have another computer, unless you brick the first one. That would just be more credits to spend when you can make one tune for everything on one computer. You will have the device so you could make changes at anytime to make the calibration suit your needs at the time. That means you could have "two" tunes if for whatever reason you wanted to make two different ones.


That may not have answered everything but probably covered most of it.

Your right, meant torque management.... or rather brake torque limit. As i can't light up the tires even with tcs off. (got real sticky tires though). It limits my RPM/power when brakes are on.

Took the plunge and ordered a mpvi2. Gonna try to learn tunning a bit before any big mods.
Quick question. Many say to keep a copy of the original OEM unmodified tune in case something goes wrong. I will but is this necessary? I have the luxury to flash ecm through GeneralMotors SPS system -back to original and then I know all data is 100% as when it left the factory.
Would doing this cause problems with my hptuners licences on that ecm??

You may be able to disable the brake torque mgnt and likely raise some of the engine side TM, it's the transmission stuff that should be pretty much left alone. I'd have to look at a stock file to see what you can change.


Don't quote me here but it's possible that even if you used a GM tool to flash the computer back to factory, it could change something that is involved with the license and when you go to read/flash it, it would ask for another license. I've never had to reflash back to stock using that method, only when I needed to put a different calibration into a stock computer for some other reason.

It's just cheap insurance to save the stock read in 1-2 places so you always have it handy just in case you needed it.

The 6.0 and 6L80e can become a completely different car with just a tune, so there is alot to improve through simple changes. Mainly the transmission, cleaner/crisper shifts and remove some of the shift flare they always seem to have in those early years.

Dave mentioned deleting DOD. How many credits does it take? Do you have to license each vehicle that you delete DOD on? I'm interested, but have 0 experience. Also would like to delete cam phasers on the 3 valve 5.4L Triton.

The credit amount is determined by the computer/vehicle. Some vehicles it's 2 credits, some it's 4 or maybe more.

You can look at the vehicle list on the main website to see costs.

Each computer must be licensed to make any change. A vehicle like his G8 in this thread was 2 credits.

Thank you, I appreciate the info.