2013 Tahoe SSV - Torque Management

[wahnsinn13]

Hello everyone, I'm a first time poster here and relatively new to tuning. I'm picking it up pretty quickly, but the one thing I'm having an issue with is torque management on my truck. I have a 2013 Chevy Tahoe SSV with the 5.3L. I would like to incrementally reduce transmission torque management, but seem to be unable to figure out how to go about it. I have read a lot of posts regarding the subject, but none seem to match my particular situation. Many of the posts seem to indicate reducing figures in tables by X%. Unfortunately on my tune, under the Transmission->Torque Management tab, there is only one table and that is the Max Shift Torque table and that is maxed out. Is it not possible to incrementally reduce transmission torque management on my truck? Is TM all or nothing, or am I missing something? I'm attaching my stock tune. Thanks in advance.

[5FDP]

Are you in advanced view under the edit tab?

There is like 50 things you can adjust for TM and literally almost all of them should be left stock. The TM is what keeps a 6L80e alive and allows it to function as it needs to. There is really no need to remove much if any of it you understand how the transmission works. You can make it shift and act how you want just by adjusting the shift times, shift pressures and pressure preset settings.

TM removal is not like the days with the 4L60e and 4L80e, it's a whole different ball game with 6L80e and 8L90e transmissions.

Perhaps betting explaining the issue you think you are having may give a better idea on what to address. There are a tons of other things you can do in the calibration to make it do what you want.

[wahnsinn13]

No real issues, just trying to maximize driveability safely which is why I wanted to incrementally reduce the TM instead of removing it altogether. The truck just seems a little sluggish initially when trying to pass on the highway. It feels kind of like it has to spool up before it goes. Also, I'm really just trying to learn this whole tuning thing and the TM posts were confusing me because I wasn't seeing the same things to which the TM posts were referring. The advanced tab worked though. Thank you.

Are you in advanced view under the edit tab?

There is like 50 things you can adjust for TM and literally almost all of them should be left stock. The TM is what keeps a 6L80e alive and allows it to function as it needs to. There is really no need to remove much if any of it you understand how the transmission works. You can make it shift and act how you want just by adjusting the shift times, shift pressures and pressure preset settings.

TM removal is not like the days with the 4L60e and 4L80e, it's a whole different ball game with 6L80e and 8L90e transmissions.

Perhaps betting explaining the issue you think you are having may give a better idea on what to address. There are a tons of other things you can do in the calibration to make it do what you want.

[5FDP]

I'd leave the transmission TM stuff alone for now, focus on other things first.

Being laggy or slow to respond is somewhat common on the trucks.

Here are just a few things you can change to help. Under power enrichment lower the HOT pedal enable from 87% down to 60-65%. Remove the 5,000rpm delay and set the enrichment ramp in rate to 2.000. This should give it more get up and go as it doesn't have to wait as long now. You can also go the ENGINE Torque MNGT tab and look at the torque limt vs rpm tables for gears 1-6. Go ahead and raise those tables up. Most just max them out for go above 500ft/lbs.


Look at one of my old tunes here and compare it with yours. Look in the transmission section with the compare feature and see what I did with the shift times, shift pressure and pressure presets. You can copy the stuff if you want to, or do slightly less than what I did. It should greatly improve the shifting. Disregard what I changed in the TM section, I went back to stock on those tables afterwards. Just know that changing pressure settings require that you do a preset/reset with the VCM scanner on the transmission after flashing the file and before starting the engine again for the changes to work.

[RRLs3]

I'm glad I came across this, I've done multiple searches and nothing quite matches what I needed for my 2013 Tahoe. I as well, am trying to get more via PE, not so much in the trans management, but the engine. Should I be looking to modify both, or will the PE settings for the engine be sufficient? Just looking for a more crisp daily drive, not like I'm hitting the track with it.

[5FDP]

Power enrichment settings are great things to tweak, it's pretty helpful in overall drive ability. Lots you can do with timing and VVT settings. You can pick up a little low end response doing that stuff but it takes time to dial it all in. I suggest 89 octane too, works better with timing changes compared to 87 octane that is more knock prone.

The majority of the driving feel can be made better through the transmission with very minimal torque mgnt changes.

[RRLs3]

Thanks 5FDP, so far only thing I've done is disable the DoD, but that's because I've been doing a lot of reading before I really start changing things. I assume I'd want to first start with adjusting the truck to run 89,what changes should I be looking at there? After that I can start looking into the PE/TM, but should I only look into changing engine parameters, or the trans as well?

[5FDP]

Nothing has to be done to run 89 octane, it will likely show less knock if there was any previously on 87 octane. The higher octane is more resistant to knock.

The power enrichment settings can be done right off the bat, nothing special there. You are only changes a few parameters and none of those are changing the requested air fuel ratio at full throttle. Adjusting the EQ ratio under power enrichment will do that but later you can set it a little leaner. Those trucks like to run around 10.8-11.1 or so from the factory and pick up a little hp/tq when running around 12.0-12.3 AFR at full throttle.

Change the transmission stuff if you want, it really improves how they drive. Like I said above you can view my tune file with the compare feature to see some of the changes. I won't have a 2013 file to match yours but many of the things I talked about will be the same in your file.

[RRLs3]

5FDP,

I noticed you actually still run the DoD in this tune, was there a benefit to keeping it enabled other than MPG?

Also, I would also like to inquire as to what is your preferred scanning layout, I ask only because I haven't found much information via forum searches. I know I should be looking at more than just the default layout, I have seem some videos where people are able to view the requested torque the motor is creating, but have been unable to find exactly which channel that is.

I am also curious as to how the ETC under Traction Control Management works being Disabled vs Enabled.

Thanks in advance!

[5FDP]

That tune is like 1-2 years old, I disabled it long ago. If you want it on, keep it or disable it to try and save the lifters. I got the same mpg on the freeway without it on. 20mpg was easy enough to get still.

I don't really have a preferred scanner layout. I just log what I want to see and switch it up when I need too.

[RRLs3]

So I am not sure what i'm doing wrong here, I don't seem to have any gain, I know I am missing a table somewhere!

WOT 35-80 with PE.hplWOT 35-80MPH No PE.hplRene 2013 Tahoe PE Trq man 001.hpt

[5FDP]

Without looking at the tune, there is lots of knock in that log. The knock is pulling timing and removing power.

I'd try asking for less fuel, see if it helps. The EQ Ratio from the factory is pretty rich, you can lean it out to a 12.0 AFR instead of 10.9-11.2. Try doing 1.215 past like 2,000rpm so it's a little leaner.

These changes aren't really going to add much power, it's more a feel type of thing and how it responds.

[RRLs3]

The tune is included in those three links, sorry that all three got mused together, I was having trouble adding them to the post.

[tbundy]

I'd leave the transmission TM stuff alone for now, focus on other things first.

Being laggy or slow to respond is somewhat common on the trucks.

Here are just a few things you can change to help. Under power enrichment lower the HOT pedal enable from 87% down to 60-65%. Remove the 5,000rpm delay and set the enrichment ramp in rate to 2.000. This should give it more get up and go as it doesn't have to wait as long now. You can also go the ENGINE Torque MNGT tab and look at the torque limt vs rpm tables for gears 1-6. Go ahead and raise those tables up. Most just max them out for go above 500ft/lbs.


Look at one of my old tunes here and compare it with yours. Look in the transmission section with the compare feature and see what I did with the shift times, shift pressure and pressure presets. You can copy the stuff if you want to, or do slightly less than what I did. It should greatly improve the shifting. Disregard what I changed in the TM section, I went back to stock on those tables afterwards. Just know that changing pressure settings require that you do a preset/reset with the VCM scanner on the transmission after flashing the file and before starting the engine again for the changes to work.

hey 5FDP i just checked out your trans tab on that tune and saw you just dropped the speed shift points down (like 1-3 mph) lower than mine on part and WOT sections. Is what you have done there suppose to help the lag of these trucks or just help the trans shift smoother? One more thing you have helped my with PE before you have yours set to be active starting at 1,700rpm and at MAP of 55kpa. when im drivin down the freeway at 75mph im at around 1,850rpm and map is 67-72kpa. My question is that alright to have PE active when just cruising down the freeway? thanks for all the help!

[5FDP]

MPH difference can be because of tire size, if the tire size between your truck and my old truck are different the shift speed mph will not be the same. Or if your truck has 3.73's and mine had 3.42's.

You are forgetting that power enrichment needs all 3 or 4 things in line to be active. You may be over 1,700-1,800rpm and well over 55kpa but you are not over your throttle pedal threshold and not even close the enable torque value. It's can't enter PE if you are still humming along at 30% throttle.

[tbundy]

ya i didnt think about the tire size changing that.... duh lol. do you think that if i just tried your trans mission changes on my '12 sierra it would drive better ? and i do have different size tires according to your tune and i do have 3.42s and i didnt realize there is a throttle threshold also i didnt see that under PE tab.

[5FDP]

It can help with how it drives and shifts. Just remember to reset the trans adapt presets prior to driving it.

My recent stuff before I traded the truck in is on my other computer and I improved upon alot of what I did in that tune posted. I'll upload that in a bit and like I said they are a bunch of changes between this tune and that previous, I had been tweaking it to my liking for 1-2 years little by little when I had time. Things from spark settings, knock settings, VVT and transmission stuff.

[5FDP]

Here is that file.

[tbundy]

AWESOME ill copy all that in my tune and throw it in tomorrow and how it works thanks!

[tbundy]

DUDE... Night and day difference! by far the best part of the tune that made the biggest difference in my truck. going through looking at what you did compared to my tune and actually reading what the table is it helped me alot! i saw a few more things that you changed from stock that i havent done im gonna check into those too! Thanks for the help you definitely know what your doin!