HP Tuners stock engine.
HP Tuners stock engine.
Hey all, I’ve been looking into getting HP Tuners to get the most out of my 4.3 Vortec without doing much work to it. Right now I have a CAI and a 3” cat back exhaust. I also had a tuned PCM sent to me by PCM4Less (I think). Will I be able to do anything with the MPVI2 from HPTuners? Would like a little more torque at least as I’ll be towing a trailer really soon.
Thanks!
- Danny
Thanks!
- Danny
So then if I add a cam and some other goodies to a 4.3 that MPVI2 thing will work for me? Trying to see my options lol
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 878
From: NY
Yup, you always want to tune after a cam. You'll want to do valvesprings with the cam. Iirc you can safely run up to .5 lift and 270 duration cam without any headwork using ls6 valvesprings and comp cams 787 retainers. That would leave you a little bit of room to deck the heads for slightly higher compression if you wanted as well.
I'm running a comp 266hr - it's a mild cam, but works well for me because its optimal rpm range is lower rpm. I think that would work for you too since you tow.
I'm running a comp 266hr - it's a mild cam, but works well for me because its optimal rpm range is lower rpm. I think that would work for you too since you tow.
New Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 99
From: Atlanta, GA
So you want to re-tune an already custom PCM...? Unless you're wanting to re-program it often that would be a pretty expensive way to get a negligible difference.
i figured if they sent me the PCM with the file on it then it must be a sort of “base tune” and definitely not tuned to the engines full potential since it was just a pcm mailed to me. Makes sense?
New Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 99
From: Atlanta, GA
There's only so much "full potential" in these engines without significant modifications, and if you've swapped in a custom PCM you're basically already there. At the end of the day it's still an older naturally aspirated V6 and you can't change that by playing with the computer.
Even a tune/PCM swap just barely makes a difference over stock, and the difference between a custom ECM and tweaking it yourself would be even less. A programmer might be helpful if you wanted to make adjustments to your current programming (fuel octane, tire size, after a cam swap etc.) but that's about it. It's also almost ~$400 once you buy the "credits" needed, and frankly I'd want to put that ~$400 somewhere else in my truck.
Yup, you always want to tune after a cam. You'll want to do valvesprings with the cam. Iirc you can safely run up to .5 lift and 270 duration cam without any headwork using ls6 valvesprings and comp cams 787 retainers. That would leave you a little bit of room to deck the heads for slightly higher compression if you wanted as well.
I'm running a comp 266hr - it's a mild cam, but works well for me because its optimal rpm range is lower rpm. I think that would work for you too since you tow.
I'm running a comp 266hr - it's a mild cam, but works well for me because its optimal rpm range is lower rpm. I think that would work for you too since you tow.