getting a tune at 190k...good or bad idea

Printable View

03-24-2011, 01:17 AM
NAREJEPP

getting a tune at 190k...good or bad idea

hey guys,

for starters, i've got a 00 ecsb with a 5.3 and 190k miles on it. everything stock except CAI and flows

it's been my daily driver for the last 6 years or so. i've noticed in the last year that it doesn't seem to get the same power and mpg's that it used to. i've come to attribute this to the age and mileage on the engine. i've noticed the biggest difference when towing our boat. just recently towed it about 100 miles and had a hell of time doing it. it constantly wants to downshift into 3rd to keep cruising speed. not to mention i'm averaging 10 mpg while towing it.

i don't know enough about custom tunes to know how/if it would benefit me. i'm not necessarily interested in squeezing as much as i can out of it, but just getting it tuned up to run like it used to. i mentioned the idea to my dad (owned/worked in a mechanic shop the last 30 years or so) and he seems to think that it would waste my money and risk damaging the engine/transmission because of the high miles. i don't really think this is completely right, and would like to get some more experienced input on the matter.

thanks for the advice.
03-24-2011, 01:36 AM
Mang213

A tune shouldnt cause problems, just don't get aggressive on the tranny programming. You don't want that old trans slammin into gear. Did you ever do a complete tune-up on the motor?
03-24-2011, 02:35 AM
will_oh

i got my tune at 115000 miles and my mileage went up 4mpg with the tune. i have 140000 now, and just went on a 360 mile road trip last weekend and averaged 17.5mpg with 900lbs of crap in the bed raced and smoked a hemi charger and a rsx on the highway and did many burnouts in the sand.
03-24-2011, 06:24 AM
molitor

Time for a 6.0 and a tune.
03-24-2011, 10:35 AM
NAREJEPP

Quote:

Originally Posted by molitor

Time for a 6.0 and a tune.

no joke!!

i've been religious with tune-ups, oil changes, and the like also.

i knew i couldn't get too aggressive with it, but i'm trying to decide if it would even be worth the $300 or so to do it. do you think i could get enough out of it safely to make it worth it?
03-24-2011, 10:46 AM
kyhunter89

get the tune, as long as funds are around for a rear and tranny.
03-24-2011, 01:17 PM
kerrige

bangbangskeetskeet had more miles than yourself when he got his tune if i remember right. He had a well built tranny though and when we cracked open the motor it was still very clean.
03-24-2011, 03:46 PM
PitchBlackC3

If the power and mileage has dropped there is something wrong. A tune won't fix that, no matter how good it is.
03-24-2011, 04:38 PM
Frenchy

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerrige

bangbangskeetskeet had more miles than yourself when he got his tune if i remember right. He had a well built tranny though and when we cracked open the motor it was still very clean.

Travis' truck is blessed.
03-24-2011, 05:11 PM
Maui4x4

Had my truck tuned since 140k miles, now running 217k. Its worth every penny as long as its not a hand held and tuning is done by someone who knows what their doing IE. Nelson Performance. Trans cooler and some new o2 upstream sensors are good things to have also along with your tune.
03-24-2011, 05:58 PM
NAREJEPP

thanks everyone

i'm going to look into it a little more. my main concern is the tranny. being an unmodified 60E with that many miles.

i'll let ya'll know what i find out
03-24-2011, 08:08 PM
kyhunter89

Whens last ti/me tranny filter and fluid was changed? How often?
03-24-2011, 09:01 PM
NAREJEPP

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyhunter89

Whens last ti/me tranny filter and fluid was changed? How often?

did fluid flush and filter change last oct. i usually do it about once a year or so. why?
03-24-2011, 09:05 PM
kyhunter89

A lot of miles for a flush if it hadn't been changed regularly. Put a vette servo in.