Results 1 to 20 of 41

Thread: Three LBZ tow tune comparison

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1

    Default Three LBZ tow tune comparison

    I am putting the final details in place for a long trip starting in early March, that will take me from Minnesota to Sarnia, Ontario with boat#1, Chicago to Camarillo, California with boat#2, Dana Point California to Coulton's Point, Maryland with boat#3, possible deadhead or boat from Maryland to Florida Keys, and final return from the Keys with boat#4 back to Minnesota...total miles will be roughly 9200, possibly more depending on the east coast segment to Florida.

    The trip will take place over about 5-6 weeks, and will include stopovers in Phoenix, a week of downtime mid-trip at home, and a stopover in the Florida Keys. 1) Loaded, 2) empty with trailer (deadhead), and 3) empty truck (without trailer) miles will be logged and examined. The 2006 K3500 SRW will be used, towing a custom built triple axle transport trailer with 21K# axle capacity. The boats range in size and weight from a 30'-37' LOA, the lightest at roughly 12K# and the heaviest weighing in at about 16K#.

    I plan to test three different aftermarket products while underway, trying my best to make meaningful comparisons of their features and functionality. I'll spreadsheet the fuel consumption and take notes on the driveability, shift characterisitics, trans temps, water temps, boost and EGTs observed while underway. My goal is to be as scientific as possible, while realizing that the 'real world' is far from a lab or a dyno test with carefully controlled variables...but hey we tow in the real world, not in a lab, right???


    The 'tunes' I plan to take along for the ride:
    • Edge Evolution (25002)
    • Diablosport Predator (U7186)
    • Kennedy Custom ECM - +40hp version
    Thermocouple will be installed and Edge used to monitor boost and EGTs. All products are being upgraded to the latest versions available this month, before the test begins. My focus will be on the basic tow/economy settings on all products.

    More details, soon!
    Last edited by Mark Rinker; 02-23-2009 at 12:06.
    2011 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L daily driver
    • Previous owner of two 1994 6.5L K3500s, '01, '02, and '05 6.6L K2500s, '04 C4500, '06 K3500 dually, '06 K3500 SRW, '09 K3500HD SRW, '05 Denali
    • Total GM diesel miles to date : ~950K

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Morrisville, VT, USA
    Posts
    2,399

    Default

    Sounds great, Mark. I have an Edge W/Juice Monitor, so I'll be real interested in that one. But, I'm putting my money on the J.K. tune for the best OA performance. Got any kind of pool going, yet? Don't ask me why I'm going with that one. Just a gut feeling. Maybe based on the fact that my first Edge in my GMC didn't do very well, and I've had one shut-down, with bad shifting with the new (replacement) one. Pulled over, hooked up the old Hypertek and recorded the codes and then cleared them. Towed from Ohio all the way to Brownsville without another hitch. Keeping crossed fingers!
    Will be watching your road test with bated breath, and thanks for doing this for us.
    Dick Wells
    2008 Jaco Seneca 35' motor home (Kodiak 5500 chassis). Pulling 18' Wells Cargo enclosed trailer, with 2016 Miata in it.

  3. #3

    Default

    Looking forward to the tests. Its fun to have something to do (besides listen to XM, CDs, the radio, books on tape, etc.) while driving that many miles, as well.

    Also, the distance traveled is long enough (sample size) to have meaningful numbers - as ~1000 gallons of fuel will be burned in the process.
    Last edited by Mark Rinker; 02-23-2009 at 17:32.
    2011 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L daily driver
    • Previous owner of two 1994 6.5L K3500s, '01, '02, and '05 6.6L K2500s, '04 C4500, '06 K3500 dually, '06 K3500 SRW, '09 K3500HD SRW, '05 Denali
    • Total GM diesel miles to date : ~950K

  4. #4

    Default

    I have been playing with the Predator tunes on both trucks, and installed the Kennedy ECM in the SRW today.

    Towed a gooseneck flatbed load of sheet steel weighing ~11K, GCVW north of 26K yesterday with the Predator tow tune installed on the dually. It was too short of a trip to bother with mileage results, but the tune was smooth and held 5th gear well on some fairly steep grades before needing 4th to maintain 65mph.

    The key to towing mileage is a tune that will let you tow a reasonable load, at a reasonable speed, without uneccessary downshifting and overrevving into 4th gear. That is where good towing mileage (10-12mpg) comes from, in my experience. I want to be able to tow at 60-65mph, based on load and conditions.

    There is definately more HP to the Kennedy tune than the 40hp Predator tow tune, and with an empty truck - it feels like it wants to run! A quick trip through the gears using the paddle shifter is an amazingly effortless romp to 80mph with John's 'tow/economy' tune. John says its the same one on his LBZ. Will be fun to throw ~16K# behind it and see how the Allison reacts to all the new HP and torque.

    Kennedy's tune is VIN matched to my SRW, so I'll have to wait for Monday with boat#1 headed from Minneapolis to Sarnia, Ontario - an 800 mile run, to get any real world towing results. My plan is to leave it installed and measure the truck with unloaded trailer mileage from Sarnia to Chicago (350 miles) and the first leg of boat#2 from Chicago to LA.

    From there, I'll swap out the Kennedy ECM for stock, and test the Predator and Edge tunes under similar loaded miles. There is 2200 loaded miles from Chicago to LA, so plenty of sample size to have a meaningful result when comparing mileage.

    Should be fun...keeping my fingers crossed that the Edge unit shows up tomorrow as tech support promised today...without it can still do mileage and driveability tests, but no EGT/Boost observations.
    2011 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L daily driver
    • Previous owner of two 1994 6.5L K3500s, '01, '02, and '05 6.6L K2500s, '04 C4500, '06 K3500 dually, '06 K3500 SRW, '09 K3500HD SRW, '05 Denali
    • Total GM diesel miles to date : ~950K

  5. #5

    Default

    Edge unit showed up on time. Installing the pyrometer probe today. Had some fun yesterday playing with the 1/4 mile function built into the Edge Evolution, with Kennedy's economy/tow tune custom ECM in place.

    15.2 seconds at 88mph was the best I could muster, with lots of sand still on the country road 'test track' a few miles from my house out in the country... My reaction times suck...
    2011 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L daily driver
    • Previous owner of two 1994 6.5L K3500s, '01, '02, and '05 6.6L K2500s, '04 C4500, '06 K3500 dually, '06 K3500 SRW, '09 K3500HD SRW, '05 Denali
    • Total GM diesel miles to date : ~950K

  6. #6

    Default

    First leg of the tests will have to be thrown out, as it appears that I got a bad tank of fuel, and the mileage numbers aren't reliable.

    So far, running Kennedy's tow/economy tune. With ~14k# boat and trailer, I am seeing

    1. 1800 rpms at 65mph cruise - mostly 5th gear, occasionally finds 6th on level pulls. Tow/Haul on.
    2. 10# boost nominal, with peaks of 12-14 on hills, max 24
    3. 1000-1100 degree egt nominal, peaks of 1200 on hills

    Shift characteristiscs are smooth. Pedal response is better than first LBZ tune tested, the bigger power comes much deeper in the throttle so its easier to stay out of it, especially on bumpy roads that create artificial inputs.
    2011 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L daily driver
    • Previous owner of two 1994 6.5L K3500s, '01, '02, and '05 6.6L K2500s, '04 C4500, '06 K3500 dually, '06 K3500 SRW, '09 K3500HD SRW, '05 Denali
    • Total GM diesel miles to date : ~950K

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •