5.3 Tune from Lime-Swap

[C-ya]

Figured I would put this here since it will get more hits than in the V8 subsection.

I wanted a tune to disable DOD/AFM in my truck, so I contacted Jeremy of Lime-Swap (member limequat here). After discussing what I wanted and what could be done to the 5.3, I decided to move forward with it. Now I just had to find the time to drive over to his side of the state (175 miles) since I couldn't really be without the truck for the time it would take to send the modules to him and back. I had a VA medical appointment in Ann Arbor yesterday so I arranged to meet Jeremy afterwards.

The entire process was pretty quick since we had decided beforehand on the main things I wanted: DOD off (!), firm shifts, throttle plate sped up and dial back torque management. Nothing radical since it is stock. He downloaded my stock file, made some tweaks, uploaded it and we were done. All in all, about 20 minutes or so. Daddy likes! The shifts are noticeably different. Easy throttle = easy, fast shifts. Hard on the throttle = hard, fast shifts. It's like driving a different vehicle now. The engine is more responsive and just feels peppier.

Interestingly, the file was controlling things as if I had a 4.10 rear gear and 31 (? -- Jeremy, I can't remember) inch tires. Since it was working, we left it alone. My speedo is off 2 mph throughout the entire range, so that may be the reason.

Thanks again, Jeremy!

I'll update this thread when I get a tank or 3 through and get some mpg numbers. I ran two bottles of Techron (the more potent one that treats 12 gallons) for the drive over and back (one tank, 25 gal tank), and I use the Lucas Ethanol treatment pretty much every tank unless I forget to add it. I got 17.9 mpg for the trip over, and 17.6 for the trip back. Headwind/tailwind is my guess.

 

[Blckshdw]

Hopefully you have better post-tune MPG numbers than I did. Granted there may be some differences since you've got the V8, but I got tuned for 93 octane initially, and saw no gains, stayed about the same. Kept it that way for a good 8 months, and then got retuned back to 87 a couple of months ago. MPGs are STILL the same as stock, although the truck is much more fun to drive, so that makes it worth it.

 

[C-ya]

Jeremy showed me the two tables that my file had for different octanes. I would guess all of them have that, but I'm not certain. He modified both tables the same so I can still run any octane I want. I didn't see any reason to force myself to spend more money on gas if I didn't have to.

 

[bobdec]

I also used Jeremy on my 4.2. Choose the loaner option so no downtime. Transaction was super smooth fast email correspondence, Paypal-ed $199.00 ( $99 tune + $100 deposit on loaner), got loaner in 2 days w/USPS Priority envelope enclosed. Paid $6.00 to mail mine back too him, received my reprogrammed in about 5 days, paid another $6.00 to mail the loaner back. Paypal deposit of $100 was credited in 2 days. Bottom line total of $111.00 for the tune.
A mod well worth the cost as far as bang per $$. Tweaked timing in the both octane tables so I can run 87 or 93, reduced torque management, programmed quicker entry into PE mode, tweaked PE fueling, firmed up the shift points and disabled a phony cooling DTC I was chasing for about a year.
I can say it woke it up, and it gets out of it's way when you hit the throttle. I'm still running 87 octane feels so good that I never thought about the 93. May try half a tank one time to see if it's worth the 10% cost increase. I have not noticed MPG difference good or bad, but increased mileage that was not one of my expectations so I've really not paid much attention.

 

[C-ya]

First around town fill up since the tune and I got 14.2 mpg. DIC said 14.3. It has always been within a tenth (rounded sometimes!), so I tend to trust it now. This was my normal drive 3 miles to work, drive 3 miles back home for lunch, drive 3 miles back to work and then drive 3 miles home, go to church on Sunday (1 mile), run over to the in-law's (3 miles) a couple of times, so pretty much my normal routine.

156,700 miles, 3.73 rear gear.

I'm surprised I got this kind of mileage - the tune has had me getting a little frisky with the go pedal!

 

[Blckshdw]

the tune has had me getting a little frisky with the go pedal!

That it does, that it does.

 

[Sparky]

Every time I read "Lucas" I see "Snake Oil."

Maybe not all their stuff is, but all their so-called oil "stabilizers" that can cause more problems than they fix (really, just use a decent oil to start with!) has basically made me write them off entirely.

Not really sure what their ethanol treatment is supposed to do. While I'm no fan of ethanol I can't say I've noticed any issues related to 10% in my 200k miles on my TB, aside from probably a bit lower mpg due to ethanol having less energy than pure gasoline.

 

[C-ya]

I notice more of a difference using the ethanol treatment during the winter when we are on the winter blend. I actually gained about 1 mpg back in both the TB and my wife's Impala. I drop anywhere from 2 to 5 mpg on the winter blend in both vehicles without the treatment.

It may be snake oil, but I am seeing a difference, so I'll keep using it.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Lucas is about the only brand of those types of products I trust.