BlackBear does GREAT work! OP was salty and quick to jumped the gun

[iamdub]

@iamdub is a bit more level headed than OP. At least that's the vibe I get from him in the time he's been on TYF LOL

Yeah, it takes a lot to get me riled. I make a great pot-free pothead!

If I have an issue with the process, I'll certainly handle it with them personally to HELP THEM HELP ME. You catch more flies with honey. With their following just on this forum, someone putting them on blast with an issue that very much could be (and even sounds like) user error should expect to be mocked and shunned. I understand that Black Bear is comprised of humans and computers, both of which are subject to errors just like I am. I'd prefer to be just as adult as they are about resolving an issue rather than a whiny brat. If there is an issue, regardless of who's at fault, I'd like to be able to write a full review on here about how professionally and amicably it was resolved and how much I love driving with the new tune.

I promote BB all the time on here and I don't even have a tune from them yet. I've seen enough results and feedback to appreciate their skills, experience and business practices. A performance tune just hasn't been a priority for me with everything else I have going on. But, since buying that Autocal, I'm now proud to say that I'm currently invested in getting a tune from them and I look forward to riding that bandwagon with you other tuned knuckleheads.

 

[iamdub]

I've read enough of your posts now to suspect you can think your way out of almost any paper bag out there. Even the slim ones the liquor store uses.

lol- Another great quote.

I've been "out" of those paper bags since last November. I never drank much, and really stuck to a few shots of Crown in a mix when I did. I just quit buying it.

Let's hope that with a tune, I'll finally be able to just drive my way right through the side of that paper bag.

 

[Doubeleive]

so as i previously stated I have the autocal I purchased and I downloaded the software from there website, the autocal came with some files already on it as I can see them when I plug it into the computer. However no instructions..... do I just erase all the existing files? because they are not for my truck, then what? does it have a menu when I plug it into the obd port?

 

[BourbonNcigars]

lol- Another great quote.

I've been "out" of those paper bags since last November. I never drank much, and really stuck to a few shots of Crown in a mix when I did. I just quit buying it.

Let's hope that with a tune, I'll finally be able to just drive my way right through the side of that paper bag.

I may go down the tune path if I get my road noise issue solved. I drive like granny on ****** but wouldn't mind some of the other benefits a tune would give. Plus I could free up my OBD port by removing the Range if DOD is taken out of the picture via a tune.

I've slowed way down on the drinking. Was never an abuser but now beach season is eminent. Have to shed the winter coat.

 

[iamdub]

I've used black bear on my 03 Tahoe and I'm convinced it's the reason my transmission is still solid after 220,000 miles. Truck runs better than it ever did new and I got the tune at something like 140,000 miles. I will stand by BB Performance all day.

Although I did the in person deal where they road around with my while they made adjustments.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

I firmly believe the stock trans tuning is unhealthy for it. I went 230K miles on my last work van, a 2013 Express, before the trans (6L80E) crapped out. It died with the very trans fluid in it that it left the factory with. It likely would've gone longer had I changed it regularly. The company I work for had over 100 of those vans in the fleet and a high number of them needed new transmissions as early as 70K miles. Most of which were vans that ran service in dense cities with lots of stop-and-go. We don't haul heavy loads or tow anything (insurance won't even allow hitches to be installed) so there was no reason for a 2500 van with a heavy-duty trans to die the way they did. I manually shifted mine any time I was not on the highway to keep the sloppy and confused factory shift tables from destroying the trans. I manually shift my Tahoe's 4-speed the rare times I'm in the same driving conditions.

 

[iamdub]

so as i previously stated I have the autocal I purchased and I downloaded the software from there website, the autocal came with some files already on it as I can see them when I plug it into the computer. However no instructions..... do I just erase all the existing files? because they are not for my truck, then what? does it have a menu when I plug it into the obd port?

I'd contact BB and get instructions straight from the bear's mouth. By the way, lemme know what they tell you cuz I may do the same just to play around and get comfortable with it.

 

[RST Dana]

I have mine sitting here, bought it off another member a few months ago, I have no excuse,,, other than just lazyness

View attachment 216455

edit: I take that back I got two speeding tickets back to back at the end of the year so I have been cooling my heels for a bit before trying out a tune, lol
dam tickets were $740.00 (combined) went to court and got them reduced to $320.00

And you need more power? Or are you trying to raise the top speed? Lol

 

[Chrismnj]

so as i previously stated I have the autocal I purchased and I downloaded the software from there website, the autocal came with some files already on it as I can see them when I plug it into the computer. However no instructions..... do I just erase all the existing files? because they are not for my truck, then what? does it have a menu when I plug it into the obd port?

I would say delete them if not yours you can do it from the desktop, all instructors are on BB website, then you will record your 3 files on it save it to your desktop, delete them from autocal, email to BB, and after that they will send you your tune

http://www.blackbearperformance.com/autocal_management.asp

 

[Chrismnj]

And you need more power? Or are you trying to raise the top speed? Lol

both reasons are good

 

[Doubeleive]

And you need more power? Or are you trying to raise the top speed? Lol

I already have the limiter disabled and the 4 cylinder mode with a hypertech
I already have the limiter disabled and the 4 cylinder mode with a hypertech, the speeding tickets were nothing new I always get 2 in a row since I was 15-always.... i never get just one my m.o. is 2 within 5 days then im good for a while, lol

 

[Fosscore]

2006 4.8L was tuned by Justin in person.
2013 5.3L was tuned by second hand AutoCal from current member on TYF all via email.

Bought a cheapo PC on eBay to load tunes onto AutoCal. Followed all instructions to the T on the BB website as noted above. Even printed them out to have with me at the PC and in the truck while logging and uploading files.

I never called BB directly, but have emails saved in a folder from both truck tunes. The responses were detailed to my questions and I only had one glitch in a tune file that got resolved rapidly and directly with emails from Justin.

I have written tune reports in both of my build threads and made mention in other BB threads that come up. I have been very happy with the outcomes of both trucks being tuned, how they run and the difference between stock and tuned.

Very noticeable difference and I don't have the technicality to tune it myself like some of the guys do on here. That is worth paying someone else with 100's (likely 1000's) of tunes to their credit, including many on this very thread, to make it the way we want the trucks to run.

@BlackBearPerf So they can see the positive comments and reviews contained herein.

 

[08HoeCD]

I’d heard about BBP on here for months when I first bought my Tahoe. Never really considered doing a tune for this boat—-I’m a dad in the suburbs, and I bought this rig mainly to facilitate my role as a soccer dad. Really.

Then I learned that Justin’s team was scheduled to offer an in-person tune meet less than 10 miles from my house. And I could get a custom tune without even having to buy the tuning device.

That was too good to pass up.

Justin hopped in the passenger seat, asked a few questions, set up his laptop, and off we went. I told him that I wasn’t trying to have an 11-second Tahoe, just one with optimized trans programming & throttle response.

He tuned up the ol’ girl in under 25 minutes of driving/testing/tuning/testing/re-tuning. Worked magic on the shift points and firmness, tweaked the throttle mapping and turned off AFM. Runs great.

A BBP tune is definitely strongly recommended, whether you drive with aggressive throttle application, moderate, or even soccer dad style. No matter your driving style, you will dig the enhanced drivability every time you put her in Drive.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Just a quick comment of the Black Bear Performance tune instructions, using AutoCal. I followed the published instructions to a T, as well, and my tuning experience went very well. The difference in performance before and after the tune is very significant, and I am extremely happy with it.

I did notice a specific instruction line in the set of instructions, which I could have interpreted in two ways, but fortunately, I decided on the interpretation that turned out to be the correct one. After completing the tuning process, I emailed BBP and advised them regarding this instruction line, and suggested a slight modification which would eliminate the potential two different interpretations, at least for me. The next day, I received an email reply from Justin, thanking me for my suggestion, along with a commitment to review the existing instructions and make a subsequent revision, if appropriate.

Truly, as a customer, I cannot ask more from a vendor.

Keep up the great work, BBP!!!

 

[adventurenali92]

I too am in the club of trucks tuned by Justin at Blackbear performance. I have zero regrets with my tune choice! Justin and his team are so incredibly knowledgeable about our trucks and are always willing to help. I’m not super tech savvy so getting through the correct process to setup and run my autocal correctly was quite the challenge for me. Justin and his team were there to talk me through every step of the way via email. Sometimes it took a day for them to respond. But I completely understand that as they are a small team and they keep up a pretty good response time given the high volume of emails I’m sure they get every day. Nothing but good remarks from this satisfied BlackBear performance customer!

 

[Rocket Man]

I see the OP hasn’t been back to the forum since the day he posted this thread. Must feel a bit ashamed as he should. I’d sure like to know what the problem was.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Clearly, OP did not do much reading on this Forum, particularly about BBP, before posting his comments..... Oh well, lessons in life come in many different forms.

I'm certain that virtually all of us have been guilty of 'Point, Shoot, Aim' actions on at least a few occasions in our lives. I know that I am guilty of more than a few. And if folks call us out on these instances, we can learn from them.

We can only hope that OP will use this experience as a learning experience, which will make him a better person going forward.

 

[07Burb]

Wonder what other forums he blasted bbp on where bbp wasn’t there to set the record straight?

 

[Rocket Man]

Wonder what other forums he blasted bbp on where bbp wasn’t there to set the record straight?

Good point. I know I’ve flown off the handle before or jumped to conclusions but I’ve always gone back to face the truth. He never did so he gets no respect from me.

 

[BourbonNcigars]

Y'all get off Chuck's back. Poor bastard made a mistake. I did the same thing today in a rather public place and regret it now. This forum has proven itself to be the standard that all other automotive forums should be judged by with regards to the quality and maturity of its members. Bashing one person who most likely isn't as nearly as informed or hardcore as many members of TYF isn't what made this place great.

Don't scare off potential new members by talking too much shit about one. Even if it's sticking up for a vendor most love. You guys are better than that. That's how I got here.

 

[08HoeCD]

I’ll blast him plenty.

Too many want to race to the internet to air their grievances rather than go straight to the person or company with whom they are dissatisfied. That’s lame. Be direct rather than leveraging the Internet as a modern day means of attempted extortion.