2009-2014 6L80 better than 2015+?

[Charlie207]

In California you can't modify the engine tune, it will be caught at the 2 year smog inspection. With the 08 6.2L I am very happy with the factory engine tune, it runs like a beast.

I would like a Tranny tune which is not regulated. Last time I checked Black Bear wanted almost $600 for the tranny tune by itself?

My 6L80 is approaching 147,000 miles, had a new TECHM installed at 80,000. I currently have a small rear main seal leak that I plan to fix soon. I will buy a new Torque converter and install it while I have the tranny removed for the rear main seal work.
I hope that will keep it reliable for a while longer.

The great thing about the BBP tunes using the AutoCAL is that you can revert back to OEM/stock in 2 minutes, whenever you want, then reflash your BBP tune.

 

[rdezs]

2014 Escalade. Fluid change every 35k, and I change the spin on hydraulic filter every other oil change. Just about 200k, never an issue. Dropped the pan for the third time to replace the regular filter.... Not even the usual dust in the bottom of the pan. Completely clean. Wife has put 99% of the miles on it... She drives it extremely easy. The 6.2 scares her over 2,200 RPM

 

[West 1]

According to my friends in the industry the Smog check machines in CA will record any computer flashes in a vehicle and when they were done, if they are GM approved or not. One good buddy owned a Machine Shop with 2 DYNO's, he won't even consider doing any type tune to the engines on smog controlled cars. There have been some substantial lawsuits out here against shops that modify tunes for more power.
We were in Alaska and even up there the Feds were going after tune shops on Diesels. One shop was fined $500,000 in Alaska.

I would like a better tranny tune though, I can feel how it could be better and enhance life.

 

[Prospect62]

2014 Escalade. Fluid change every 35k, and I change the spin on hydraulic filter every other oil change. Just about 200k, never an issue. Dropped the pan for the third time to replace the regular filter.... Not even the usual dust in the bottom of the pan. Completely clean. Wife has put 99% of the miles on it... She drives it extremely easy. The 6.2 scares her over 2,200 RPM
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Well that's brilliant.

Unfortunately for me I just bought the truck at 111,000 so all I can do now is listen to advice on whether or not to change the fluid and cross my fingers.

I do like that filter though - if you have time to provide the specs on that, it might be something to try this summer.

 

[Prospect62]

Worth every penny and then some. The tune is the foundation upon which all other mods build upon. It's also your best bang for the buck performance mods wise.

I don't discount the tune or that it's the best there is for these rigs.

I do Crown Vics on the side and there's literally one guy in the Nation who does excellent tunes for them who I swear by and will never, ever recommend or support anyone else. I understand the loyalty, I understand the cost.

I don't plan on modding this truck whatsoever. I just want it to not love overdrive so much, shift a little bit firmer and hold 2 and 3 a little longer.

The cost isn't unreasonable for a good result, I'm just a value-oriented kind of guy.

 

[Fless]

You could look into a DiabloSport inTune i3, which will have a few canned tunes in it. Sometimes they can be found used, but if you go that route be sure it's not married to a vehicle.

https://www.holley.com/products/tuners_and_programmers/handheld_tuners/diablosport_intune_i3/parts/8245

An option for custom tunes: https://diablewtune.com/package_deals.html.

 

[Prospect62]

Thanks, Fless.

 

[fredcook]

what year did they switch to the 8 speed?

I know that one had a bad rep. 10 speed not. much better. it seems the days over tranny lasting 200k plus arw long gone. 5k sounds cheap thou, I thought new tranny was 8-10 installed these days?

200k trans life still exists!

I put 310k on the last 4L60 Tahoe we had. Sold it some time ago, and last I heard, it's still going at close to 400k! My current 4L60 Tahoe is solid at 265k. the wife's 6L80 is also fine at 160k. Yes, we tow and abuse. And if someone asks how we maintain these trannies to keep then running so long, I will catch grief for my response. I always do.

 

[Marky Dissod]

... And if someone asks how we maintain these trannies to keep then running so long, I will catch grief for my response. I always do.

SOME grief, from SOME people ...

 

[Prospect62]

And if someone asks how we maintain these trannies to keep then running so long, I will catch grief for my response. I always do.

If it's anything but scheduled maintenance, I'd like to hear it.

 

[swathdiver]

According to my friends in the industry the Smog check machines in CA...

Going away in short order. Waivers have been pulled and CARB lacks the authority to do smog checks or enforcement.

 

[Charlie207]

Well that's brilliant.

Unfortunately for me I just bought the truck at 111,000 so all I can do now is listen to advice on whether or not to change the fluid and cross my fingers.

I do like that filter though - if you have time to provide the specs on that, it might be something to try this summer.

Change the fluid & filter. People that say not to do that are dumb.

There may be some credence to not doing a power flush of the transmission, but leaving old ATF in the gearbox is Fudd-lore.

 

[mikez71]

CARB has been stripped of just about all authority now. They're laying off workers in droves. They'll keep up with or do safety inspections to keep the money machine going.

Yep, even when CARB was 'working', I have yet to hear of someone not passing because of a tune.
At least a few of us have passed, no problems whatsoever...
AFM delete is already 'CARB approved' when purchasing a Jasper engine.

Maybe that was the plan, to read all the ECM's...
But they probably figured out it was too much ******** for nothing..

Or they were just blowing smoke up everyone's ass to screw with us..

+1 to tuning options, well worth it imho..

 

[mikez71]

In California you can't modify the engine tune, it will be caught at the 2 year smog inspection.

Not true! See above.
Of course if you deleted or turned off emissions equipment (second O2's, cats) they would fail you..

 

[swathdiver]

There may be some credence to not doing a power flush of the transmission

What is a power flush?

 

[Charlie207]

What is a power flush?

aka transmission flush

 

[Fless]

What is a power flush?

The use of a machine to push new fluid through the tranny and push out all the old fluid, as opposed to a pan drop and partial fluid replacement.

See https://www.bgprod.com/reference/pf5ho/

 

[swathdiver]

I've always referred to that method as a fluid exchange. Back in the 1990s when I managed a Jiffy Lube, we had the then new T-Tech machines that would do a complete exchange of transmission fluid using the transmission's pump. So I guess that's where the word "power" comes in.

Last time I checked, the GM dealerships were using the TransFlow machine to do the same thing and more, they can also back flush the transmission cooler lines and measure flow through the lines to see if the cooling system is still within spec. This machine also uses the transmission's pump to move out the old fluid and bring in the new fluid.

 

[Prospect62]

I've generally been told that for a guy in my shoes (unknown service HX and over 100K miles) the safe bet is to just drop the pan, change the filter and replace what fluid came out (usually around 5 quarts).

My mechanic (who is also a transmission shop) has a fluid service using some fancy machine that comes with some sort of guarantee that if the trans fails within "X" amount of time after you get the service, they pay for a new trans. I may give him a call and see what that's all about.

 

[West 1]

Not a fan of flushes, I had a Suburban and a Yukon Denali, had both tranny’s flushed thinking that was the best cleaning of tranny fluid and would really help?
The Suburban at that time had 150,000 miles on it, never had an issue till the flush. Tranny failed 5,000 miles later.
The Denali had 59,000 original miles when I did the flush. Tranny went out 2,000 miles later.

That is the last flush for me. A family friend owned a big tranny shop, does great work. I took him both tranny’s for rebuild. He showed me how the flush plugged up all my valves that control shifting.
The pan at 50,000 miles plus will have particles from clutch wear in the pan. You don’t want to push all this dirt into your good tranny with a flush.

He advised it you want to flush pull the Pan, clean it and install a new filter. Then do the flush if desired.

Since then I have stuck with drop the pan, install a new filter and move on.

I would really like to install one of the new Pans that has a drain bolt installed. That would allow a quick drain of the tranny and allow easier tranny oil changes between filter changes.

The flush allows all new oil in the torque converter, a simple pan drop does not. So if you do a pan drop you should drain the fluid once or twice after the new filter to get new fluid flowing in the entire system. The pan with a drain bolt would really help with this.