camar0corey

iTrader: (22)

Hey all,
Who has gotten a mail tune on here? OK so here is where I am at, picked up a L33 that I will be slowly building, so in the mean time, I figure I will mail order tune my 06 Sierra.

Current mods are Speed Engineering 1 3/4" longtubes with their dual exhaust, Airaid MIT into the stock airbox, 3.73 gears with a Detroit Trutrac. I also have swapped out the stock 17" wheels for some stock GMC 20" wheels with 275/55 tires.

I actually have EFI Live, but a license is $125, and I see a mail in tune from Frost is only $150.

If I go at it myself, at best I'll probably get the speedometer corrected if I'm lucky, and hopefully that will also get the service brakes soon message gone.

I figure if I mail it in, it should be fairly spot on and probably better than anything I'm going to pull off, as I don't know the first thing about it. (I had gotten EFI Live as I did a 24X setup in my 94 Z28 years ago, and I used to data log and email the logs to Doc at EFI Alchemy and he would email me tune files back.)

Now a power question, can I expect to pick up some, even if marginal power, having it mail order tuned for my bolt ons, while still running 87? I know it won't be optimal, but I do see on Frost's website where he asks if you want it tuned for 87 or 93.

Who else does mail order tunes for GM trucks? Looking for all my options and I would like it to be economical if I go this route.

camar0corey

iTrader: (22)

Super curious about pricing, as I see Frost is $150. From what I can see for Blackbear, looks like $225 for a mail order tune. They have the other option where I can scan and send them the data, but once again I'm at the cost of a license then, and for that service they get $350 I think I read, at which point I might as well pay $350-400 I think to see Phil at Tampatuning in person.

So if Frost has best price at $150 and if someone can chime in that they used his mail order tune, please let me know, or like the original post, give me some other options.

1FastBrick

iTrader: (17)

Will you pick up gains from a tune with just bolt on's, Yes.

Why don't you have an licenses on your EFI live? was it used?

IMO, I don't care for Mail order tunes. I prefer to have it done in person. There is so many little variables from 1 truck to the next. Especially driving habits.

camar0corey

iTrader: (22)

It did come with the two licenses, but when I did my 24X conversion for my 94 Z28 at one point I thought the PCM might have been bad. So I used my second license and wrote the tune to a second 411 PCM. That turned out to be a fuel pressure regulator issue at the time, but that was years ago and the only LS1 PCM equipped thing I owned at the time was my frankenstein car so I didn't think much about using that second license.

Today I pull the PCM from the truck and go hmmm these connectors are a different color from the 411 PCM and it has a different part number... Nope I can't use the extra PCM on this truck that I have a license for, great... Found out that GM had three different PCM/wire connectors for gen III motors...

I'm thinking about doing a mail order tune mostly due to the cost factor and the fact that it would be temporary, probably for a year or a year and a half or so. Once the L33 is done down the road, I'm going to go see a tuner in person for that ordeal haha.

RedXray

My Frost mail tune wasn't what I'd hoped for (LQ9, speed engineering headers & true duals, small cam, AFE CAI with 50lb/hr injectors). Truck idled great but stumbled horribly past half throttle. Contacted by phone and was told "we do not support our mail order tunes". I replied your website says "free upgrades" can I send it back in? "No free upgrades are only for tire size or gear changes". So I bought HP tuners and a wideband to sort it out myself.

I could have pulled a random tune (close to my mods) from HP Tuners repository and been closer than than the mail order tune. I'm sure with only headers, duals and cold air it will be easier to tune, just be aware you'll get no support if it doesn't meet your expectations. I'd have no problems at all taking my truck to Frost for a tune as he has a good rep... mail order is a roll of the dice especially for cammed tunes IMO.

camar0corey

iTrader: (22)

Thanks for the input! To my knowledge it's the stock cam in the truck. I did buy it with 150k on the clock already so no telling, but I doubt it had any mods. Appeared completely stock when I got it, one of the exhaust manifold bolts was even rusted/busted.
Local well known tuner, Phil, pricing will be $425 to have the tune done in person. I just don't want to pay that now for a motor that will be out in less than two years.

Is there such a repository for EFI Live tunes?

EDIT: Actually I answered my own question, I have the Dropbox bookmarked from when the one website had gone offline a few years back and someone had saved all the tunes. I think they are mostly stock ones though.

I have an extra, correct PCM for the truck that I just picked up last Friday, so if I send that in, I won't even be down while waiting for the tune. I feel like I am going to roll the dice being only bolt ons.
Any more Frost opinions welcome though, I won't be pulling the trigger for a few weeks.

1FastBrick

iTrader: (17)

Most every place runs a script over a base tune they use. might work, might not work.

All I can say is good luck.

You will likely be asked to purchase or rent an HPT cable and send scan logs of the issue. You will then be charged for a re-tune or his time.

1FastBrick

iTrader: (17)

I think BlackBear can at least get you a discounted license for you cable if you buy the tune through them.
He is not fast at responses but in my experience he will make things correct.


I know wheatly is an option but not sure what he uses to tune with or his pricing.

camar0corey

iTrader: (22)

The dice have been rolled, I'll check back in once the PCM comes back from Frost and I've driven the truck. haha anticipation!

madmann26

iTrader: (7)