Yeah, then you want the SCT. I got used to how well the truck drove with the SCT that when I changed back to stock (Drum Brake service at the dealership), I could not believe that my truck appeared to run horribly (tranny shifts, lack of power).

Hemifever takes out the Torque Management, and that is what really helps make the truck run better. He will send you an 87, 89, 91 and 93 octane tune. If you ping, he will tone down the timing (he sets it aggressive at first) and email you new tunes to load on the SCT (All you need is a printer USB cable).

I never had a pinging issue. i thought I might have, but it was an exhaust leak from my header install that was making a ticking sound.

he charges 275, and for what you want, it will be worth every penny.

 

Well I guess my laziness helps, last time my truck had a tune-up was over 70k miles ago, pretty sure it still has stock stat, and plenum has not been changed, Im not spending money on octane boost or fuel catalysts so nope none of those...I only fill up at one gas station, a chevron right by my house

I did get it to ping when i tried to run the 93 tune with 87 gas and it only pinged under full throttle

to the OP link for hemifever
http://www.hemifevertuning.com/Default.asp

 

It may be a stupid question, what is ping.. u have a slighty exhaust leak but all stock other then full exhaust, shorty headers, magnaflo y pipe, straight piped.. and I will be buying a sct come tax time

 

Ping=spark knock=pre-ignition. The cylinder fires before it should. Sounds like someone rattling a coffee can full of marbles. If the condition last too long, you end up with things like melted/broken pistons...... gets REAL expensive Right Quick.

 

I think it's worth it. I haven't fixed my plenum yet (hughes kit will be here Tuesday)and I have no pinging with the 87 tune with 89 fuel. With 87 you still take care of the deathflash and remove torque management you will notice it. Although the 91 is 100 times better. I flashed my truck with the 91 today and it felt amazing but pinged like crazy.

Can't wait for my Hughes kit to come in. Sean at Hemifever has the best customer service I have EVER experienced lol. Plus his prices are literally 2nd to NONE. i have a feeling after my plenum fix I will have to have him send me less aggressive tunes though.

 

no need for less aggressive , i switched out my plugs too autolights 3923 and its running alot better than before

 

Maybe mine has never pinged. All I've ever heard is a slight metallic tick (almost has an electrical shock sound). Ever heard an electric fence shorting to a wet weed? Kinda sounded like that, new plugs, wires, brass cap and rotor w/180 t-stat pretty much eliminated it (not sure what worked, did it all at once). Marbles in a coffee can...that sounds rough! Don't know for certain mines made that noise.

 

i have a slight taping noise when im cruising down the highway, do yall think its pinging from bad gas or a bad lifter? i know yall cant know exactly from just reading this but it definitely doesnt sound like a coffee can full of marbles

 

I'm just going to toss this out there for the original poster to consider, for what it's worth:

Since August, I've done the following to my truck-

Hughes Plenum Kit
Kegger Mod
Complete tune (wires. cap, rotor, plugs, filters, all fluids)
tried iridium plugs, fell back to champs
Shorty Headers
4.56:1 Motive Gears
H&S 1.7 RR's
180* stat
true dual exhaust through magnaflow high flow cats
SCT from Hemifever

-I've two items remaining- the tranny rebuild and a 52mm Fastman TB.. The tranny is on the back burner because the gears and the SCT have REALLY helped out there (it doesn't work NEAR as hard, and the shift points are now logical), and the fastman should land at any moment...

Of all these items, the SCT is only rivaled by the gears. If I had to choose, it would be the SCT every time.

The SCT is responsible for removing the Death Flash, and creating a FAR better tune- but removing Torque Management is where it truly shines.. I could write a few paragraphs about it, but it's easier to say 'because of the SCT, I'm thinking the tranny has another 20k left in her..'.. all that weird shifting at points in the power band that bog everything down causes excessive wear I'm thinking.. It feels like it grips MUCH better now.

 

Don't think I have the death flash. Is a 98, have had it since new, and I know it wasn't flashed unless they did it at the factory. Has no sticker on pcm, either. But, if it ranks right up there with gears as a mod and makes the tranny act right, I'm sold. May have to put it off a while, though. Just had to buy 900 dollars worth of 18 inch tires and an alignment for my wife,s car.