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Frequently Asked Questions
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We get questions about our services all the time, and we try to
keep track of them in this section. Have a question, but don't
see the answer here?
Send us an email.
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| Q: I have a Hypertech Power Programmer. Can I go back to it, if I wanted to?
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A: Yes, after you've used the GT Tuner, you can reprogram your PCM any way you see fit. We do not lock or restrict the PCM in any way.
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| Q: Is using your product really as good as sending the PCM to a mail-order tuner?
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A: Yes, this is why: These PCMs were designed, from the ground up, to be reprogrammed through the diagnostic port under the dashboard. In fact, you can't even reprogram the chips manually, like the older ECM/PCMs unless you desolder the chip from the circuit board. When you send your PCM to a mail-order tuner, they use special software to reprogram it. The GT Tuner is a small computer that is capable of doing the same thing.
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| Q: How much power can I expect to gain from custom programming?
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A: The answer to this question is complex, as it depends on many factors. We can say, definitively, in our dyno testing, we’ve seen rear wheel horsepower gains (RWHP) of around 15-20HP on LT1 engines, just by changing the programming on engines that had a cold air intake and other bolt-on mods. We see similar power gains on LS1 engines. If the engine is heavily modified, power increases can be much higher.
Engines come from the factory capable of making different levels of power due to manufacturing tolerances. But, GM, in an effort to be efficient, designs factory PCM programs using a “one size fits all” approach. They go conservative on timing, and fuel mixtures. As such, most engines do not produce maximum power using a factory program.
Custom PCM programming allows the engine to make more power because the timing curves and fuel mixture are “dialed in” better. The engine runs closer to its optimal air/fuel ratio (AFR) at wide open throttle (WOT), and, hence, makes more power.
Also worth noting, the factory programming for LT1 engines in particular did not take advantage of high octane fuel. We tend to see great increases in power from LT1 engines when we tune them for supreme unleaded. The LS1 engines were better tuned from the factory to take advantage of supreme unleaded (e.g. they have specific tables in the PCM for high octane fuel), but the LS1s can see power improvements by adjusting the AFR.
Power gains from custom programming, for engines that have extensive modifications can be huge. For example, if a performance-minded enthusiast swaps a “bigger” cam in their LT1, in most cases they’re going to need more timing to unlock the potential of the engine with the “bigger” cam. We’ve seen 30-50HP gains on the dyno by dialing in heavily modified cars.
So, a good answer to this question is this: You can expect at least 15-20 HP gain from custom programming, a 1-2MPG boost in fuel economy, and perhaps two to three times that power gain if you have extensive modifications.
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| Q: Can I restore my factory programming at a later time (e.g. for emission inpsection)?
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A: Yes! When you use our service, before your new custom program is installed, your original factory programming is saved on the hand-held. When the hand-held comes back, we archive your original programming, so if you need it later, we’ll have it available. However, if you think you might need to restore it later, we do recommend you let us know so we can give you an electronic copy of it as well, just to be safe.
If, for any reason, you need to restore your factory programming, you can borrow one of our GT Tuners to do this, all you have to pay is the full shipping price (both ways). We’ll let you borrow the GT Tuner free of charge, once. After that you’ll need to pay $50 plus shipping both ways. If you anticipate needing to do this on a regular basis, let us know when you’re ordering and we’ll discuss options that can save you some money
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| Q: What if I make more modifications to my car later? Do I have to pay for another program?
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A: It depends on what you change and what needs to be changed in the program. If it’s something minor, such as a speedometer recalibration, for example, because the gears, tires, or wheels were changed, we will do a “retune” for $50 + full shipping. Another example of a minor change would be adjusting the cooling fans for an aftermarket thermostat.
However, if the changes are “major”, for example a new fuel and spark table are required because of a cam swap, we offer a “retune” for the regular price, minus 15%.
Feel free to ask us before you make your mods whether it’s considered a “minor” or “major” modification.
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| Q: I don't want to wait for UPS Ground to deliver my program, can you get it to me quicker?
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A: Yes, we can ship UPS Next Day, 2nd day, and others for additional charge.
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| Q: Besides "power programming", what other mods can you make in my custom program for me?
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A: We can adjust many, many things. Just to mention a few: we can adjust the rev limiter, top speed limiter, disable emissions controls (generally speaking, this is only legal to do for vehicles that won’t be operated on public highways), recalibrate the speedometer, disable “skip shift”, adjust transmission shift points and firmness, adjust the cooling fan on/off temperature points, and optimize for supreme unleaded.
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| Q: Can I get a custom program from any PCM tuner with your device?
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A: Maybe. It depends on whether the custom PCM programmer you want to work with is willing to provide “email” tunes (the calibration file electronically). If they are willing to do this, we should be able to accommodate your request. Just ask us ahead of time and we’ll see what we can do for you.
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| Q: If I wanted to purchase a GT Tuner could I just forfeit my security deposit and keep it?
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A: In theory, you *could*, but you wouldn’t want to. The programming stored in the GT Tuner is custom written for the vehicle for which it was ordered. Because each vehicle is different, each program is different. Attempting to flash a vehicle other then the one for which the program was ordered could cause irreparable damage to the vehicle.
Furthermore, because the GT Tuner is designed to be loaned out, and then returned, the software on it is set to automatically disable itself 30 days after the order is placed.
If you’re interested in purchasing a GT Tuner, please contact us and we can discuss various purchase options.
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| Q: Does the GT Tuner "lock" the PCM after flashing it?
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A: PCM “locking” is a feature that became available with the Gen III LS1/Vortec PCM. PCMs have a “password” that is required to access them, and there is a specific algorithm for establishing the “password” from information provided by the PCM. It is possible, however, to change this “password” to something else. Some custom PCM tuners will change the “password” for the stated reason of preventing others from accessing the tune stored in the PCM.
There are a few problems with doing this, the biggest being that once the password is changed, only the person who changed it will be able to program the PCM again. The customer will be “stuck” going back to the same PCM tuner if they make any further modifications, and if they wish to go to another PCM tuner, they will need to purchase a new PCM which is not locked.
Some PCM tuning customers may be OK with this, but at Trifecta Performance, we do not believe this is our decision to make for the customer. We also acknowledge that changing the PCM “password” doesn’t really provide any additional degree of security around the contents of the PCM because, like any “security” mechanism, an individual with the right set of skills and information can circumvent it.
Having said all of this, we are also providing a tool and service to custom PCM tuners. We have received feedback from at least one custom PCM tuner that having the “password” change feature in the GT Tuner would be a requirement for doing business with them. If there comes a time where Trifecta Performance is required to lock PCMs after flashing them as part of the terms of offering a specific PCM tuner’s programs through its unique service, we pledge to you that we will openly disclose that our product will lock the PCM before selling you a custom program.
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| Q: What is Torque Management?
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A: In 1996-1997, GM introduced a new PCM feature called Torque Management (a.k.a. TM). This feature was designed to extend the service life of automatic transmissions by removing a certain amount of timing advance temporarily before beginning the shift between gears. The effect is there is less wear and tear on the transmission because not as much power is being run through the transmission while the clutches and bands are engaging/disengaging.
However, TM also reduces performance, and removing it, especially in the trucks, can produce a noticible improvement in performance. Trifecta Perfomance can adjust or eliminate the torque management in your 99+ Gen III PCM programming. Just let us know on the ordering form if you'd like it adjusted or removed completely.
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