Info: TCM tuning

[The Neens]

I understand the ECM is king Trent. I was just wondering because the 2nd gear start tune that has been posted on here before from Wendy has those tables monkeyed with and I was curious if that is a dangerous tune to run.

That tune was an experiment from a year and a half ago...It works well in Kat's truck with the ECM tune she runs, but it's definitely "use at your own risk"...I've run something similar (using 1st gear) in my truck for over 35,000 miles with no issues, but like Mike suggested, I always have my credit card ready...

There's been some good info/advise from Tony, Mike and others...I think we should all listen to it...

 

[GMC_2002_Dmax]

Tony,

Are you saying don't make any changes to D5196 and D5197 or the changes that are being made are too drastic??

Agreed, good info in this thread. I am not a big fan of TCM tuning except RPM changes for pulling.

Thanks,
Ed

The only change I would consider not damaging would be to copy the 3250 rpm row for table D5196 and paste it into rows 3400 rpm and 3600 rpm.

Messing around with the other areas of the table will only have you chasing your tail for part throttle shifts.

RPM changes for sled pulling, 1st gear delete is all fine. I change those for my customers and it works just fine.

The key to shifting an Allison properly is 95% ECM and 5% TCM tuning, if you have the tq values and tq limited injection quantity correct it will shift just fine, but other tables effect it, the wrong values in the main injection tables for fueling or the throttle table will cause you to chase your tail if you make a mistake in there.

I got my tunes when i bought EFI live. I no longer run this tuning but it was to late the damage was done. My RPM limiting was disabled in my TCM tuning. I learned the hard way. Dont trust everyone. I just wanted to pass the message on. I tried to catch you last time you were down here Tony. I talked to Dipper but i was to late calling him back and missed you.

I'll be back down at some point again.

 

[McRat]

So far, I haven't had to alter TCM tuning other than shift points to get the desired effect. All three of our trucks shift firm and smooth, with no banging. If it sounds like metal-metal (clunk) on a shift, do not keep running that way. Like Tony said, ECM tuning has a huge effect on the shifting.

The "Wendy Skip Shift" is a race-only LBZ specific TCM tune. Do not run it on the street. It has worked well for us, and many other trucks, but that doesn't mean it can't hurt things.

 

[TheBac]

I wish I understood half of what you guys are talking about....

 

[JoshH]

So all of you guys talking about adjusting defuel with the ECM, who wants to explain what tables control that and how to adjust it? I wish someone would respond to my previous post in this thread too.

 

[uwyo_dmax]

So all of you guys talking about adjusting defuel with the ECM, who wants to explain what tables control that and how to adjust

X2 that has been one of my biggest troubles when trying tune for myself

 

[racinmike77]

I got my tunes when i bought EFI live. I no longer run this tuning but it was to late the damage was done. My RPM limiting was disabled in my TCM tuning. I learned the hard way. Dont trust everyone. I just wanted to pass the message on. I tried to catch you last time you were down here Tony. I talked to Dipper but i was to late calling him back and missed you.

You got free TCM tunes when you bought EFI live?? Or is there a table in the ECM that disables TCM rpm limiting? I run these tunes and see alot of good in them but I dont want to hurt my transmission.

 

[Mike L.]

I doubt any of the tuners are going to share what they worked so hard to figure out. I wouldn't.

 

[racinmike77]

I doubt any of the tuners are going to share what they worked so hard to figure out. I wouldn't.

Im not trying to get free moonshine tunes here I just want to correct any issues that I may have with my tunes.

 

[Dozerboy]

Wish I would of know this when I got EFI, but I have a stock trans and only messed with B5194 & B5196 a little. I though it was just the timing we needed to stay way from.

 

[SmokeShow]

The key to shifting an Allison properly is 95% ECM and 5% TCM tuning, if you have the tq values and tq limited injection quantity correct it will shift just fine, but other tables effect it, the wrong values in the main injection tables for fueling or the throttle table will cause you to chase your tail if you make a mistake in there

so what you are saying is, all the "main" (as in commonly modified) tables can and do effect the shifting? BUT the two that make the most direct effect are the tq value and tq limited inj qty tables? Is this generalization consistent for all version of the duramax and allison - LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM, 5-spd and 6-spd alli?


C-ya

 

[uwyo_dmax]

I doubt any of the tuners are going to share what they worked so hard to figure out. I wouldn't.

Not looking for free tunes here just a general consensus on how each works and how they work together to defuel. As in tliq and base torqu.

 

[Dozerboy]

Im not trying to get free moonshine tunes here I just want to correct any issues that I may have with my tunes.

Then buy his tune then you won't have an issue.

I don't expect anyone to get out there "secrets", but are there any pointers that someone can give us to help us figure it out for ourselves? Like what to look for in our logs or what to log?

edit: what umyo said

I also wonder how the LBZ differ from the older trucks?

 

[Mike L.]

Im not trying to get free moonshine tunes here I just want to correct any issues that I may have with my tunes.

Never accused you.
The point of this whole conversation was not to mess with the TCM. If you want to correct issues with your" tune," bring it back to stock. There are no TCM tunes; there are only blind uneducated adjustments. No tutorials for this.

 

[racinmike77]

Never accused you.
The point of this whole conversation was not to mess with the TCM. If you want to correct issues with your" tune," bring it back to stock. There are no TCM tunes; there are only blind uneducated adjustments. No tutorials for this.

So if my TCM tune is stock, will my transmission will be ok? Or should I be worried about the TLIQ and base torque tables in the ECM? Should we be running stock torque tables in the ECM with our race tunes? Im not accusing just looking to fix my pink slipper tuning.

 

[Mike L.]

Not looking for free tunes here just a general consensus on how each works and how they work together to defuel.

Not asking much are you? 3 to 4 hours a night for 8 months will get you smart. Then I want you to answer your own question.

 

[Mike L.]

So if my TCM tune is stock, will my transmission will be ok? Or should I be worried about the TLIQ and base torque tables in the ECM? Should we be running stock torque tables in the ECM with our race tunes? Im not accusing just looking to fix my pink slipper tuning.

Pink slippers is here waiting for that answer as are you.

 

[JoshH]

Mike, I mean no disrespect towards you as I think you are extremely intelligent when it comes to the Allison, but you admittedly know nothing about EFILive. I'm not looking for any secrets, but I have played with just about every table in an LBZ ECM and many in the TCM. I have not seen any that have a big effect on shift quality either good or bad. As I stated earlier, when my transmission was stock I was having a problem with a no shift at WOT and a nasty defuel when the truck hit the rev limiter. I was even having a bit of a problem with it after the trans was built. I even went so far as swapping ECM and TCMs with IdahoRob and still had the same problem. The second time I had to replace the C1s, the shifting got better for some reason. I have no idea why, but it did. If someone wants to show me a table or tables that will change shifting and defuel on an LBZ, I would love to be proved wrong, but until then, I have to believe that there is some other reason people who sell tunes are posting what they are.

 

[Cougar281]

The 6-speed TCM does not use a tq limiting and base tq table it uses a different approach..........

The 6 speed TCM has the same torque tables as the 5 speed, but the ECM does't have any of the same tables. Call me stupid, but if one where to assume you use B0742-B0744 to "fix" shifting, what would you use in the LBZ since it doesn't have those tables?

 

[sweetdiesel]

so what you are saying is, all the "main" (as in commonly modified) tables can and do effect the shifting? BUT the two that make the most direct effect are the tq value and tq limited inj qty tables? Is this generalization consistent for all version of the duramax and allison - LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM, 5-spd and 6-spd alli?


C-ya

Mitch
Cant say for a lbz or lmm but I have never needed to adjust the TCM to get great shifts.
TLIQ and Base tq.....But as Tony said the PW and TBIQ can alter that

IMO altering the PW down low effects shifts because the defuel is there but if you add so much fuel there is no defuel.....If that makes sense

We had plenty of 11sec Dmaxs before these table where availible....Why do we need to mess with them?