Advice on Chips

[Colorado Yeti]

I have a 99 Tahoe 2-door Z-71 with barn doors. It has 57k miles, all original, purchased from the original owner. It is all stock (except I added dual exhaust), not modified and in absolutely perfect shape. It drives great but I am trying to get a little more performance out of the engine. Has anyone had any experience with "performance chips" on these Vortec V-8's? I have heard mixed messages and am quite skeptical unless I see proven dyno results. What are your experiences and what company pr product did you use? Thank you.

 

[Marky Dissod]

I have a 99 Tahoe 2-door Z71 with barn doors.

So, a 4door, then. Just kidding. I was saddened when GM gave up on barn doors.
And shame on the aftermarket for not stepping in and fixing this!

... trying to get a little more performance out of the engine. Has anyone had any experience with "performance chips" on these Vortec V8s?

No GM vehicle since the mid 90s uses 'chips', much less 'performance chips', for which we all should be grateful.
Either you ship your powertrain control module (think yours is a '4plug Black Vortec' pcm) to the tuner,
and he sends it back with a tune in it, or you buy another pcm with the tune already written into it.

I have heard mixed messages and am quite skeptical unless I see proven dyno results.

Most of the bad experiences you've heard were from half@$$ or straight up garbage tunes,
or from people who don't understand what a tune can and/or cannot do.
Dyno results are almost useless unless the tune's purpose is to ONLY maximize WOT performance.
Most people spend most of the time driving UNDER full throttle, UNDER 2875RpM.
They get their L31 pcms tuned because:
1. GM 'tunes' the 4L60E to shift very conservatively, prioritizing more MpGs and minimal NVH.
A decent pcm tune makes the 4L60E ready for more fun and/or more work (discuss with your tuner!)
it also improves the 4L60E's durability / longevity, so it can handle harder work / play.
The TCC will DEFINITELY last longer too.

2. improving engine throttle response and power
Even if only using 87 octane, the L31 has a bit more to give.
If driving conservatively, it can even result in better average MpGs.
Some tuners can even get another few hundred more peak RpM as well ...

3. to change how the EGR, AIRpump, and/or the EVAP system behaves
hey, some people have no need for these things. If not, why not have them tuned out?
Note that this technically makes the tune an 'off-road' tune, even if it can pass an emissions test.

 

[bsamole]

Awesome find, unmolested 99 Tahoe with about 2,000 miles a year. I am the original owner of a 99 Tahoe with about 175,000 miles and the performance declines with age. My opinion is that getting to the next traffic light first isn't worth the risk and expense of installing "performance chips".

 

[Colorado Yeti]

Well.....shit.

 

[Marky Dissod]

What are your experiences and what company did you use?

You can see in my sig I used PCMperformance.com
Easiest thing to notice, if you were to drive any other '00-'06 Z71, or go 'back to stock',
is mine responds much more quickly and crisply to throttle movement.
Mine simply needs much less extra throttle to go from 'Jekyll to Hyde', so to speak.

I always drive like I'm trying to 'make good time'.
However, I've loaned my truck to a dear friend several times, and he is ALWAYS SHOCKED
by 18MpG on very long highway trips (his daughter makes him drive 'daisy').
So, a disciplined right foot can also appreciate a tuned pcm.

Since I do NOT tow, my 'Tow / Haul mode button acts like a 'Performance Mode',
'cause that's how I like it.
If that's not how YOU like it, have the tune adjusted to suit your particular tastes.
(I have a separate pcm with a towing tune just in case I ever tow 4,000lb or more.)

BlackBear Performance comes highly recommended on this forum.
There are other reputable tuners who have been around long enough,
that you should ask about them from their former customers, instead of asking those with NO experience.

FYI, I tune mid-90s LT1 cars, so I oversimplified the above.

 

[homesick]

I have a 99 Tahoe 2-door Z-71 with barn doors. It has 57k miles, all original, purchased from the original owner. It is all stock (except I added dual exhaust), not modified and in absolutely perfect shape. It drives great but I am trying to get a little more performance out of the engine. Has anyone had any experience with "performance chips" on these Vortec V-8's? I have heard mixed messages and am quite skeptical unless I see proven dyno results. What are your experiences and what company pr product did you use? Thank you.

Man, you're singing my song with the 2-doors. I'd appreciate a photo or five. You probably won't like my solution, but FWIW...

I had this immaculate '95. I wanted more power, but didn't want to spoil the pristine originality of it.

I traded with a guy for an '07 Escalade, and went from 200 to 400 horsepower.

I miss the Tahoe but, day-to-day, the Escalade's a bit easier to live with. I love the power increase, and the truck's still stock.

joe

 

[Marky Dissod]

An '07 '08 or '09 Escalade or Denali with an L92 or L9H 6.2L kicks arse, despite being undergeared.
'10-'13 have the L94; you'll likely need to disable and eventually delete the Engine Half@$$ bullschidt.

If you don't find a Denali or Escalade for a trade-up, what axle gears does your Tahoe have?
'cause if it has 3.42, it's holding your Tahoe back.
Best bang-for-the-buck mod would be either 3.73 or 4.10. (Yes, costs more than a tune.)
Long story short, if highway cruising MpG is most important to you, 3.73.
If city / metro / urban / off-roading / towing is most important to you, 4.10.