Custom Tune Review!

[jdwood1111]

Wow! Congratulations, on #5! You’re a busy guy!

Thanks! Oh yea!! Its crazy at times but awesome as well! I just really hope this baby is a lump because all 4 of our others have continued to escalate and our current two year is literally Jack Jack from the Incredibles red hair and all!!!

Soon to be a really tired guy! LOL

Already am but its going to get worse! Luckily my wife holds the fort down pretty darn well!

 

[skpyle]

Funny timing as I just re-read through your journey the night before last! That is part of why I thought about doing the already rebuilt valve body and then just doing the TECHM re-build. I will definitely reach out to you for additional questions as I am still assembling what I think I would need to try it. So far I am thinking:

-Sonnax Valve Body from Rock Auto ($140 after core)
-tracking down the TECHM pressure switch rebuild kit ($100 +/-)
-install tool?
-6 ts of dexron IV synthetic (just had it serviced)
-Maybe a Tech2 so I do not have to drive it to the tuner (30 min drive)

My wife and I have our 5th baby due in about 3-4 weeks so that will dictate what and when I can do it!

I am glad you found my thread useful. That was my point: to try to help others. IE, don't make the same mistakes I did.

Your list looks good. VERY good idea on the Sonnax valve body.
You REALLY want the tool kit for installing the membranes and seals for the TECHM pressure switches. I think I paid $35 for the tool kit in October of 2021. WORTH IT!

You say the transmission was serviced recently. How long had it been since the previous service? Meaning you might want to get more synthetic Dexron VI and do your own flush. Just to be sure all the fluid in the transmission is clean.

If you can swing it, the $350 or so for the chinese knockoff Tech2 is definitely worth it!

Wow...you go, buddy!


Good Luck to you! and feel free to reach out to me. I am no expert, but I will help as I can.

 

[Coolman1987us]

If you haven't bought a tech 2 yet look into the vcx nano, 130 bucks and you have tech 2 and GDS which is for the newer vehicles. Need a win 7 laptop though.

 

[Fubar0715]

If you haven't bought a tech 2 yet look into the vcx nano, 130 bucks and you have tech 2 and GDS which is for the newer vehicles. Need a win 7 laptop though.

You can run VCX Nano on a Win10 Laptop as well...I did a write up with pics on getting it working. I have a shop laptop now that has the SW installed and use it out there when I need to look at videos or research something.

 

[jdwood1111]

I am glad you found my thread useful. That was my point: to try to help others. IE, don't make the same mistakes I did.

Your list looks good. VERY good idea on the Sonnax valve body.
You REALLY want the tool kit for installing the membranes and seals for the TECHM pressure switches. I think I paid $35 for the tool kit in October of 2021. WORTH IT!

You say the transmission was serviced recently. How long had it been since the previous service? Meaning you might want to get more synthetic Dexron VI and do your own flush. Just to be sure all the fluid in the transmission is clean.

If you can swing it, the $350 or so for the chinese knockoff Tech2 is definitely worth it!

Wow...you go, buddy!


Good Luck to you! and feel free to reach out to me. I am no expert, but I will help as I can.

Unfortunately I don’t know the history of the car but the fluid was red before I changed it!

I have been driving the truck a little bit more and all upshifts are ok except I get a little flare from I think 3-4 and then the rough down shifts. I’m definitely leaning towards trying the Sonnax valve body. Does anyone know if their remanufactured valve body includes the zip kit already?

And thanks! I’m trying to decide do I try and do the trans before or after the baby is born. Problem is my driveway is sloped and my garage is not long enough for the Denali so for a potentially longer project I have to figure that out too!

You can run VCX Nano on a Win10 Laptop as well...I did a write up with pics on getting it working. I have a shop laptop now that has the SW installed and use it out there when I need to look at videos or research something.

I did read through that and it may be worth me just paying for the tech2 lol. Do you know if you can do the trans adapt with that? Looks the nano is only $113 on Amazon now but not sure I fully understood what else was needed.

I did contact the tuner and he said just to call him if I change anything in the tranny and he can reset some values!

 

[Fubar0715]

Unfortunately I don’t know the history of the car but the fluid was red before I changed it!

I have been driving the truck a little bit more and all upshifts are ok except I get a little flare from I think 3-4 and then the rough down shifts. I’m definitely leaning towards trying the Sonnax valve body. Does anyone know if their remanufactured valve body includes the zip kit already?

And thanks! I’m trying to decide do I try and do the trans before or after the baby is born. Problem is my driveway is sloped and my garage is not long enough for the Denali so for a potentially longer project I have to figure that out too!

I did read through that and it may be worth me just paying for the tech2 lol. Do you know if you can do the trans adapt with that? Looks the nano is only $113 on Amazon now but not sure I fully understood what else was needed.

I did contact the tuner and he said just to call him if I change anything in the tranny and he can reset some values!

I used the USB cable that came with it - you will need a GM SPS subscription. I have a Tech2 and the Nano - have used both of them on my truck.

 

[jdwood1111]

So in my research of the transmission and valve body I found the Sonnax article found below regarding an added 8th checkball into the valve bodies starting 2014 due to customer complaints of a rough shift from 2nd to 1st. Wondering if this would also help my 3-2 gear? I was going to contact Sonnax to see if their remanufactured valve body also include portions of the zip kits or just some other misc. upgrades including this 8th checkball. It appears it includes based on the part numbers but when searching through this website breifly I did not see much on this so I figured I would post it for additional information and discussion. It references engine braking which is what mine seems to mimic.

“8” Ball, Center Pocket? Location and Function of New #8 Checkball for 6L80/90

The 6L80/90 transmission is showing up in shops much more frequently than in the past, as vehicles equipped with this unit get older. Believe it or not, the 6L8

www.sonnax.com

 

[ivin74]

Several years ago I had similar issues w my BMW's tranny. I removed the valvebody and had https://centralvalvebodies.com/ rebuild it and did not have to reprogram the TCM. I would go this route over buying a remanufacture valve body.

 

[slowride77]

So in my research of the transmission and valve body I found the Sonnax article found below regarding an added 8th checkball into the valve bodies starting 2014 due to customer complaints of a rough shift from 2nd to 1st. Wondering if this would also help my 3-2 gear? I was going to contact Sonnax to see if their remanufactured valve body also include portions of the zip kits or just some other misc. upgrades including this 8th checkball. It appears it includes based on the part numbers but when searching through this website breifly I did not see much on this so I figured I would post it for additional information and discussion. It references engine braking which is what mine seems to mimic.

“8” Ball, Center Pocket? Location and Function of New #8 Checkball for 6L80/90

The 6L80/90 transmission is showing up in shops much more frequently than in the past, as vehicles equipped with this unit get older. Believe it or not, the 6L8

www.sonnax.com

This guy has a great YouTube channel for his transmission shop. I'm wierd and I like to watching engine rebuilds and transmission rebuild videos. Your Sonnax article reminded me of this video from the transmission shop where he stumbles upon the 8th ball for the first time.

8th ball in 6L80E

In later videos, he sees the 8th ball and acts like its not a big deal. Just like in the Sonnax article, as the 2014 and up trannys start to get rebuilt, shops are starting to see these for the first time.

Later videos where he sees the 8th ball:

8th ball #1
8th ball #2

 

[jdwood1111]

There seems to be conflicting opinions of the valve body. I am trying to decide if I should try and re-build it myself or just buy the remanufactured one from Sonnax at Rockauto but I definitely want to move forward soon.

I am leaning towards just doing the Sonnax valve body, rebuild the TECHM switches while i'm there and just replace the fluid that comes out since it was just done and see how that goes.

This guy has a great YouTube channel for his transmission shop. I'm wierd and I like to watching engine rebuilds and transmission rebuild videos. Your Sonnax article reminded me of this video from the transmission shop where he stumbles upon the 8th ball for the first time.

8th ball in 6L80E

In later videos, he sees the 8th ball and acts like its not a big deal. Just like in the Sonnax article, as the 2014 and up trannys start to get rebuilt, shops are starting to see these for the first time.

Later videos where he sees the 8th ball:

8th ball #1
8th ball #2

I just found that first video but nice to see he "found" them later. In reading the article is seems like as long as the correct plate is used with the valve body it should be fine.