Just got a 2011 Tahoe

[Brawny]

Welcome to the cult!

First thing is to fully assess what you have: Verify the condition of the engine, trans and diff(s) and their fluids, the status of the wear items (brakes, hoses, belts, spark plugs, etc.). See if you can get any maintenance service and/or recall service history.

You can get a great idea of the oil maintenance history by popping off a rocker cover. The cleaner it is, the better it was maintained and with quality oils. If it's really dirty, you'll just have to clean it slowly over time. I think a 2011 should have the latest and greatest lifter and VLOM designs available for that generation. If so, you're off to a good start already, but you still need to know the condition before proceeding. If you're unsure, post up pics! I'll be the first to say "get a catch can".

My opinion is to disable AFM. Unless your wife drives it like the two baby seats are balanced on the roof, keeps it under 70MPH, and the majority of her trips are on completely flat roads with no headwinds or traffic for miles on end, the benefits of keeping it active are far outweighed by the risks. I'd recommend a custom tune to disable AFM and clean up the transmission's shift patterns. This will vastly improve the drivability and increase the transmission's life. This generation of AFM just isn't all that effective. Mine has a few mild mods producing about 100HP over stock and it gets the same or better fuel economy as it did with AFM, but is a lot more fun to drive.

Thanks. Is there a particular tune that these engines like that would apply to my wife's driving (under 15mi round trip in town most days with maybe a 100 mi round trip on weekends with a 500 mi round trip twice a year for long weekend trips to the mountains)? Fuel economy over performance, but a boost in performance won't hurt. I don't really want to spend a lot of time testing different tunes because we don't have to time for that. If it were just me I'd try all kinds of stuff, but I've got to keep it simple right now.

 

[iamdub]

Thanks. Is there a particular tune that these engines like that would apply to my wife's driving (under 15mi round trip in town most days with maybe a 100 mi round trip on weekends with a 500 mi round trip twice a year for long weekend trips to the mountains)? Fuel economy over performance, but a boost in performance won't hurt. I don't really want to spend a lot of time testing different tunes because we don't have to time for that. If it were just me I'd try all kinds of stuff, but I've got to keep it simple right now.

Really, you don't even need a "performance" tune. The factory transmission and throttle tables leave a lot to be desired. Just having these cleaned up by a competent tuner will feel like a performance tune without messing with the fuel and timing tables. You can still run 87 octane, etc. In short, the factory trans tables are tuned to allow a lot of slip to make the shifts soft and comfy. Also, dependent upon driving conditions, the trans will do a lot of extra up- and downshifting that could be avoided. The trans, at times, may seem "confused" as to which gear it should be in. The throttle feels laggy (you pushing X% on the pedal doesn't necessarily equate to X% throttle opening) and the torque management is a little excessive. Making the shifts firmer and quicker reduces the slip, which reduces the wear and heat, which increases trans life. It makes the vehicle more responsive to when you press the pedal, making it feel like it has more power. You really have the same amount of power, it's just getting put to the rear wheels more efficiently.

The key is finding a tuner that is well-versed in this. This type of tune is not an uncommon need, but you gotta have a tuner that knows what they're doing. For the most part, the "canned" tunes from the handheld devices are a joke.

Ask here on the forum for any recommendations for a reputable tuner in your area, check FB, Goggle performance shops in your area, etc. Expect to pay $400+/ for a good tune. But, also know that the benefits, especially when they extend or can even save your trans are far worth it. You might find the improved drivability alone to be worth it.