Tuning for towing?

[dyeager535]

The title is a bit misleading, granted, but it seems we have a few number of people who tow here, andmaybe I'll get some input I hadn't considered.

My Dad's truck is a 454/manual trans w/OD, 4.10 gears. He tows a 24' travel trailer very occasionally. I believe its around 3000lbs.

We converted it to TBI not too long ago ('747/$42) and I've done a bit of tuning on it, enough to get him to 128's during normal closed loop operation.

The whole towing thing bugs me a bit though. Due to location/constraints, hooking up the trailer and datalogging isn't likely, which I'm not entirely comfortable with. I believe he towed with it in stock tune (ouch) but didn't notice any adverse affects. I'm guessing much of that was probably based on a conservative tune from GM.

Am I overthinking this, and making an issue where there isn't one? Without a knock sensor, I'd hate for him to hit some of the grades around here, and have it start pinging on him.

When I tuned VE, I increased the entire table proportionally, which seemed to bring VE inline pretty quickly/easily (although I had to make more increases than I expected with the only physical motor changes being an intake, cam, and headers over the stock 454) so I am *thinking* the VE changes will cover the heavier loading that will undoubtedly occur when towing and climbing steep grades. Am I right, or way off base?

I did search, didn't see much specifically about towing, and any related pecularities with tuning for it, if any.

[EagleMark]

If all you did was get the VE in line with BLM numbers it will be fine! Now if you did something drastic with spark and no knock you may have something to worry about.

[dyeager535]

If all you did was get the VE in line with BLM numbers it will be fine! Now if you did something drastic with spark and no knock you may have something to worry about.

Actually didn't even touch spark, other than one spot where there was a "sag" in the factory timing map. I have a feeling with some time there is some efficiency to be gained there, but without a knock sensor I don't feel comfortable making changes on a vehicle I don't have time to adequately test.

[RobertISaar]

well.... you could invest in something like the G3 adapter(and the EX switch) from Moates.... then if he experiences any pinging, he can switch to a different tune on the fly with one that has less advance to combat the detonation.

[dyeager535]

True, but I'd just prefer to have the tune be an "all in one deal". He's not the type of guy to want to deal with that sort of stuff if he doesn't have to.

If the timing is conservative enough as is, I don't think he'll have any issues. It must not be a huge issue, I didn't see any posts where people had said "when I tow my truck runs like garbage" in relation to the tune.

He's already got an adapter/ZIF, so on his past "trips" I've just given him a spare chip with a stock bin on it in case the bin I burned has a problem we didn't notice.

[EagleMark]

If you didn't do anything drastic to spark he'll be fine. I'm sure you have distrbutor and initial timing set correctly? You could post the bin for a look but really think he's fine. Can he hear ping? If his hearing is good and he here's ping then fill up with higher octane till he gets home.