Towing Tune Question

[Power Hungry]

Originally Posted by JackandJanet

I suspect you could tow a 2000#, low profile boat with just about any old tune.

According to Bill, the canned tow tune was really not designed for me either. I pull a 3600#, low-profile, HI-Lo travel trailer and Bill wrote a custom tune specifically for that job. I don't really know what the "cutoff" would be in terms of towing weight between a tow tune and a performance tune, but I imagine it would be fairly close to what you tow.

I'm trying to figure out where the damage would come from using a performance tune for towing. Possibly, the transmission would be constantly shifting or the torque converter would be constantly going in and out of lock? I don't really think you damage an engine by "lugging" it now and then.

Bill, of course is the expert here - not me.

- Jack

Jack, you're doing fine.

Where we run into a problem with heavy towing (2500+) on a performance tune has more to do with cylinder temps being slightly higher because of the slight modifications to the fuel curve. I wouldn't necessarily say it does any "damage" to pull in a performance program, it's just not the ideal situation.

High performance applications are leaned out slightly to achieve good top-end power. Tow tunes run a little richer for improved low-RPM torque and lower cylinder temps under sustained heavy loads.

Of course, there are shift changes and timing changes but that has a lot less to do with it than you'd think.

Anyway, as you've already guessed, 2000 to 2500 lbs is about the limit for a performance program before I'd switch to towing.

Hope that clears it up a little.