GMC Sierra: Tuning & Throttle Enhancement

We’re all familiar with the term “Keep the moving parts clean.” Dirt and debris are the enemy of speed and performance. Simply cleaning up and performing a basic tune-up can be all it takes to give you that little extra edge you’re looking for. 

Air Filter: Try breathing through a paper filter. Now try breathing through a filter jam packed with dirt. You’re going to be choking and sputtering just like your engine will. This is exactly why taking a second to make sure your air filter is properly cleaned. 

Spark Plugs: Spark plugs can collect carbon deposits and eventually will begin to deteriorate. A good clean spark is crucial to throttle response. If the time has come to swap them out, consider replacing them with a hotter burning spark plug. The hotter the spark the faster the burn. 

Sensors: Mass airflow sensors and oxygen sensors dictate the engine’s performance. Because of this you need to be sure to make sure they are good operating condition.

Throttle Body: Your throttle plate is another area for carbon deposits to build up. This follows the same idea as the air filter. You want to make sure air can move as freely as possible. There are a ton of stories about guys who were lacking serious performance taking and cleaning the throttle plates and noticing night and day differences. 

After this point you can start thinking about making upgrades to your GMC Sierra 1500’s throttle system. If you have noticed no difference or things just simply weren’t dirty you can move forward with a piece of mind that performance modifications won’t be made in vain. 

From 2008 and up, your GMC Sierra’s throttle cables were replaced with drive-by-wire units. This means sensors in the pedal and throttle body detect where your foot is placed and adjust the throttle appropriately.

This disconnect can be a disheartening at first, but modern speed parts make it a pretty awesome feature. Throttle enhancement devices have been developed to make the throttle response a lot more aggressive. It simply plugs in and reprograms the system. To put it simply, it works by having the throttle open faster. This means air and fuel will be dumped in much faster, making for snappier response.

Throttle body spacers are a quick cheap and easy way to gain a bit more throttle response. They work by bolting between the throttle body and the intake manifold. The bore design is shaped to move more air faster. The more air you can move the faster the engine will rev.

Cold air intakes are one of the most popular modifications being made to GMC Sierras and every other truck for that matter. By introducing cold air to the engine you’re going to undoubtedly improve throttle response. Cold air is more condensed and can contain more oxygen than warmer air. Oxygen is a key ingredient needed for violent explosions. That extra oxygen means more power and performance period. 

When you’re talking about tuning a vehicle, you have to take some time to go through hand-held tuners. These devices may also be known as computer programmers, or simply as tuners. They are the real meat and potatoes of modern day engines thanks to the modern advancements of on-board computer systems on today’s cars and trucks.

At first it seems like a dream come true when most people describe it. It can come off as simple as plugging a programmer in and driving away with more power at the push of a button. Though it is super simple and easy to use, there are a few things you should be aware of before getting involved with a tuner.

What you are looking to get out of your truck? Computer programmers rewrite the fuel maps and engine requirements along with shift points and firmness in order to completely change the behavior of the vehicle’s driveline. There is no one universal tune good for every scenario. Think of programmer as a tool in the sense that each tune it offers will have a specific purpose. Take a minute to understand what you are going to need.

If you are looking to get better towing performance, fuel economy, or just increased power you are going to want to invest your money in the proper tuner. It will require a bit of homework and you will have to compare apples to apples, but it is a necessary evil. It’s ok; you can take a sigh of relief now. Most programmers on today’s market come with tunes offering performance in multiple categories you can upload as needed.

Ok so computer programmers add performance. That’s great, but how do they work? They all have their own unique steps each manufacturer will need you to do, but they all work basically the same way.

You will have to access your Sierras ODII port plug in the program, and follow the procedure required in order for it to access the onboard computer and upload the preloaded tune. Once the tuner is installed, you will have a few unique options outside of the standard uploading. Diagnostics and active monitoring of the vehicle’s operating systems will usually be available along with speedometer calibrators. 

Now that you understand the computer programmer uploads preloaded tunes you may be wondering how you get your hands on a tune in the first place. You’ll notice some manufacturers offer one single part number that works across a variety of applications. For instance what works on your Sierra may also be listed to work on a Ford F-150 or even a Dodge Charger. This isn’t because all the engines work off the same programming, but they do all share the same OBDII port. 
It’s because of this manufacturers can sell a blank tuner which you will later take home and plug into your desktop computer in order to download the appropriate program to later upload to your programmer. It certainly isn’t always the case, but it is extremely popular as it ensures you are getting the most up to date program.

It’s also important to note that not all programmers are actively updateable. Better programs can come along after your tune is installed, but you may not be able to get that tune. This is again where you’re going to do a little more homework to understand you’re purchasing what works best for you. 

This whole time we’ve been talking about moving more air, we’ve only been highlighting getting it into the engine as fast and efficiently as possible. We have yet to touch base on the importance of moving it out.

To move good clean fuel and air mixtures into the combustion chamber, we need to make sure we can get as much as the burnt fuel mixture out as we possibly can. From the factory, the GMC Sierra’s exhaust system can be pretty restrictive and this will in turn suffocate the engine.

A high flow exhaust system proves itself as a true speed part in this case as it helps move the old air out as fast as possible meaning a for a better burn on the power stroke.

We’ve just about covered all the bases of a good weekend tune up and some modifications you and your buddy can throw on in an afternoon’s time. What if even these upgrades still won’t exactly set you in that seat just right? Well, it looks like we’re going to have to blow you back with boost. 

Engines work to draw in air by the pistons creating vacuum on the intake stroke. In a perfect world, this would be all we need to completely fill those bores up with fuel and air. Because things like atmospheric pressure like to crush our dreams, forced induction has been developed. Instead of waiting for the piston to pull in air, turbos and superchargers simply jam air in them to make sure their lungs are good and full.

This means maximum throttle response will be achieved and insane gains in horsepower and torque le just under your right foot. This type of upgrade isn’t the typical weekend tune up, and requires a good amount of skill and time to install but what you get into it is what you get out of it.

If the supercharger itself doesn’t put a smile on your face, keep your foot on the pedal and the g-forces will pull that grin from ear to ear. We guarantee it.