The 6.0 Vortec is an excellent engine. My various truck owners highly regard it as one of the excellent options out there.
It is powerful and provides the user with a great drive experience. But if you are looking to customize your engine’s tuning even further there is a trick, though an expensive one.
It can be achieved using a programmer or a tuner, whichever term you prefer. It allows you to gain additional horsepower and torque to upgrade your ride to a whole new level.
You will also notice better fuel efficiency over the stock settings. So, without any further ado, let’s get straight into best tuners for 6.0 vortec!
Table of Contents
- 1 5 Top Rated 6.0 Vortec Tuners Comparisons
- 2 Frequently Asked Questions
- 2.1 Q1. Is The Driving Coach Feature That Effective?
- 2.2 Q2. My Edge Tuner Will Not Update. What Should I Do?
- 2.3 Q3. Even After Shutting Down The AFM, I Am Not Experiencing Any Gains In Performance. Why?
- 2.4 Q4. Why Did SCT Score Such A Low Place? They Make Excellent Tuners…
- 2.5 Q5. I Am Experiencing Different Error Codes. Should I Clear Them?
- 3 Conclusion
5 Top Rated 6.0 Vortec Tuners Comparisons
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | EDITOR'S RATING | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
TOP PICK  | 9.7 | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | 9.5 | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
BEST BUDGET  | 9.1 | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | 8.8 | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | 8.6 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
1. Bully Dog 40417 GT Platinum Tuner
Coming up in first place is the 40417 GT Platinum Tuner by the brand Bully Dog.
The manufacturer makes stellar quality tuners regarded by various truck owners, thanks to their reliability and extensive feature set.
It can be used with various vehicles from different manufacturers, such as Nissan, Ford, and even Dodge.
We are here to discuss the Vortec 6.0 tuner and how this tuner can boost its performance.
Well, I can safely say that this product is the excellent available option for this engine. It has some pretty compelling features, including an extremely easy installation.
Yes, that’s right! This one has a plug-and-play design. It connects to the OBDII port directly, which is all you need to tune your truck.
The tuner has a pretty remarkable feature called a driving coach. It is an instructor that guides you on how you should drive your truck for better fuel efficiency.
That is extremely helpful for people who want better fuel consumption or are beginner drivers.
The preloaded tunes will guarantee a decent boost in horsepower and torque. You will notice an immediate increase in your truck’s performance after choosing a tune of your choice.
Via various Bully Dog dealers, you can get custom tunes that enable even further customization.
Moreover, you can also disable the AFM to ensure your truck runs in V8 mode all the time.
Also, there is an option to set the doors to be auto-locked at a certain speed. All in all, you get a vast array of features that will allow you to gain complete control over your truck.
- Plug and play design
- Driving coach feature
- Up to 10 custom tunes
- None
The transmission issue is present in a few units, which affected other engines.
The Vortec 6.0 was among the safe ones. It is truly the most suitable option if you want to go for full customizability.
2. Edge Products 85450 CTS2 Gas Evolution Programmer
Before going on with this article, I am telling you the competition will be extremely close.
With the likes of SCT, Edge, and Bully Dog in this article, people always find it confusing which one to choose.
Well, when I ask you to trust the positioning of my research, then please do.
Coming in an extremely close second is the CTS2 Gas Evolution Programmer by Edge Products.
They make high-quality tuners that are not only reliable but very easy to operate.
The same can be said for the 85450, which has more than 200 reviews that say it is the best tuner around. Well, let me be the judge of that.
It’s clear as day why one of this brand’s products earned a spot.
It’s not their quality but their use of cutting-edge software and hardware designs that ensure the end-user gets what he wants, like the touch screen on this one, a whopping 5-inch screen.
You can select all the options you want and go without clicking any old school buttons.
Combine the easy-to-use software with the tuning presets created by the Edge Products engineering team, and you have an ultimate performing engine.
You can go for an improved daily driving experience, towing, performance or extreme pre-sets.
You can rest assured that you will get the excellent in class performance and fuel efficiency there is, regardless of the one you choose.
You can view all the real-time data you want, including RPM, temperatures, and many more. It is there for you to ensure that there are no problems with the engine.
Every day you do not get to know about a tuner that can measure your vehicle’s performance.
With the help of the various sensors, you can record the time getting from 0 to 60. There are other tests present too.
Their problem was that it could not get out of the update cycle, rendering some units completely useless. You cannot even get bug fixes that may fix the problem.
- Plug and play design
- 5-inch crisp touch screen
- Four preloaded pre-sets
- Real-time data monitoring
- Performance tests
- Update issues
If you manage to get a unit that successfully updates, this programmer will keep you happy and satisfied for a long time.
You will experience a significant boost in the quality of driving, like never before.
3. DiabloSport S1000 Sprint AFM Tuner
Well, if you are looking for a module that will give you unfiltered power from all eight cylinders, then the S1000 Sprint AFM Tuner by DiabloSport is for you.
Now, how is that even possible?
Let me give you a hint; it involves the AFM. It does not even require interacting with the truck’s computer.
If you have not heard of it before, then I am sure you must be curious how this is possible.
What is the AFM?
It is the Active Fuel Management System of your truck that regulates the engine’s power to make sure you get decent fuel efficiency.
This system never allows the engine to utilize all cylinders to get the complete V8 experience. With this one, you don’t have to worry anymore.
Thanks to its plug-and-play design, it is easy to install and use. It does not even need a screen or a user manual at all.
Why is that?
Because after plugging it in the OBDII port under the dashboard, it turns off the AFM immediately.
Just make sure to install it with the truck off. That’s the only thing you have to do.
You don’t need to mess around with tunes that may or may not work. And when you experience unadulterated performance, you can’t go back.
The AFM has other downsides too. It has a low droning sound which is quite irritating. Well, with that off, you don’t have to worry about the noise anymore too.
Lastly, you may have also noticed a delay in the truck while accelerating. Well, that is due to the AFM. Although it does help in fuel efficiency, the performance sacrifice is a lot.
You will experience a better and quicker response time after using this tuner.
So, something in the programming must be conflicting with the engine. And due to there being no interface, no updates can be received either.
- Plug, play, and forget
- Disables AFM
- Improved acceleration
- No humming sounds
- Only disables AFM
- Errors after installing
This module is designed for those people who don’t care about fuel consumption at all.
It does an excellent job of keeping the truck at V8 mode, utilizing all cylinders consistently, but this is the only thing that it does.
4. Jet 15008 Performance Programmer
Coming up in fourth place is a product by an unknown manufacturer, at least to me. And the fact that one of their products caught my eye says something about them.
The Jet 15008 Performance Programmer is a tuner, which albeit has fewer reviews but is mostly positive.
It has been designed to ensure you get a better experience than the stock settings while retaining fuel efficiency. This one comes preloaded with three performance tunes.
Whatever fuel type you use, it ensures the engine can work as efficiently as possible. That is done by basing it on the level of octane in the fuel of your choice.
Considering this factor will give you a serious boost in horsepower and torque. You get all the good features you would expect from a tuner.
When you change tire sizes, the speedometer calibration gets messed up. Inaccurate speeds are shown, which is not safe while driving on the road.
Well, this tuner recalibrates the tuner by considering the tire size. You will get an accurate speed representation which is just as good as with the stock tires.
Furthermore, you can also clear and read diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), which means any errors present in the vehicle are displayed in plain English, so you can fix them as soon as possible without having to research those errors instead.
All of this is done using just a one-wire connection to the OBDII port that sits right under the dashboard. The easy-to-use software makes things convenient with simple yes/no questions.
That also ensures you will not select any option by mistake.
It does work but requires updating, which the manufacturer can only do.
Some people also said that their tuners did not create any difference over the stock settings, making the buy completely worthless.
- Plug and play design
- Speedometer calibration
- Manages horsepower based on octane level
- Can clear DTC codes
- Requires to be updated by the manufacturer
- It does not have a lot of difference
Overall, this is a decent tuner that may impress most people. But it has to be sent to the brand so they can update it.
That is extremely inconvenient. Other than that, it is a decent product which will serve you well.
5. SCT Performance 4416 Wireless OBDII Programmer
As I said before, the competition on this article is tough. SCT is another brand that makes excellent tuners that have been designed to be as reliable as possible.
The 4416 Wireless OBDII Programmer not only achieves that but introduces new functionality, which makes it easier and more convenient to use for a truck owner.
SCT usually scores a high place on my lists. The reason for this one scoring last is due to the lack of reviews online.
But it should be noted that all five contenders were chosen from the best of the best. This means that the SCT tuner is very similar to the top dog, Bully Dog.
Designed to give you a mild but decent performance boost, this product can give you around 24 horsepower and 23 pounds of torque, more over the stock settings.
Now some of you may be saying that this increase is very small. That is what SCT is all about. They play it safe to ensure your engine remains in excellent health.
That cannot be achieved when you are pushing to get more than 100 horsepower from your engine.
What makes this one stand out from the competition is that it can be controlled wirelessly.
After installing it into the OBDII port, you are ready to gain more performance from your truck within a matter of minutes.
You can pair it with your mobile and monitor everything in your engine remotely. The wireless interface can be used to clear DTC codes too.
You no longer need to rely on the poor-quality screens that brands include with their tuners. This programmer has built-in tests too, just like the 85450 by Edge products.
You can record the time taken to reach from 0 to 60, all while it measures the horsepower and torque displayed on the app.
First of all, they have a very poor technical support staff who are useless and don’t know anything other than select jargon.
One person reported that these put their truck in idle, which happened after installing them.
- Plug and play design
- Performance tests
- Wireless connectivity
- Can cleat DTC codes
- Poor support staff
- Puts the truck in idle
Although this programmer has fewer reviews, people already had complaints means there must be something wrong with their product.
If you do receive a proper unit, then there won’t be any problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is The Driving Coach Feature That Effective?
Bully Dog thought outside the box with this one.
The feature is indeed effective as it teaches you how to drive your vehicle in the most efficient way possible, without you completely relying on the tuner’s features to gain a couple of mpg.
You can even choose the sensitivity of the coach, which rates your driving habits. I think it is an incredible feature.
Q2. My Edge Tuner Will Not Update. What Should I Do?
I know you must be disappointed and frustrated if it does not update.
The only option you have is to exchange it for a different unit. The chance of it happening again is close to none, so that is the excellent possible option.
Q3. Even After Shutting Down The AFM, I Am Not Experiencing Any Gains In Performance. Why?
After plugging in the S1000 by DiabloSport, you should drive your truck around for a bit for all changes to take effect.
If you still do not notice any change, then the chance is you have received a faulty unit. In that case, I would advise you to exchange the module for a new one.
Q4. Why Did SCT Score Such A Low Place? They Make Excellent Tuners…
I do not disagree with you. Their tuners are top of the line, but in the case, with this one, it had very few reviews, and the rating had already dropped.
That means the software on these is more of a beta version than the final one. It could be fixed via an update, but they have not done it yet.
Q5. I Am Experiencing Different Error Codes. Should I Clear Them?
You can reset DTC codes if a sensor has tripped or is annoying you.
You can clear the error, but I would advise you to get the error fixed as soon as possible. And read what the error states, as it may be difficult to recreate it again.
Conclusion
There you have it, the best tuners for 6.0 Vortec, which was chosen with the utmost care to ensure you get the awesome features from the top brands.
I hope each tuner’s pros and cons will help you decide which one is right for you.
All of them work great, as they were the chosen ones amongst hundreds of products out there.
But if I have to choose one as my recommendation for the 6.0 Vortec, I would recommend the 40417 GT Platinum Tuner by Bully Dog.
They make tuners so outstanding that it has become the norm for them. You get a vast array of features that come with no drawbacks. If I was in your place, I would pick it, nonetheless.
I am Tahir Azam, and I have been writing amazing articles for TaxiHack for as long as I can remember. I know everything that is to know when it comes to automobiles and is always on top of industry news and developments. While I am not an expert by any means, I pride myself on knowing the ins and outs of many different problems and, of course, their solutions. The articles on our website are some of the best and well-researched content that you will find, and I spend countless hours making sure this remains to be true. This is why I ask you to take your time out and read some of my articles, especially if you find a topic that resonates with you or is something you are looking into. This way, you will find the perfect mix of information and tips on your desired topic. Learn more about Tahir.
