It might be your tune. My first tune was a problematic. Surging and not what you would expect. My second tune got rid of the surge unless it's real cold. It does not like the teens. I also have been promised the new cold weather tune. As for shifting, I don't see or have the same problem. It shifts where I want it to 80% of the time. Sometimes if I am watching the gas mileage I will force an early shift by tapping the Shifter. Not a problem. Linear peddle? I hardly ever use more than a quarter of the travel. That's plenty for regular driving.

What's a LS conversion? 20k? My wife would never go for that. Best performance upgrade for the buck. A supercharger, not necessarily a Sprintex.