What is a "tune"????

VelocityYellowRules!

VelocityYellowRules!

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Jul 15, 2012
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OK, another newbie question for me.

Everyone talks about either having had or needing to get a "tune".

Now my understanding is that is new software for the car's computer.

If so, does the car need to be put on a dynomometer for this? How do you select the exact software to upload? If say to add a CAI, then add headers, then a different cam shaft.........is it three different "tunes" that are required?? Is the software that specific?

Or this the software something you can buy, throw on my laptop and walk over to the car and install - without me creating any new CEL issues!!!!!

For example, the tech said that when he looks at the car on Thursday he is going upload any new software from the manufacture. Will this be of any benefit in the end??

Cheers,

Garry
 
VelocityYellowRules! said:
OK, another newbie question for me.

Everyone talks about either having had or needing to get a "tune".

Now my understanding is that is new software for the car's computer.

If so, does the car need to be put on a dynomometer for this? How do you select the exact software to upload? If say to add a CAI, then add headers, then a different cam shaft.........is it three different "tunes" that are required?? Is the software that specific?

Or this the software something you can buy, throw on my laptop and walk over to the car and install - without me creating any new CEL issues!!!!!

For example, the tech said that when he looks at the car on Thursday he is going upload any new software from the manufacture. Will this be of any benefit in the end??

Cheers,

Garry
Click to expand...

Tuning is used to remap the ECM for changes like headers , cams or supercharging . It allows changes for fuel and air mixtures as well as timing ect.
The up from GM is good to do , as it will provide the latest software upgrade.

It is not advisable to buy the tuning software unless you have an extensive understanding of the tuning table and how the changes will effect your car . You can as some have done, actually ruin your engine .
 
Thanks Manny.

OK then. So I bring my car to you to have a Vararam installed. The car may/may not require a tune to fully take advantage of this.

Need to remap the ECM. So how do you go about doing this? Looking at the current air/fuel mixture data/graphs/charts and changing it to improve this? How do you know how much to advance or retard the timing by??

When you look at the current information, but knowing what you would like the settings to be you can then use the software to change the values and off you go??

What is a "tuning table"?

Cheers,

Garry
 
VelocityYellowRules! said:
Thanks Manny.

OK then. So I bring my car to you to have a Vararam installed. The car may/may not require a tune to fully take advantage of this.

Need to remap the ECM. So how do you go about doing this? Looking at the current air/fuel mixture data/graphs/charts and changing it to improve this? How do you know how much to advance or retard the timing by??

When you look at the current information, but knowing what you would like the settings to be you can then use the software to change the values and off you go??

What is a "tuning table"?

Cheers,

Garry
Click to expand...

A Vararam does not require a tune .

Garry , tuning is what makes or breaks a car , it is the difference in a car that performs or doesn't .
It is more than just looking at charts and graphs , changing value's .
A minor change can blow up an engine .
I can not explain it to you in a sentence or even a few pages .
I am not a tuner , I have a pro come in and do all our tuning .
Most high end shops like mine do the same .
It is a highly specialized field , that only a few are really good at .
 
Wow. I had no idea and I appreciate the information. It has helped me out in understanding this. I am surprised that is something that you don't take on yourself, it must be highly specialized indeed!

My hopeful final question, what does a tune (typically) cost? How high can it be?

Cheers,

Garry
 
VelocityYellowRules! said:
Wow. I had no idea and I appreciate the information. It has helped me out in understanding this. I am surprised that is something that you don't take on yourself, it must be highly specialized indeed!

My hopeful final question, what does a tune (typically) cost? How high can it be?

Cheers,

Garry
Click to expand...

A supercharger tune is $750
Cam or cam & heads tune is $650
Header tune is $550.
 
Before my mods were done on my c5 z, it baselined at 322 RWHP, after a cam, headers, catless mid pipe, ported stock heads and injectors it ran 380RWHP, after the tune, it was 430. (Not including the fact that it would not have idled or run properly at all).

Just to give you an idea... It was a VRX5 cam from Vengeance racing which for all intents and purposes is a fairly large cam for a daily driver but I know many that run much much larger on the street. Typically however, the cams larger than the one I used would require larger engine displacement to take proper advantage of the additional fuel and air being offered by the cam. Or at least after market heads and raising of the redline by changing out the stock rod bolts to approx 7k instead of the stock 6500.

Just my experiences...
 
That is so impressive! The mods on themselves with the stock ECM software just didn't get utilized to their full potential!

But 50 wrhp from just the tune alone. Almost beyond belief if one didn't have dyno results.

So, might I ask where you had the tune performed and what it cost you???? Sounds like the tune was the least expensive investment but sure brought out the best in the mods you had previously added.

Cheers,

Garry
 
Sorry you must have misunderstood. I did the mods, but afterwards the tune was needed to complete the process or else it is a wasted effort. Like manny said, the tune is the key to a great running car, not matter what you do!!!
 
I do understand. But as you are an Edmonton local owner, who did you get to do the tune. The mods you did yourself but where did you take the car to get the tune and how much did that cost you? Obviously if I was in Ontario I'd bring it to Manny and he'd bring his wizard in but for us westerns where should be take our cars? I looked on some forums today and there seemed to be a great difference of opinion about Edmonton and Calgary tuners thus why I was asking about your experience.

Cheers,

Garry
 
Garry.

HLN likes a place called Horsepower solutions in Edmonton--a guy named Neil. You may also try Campbell automotuie (now morettis automotive, just do a google search). They have a lot of expreience on 'Vettes. I think prices are pretty high at both, as everywhere I've been in Alberta seems more than Manny's place for the tune.

The problem tuning the Vararam is that the dyno can't really force air into the engine like it would at speed--renderring the tune useless.

Your computer is smart enough to pick-up on the CAI and go from there, but beyond that, tuning would only be a guessing game.

Let me know if your search in Edmonton comes up with anymore. I remember "Bearly Flying" telling me of another place in Red Deer. There's also Devenport in Calgary--but I don't like those guys at all.

I had also had conversations with a place in Saskatoon that Ryley put me on to--seemed good enough for me, but can't recall the name.

Cheers,

Vince.
[mob][/mob]
 
Good morning Vince,

HPS I have bookmarked already, along with Campbell and Devenport too.

Having just looked back at the older thread about bringing Manny out west the quotes for packages included headers, Vararam and a tune so maybe Manny was already planning on bringing his Ontario tuning guru on the trip?

I haven't heard anything more about the trip, the list was only up to 4 of the needed 10 cars so has this been cancelled? I'm sure Manny would like to know and if so I'll have to look into alternate plans.

If the existing ECM is smart enough to work with the Vararam then I will get the tune later with the headers when they get installed.

Sort of makes me glad I'm not married anymore. I've got a friend who has to pass by his wife everything he wants to buy or get done even though he works two jobs and she stays at home. Let the guy have a bit of latitude with his efforts there girl.

So I just have to see if I can pony up the $ for headers/tune this winter! It sounds like it will make for a whole different car in the end.

Cheers,

Garry
 
We're in the same boat--but I already got the headers. I also want to get the cat-back exhaust installed too, so need to pic that up as well.

Still paying the rims off though, LOL.
[mob][/mob]
 
Yes, I've used HPS and like them and would use them again. The part I think I like the most is that they ALL race and they test everything they sell and speak from experience on their recommendations.

I don't think you're going to find any deals... Especially in oil country but, and to each their own here, I'd rather bring my car to someone I trust, even if it is a little more expensive.
 
Funny, rims are something that I've never really given a lot of thought to. I suppose it is because they look nice but don't make you go any faster and generally can only be seen when the car is not moving.

But I hang my hairy head in shame, I confess my shame, I bought valve stem lights. I am sort of curious to see what they'll look like and if not I'm sure my son will be happy to have them on his bike tires!!!!

Having said that the brake pads on this car have to go! I don't think I can go one stop light/sign without these things getting filthy. Ceramic here I come!

Nothing speaks louder to me than a satisfied customer! Plus I'd rather not be driving anywhere further south than Edmonton.

I do agree though. It is a hard province to live in to find a bargin. I wish they'd realize that not one everyone has an oilfield job and doesn't look for the best deal possible. Going in to buy things in Grande Prairie in 2007/2008 was amongst the worse purchasing experiences in my life. If you wanted to dicker on something more often the sales people would just walk away or hang up on you. Some idiot would be through the doors in seconds willing to pay the asking price............

Cheers,

Garry

So if Manny can tune it for me after the headers fine otherwise looks like HPS it is.
 
I agree manny would be first choice but I would have no issues with HPS doing another tune for me.

Just for a laugh... i called a while ago cause I wasn't sure what I was going to do for a daily driver. I was wondering what the durability was in the stock GM trans in their Yukons. I was told.. "We'll, we supercharged our shop truck, drove the sh!t out of it and it just packed the trans at 220,000 kms."

The first laugh I had was when I saw Neil's 8 second mustang in the back and I cursed him for having it. He said, that's ok, opened the hood and showed me a turbo charged Corvette LS-1 engine LOL

Last I talked to him, it was going into a ford fairmont 2 door and he was almost in the 7's with it.

LOL now who wouldn't love a shop like that!!! ;)
 
my son tried to get in to davenport for his '01 z06. to make a long story short, he drove from moosw jaw to calgary(650k) for a dyno and tune. their guy booked sick for a day and they said that they couldn't look after him for at least another week. he found a gentleman named toma who did the dyno and tune, rate was $100/hr . he has since been back to toma and was treated very well there. toma uses a dyno dynamics dyno, reads approx. 15% less than a dynojet. i will get toma's company name for you. todd's car dyno'd at 420 rwp. he did heads, cam, headers, just ran 11.46 at S.I.R saskatoon on the weekend. found it for you calagarians/albertans. http://www.dynomotive.ca/
 
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OK, so back from the trip. No CEL lights after 80 - 90 km. Car old self, still pulls strong. Got high into the engine speed, tried to work it good and the dash stayed dark. Happy that it is back to its old self, sad this took most of three weeks to work through to end up right where I started.

Poor old Colin will never be the same after this trip, nor his mule.........

Practiced serpentine driving between dashes on the pavement, good thing Alberta has untravelled, paved roads!

A question for the autocrossers though. The club president in Dawson Creek tells me that the highest speed we'll hit is 60km/hr. That being the case do I go for 1st gear and run up to 4400 rpm or 2nd gear and run no more than 2900 rpm??? Torque or horsepower, which do I want? I don't think I want to be shifting gears so I can keep both hands on the steering wheel for control so which way am I better to go?

Cheers,

Garry
 
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