[Pastor Spomer]

I posted this on the turbo thread, then relised that it may be more suited here.
I need advice.
I live at about 7000 feet altitude. My dive train is currently stock. This spring, I plan to add a Cobb cat-back. Latter, as money permits, I’d like to go to Denver and install an Helix downpipe and perhaps uppipe, and get a custom tune.

What questions should I ask a potential tunner?
What is the cost? How is it measured? I.e. is there a cost for the software/hardware of the tune and the tunning itself?

Should I assume a baseline dyno then the finale dyno?

Is there any guarentee? What should it cover?

What other questions should I ask?

 

[Christian.]

I would make sure the tuner uses a load-based dyno (vs. inertia) for the tuning and testing. IMO, a competent tuner will always drive the vehicle on the street after it has been on the dyno to verify the tune. I would focus on what the tuner asks you...you should be asked what modifications have been performed to the vehicle, what performance hardware is on the vehicle, what gas quality will be used, what driving style will the vehicle be submitted to, etc.

Take care,
Christian.

 

[fmowry]

Any competent tuner won't drive on the street. Too much liability involved "testing" a tune by running a car up to 100 mph. It might not be a problem in Utah but most people live around other people.

A load based dyno simply shifts the power curve to the right a couple hundred RPM vs an inertial dyno. This information was given to me directly from one of your Protuners who has tuned manyof cars on both.

A good tuner will tweak a map til he thinks it is optimal and safe, then run back to back runs with minimal cooldown time between them to mimic driving on the street. The pulls should be withing 5 whp without other parameters changing much at all.

I hate NASIOC proven power bragging where you can tell the dyno run was made simply to put up good bragging numbers.

Frank

 

[SKSTI]

Any competent tuner won't drive on the street. Too much liability involved "testing" a tune by running a car up to 100 mph. It might not be a problem in Utah but most people live around other people.

Frank

From what I've heard, Shiv would take customer cars out for a quick spin to test the tune. I don't know if that's still the usual practice at Vishnu, but that's what I've heard from several people that went there.

 

[pleiad7]

From what I've heard, Shiv would take customer cars out for a quick spin to test the tune. I don't know if that's still the usual practice at Vishnu, but that's what I've heard from several people that went there.

Ahem, yeah, I can testify to that... a quick spin is an understatement. Luckily I wasn't in the car with him, but Roo said he almost soiled his drawers in the passenger seat.

 

[SKSTI]

Haha.

What is that's stain? And why does it smells like crab chips?

 

[TAGXT04]

I would make sure the tuner uses a load-based dyno (vs. inertia) for the tuning and testing. IMO, a competent tuner will always drive the vehicle on the street after it has been on the dyno to verify the tune. I would focus on what the tuner asks you...you should be asked what modifications have been performed to the vehicle, what performance hardware is on the vehicle, what gas quality will be used, what driving style will the vehicle be submitted to, etc.

Take care,
Christian.

Frank pointed out that peak dyno numbers are not what you are looking for in the tune. The road test is for driveability not top speed peak boost runs to redline (unless you're Shiv.)

Christian- you forgot to give him directions to your place. I think he'd be better off with the Cobb DP and an AccessPort to go with the Cobb catback too.

 

[ant927]

Haha.

What is that's stain? And why does it smells like crab chips?

ditto...scurry flashbacks...i thought that was last time I'd ever ride alive in my car again...