Tuning and PCM for less.

[camarov696]

Ok, so im very new to tuning a comp. controlled car. I dont know if i would trust myself with hp tuners with designing my own tune. So i was thinking of going through PCMforless just to have the car driveable with a decent tune on it. Then after my rebuilt engine is broken in i would take it to a dyno and get a professional tune. Question in for you guys who have gone through PCMforless, are you happy with your results? My engine is a mild build, nothing crazy.

Mods: fully rebuilt with clevite .77 bearings, GT2 cam, Ls1 springs and retainers, getting the heads P&P'd and im doing the intakes, 75-100hp wet shot N20 (first shot would be on dyno, shot size may vary depending on how the mods react to it, hopefully bigger lol), debating on Pacesetters, but id love to get my hands on some FFF longtubes when i get some $$, posi rear with 3;23's, A4 with vette servo. Thats about it. and ofcourse the saftey mods to go with the N20 (fuel pump, fuel cut off, window switch.) thanks for any info!

[steddy]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

Ok, so im very new to tuning a comp. controlled car. I dont know if i would trust myself with hp tuners with designing my own tune. So i was thinking of going through PCMforless just to have the car driveable with a decent tune on it. Then after my rebuilt engine is broken in i would take it to a dyno and get a professional tune. Question in for you guys who have gone through PCMforless, are you happy with your results? My engine is a mild build, nothing crazy.

Mods: fully rebuilt with clevite .77 bearings, GT2 cam, Ls1 springs and retainers, getting the heads P&P'd and im doing the intakes, 75-100hp wet shot N20 (first shot would be on dyno, shot size may vary depending on how the mods react to it, hopefully bigger lol), debating on Pacesetters, but id love to get my hands on some FFF longtubes when i get some $$, posi rear with 3;23's, A4 with vette servo. Thats about it. and ofcourse the saftey mods to go with the N20 (fuel pump, fuel cut off, window switch.) thanks for any info!

When I rebuilt my rig a couple years ago, I went through PCMforless and found that it was sufficient for the engine to run and they actually tweaked it a bit more (was a bit too lean) for no charge. I went and had a dyno tune done and for some reason, the PCM had gone out. They replaced it and put the dyno tune in the new PCM for like $75. Not a bad price to get up and running again. All in all, I was happy with them. Just understand, the only way to truly tweak it in well, you'll need the dyno tune (when I had mine dyno'd, they tweaked the timing a bit and richened the fuel and that gave me almost 40 more hp and the torque numbers were really nice also).

[camarov696]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

When I rebuilt my rig a couple years ago, I went through PCMforless and found that it was sufficient for the engine to run and they actually tweaked it a bit more (was a bit too lean) for no charge. I went and had a dyno tune done and for some reason, the PCM had gone out. They replaced it and put the dyno tune in the new PCM for like $75. Not a bad price to get up and running again. All in all, I was happy with them. Just understand, the only way to truly tweak it in well, you'll need the dyno tune (when I had mine dyno'd, they tweaked the timing a bit and richened the fuel and that gave me almost 40 more hp and the torque numbers were really nice also).

thanks, you just helped me make up my mind lol.. im withouta a doubt getting it dyno'd. here in nj i have found 1 reputable shop that deals with F bodies, corvettes and mopars. the rest are all honda/4 cyl specific places that i really wouldnt trust tuning my car. place i found is $450 for a custom tune on the dyno and they use HPtuners. heres the place ill be going to www.cartek.net. pretty pricey, but in the long run to me thats money well spent as i hear nothing but positive things from some guys i know with vette's.

[ssms5411]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

For that much money to tune , you should buy HPtuners reason why : is because with nitrous you will need a Summer tune and Winter tune , So you will be swapping out jets all the time to try to get the right A/F. HPtuners is pretty easy to run , also I hope you have a wideband if not invest in one before running the car.

[camarov696]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

For that much money to tune , you should buy HPtuners reason why : is because with nitrous you will need a Summer tune and Winter tune , So you will be swapping out jets all the time to try to get the right A/F. HPtuners is pretty easy to run , also I hope you have a wideband if not invest in one before running the car.

very good point. Im getting a wideband, just figuring out which one i want. already have the digital N20 gauge. if i have a second 97 pcm, would it be a good idea to put a winter tune on that and a summer tune on the pcmforless tune? and just swap out the computers at the change of the season? i see what your saying though, if the comp. is tuned for a certain amount of fuel from the wet kit and i change jets to richen/lean it out the car will actually lose performance.

[ssms5411]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

I'm just saying, its not that hard to use esp. if you are getting a wideband.

[Rhunadan]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

Will HP Tuners read AFR correctly if you replace the stock O2 sensor with a wideband, or do you still need a stand-alone gauge to read AFR.

[ssms5411]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

Its better to have the wideband seperate down before the CAT. So your stock O2's can do their job and the wideband can do its job.

[Blizzard242]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

You don't necessary need a gauge, but you do need a wideband brain box. Wideband O2 sensors do not plug into our harnesses so they have to be logged somehow.

People that go with the cheaper version of HP tuners, like myself, are logging their widebands through their EGR or AC wires since they both use a 5 volt range.

If you get the pro version of HP tuners there's a module that comes with it where you should plug your wideband into and you don't have to really do any funky methods to log your AFR.

Either way, you still need a "brain box" for the wideband sensor.

camarov696, to answer your question.. I'd personally go with a copy of HP tuners Pro just because it's an awesome program to learn and they have their own forum just for that. And you may add or remove future mods. It would be pretty costly to keep going back to the dyno. I haven't really heard anything bad about PCM for less but I just don't believe you can get a good tune based on a conversation over the phone. Even out of the factory cars are all a little different.

Not to mention, HP tuners scanner capabilities. It can be a great tool with diagnosing problems. Also, there are many other cars that you can scan and tune with HP tuners.

I don't work for them.. I just like their product.

[camarov696]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

You don't necessary need a gauge, but you do need a wideband brain box. Wideband O2 sensors do not plug into our harnesses so they have to be logged somehow.

People that go with the cheaper version of HP tuners, like myself, are logging their widebands through their EGR or AC wires since they both use a 5 volt range.

If you get the pro version of HP tuners there's a module that comes with it where you should plug your wideband into and you don't have to really do any funky methods to log your AFR.

Either way, you still need a "brain box" for the wideband sensor.

camarov696, to answer your question.. I'd personally go with a copy of HP tuners Pro just because it's an awesome program to learn and they have their own forum just for that. And you may add or remove future mods. It would be pretty costly to keep going back to the dyno. I haven't really heard anything bad about PCM for less but I just don't believe you can get a good tune based on a conversation over the phone. Even out of the factory cars are all a little different.

Not to mention, HP tuners scanner capabilities. It can be a great tool with diagnosing problems. Also, there are many other cars that you can scan and tune with HP tuners.

I don't work for them.. I just like their product.

i think you just sold me.. reading up on it a little more it seems like i can do it. so im gunna go with it. But as for the tuning with the nitrous, i think ill leave that for a pro. I trust myself 100% doing motor work and istalling the N20 ( second N20 install) and i fully understand the function of the N20 and what mods need to be done to keep it from blowing up my engine. but i think until i learn more about hp tuners ill just stick to tuning NA lol. i appreciate the feedback though. after reading more into it, it doesnt seem too intimidating lol

[Red&Black_Attack]

Re: Tuning and PCM for less.

I tried pcmforless twice with my old '96 and both times the tune was totally wrong and the car was getting soo much gas it was flooding. Car ran perfectly fine with the stock computer so I know it was the tune.

I wouldnt waste my $ and time with them ever again. Either let a shop dyno tune it or invest in HP tuners and wideband.