Programmer for 98' 3.8L

[StingerZ26]

I'm wanting to buy a programmer for my car this month and I was wanting to know which kind to get that is good quality, priced decent, and would work for my Camaro. I don't know if some programmers are only compatible with certain makes or if they are iniversal. $400 is my goal spending limit, but I'll put aside a little more if I have to. I would greatly appreciate the help.

[WarShrike]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

HPTuners, there isn't any other substitute. You'll need a laptop and it is a good idea to have a wideband to make the best use of it.

Do you have any mods to the car?

[madforce10]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

hp tuners is the best, if you know what your doing. it is a full custom tuning program much like a stand alone system (around $600). if your not looking to go that route hypertech makes a tuner for our cars and im running that currently (around $300)and pcmforless.com will put a "street" tune for even cheaper all you have to do is send your old pcm back to them (around $150 or so). pcm for less can tune more torwards the different mods that you have already done. if i knew about pcm for less when i bought my hypertech i would have chosen pcm for less.

[pathology knight]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

this might be a dumb question, but i'f you send a company your pcm, i assume you can't drive the car, right?

[ssms5411]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

this might be a dumb question, but i'f you send a company your pcm, i assume you can't drive the car, right?

Unless you have another PCM no you can't.

[StingerZ26]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

I've got an aftermarket air intake I made for it, then the whole exhaust is redone, and if its anything I got some NGK spark plugs and MSD wire about to be put on. I was looking around the other night and found the Jet stage 2 pcm for around $250, I didn't know if that was considered a programmer or not, I'll check into what y'all are suggesting though. I've heard the Diablo Sport and Bully dog tuners are good too, I just haven't found anything about if they're compatible with my car or not.

[ssms5411]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

You won't find anything better than HPtuners.

[WarShrike]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

Other than going with a BigStuff3 setup but that's nowhere near plug and play lol!

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

You won't find anything better than HPtuners.

Hp tuners + Tiny Tuner = better lol.

I just wish someone would figure out a way of getting a coil per cylinder and still allowing us to use hp tuners :(....well and a little more support from Hp tuners for our pcms would be nice.

[madforce10]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

this might be a dumb question, but i'f you send a company your pcm, i assume you can't drive the car, right?

core charge, you pay a little more at first but once you send them your pcm they refund the money.

[pathology knight]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

any idea what that costs?

[fbodyrs96]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

$225 plus shipping I believe? $75 refund once they get your old PCM.

[xgongiveittoya44]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

Quick question, if I had a '96 engine equipped with a intake manifold and cam from a '98 engine would that also mean that my pcm should be from a '98 aswell? I know that they changed the intake a little bit in '98 so im assuming the pcms are different.
Any shared wisdom is appreciated.

[fbodyrs96]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

intake is the same 95-98, and you need a 97 pcm if you have a 96.

[xgongiveittoya44]

Re: Programmer for 98' 3.8L

intake is the same 95-98, and you need a 97 pcm if you have a 96.

hmm well then how come they make a ram air for the '98 car but not the earlier years?
Thanks again