Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

[joshbrown38]

I currently have a 99 Camaro with CAI and am about to get a full exhaust, headers back. I have heard that a high flow cat will throw off the computer, so I am planning on either a chip a tuner, or a mail in tune? I plan many other mods in the future. Which is the best option out of the three that will deliver power and reliability?

[airattack111]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

dynotune>hptuners>mail order tune>chip/programmer

[joshbrown38]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

Are the HP tunners easy to work with?

[joshbrown38]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

What is the diffrence between a HP tunner and a programmer?

[airattack111]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

What is the diffrence between a HP tunner and a programmer?

Hptuners will do everything, programmer is idiot proof and can only do a few things.

Hptuners or DHP is the best you can get for our cars case closed.

[Camarorulz]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

Don't even bother with a tuner: a dynotune and hptuners are too much for what you have done, and programers are a waste of money (I know from experience.) Get yourself an 02 simulator to put in place of the 02 sensor in back of the cat. That should take care of your code. The PCM should automatically adjust itself for the rest.

Hptuners is very involved. If you have a lot of patience and time on your hands, I'm sure it would work for you. Otherwise, getting it dynotuned by a professional would be a much better option. Again though, you probably won't have enough modifications to justify the cost of either hptuners or a dynotune.

Don't waste your money on a mail-order tune: I've heard of people running worse than stock on some mail-order tunes. Unless you're getting reprogrammed for gears/tires, etc. they might f*** it up.

[97rs4life]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

Don't even bother with a tuner: a dynotune and hptuners are too much for what you have done, and programers are a waste of money (I know from experience.) Get yourself an 02 simulator to put in place of the 02 sensor in back of the cat. That should take care of your code. The PCM should automatically adjust itself for the rest.

Hptuners is very involved. If you have a lot of patience and time on your hands, I'm sure it would work for you. Otherwise, getting it dynotuned by a professional would be a much better option. Again though, you probably won't have enough modifications to justify the cost of either hptuners or a dynotune.

Don't waste your money on a mail-order tune: I've heard of people running worse than stock on some mail-order tunes. Unless you're getting reprogrammed for gears/tires, etc. they might f*** it up.

hmm, pretty much take everything from this post with a grain of salt.

First the poster said he plans on many mods in the future so getting the hp tuners program is a good investment that can be used to dynotune it when he gets the chance. A lot of dynotuners don't even have the software to do our v6's (although #s are growing more now). So if you have your own tuning program you will be way ahead when going to a dyno. There are tons of help and walkthroughs on tuning our cars and it isn't that complicated anymore with the knowledge everyone has.

Mail order tune will work good for you at your current stage in mods because there is no need to adjust timing and fuel as much yet as you have simple bolt ons. The guys that have trouble with mail order tunes are the ones with cams and power adders where it is extremely difficult to guess the correct tune for those bigger mods. For cars with exhaust, gears, thermostats and such a mail order tune is a cheap and effective way to go. Many people have seen great gains by going this route. www.texas-speed.com and www.PCM4less.com are both great sites to get mail order tunes from. I think texas-speed is having a xmas special right now for like $125 for the tune. Not positive though, it might be a ls1 sale.

The chips and hypertech tuners are junk and way over priced for what you get. Stay away from them.

[joshbrown38]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

Thanks for the information; about how long does the mail order tune take? For the Dynotune software; do you need a laptop?

[97rs4life]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

mail order they usually tune it the day they get it and then send it back out. Depends on what shipping method you pay for.

HPtuners or DHP needs a laptop or another computer attached to OBD-II port in your car

[Shodown]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

What are you wanting to tune for? Boost? Nitrous? New heads/cam? Shift points for new stall converter?

If you arent doing any of those things dont get a tune at all, its not worth the money.

Oh yeah, chips suck. Just my .02

[Camarorulz]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

Shodown, that's basically what I was saying, but "take that with a grain of salt."

I took .4 from my 1/4 time with just a 3000 stall converter with NO tuning, you shouldn't have to tune with just intake/exhaust.

IMO He doesn't have enough mods to justify spending ANY money on a tune. If he had gears or tire I would say go for the mail order because it's the cheapest way to reprogram for that, but he just has exhaust and intake.

joshbrown: if you ever get more extensive mods done (ie cam, nitrous, FI), look up Ed Wright in Tulsa, Oklahoma (that is if you live anywhere near OK, I don't see your location.) He gets business from all over the country and did a great job on my car. 30+ years of experience racing/building engines/tuning cars: this guy knows what he's doing.

[foff667]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

IMO you could be stock & it would be more then enough mods to justify spending money on tuning software ;)

remember a program like HPTuners or DHP gives you software to tune several vehicles over an unlimited amount of time...so unlike exhaust or a larger stall or whatever tuning software will rarely if ever outgrow the car or the combo.

Personally I bought hptuners to tune my Z28 origonally, I've since then tuned my 00 GTP, & my 99 buick as well with no further cash outlay ;)

[John G.]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

if you're talkin Ed Wright of FastChip, I'll second that vote (though he is a bit pricey)

[black95maro]

Re: Tunner vs. Chip vs. mail in?

yea im going with the mail in to fastchip they said i should expect around 14 rwhp from their tuning..