Hey All,
I was always under the assumption that whenever you did something to your car's computer, it was highly advisable to get tune done while your car was on the dyno. I was also under the assumption that when you start playing with the computer in the car, you where required to buy a 3rd party chip.
Now when I took my car to the shop to get gears installed. I also asked for the dyno tune because thats what I thought would be the correct thing to do. ( i have other mods too that where never tuned for) when the mechanic installed the gears, he asked me what kind of fuel I had in the car and I told him it was mid grade gas and not 93. he told me he wouldnt put the car on the dyno to tune it and really open her up because it would basically rip me off to have a half assed tune. I agreed. He did say he would program the computer in my car to have the correct calibration for it. he never added a 3rd party chip. he modified my current computer which I didnt think was possible.
It got me thinking so my question(s) is this..... if i get a tuner like sct x3 or live wire, and email the company I buy the tuner from and tell them all my mods so i can get a custom tune. is that really safe? or should i just not spend ~$400 on the tuner and instead spend $400 on someone to professionally tune my car on a dyno?
Here is my thinking.... if i get a dyno and tune by a mechanic I am stuck with those settings. If i get a tuner with a custom tune installed i can always make minor modifications my self..... such as programming it to take 87 gas instead of 93. or if i ask for a really tight shift points (i have an auto) and the shift points are way too tight or i just dont like them i can use the tuner and adjust those accordingly.
obviously i wont play with things like A/F, spark settings, etc... things like that
but the idea of being able to change between fuels, depending on my budget. and setting the car for valet so it caps the speed limit and stuff really interests me.
what do you recommend I do, dyno + tune? order a mail order tune and get a programmer? get a professional tune + dyno + the sct tuner? if I do go the sct tuner route, do i need to buy anything else besides the tuner?
finally I think I need some sort of switch to go from normal mode to something like valet mode. does that mean i have to get a 4 bank chip? so i can have normal mode, and valet mode, and 2 blank slots? I also assume I need some sort of dial or switch to change between modes?
can you backup computer updates on your computer. in case the tuner gets lost, broken or stolen?
anyways... lets discuss tuners, and anything else one would need to know to enter the world of screwing up car computers.
I was always under the assumption that whenever you did something to your car's computer, it was highly advisable to get tune done while your car was on the dyno. I was also under the assumption that when you start playing with the computer in the car, you where required to buy a 3rd party chip.
Now when I took my car to the shop to get gears installed. I also asked for the dyno tune because thats what I thought would be the correct thing to do. ( i have other mods too that where never tuned for) when the mechanic installed the gears, he asked me what kind of fuel I had in the car and I told him it was mid grade gas and not 93. he told me he wouldnt put the car on the dyno to tune it and really open her up because it would basically rip me off to have a half assed tune. I agreed. He did say he would program the computer in my car to have the correct calibration for it. he never added a 3rd party chip. he modified my current computer which I didnt think was possible.
It got me thinking so my question(s) is this..... if i get a tuner like sct x3 or live wire, and email the company I buy the tuner from and tell them all my mods so i can get a custom tune. is that really safe? or should i just not spend ~$400 on the tuner and instead spend $400 on someone to professionally tune my car on a dyno?
Here is my thinking.... if i get a dyno and tune by a mechanic I am stuck with those settings. If i get a tuner with a custom tune installed i can always make minor modifications my self..... such as programming it to take 87 gas instead of 93. or if i ask for a really tight shift points (i have an auto) and the shift points are way too tight or i just dont like them i can use the tuner and adjust those accordingly.
obviously i wont play with things like A/F, spark settings, etc... things like that
but the idea of being able to change between fuels, depending on my budget. and setting the car for valet so it caps the speed limit and stuff really interests me.
what do you recommend I do, dyno + tune? order a mail order tune and get a programmer? get a professional tune + dyno + the sct tuner? if I do go the sct tuner route, do i need to buy anything else besides the tuner?
finally I think I need some sort of switch to go from normal mode to something like valet mode. does that mean i have to get a 4 bank chip? so i can have normal mode, and valet mode, and 2 blank slots? I also assume I need some sort of dial or switch to change between modes?
can you backup computer updates on your computer. in case the tuner gets lost, broken or stolen?
anyways... lets discuss tuners, and anything else one would need to know to enter the world of screwing up car computers.