Fox Bama 4-bank Eliminator Chip W/ 3 Free Custom Tunes - Is It Worth It?

[cdurbin]

Hey everyone,
I've been thinking about purchasing the Bama 4-Bank Eliminator Chip w/ 3 Free Custom Tunes (87-93 5.0L) from American Muscle for my 91 vert. Just wondering if anyone else has installed one and if they are worth it.
My vert is my DD and has minimal mods. Headers, CAI, MAF upgrade.
Thanks

 

[A5literMan]

From what Ive read they are not worth the money. With you just having basic bolt ons I wouldn't get one. You can adjust your own timing,etc for a little better performance. If you're eventually going with a more "wild" performance upgrade I wouldn't even think about it! Get a good dyno tune at that time with the tuner actually looking at what your combo is doing in live time.

 

[hoopty5.0]

LOL I was just reading about these this afternoon. Described as "We have a tunes for every possible combination."

The only way I can see this as feasible is if they logged tunes for hundreds of cars that they dyno tuned over the years, all with off the shelf parts. So your GT-40p headed B cam motor is 'likely' ok to run their tune, but anything outside the realm of off the shelf, I'd never even consider it.

I am really tempted to call them tomorrow and play dumb to see what they tell me about it. I find it amusing.

 

[cdurbin]

Yeah, I'm kind of curious to hear feedback from someone who has installed one on their car.
I've been on the fence for a while about it.

 

[Dave2000GT]

I almost went down this road then went for the quarterhorse instead and haven't looked back.

 

[deathb4dismount]

Waste of money

 

[90lxwhite]

Yeah, I'm kind of curious to hear feedback from someone who has installed one on their car.
I've been on the fence for a while about it.

I'd wager my right leg that after the install you're next post would read, "better throttle response."

 

[hoopty5.0]

Waste of money

You've had one?

There has to be someone here with one. I'd almost do it for giggles since I'm still stock-ish. But that's $269.99 Id rather use elsewhere. Like buying a tune able aftermarket ecm.

 

[hoopty5.0]

@madspeed and @stang&2Birds were pretty hot and heavy into a thread on corral about mail order tunes. Madspeed - how is your tune from Willie and how would you say what you have is different from a Bama canned tune?

I'm trying to get some facts posted in here as opposed to a bunch of people saying they are crap with no facts to back them up. Objective > Subjective.

 

[90lxwhite]

You've had one?

There has to be someone here with one. I'd almost do it for giggles since I'm still stock-ish. But that's $269.99 Id rather use elsewhere. Like buying a tune able aftermarket ecm.

That's kinda an expensive giggle. What are the manufactures claims? That they get a/f ratios correct for corresponding mods? Ie: a guy has a stock motor w cai and a cat back and oh Bama says that they can "optimize" this combo providing more power etc? Snake oil? I guess it'd be handy if one removed smog stuff and such and had oh Bama write em a tune so the cel wouldn't come on. I could be way off I'm just a speculating nay-sayer but once upon a time Royal Purple and K&N claimed 25 horsepower each.

 

[hoopty5.0]

That's kinda an expensive giggle. What are the manufactures claims? That they get a/f ratios correct for corresponding mods? Ie: a guy has a stock motor w cai and a cat back and oh Bama says that they can "optimize" this combo providing more power etc? Snake oil? I guess it'd be handy if one removed smog stuff and such and had oh Bama write em a tune so the cel wouldn't come on. I could be way off I'm just a speculating nay-sayer but once upon a time Royal Purple and K&N claimed 25 horsepower each.

Well that's the issue. I couldn't find any data on the site yesterday (the AM site I mean). Maybe they were having issues or something, because I couldn't even get the reviews to open. I wouldn't REALLY spend that kind of money for a laugh, especially on my sole mode of transportation at the moment.

I was serious about calling Bama to see what they say about A/F, timing, etc. As common as a lot of these mods are, there are a TON of ways to tune them and calling one way of doing it a 'one size fits all' cure just doesn't seem right. Just because sweat pants fit most doesn't mean everyone should wear them, ya know?

I'm no pro at tuning, but am still threatening to buy a MS ECM soon. I have educated myself enough to know what all is manipulated when tuning and what the targets are. I will also freely admit that if you put me behind a laptop to tune a car, you'd get the same results as if you put a monkey in there. With that said, I can tell you that I don't have any faith in a one size fits all method. it just doesn't make sense.

Hopefully, someone with real-world tuning experience can chime in before I call Bama and pick their brains for answers.

 

[madspeed]

@madspeed and @stang&2Birds were pretty hot and heavy into a thread on corral about mail order tunes. Madspeed - how is your tune from Willie and how would you say what you have is different from a Bama canned tune?

I'm trying to get some facts posted in here as opposed to a bunch of people saying they are crap with no facts to back them up. Objective > Subjective.

I am very happy with my results. I purchased the Quarterhorse unit for $349 with free email tunes. The initial tune was very close. I have had a few revisions due to changing out some parts, and each time I've had an update I was happy. The tunes simply load right into Binary Editor and write to the Quarterhorse. If I was to do it all over, I would go the same route. I would like to get my ride onto a dyno to get some final numbers.

 

[hoopty5.0]

I am very happy with my results. I purchased the Quarterhorse unit for $349 with free email tunes. The initial tune was very close. I have had a few revisions due to changing out some parts, and each time I've had an update I was happy. The tunes simply load right into Binary Editor and write to the Quarterhorse. If I was to do it all over, I would go the same route. I would like to get my ride onto a dyno to get some final numbers.

I didn't know it was that affordable!

 

[mikestang63]

I have a friend who swears by his Bama tune, and others who hated them. Personally, I spent a few extra and had my car dyno tuned with a Diablo chip locally.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Come Spring time I'm going to jump head first into a MegaSquirt system that will eliminate my need for a MAF sensor.

 

[90lxwhite]

I have a friend who swears by his Bama tune, and others who hated them. Personally, I spent a few extra and had my car dyno tuned with a Diablo chip locally.

I agree. At least w a dyno you'd have some hard data to look at where as w a chip I guess you're just going by seat of the pants.

Well that's the issue. I couldn't find any data on the site yesterday (the AM site I mean). Maybe they were having issues or something, because I couldn't even get the reviews to open. I wouldn't REALLY spend that kind of money for a laugh, especially on my sole mode of transportation at the moment.

I was serious about calling Bama to see what they say about A/F, timing, etc. As common as a lot of these mods are, there are a TON of ways to tune them and calling one way of doing it a 'one size fits all' cure just doesn't seem right. Just because sweat pants fit most doesn't mean everyone should wear them, ya know?

I'm no pro at tuning, but am still threatening to buy a MS ECM soon. I have educated myself enough to know what all is manipulated when tuning and what the targets are. I will also freely admit that if you put me behind a laptop to tune a car, you'd get the same results as if you put a monkey in there. With that said, I can tell you that I don't have any faith in a one size fits all method. it just doesn't make sense.

Hopefully, someone with real-world tuning experience can chime in before I call Bama and pick their brains for answers.

As for American muscle reviews on the Bama the majority reported that it fixed rough idle issues due to an aftermarket cam. Remember fellas the OP isn't in need of a tune, he's looking for a way to "bolt-on" more power. If he's fairly stock it might make an improvement BUT I don't think it'd be enough seat of the pants gain to determine if there really was a gain or if you're "getting better throttle response" due to a lighter wallet. I don't believe the obdI cars were "de-tuned" at the factory for increased mpg and reduce emissions like the modern vehicles so therefore I don't believe a chip would do much. If one has installed parts that REQUIRE a tune in order for the car to function properly and there wasnt a dyno shop locally then a mail order tune would be the way to go. So I suppose for that market sector it's a fair deal but for the stock guy looking for more power I'd look else where.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

@cdurbin

What is your timing currently set at?

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Well that's the issue. I couldn't find any data on the site yesterday (the AM site I mean). Maybe they were having issues or something, because I couldn't even get the reviews to open.

Lately when I've gone to the American Muscle site I have not been able to read reviews. At the top near the price it will say there is an "x" amount of reviews but you click on them to read them and nothing shows.

 

[madspeed]

With the Quarterhorse, you can datalog to get real time results. I wouldnt recomend tweaking anything on ypur own without researching exactly what is affected.

 

[madspeed]

I didn't know it was that affordable!

In order to have the ability to update your tune you will also need to pay for and install the program Binary Editor. You do not need it if your tuner has it, as he can make the necessary adjustments and rewrite the tuning file to the QH. I believe the SCT chips work in a similar fashion, but no first hand experience with those.