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TUNER-which one should I get

  • Thread starter Thread starter loosescrew79
  • Start date Start date Feb 23, 2006
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loosescrew79

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#1
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #1
Well its tax time and I have money burning a hole in my pocket. I am finally going to install my 4.10s and going to need to recalibrate the speedo. I want to do it with a progrmmer. Unless it is better to get custom chip burned

I am open to suggestions. Of course I want the one that will give me the best results. thanks
 
U

Uncle Meat

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#2
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #2
XCal2.

U.M.
 

98blackmagic

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#3
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If you want it to be the best PERIOD, get a custom dyno tune with a burnt chip. A handheld tuner will not be able to see what the dyno sees, I had my 98 done on the dyno and never looked back. My Cobra will be done the same, oh and as far as the price goes my dyno runs and the custom chip work was $500.00 for the package.
 

timeless2

Vi Veri Veni Versum Vicus Vici
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#4
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #4
Go for a tuner. Data logging and code reading are a couple more benefits you will enjoy having.
 

98blackmagic

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4u2nv said:
Go for a tuner. Data logging and code reading are a couple more benefits you will enjoy having.
Click to expand...


That would be the one thing a hand tuner could do for you a custom dyno tune wont.
 
U

Uncle Meat

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#6
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #6
98blackmagic said:
If you want it to be the best PERIOD, get a custom dyno tune with a burnt chip. A handheld tuner will not be able to see what the dyno sees, I had my 98 done on the dyno and never looked back. My Cobra will be done the same, oh and as far as the price goes my dyno runs and the custom chip work was $500.00 for the package.
Click to expand...
Chips are old school! The same data that your tuner burns to a chip can be flashed to the cars ECM via a handheld tuner. Chips void warranties and leave tell-tale signs of their installation (scraped contacts). It's a new day and a new age... chips are dinosaurs.

U.M.
 

98blackmagic

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Uncle Meat said:
Chips are old school! The same data that your tuner burns to a chip can be flashed to the cars ECM via a handheld tuner. Chips void warranties and leave tell-tale signs of their installation (scraped contacts). It's a new day and a new age... chips are dinosaurs.

U.M.
Click to expand...


As long as its done on a DYNO, I dont care whats used.
 
U

Uncle Meat

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#8
  • Feb 23, 2006
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98blackmagic said:
As long as its done on a DYNO, I dont care whats used.
Click to expand...
Agreed!

I had my tuner email me my tune initially. It was uploaded to my ECM via my handheld. I used that tune to get me to the dyno where I then had him fine tune the car.

U.M.
 

jstreet0204

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Jun 26, 2003
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Feb 23, 2006
#9
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #9
98blackmagic said:
If you want it to be the best PERIOD, get a custom dyno tune with a burnt chip. A handheld tuner will not be able to see what the dyno sees, I had my 98 done on the dyno and never looked back. My Cobra will be done the same, oh and as far as the price goes my dyno runs and the custom chip work was $500.00 for the package.
Click to expand...

A dyno tune is not "the best PERIOD" road tuning and a wideband will get the tune closer, but yeah, a dyno tune will be closer than a mail order canned tune.
 

98blackmagic

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jstreet0204 said:
A dyno tune is not "the best PERIOD" road tuning and a wideband will get the tune closer, but yeah, a dyno tune will be closer than a mail order canned tune.
Click to expand...


I talking max hp and tq numbers here guys.
 
U

Uncle Meat

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#11
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #11
jstreet0204 said:
A dyno tune is not "the best PERIOD" road tuning and a wideband will get the tune closer, but yeah, a dyno tune will be closer than a mail order canned tune.
Click to expand...
This is true... unfortunately not many of us have the ability nor the resources to perform a proper "Road Tune"!

U.M.
 

loosescrew79

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#12
  • Feb 23, 2006
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Honestly I am leaning more toward a programmer. I have had one in the past on my truck and liked changing the settings at anytime.

I am tossed up between a Preditor and the SCT. Feed me some input guys
 

98blackmagic

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#13
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loosescrew79 said:
Honestly I am leaning more toward a programmer. I have had one in the past on my truck and liked changing the settings at anytime.

I am tossed up between a Preditor and the SCT. Feed me some input guys
Click to expand...


I'll go SCT on that question
 

imblown-ru

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#14
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #14
xcal2. if you wanna know why call dynospeed racing. Its a long explanation, but i would actually order it from them too. their tunes will be right on. if you can go get a dynotune with it it will be even better.
 
U

Uncle Meat

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#15
  • Feb 23, 2006
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The reason for choosing the SCT XCal2 over a Diablosport Predator is based on the software tuning package the pros use to create custom tunes. As a stand alone unit both the XCal2 & the Predator do pretty much the same thing... but if you have plans on getting a custom tune sometime in the future the software your professional tuner uses to create the custom tune with is more advance with the SCT package than the Diablosport revolution software package.

Bottom line... ask your pro tuner which one he supports or prefers and go with that!

U.M.
 

imblown-ru

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#16
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do not go with the diablosport tuner. the way it was put to me was which operating system would you rather run? windows 95 or xp? Thats the difference in the way the predator and the xcal2 are tuned. Can you datalog with the predator? Just buy the xcal. either one would probably get the job done, but the sct will be better, so it shouldnt be a hard choice. Just call dynospeed racing and ask for joe. tell him daniel from stangnet told you to talk to him about the xcal2 and why they use it. they also have the lowest price you will find, and imo the best tunes. their number is 901-373-1197
 
U

Uncle Meat

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#17
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #17
Yes the Predator can datalog.

U.M.
 

propellerhead

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#18
  • Feb 23, 2006
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+1 on the handheld units will net you about the same.

If you're just going for something to calibrate your speedo and give you a few extra goodies, get a used Predator for around $250. Just make sure the seller has un-married it from his/her car or it will be almost useless to you. A new one will run you around $350.

If you plan on buying new stuff, I would recommend the Xcal because you have a better upgrade path. It'll cost you $379 but if you decide to get deeper into tuning later, you can get the PRP for around $300 and do full blown tuning. You don't have that upgrade path with the Predator.
 

Red35th

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Apr 18, 2003
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Feb 23, 2006
#19
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #19
Uncle Meat said:
Chips are old school! The same data that your tuner burns to a chip can be flashed to the cars ECM via a handheld tuner. Chips void warranties and leave tell-tale signs of their installation (scraped contacts). It's a new day and a new age... chips are dinosaurs.

U.M.
Click to expand...
For those of us using nitrous a "chip" is the only way to switch between our NA tunes and N20 tunes. It would be a HUGE pain to have to flash the new tune everytime that I wanted to flip the switch.

I bet there will be a few 05 owners wishing they had a J3 port as well.
 
U

Uncle Meat

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#20
  • Feb 23, 2006
  • #20
Red35th said:
For those of us using nitrous a "chip" is the only way to switch between our NA tunes and N20 tunes. It would be a HUGE pain to have to flash the new tune everytime that I wanted to flip the switch.

I bet there will be a few 05 owners wishing they had a J3 port as well.
Click to expand...
True dat! If you're a N2O user then a "Flip Chip" is the only way to go!

U.M.
 
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