TransAmMan

Hey guys! I wasn't sure if I should post this in the tuning section or not but it was more of a general question/statement than anything so if it needs to be moved so be it.

So a few weeks ago I asked about whether or not I should replace the slave/master cylinder in my 99 Trans Am and if I should trade it in for a new Dodge Challenger. Well shortly after words I decided to go do a test drive in a 2013 Chevy Camaro and got to take it home for the weekend. I loved it. I'm not putting in an order for a 2013 2SS Camaro 6 Speed in December. Don't get me wrong I liked the Challenger but I loved the Camaro. The Camaros interior is lightyears ahead of the Challenger and the Camaro has enough room for me to practically stand inside the engine compartment. I haven't see that much room inside of an engine compartment in ages. I'm wondering if that was by design. I can reach every spark plug with ease on that car unlike my Trans Am. I also decided that I AM going to keep my 99 Trans Am. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to store it yet but I'll figure something out I'm sure.

So yesterday my friend ordered a VW GTI for 30 grand and he thinks it's amazing. I personally think it's more hideous than anything i've ever seen, especially with plad seats but like with relationships to each their own. He's a VW mechanic and he's trying to tell me that with just a simple tune he can get 2 - 4 more MPG and 75 more HP and for only 600 bucks. I'm tempted to call BS on that because I don't believe it. Is this true? Can you really get that much power out of a tune? I suppose if you're increasing the amount of boost you could do that but wouldn't that drastically reduce the longevity of your motor?

The above brings me to my next question? If that is possible are there any tunes you can do that are similiar on the Camaro or the Trans Am for that matter? I mean obviously I'm not going to have Turbo charger but something around the 30 HP mark? I mean I would figure that if a simple tune was all it took to get an extra 30hp and a couple extra MPG that GM would do it themselves. I think it's all advertising gimicking but I'm not a mechanic. I thought I'd pose the question to those here who know much more then me.

NC98Z

iTrader: (1)

Yea they can do it.

Element

iTrader: (5)

You can do a lot with tuning - just look at the diesel trucks for proof of that. As to why GM doesn't "super-tune" stock cars: they have a lot of criteria they have to meet, from MTBF to averaged fuel economy to parts warranty, a lot of issues that an individual doesn't necessarily have to worry about when tuning one specific car.

But, I'd have to say that a 75hp increase on an engine that makes 200hp stock seems a bit out there. That's a nearly 50% increase in horsepower, just from a tune, with no other supporting mods, and a gas mileage improvement? Either the engine is severely detuned from the factory, or those horsepower clams are a bit high.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

You can usually get bigger power gains out of a tune on a factory forced induction car than you can on a factory NA car.

TransAmMan

He mentioned he was going to what I want to say was 16 lbs of boost. My understanding of boost is limited but thats alot of boost IMO and that has to have an effect, or so I would think, on motor longevity. I find a nearly 50% boost power... a bit high... if i boosted my CPU 50% is would litterly catch on fire because it can't push the power going through it. But hey it might be that much... im not familiar with foreign cars like I am American cars. I'm impressed how much power they can pull out of these tiny motors these days.

prokilllsx

Think of boost as a multiplier of horsepower. The more boost the more horsepower. A factory engine that was built for boost will usually have some room for a boost increase without affecting longevity by too much.