New LS1 Owners - Newbie Tech - Basic Question: What is a tune?

Just like the title says. What is a tune, and how would it benefit the performance of my car?

I'm used to my 72 olds. When I built the motor in that, one of the things I did was put in a hotter cam to enhance performance. So, I'm used to the concept of altering the engine mechanically to make it faster. (Change carb, intake, exhaust, etc.)

Fast forward to my '02 TA. Through research in parts catalogs, a book on the ls1/ls6 motors, and ls1tech.com, I've learned a bit about the fact you can tune (enhance performance) thru the ECU, without making any mechanical changes.

Specifically:
1. What changes do you make during a tune, and why?

2. Would the hand held tuners work, or is it best to have a shop do the work?


Any input appreciated.
Thanks,
John

Hand held tuners are not worth the money. Stay away. Get a full dyno tune. Prices range from $300-$500. They usually monitor air/fuel as well as dozens of other parameters. They make various changes to the way the car runs at WOT (including fuel trims). For comparison sake, I picked up 30 RWHP and 27 RWTQ on my 1999 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 with just intake and exhaust modifications. Happy modding :thumb:

It basically maximizes (ideally) performance of your car