Duzzi

So I just bought a 98 Trans Am with an LS1. Someone has already put LS6 heads, cam, intake and exhaust with egr delete. Question is dont I need a tuning program with interface before going any further? If you start changing other parts like a bigger cam, high stall converter and nitrous it has to be tuned before you can make a full power hit or risk destroying everything. So what does everyone use as a tuning platform? I've only heard of HP tuners and Diablo sport. This car will eventually be a race only car. It will never be a DD even though it may come out on the street once in a while, but will be limited by how far you can drive without refiling. Anyway, seems to me before buying any other hard parts I need a tuning suite. Does this make sense? Thanks

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

You want to do the tuning yourself?

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

any professional tuners in your area with LS knowledge?

Duzzi

I loath the idea of paying someone to tune my engine. It's like asking a painter to use a coloring book. I decided before I bought this car that I would not let the tuning aspect limit my engine choice. But from what I'm hearing most guys just bring it to someone who specializes in tuning? What's the going rate for something like that anyway? Like a price range so to speak? I'm going to do everything on the car my self from paint, machine work to the block, build the trans, fabricate and install the roll cage ect... That way when I win/loose I take all the glory or none.

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

Roughly speaking you're looking somewhere between $300- $600. Sometimes a little more or less depending

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

if youre talented enough to tune your own car then go for it.



but i would think youre at least going to need to rent some dyno time no?

im sure you know tuning is an art form and if not done correctly can ruin all your hard work.

98CayenneT/A

To add to this....
The initial tune is in the price range above. I would say the average is $450. Now at least with my tuner, (who is very very good), it's not $450 every time you bring it to him. Depending on what needs to be done, sometimes he says don't worry about it, other times it's a couple hundred, sometimes it's a hundred ect.

Orange Juice

iTrader: (3)

Finding the right person is important. Someone that will spend time dialing in the street tune before putting on the dyno.
Stay away from someone that just straps it to the dyno and hammers on the car, if the street tune is done properly then it should only take a couple of pulls on the dyno to hit your number.

Deeohgie69

iTrader: (3)

This is pretty much dead on with the two tuners I've used. Usually a retune is $200, but the initial dyno and street tune has been $450.

Duzzi

Great info guys thanks for that!! Someone said and I agree that I will Street tune first then dyno before hitting the track. I'm in Corpus Christi TX and I don't think anyone here has a chassis dyno. Closest place would be San Antonio which is about 2.5 hrs North of here. But...by this time next year there will be someone in corpus that can do a street tune on an LS guaranteed! It's going to be ME! Oh I've heard that some tuning platforms can lock up a VCM/ECM. Is that true and if so is there a way to tell before I buy the program? Is it OK to mention the program I intend to use or do we consider that advertising and is not permitted? Thanks again.

98CayenneT/A

If I'm not mistaken it's the 98's ecm that have a possibility of locking up. The rest of the years are fine.
With that said my ecm didn't lock up