New LS1 Owners - Newbie Tech Basic Technical Questions & Advice
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Dyno tune good idea?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-01-2008, 06:58 PM
  #1  
Launching!
Thread Starter
 
texas99Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Dyno tune good idea?

My nephew had A performance shop in Houston do a custom Dyno tune. (Not mentioning name of place). They put the wrong plugs in, and gapped incorrectly. Now, Im a little wooried to get one done to my A4. Has anyone in Texas had work done at Horsepower Engineering?
Old 02-01-2008, 07:48 PM
  #2  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (10)
 
Sunset'01Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Fort Worth, Tx
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

HPE is actually one of the best speed shops in the country from what i hear.. Chuck** is supposed to be master at dyno tuning. i'm considering driving down there to get my car tuned once i get all of the parts installed that i want lol.
Old 02-01-2008, 07:56 PM
  #3  
TECH Apprentice
 
tennz28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Clarksville
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Why did they change your plugs?
Old 02-01-2008, 08:00 PM
  #4  
Launching!
Thread Starter
 
texas99Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

They changed the plugs on my nephews car, not mine. I dont know. They were the wrong plugs and gapped incorrerctly though. He just got it back with the correct plugs, gapped correctly, and it runs great.
Old 02-02-2008, 07:10 AM
  #5  
11 Second Club
 
darrensls1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Sandwich, IL
Posts: 1,847
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

You can't let one persons bad experience sway you. If we all did that then no one would ever go to a doctor because one doctor screwed up once. We'd never go to a restaurant because one person got sick once after eating some food at one. We'd never go to a lawyer because one lawyer..........

Wait a minute, that one might actually be a good thing

Point is that you should still trust performance shops and tuners. Just not that particular performance shop and that particular tuner. Whether it's worth it or not depends on mods. Stock and mild bolt ons would be a waste of money. Too little gain for the $350-500 most places charge for the first dyno tune. But with LT headers the AF ratio will usually get out of whack making a dyno tune worth while.

And for any cam swap it's pretty much a necessity.
Old 02-02-2008, 01:19 PM
  #6  
TECH Addict
iTrader: (30)
 
tspence45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Monmouth, Illinois
Posts: 2,153
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Originally Posted by darrensls1
Whether it's worth it or not depends on mods. Stock and mild bolt ons would be a waste of money. Too little gain for the $350-500 most places charge for the first dyno tune. But with LT headers the AF ratio will usually get out of whack making a dyno tune worth while.

And for any cam swap it's pretty much a necessity.
Yeah, if you only have bolt-ons or plan on doing more mods not too far down the road, I'd just go with a mail-order tune, from some place like PCM4Less or MadZ28. A dyno tune is just too expensive and not really worth it unless you have a cam or different heads.
Old 02-02-2008, 01:38 PM
  #7  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (9)
 
Disturbed Bird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 1,562
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

um if your putting longtubes on you need a tune. if its just a cat back and a lid. then there is no need.

what do you plan on doing to it
Old 02-02-2008, 05:34 PM
  #8  
11 Second Club
 
darrensls1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Sandwich, IL
Posts: 1,847
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Originally Posted by tspence45
Yeah, if you only have bolt-ons or plan on doing more mods not too far down the road, I'd just go with a mail-order tune, from some place like PCM4Less or MadZ28. A dyno tune is just too expensive and not really worth it unless you have a cam or different heads.
I wouldn't say that. LT headers are hit or miss as far as tuning goes. Some guys install them and run pretty good making tuning optional. Others put them on and suddenly find thier A/F ratio far enough out of whack to hurt power and possibly even hurt the motor.

My car was running bad after the LT's and stall went in. I went from trapping 105 to trapping 101

My A/F was at a very dangerous 16:1. After the dyno tune I trapped 109 with a much safer 12:1 A/F. For me it was absolutely necassary and a mail order tune would not have done me much good.

Best thing to do is find a shop that'll only charge the big bucks once for tuning and then charge 100-200 for additional tunes in the future. That way you can tune after headers and again later after heads and cam for a discounted price.
Old 02-02-2008, 08:09 PM
  #9  
TECH Regular
iTrader: (11)
 
6THZ28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Katy, TX
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

HPE has a good reputation.. A friend of mine is a tech there.. BUT, IMO I'd still take my car, and I do, to MTI




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:53 PM.