V8er

iTrader: (2)

Who is considered the best LS1 software tuner in the business? I am looking for a person or shop that I can turn to for a top-notch tune, not a simple baseline tune. I want every last HP and the ultimate in driveability. I don't care where they are located.

Suggestions?

TIA

foff667

iTrader: (2)

Have you started here? https://ls1tech.com/forums/pcm-diagnostics-tuning/424857-looking-local-tuner-seriously-read-me-before-asking.html you'll get people saying anyone from cartek on the east coast to synergy on the west coast and everwhere in between.

V8er

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the link. I did look in the vendor area but I can't tell from their website whether or not they are well respected and experienced PCM/engine tuners. I know there are hundreds if not thousands of people who can tune these PCMs but I am looking for the best of the best and usually these top people have a following which is why I posted my question

Would you suggest that Cartek and Synergy are two of the best?

Thanks!

foff667

iTrader: (2)

Julio at Cartek is a very well respected tuner on the east coast & a customer of ours

Rick at Synergy is a very well respected tuner on the west coast & is also a custom of ours

But there are 100 other well respected tuners out there from ed wright to Chad/Larry from greenlight motorsports.

I recommend checking the sponsor feedback section, as well as your region to see who's using who & having good experiences with each.

Tiger2o69

iTrader: (16)

I have also been wondering about this.. I want a good overall tune not just a dyno wot tune. I would like for them to either use a load dyno or do some street tuning for part throttle.

Whats sponsers do this?

I have been looking at futral and thunder since they are close to me... Mississippi/Tenessee Area..

Also does jose from FI tune?

cam

iTrader: (9)

I'm also interested on whos the best. I want crisp throttle response and butter smooth idle ( ac on blazing hot days without a worry ) I'm more concerned with excellent driveability than squeezing every last drop of power.

If i was assured this is what I will get I am willing to travel far if need be...

Camaro-for-ever

hi i have 98 camaro ls1 id like to convert my pcm to 99 to use diablo Predator .
so is this Possible ?

Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

First you should post the area you live in,then go from there.There are alot of tuner's here that are very good.Each one probly shines with different combinations.A natural engine combo is pretty easy to tune in while a 1000hp FI car would probly narrow down the tuner choice.

Also there is ather tuners here that are just as good and don't use HP tuner's

Xtnct00WS6

iTrader: (8)

Larry from Greenlight motorsports tuned the hell outta my car. If you're in the MD/DC/VA area then I'd contact him. Are you doing forced induction or n/a?

If your looking for the best, then maybe contact someone at EFI University or Thunder Racing. Slowhawk is pretty good too from what I hear

Maybe we need a tune off?

00slowredz

I've heard a lot of good things about texas-speed and thunderracing but I think you should always look around a little

Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

There are actually alot of tuners that work together.I personally work with about 6 sponsors on here.We all help each other out if we have problems.

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

Im the best tuner around!! Bring your car down to my doublewide and ill git er dun real good!!

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

No offense but you sound like a complete newb with your question. A tune is not like a night and day difference on a stock or mildy modded car. First let us know what vehicle you have, what your mods are, and where you are located.

Without my nitrous I have a mildy modded bolt on car and I tune it myself very in depth just driving around on the street. You dont need the absolute best tuner to do it if your **** isnt that complex. Tuning is not rocket science, although it does take a degree of skill.

Do you even know the difference between a baseline tune and a full tune?IMO the usual "baseline" tune is bullshit anyway and isnt even a real tune in the first place. When I think of baseline I think of strapping it on the dyno reading AFR and adjusting the PE table to get the desired AFR. That is some half *** ****. If you want a good tune go somewhere that will tune idle and part throttle, as well as WOT. You want you VE and MAF tables calibrated good and then your WOT fueling can be set.

I have to ask though, would you really drive across the country to get a tune? That would be funny.

98redorangeta

iTrader: (10)

Well the best is going to be a little hard to say. There are many very respectable tunners on here but with driveability being such a personal thing its hard to say who would suit you best. Also Max hp may not be what will make the engine last for a very long time you gunna need to watch what you wish for cause you might get it whats best for a race car that gets rebnilt every season isnt gunna be whats best for you.

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

Yeah pushing it too far in areas like timing or high revving will lessen the life on the engine. A tune isnt gonna perform magic, it may get you 20HP if you are modded.

cam

iTrader: (9)

Basic set up here. Stage 2 heads, 224Cam 112, LT's, LS6 intake. and other minor mods.

Looking for drive ability first ( no stalling or weird idle after acceleration etc )

I want it smooth and civil until I stab the go pedal. I couldn't care less which of the two leading SW options is used. I'm more concerned about the tuner and reputation. Someone in the NY or Michigan area ( or even Canada ) would be fine. I'd go further if there is a clear cut solution.

Perhaps someone should start a poll?? Rate your tuner/shop

I would start it but I have no idea who any of them are

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

Just buy software and tune it yourself. Tuning for that cam shouldnt be very difficult. The price of HPT is about the same as one single crappy dyno tune, whereas if you tune it you can always go back and retune when you need to.

As for a shop near you try New Era Performance in Rochester NY. They use HP Tuners and have tuned a good amount of LSX's Oh, and read post #12 above too.

cam

iTrader: (9)

Well to be honest thats exactly what i was going to do but after reading quite a few posts it looks like about 3 months of ramp up to become a decent tuner and the ONLY reason I am now looking at outsourcing is time. I have practically none left to spare. I've tuned many carbed set ups ( you know old school plug reading and track passes ) so I understand fully what needs to be done but with anything there are elements of "black art" if you will that I am sure the tuning guru's have already mastered hence my interest in "the best" digital tuner out there.

I spoke with ERA and they seem very nice no doubt but saw this thread and was thinking someone has to be the best so who is it? It seems as if no single source is being pointed out so does that mean they are all good to go?

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

Its almost impossible to say who "the" best out there. Tuning is not hard to learn and is not very complicated. Take an hour or 2 a day and search through this forum and you will have plenty of knowledge. Your first task is to learn what job each engine sensor performs and understand what the engine does to respond to the sensors. Once you understand the anatomy of the engine and the PCM, you will be quickly on your way to the tuning software part of it. What you want to with the software is just get out there and play with it in order to get comfortable with the software. If you make a mistake you can always go back and reflash the stock tune. You wont cause damage to the engine at all if you have half a brain. You make small changes and then see how it worked, dont make giant changes at once.

dynocar

Quote, "Its almost impossible to say who "the" best out there. Tuning is not hard to learn and is not very complicated."



I agree with the first part but the part about tuning is not hard, I have a real issue with. V8er's "best" tuner will have had several years of, not only tuning experiance but also has much knowledge and experiance working and racing many different combinations of high performance engines and drivetrains. A "best" tuner many times has been confronted with someone's new concoction of often mis-matched, improperly installed components and many non-tune related issues all at once. These tuners have the knowledge and equipment to methodically eliminate each issue, does not tune around them, amazingly doesn't destroy an engine in the process, still stays reasonably within the allocated time frame and somehow stays affordable for the tune job.

There is no comparison here to the guy who bought a program, read the instructions, tuned his car, a few friend's cars and then offers to tune or opens a tuning shop and then runs to the forums everytime he has a problem, not what V8er has in mind.