What is everyone using to tune their turbo setup?
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What is everyone using to tune their turbo setup? I've got a 69 nova and I'm pretty tired of the big block. Its lopey, gets TERRIBLE gas mileage, has way too high of a converter stall, and is heavy.
Now this was NEVER an issue when I was just drag racing the car or occasionally driving it to work. Now I find myself driving the car more often than ever, and am spending 100+/week in gas just putting it around town. The big block needs a rebuild, the blow-by its getting is extreme.
I've found a 6.0 LQ4/4L80E combo locally for $1200 that still runs. This is my ideal combo since overdrive would be awesome for highway trips (I could actually drive myself to the strip). Comes complete with all wiring/ECU and accessories. I've got 2 other turbo cars and and I would LOVE to turbo the 6.0 for a tame street monster.
So what can I tune it with? Most people I've talked to recommend the FAST XFI, and while I don't disagree its top of the line, its out of the budget ATM. I'm going to be swapping in the stock 6.0 and doing minor mods to the transmission. I can use truck manifolds and cheap turbo(s) for a budget turbo setup. I don't want to have to spend more on an ECU/Tune than I do my entire engine/turbo setup.
Is there something I can do on a mild budget to get the engine up and running on low (~6-8 PSI) boost until I get all of the hardware sorted out and reliable before I'm forced to go to something more complex, tuning wise?
Now this was NEVER an issue when I was just drag racing the car or occasionally driving it to work. Now I find myself driving the car more often than ever, and am spending 100+/week in gas just putting it around town. The big block needs a rebuild, the blow-by its getting is extreme.
I've found a 6.0 LQ4/4L80E combo locally for $1200 that still runs. This is my ideal combo since overdrive would be awesome for highway trips (I could actually drive myself to the strip). Comes complete with all wiring/ECU and accessories. I've got 2 other turbo cars and and I would LOVE to turbo the 6.0 for a tame street monster.
So what can I tune it with? Most people I've talked to recommend the FAST XFI, and while I don't disagree its top of the line, its out of the budget ATM. I'm going to be swapping in the stock 6.0 and doing minor mods to the transmission. I can use truck manifolds and cheap turbo(s) for a budget turbo setup. I don't want to have to spend more on an ECU/Tune than I do my entire engine/turbo setup.
Is there something I can do on a mild budget to get the engine up and running on low (~6-8 PSI) boost until I get all of the hardware sorted out and reliable before I'm forced to go to something more complex, tuning wise?
hp tuners will run you over 600 bucks to tune the stock ecu. Holley HP EFI is where I'd go with it. I've heard nothing but good things about it and I'll eventually have it on my ride.
I've heard of a lot of guys just reusing the stock ECU. This way you can do all the tuning yourself with HP tuner/EFI Live OR get a dyno tune.
As to which one to get, I'm not sure which ECU would be the best one to use. You can check out the tuning section or the forum @ HP tuners.com.
It just all depends on what you want in the long run.
As to which one to get, I'm not sure which ECU would be the best one to use. You can check out the tuning section or the forum @ HP tuners.com.
It just all depends on what you want in the long run.
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I have hptuners that I tuned my n/a 5.3 4l60 malibu. And I have a $365 innovate wb data logger, that's an $1000 investment to tune the car. I already had the wb for tuning my bikes. I'm in the middle of a twin turbo 6.0 4l80e combo in a 62 Chevy II build and I will buy a holley dominator for it as soon as they get the coil hardware figured out. Because the Turbo thing is addictive you'll maverick get it tuned yourself with hptuners, you'll pay a Dyno operator and a tuner $600-$1000 to initially tune it then everytime you make a change or want to switch fuels its another trip to the Dyno. Holley also has, will have boost controls comparable to ams-1000 (which would be $900+). The holley self tunes you set the afr and the holley trims the fuel automatically. The holley is less expensive and better than any other option except maybe megasquirt.
i have used hpt to tune a dozen or so na cars and a few turbo setups and it gets the job done. support is tough and the credit system is a load of bullshit unless you are only tuning 1 car or manage to stumble across a deal on a used interface with unlocked years or platforms. but it gets the job done and gets the job done well
i recently played with a car with the holley dominator and was seriously impressed. the next car i build that doesnt run a factory ecu will be getting one 100%
i recently played with a car with the holley dominator and was seriously impressed. the next car i build that doesnt run a factory ecu will be getting one 100%
Last edited by Tally TransAm; Mar 15, 2012 at 11:39 PM.
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If you own a Dyno and tune other peoples cars for money hptuners combined with gm computers is pretty close to top of the heap. But it is NOT user friendly or inexpensive to tune 1the car with, especially F.I. combo. Skinny and Crazy Chris are top notch F.I. Tuners available they can make as much power and drivability w/HpTuners as any other tuner can with aftetmarket system. But they have many hours tuning these combos on customers dime.
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i chose hp tuners for my build and have been gaining knowledge fairly quickly. i got sick of paying other people to tune my car.for the cost of the wideband and the software i am pretty happy.plus you also need to go in with the understanding you can hurt the motor,but im willing to make that sacrifice since 5.3s are cheap
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I went with hp tuners for my tt ctsv. Ill be getting it dyno tuned and then ill play/adjust it as need be from there.
If u dont think youll ever need to adjust the tune on your own ever then u dont need to buy anything. Just pay for credits/tune and be done with it
If u dont think youll ever need to adjust the tune on your own ever then u dont need to buy anything. Just pay for credits/tune and be done with it
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I might go with hp tuners, although the features of both the fast and holley systems look amazing. Maybe later on down the road if I decide to go a little more serious ill upgrade.
I'm not completely new to tuning. I've tuned a turbo 4 cylinder with megasquirt before and it was a huge PITA but I got it done. Then I switched to a handheld tuner (DSP) and was much happier. My turbo mustang is carbureted blow-through so no ECU tuning involved, but switching it over to EFI is on the table right now.
I'm not completely new to tuning. I've tuned a turbo 4 cylinder with megasquirt before and it was a huge PITA but I got it done. Then I switched to a handheld tuner (DSP) and was much happier. My turbo mustang is carbureted blow-through so no ECU tuning involved, but switching it over to EFI is on the table right now.
If you modify the harness yourself I would go hp tuners, otherwise try megasquirt. I just bought an ms1 with the harness and tuning cable for $470 Im going to use the msd 6ls for my ignition and and aem wideband. Also a front ls4 manifold and truck manifold on the driver side will give you a forward and down setup if you angle mill the truck manifold 6° very budget and looks great.
I don't know if the Holley HP EFI would run the 80e trans. I use factory truck pcm's & HPT. The truck pcm's are cheap. If they were not set up for the 80e HPT can segment swap over to control it perfectly.
I'm running the Holley Dominator here as well. Self learn is priceless as is the lb/hr fuel scale which allows you to change injectors w/o touching the fuel map. Switch from e85 to gas to race fuel tunes with the touch of one button. They're very reasonable in price: about 1/2 that of BS3 or FAST with harness and all.
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I'm running the Holley Dominator here as well. Self learn is priceless as is the lb/hr fuel scale which allows you to change injectors w/o touching the fuel map. Switch from e85 to gas to race fuel tunes with the touch of one button. They're very reasonable in price: about 1/2 that of BS3 or FAST with harness and all.