ls1 1990 VN

No 2 cars are identical..get your car dyno tuned, it may only be an extra few Hp from the mail order. mail order really is a good communal tune for all but not a specific tune for each individual engine.

ucanthangwme

iTrader: (12)

Frost will do good with what you have. No need for a local tune unless you are doing internal engine mods.
The only big difference is that the dyno tune will tell you the numbers.
The dyno tune can squeeze out the most, if they do it right. But it is a huge difference in price.

No Hope

The price of a programmer can go from $300 to $500 the cost of a Dyno shop tune is between $400 and $600.

The shop I used kept my car for 5 days then had me drive it for 2 days, he had me bring it back and kept it for another 3 days until he had it screaming. For $600 it was well worth it. All I have is bolt on's for now but I'm installing a Procharger in the spring and he does re-tune's for a lot less. Most shops will re-tune your car for a lot less with the mods you add so a Dyno shop is worth it in the long run

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

They are talking about a mail order tune on the pcm, not a programmer. A mail order tune is $150 or less and if done through a good tuner will be extremely close to a dyno tune.

No Hope

You still have to buy the programmer to install the tune. Most shops want the SCT tuner for a mail order tune so that's $500 plus $150. Some shops will give you a free mail order tune if you buy the SCT tuner from them. If you live too far from a Dyno shop its a good option.

justin hover

No No...The mail order tune where as you send your pcm out and they tune it for you.. I had my pcm tuned by FROST for 150$

z-maro

iTrader: (18)

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

No, you send your PCM in for a tune and they mail it back. At one time Wait4Me performance would just sell you an already tuned PCM for a similar price. Then you have a stock PCM and a tuned PCM.

For instance, when I first did my swap I bought a tuned pcm from him for $160. Once I got it, I sold the stock pcm I had for $100. So I essentially got a tune for $60.

Jwright41

iTrader: (2)

Here is what I found out when I asked the question in the Programmer sections:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/pcm-diagn...rder-tune.html

BOBS99SS

iTrader: (2)

imo mail order would be just fine for you, and frost does some good work, also i heard good things about pcms for less, honest if your going to do internals such as h/c save your money to get the dyno tune then, im luckey though i have a good buddy that tunes alot of cars in my area

The Mighty Texan

iTrader: (4)

I'm going to need a tune soon here after headers and i'm gonna be hitting frost up if there is no one local. I've done research on here and found it is just fine.

No Hope

I understand now. I have never heard of the PCM mail order tune.

You learn something new everyday especially on this website.

I still like a good Dyno shop

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

BTW, my tune was for bolt ons and a 230/224 cam with a ls1 intake. I had already installed the Fast 90mm without a retune.

Right before the dyno I added an UDP and increased exhaust pipe from 2.25" to 3" in front of the mufflers. After the dyno tune and those mods I ran ~2mph and .2 quicker in the 1.8th mile in similar or slightly worse air than the week before.

Car did have less idle surge though, but that just shows how a mail order tune even on a small cam only car can be close power wise.

Only way I would dyno tune a bolt on car is if it was reduced price ($250 or less) and would get me a discount on a retune once the car was cammed.

JeremyKrauss

I didn't know who Rosanne Barr was, and I googled her first. Thanks, dude. :

gMAG

iTrader: (1)

The difference between a mailorder tune & a dyno tune, is the same as the difference between 'approximately' & 'exactly'.

LeanPocket

iTrader: (6)

frost is a great tuner, but if your near a reputable tuner, do the dyno tune, there is only so much frost can do with a mail order.

gMAG

iTrader: (1)

^^^^Yes, I have a Frost tune, and am pleased with it.
Plus, Steve @ Frost has great customer service.
I do not work for Steve.

No Hope

Unforchantly I have nailed more Rosanne Barr's than I have January Jones's. Not to worry I have thick eye lids and an active imagination, so its January year round for me.

No Hope

You should tell this Frost guy he needs to go to some of the other mod forum websites and advertise what he does. The shops on those sites are having guys by SCT tuners from them first and then sending them mail order tunes. That makes no sense to me and its not right morally if they can give them a tune for $160 with a PCM.

I would still rather have a Dyno tune but for $160 or $60 I would do that until I had my mods where they need to be for the final Dyno tune.

I'm about to install a supercharger and then a cam with heads about 6 months later, I can see paying him $160 now and holding off 6 months for the Dyno tune after the head and cam job is done.