Hypertech or PCMforless?
None of the above.
I had a lot of trouble with pcmforless before I wised up and moved on.
Madz28 is good
Ed Wright at Fastchip is good and the godfather of GM aftermarket performance tuning
pcmperformance is currently doing my tuning
Beyond that there are good local guys all over the country.
Hey Calvin...Hypertech is JUNK. That is what your car had before it's current PCMforless tune and the Hypertech made no noticeable difference in SOTP from stock. I could feel some SOTP with the PCMforless. So take that to the bank you Nog.
If you have a tuning s/w package, you can ask a tuner for a file rather than sending your PCM off to be changed. Quicker and cheaper. I did this with Ion and was able to see what he changed, then refined the tune myself. I found the mail order tune to be in the ballpark, but far from a home run.
Dyno tuning-homerun
Pcmforless, Ion, Madz28, ect-in the ballpark
Hypertech-down the street from the parking lot of the ballpark...
Hypertech does gear ratios, fan controls, ect like everyone has said-But all the other tuning options do the same things plus more, and for the price of a new Hypertech programmer, you could almost get the car dyno tuned...
Pcmforless, Ion, Madz28, ect-in the ballpark
Hypertech-down the street from the parking lot of the ballpark...
Hypertech does gear ratios, fan controls, ect like everyone has said-But all the other tuning options do the same things plus more, and for the price of a new Hypertech programmer, you could almost get the car dyno tuned...
I think it was said but the hypertech is only good for taking away the top speed limiter, changing the gear ratio and tire size. There may be a few other things you can change like shift firmness but not much more. Oh and making your fans come on sooner
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ImpalaMan Another option, the GF Performance Chip versus the PCMforless. Any thoughts?
I'm about to upgrade my stock Impala SS '96, and I'm going to start with either the K&N or Clear Image Cold Air Intake, the Jet or BBK Mass Air Sensor, and perhaps a throttle body upgrade such as BBK's, but it concerns me that so many people who write here find most/all of the performance chip/tuner upgrades to be worthless. If they work even a little bit I would have thought everyone would have liked them and then argued about just how much they improved their cars. It seems that most people hate them, so, why bother?
I'm about to upgrade my stock Impala SS '96, and I'm going to start with either the K&N or Clear Image Cold Air Intake, the Jet or BBK Mass Air Sensor, and perhaps a throttle body upgrade such as BBK's, but it concerns me that so many people who write here find most/all of the performance chip/tuner upgrades to be worthless. If they work even a little bit I would have thought everyone would have liked them and then argued about just how much they improved their cars. It seems that most people hate them, so, why bother?
Custom tuning can be good. Chips and modules and canned programming like hypertech are bad.
You idea of an aftermarket MAF is bad.
If you knew more history of the company you wouldn't spend money at Clear Image.
My advise is learn a whole lot more before spending money on the wrong stuff.
That GF chip is pure bullshit
You idea of an aftermarket MAF is bad.
If you knew more history of the company you wouldn't spend money at Clear Image.
My advise is learn a whole lot more before spending money on the wrong stuff.
That GF chip is pure bullshit
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Joined: Sep 2012
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Custom tuning can be good. Chips and modules and canned programming like hypertech are bad.
You idea of an aftermarket MAF is bad.
If you knew more history of the company you wouldn't spend money at Clear Image.
My advise is learn a whole lot more before spending money on the wrong stuff.
That GF chip is pure bullshit
You idea of an aftermarket MAF is bad.
If you knew more history of the company you wouldn't spend money at Clear Image.
My advise is learn a whole lot more before spending money on the wrong stuff.
That GF chip is pure bullshit
"Custom tuning": is it something a non-professional can do with the product information included in a manufacturer's package, or does one have to hire a pro to do it right?
You say my "idea of an aftermarket MAF is bad." Do mean the company product I specified is bad and you can suggest a better one, or that I should just keep the OEM I have now?
I know nothing about Clear Image, except that they have a 3 1/2 inch exhaust system which requires some suspensions mods for clearance, which should be a good upgrade versus just replacing my 2 1/2 OEM with the same. I see that several hot rod SS's listed on various sites, claiming 400-700 HPW overall, have used Clear Image exhausts/intakes, so SOMEBODY who is a professional and an SS performance addict must admire them. I know almost nothing but want the best performance/mileage I can get while still being able to listen to Beethoven with my wife inside. I would appreciate any thoughts from knowledgeable people.
I also want a good enough system that if I start to make engine mods in the future, rocker arms and camshafts and pistons and headers, I want that upgraded engine to be well-matched to the new air intake system and cat back exhaust I am about to install. So, for now:
K&N versus Clear Image intake
MAF upgrade?
Throttle body upgrade?
Dynomax 3 inch cat back versus Clear Image 3 1/2 cat back plus suspension mod
Performance chip?
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
ddwwbbmm
Alvin at PCMforless of NC tuned my h/c Camaro in open loop and it makes good power and drives good. Mine is LS based though.
I thought they were only tuning LT stuff still if they had previously tuned it before?
I thought they were only tuning LT stuff still if they had previously tuned it before?