I'm just discovering the wonderful world of tuning software. I have a PCM for less mail order tune and it is way too lean (stalls, white plugs, etc.) so being a do-it-yourself kind of guy I ordered the Moates kit for tuning chipped cars.

After looking over all the softwares (TunerPro, TunerCat, DataMaster, etc.) I'm finding learning and using the software is more complicated than doing the tuning. What is the best, easiest to use tuning software? TunerPro RT comes with the Moates kit, but I find it a pain in the *** because it doesn't recognize the hardware.

 

I too an interested in about this.

To the top.

Anybody?

 

I like tunercat seems pretty simple. Now I just have to learn what all the stuff does to the car

 

i have both lt1 edit and tunercat. i prefer lt1 edit. but with the vin lock its not as desirable as tunercat is.

 

Can I GUESS the OP has a 93? Which would be CRITICAL information for this discussion.

 

You guessed right. But even though I have to flash chips, it doesn't seem to change the way the software works. You would think tuning software works like other Windows software, File-Open New-tune-save. Not so. The programs are divided up into different screens, you have to open an existing file with the correct file extension first, log, save etc. The software doesn't seem to be to the point where it does it all-at-once. Nor does it seem to interface with the ECM so that changes can be made without guess work.

Still very new at this. Everything is easy once you learn it I guess. I just want to use the most practical software.

Ideally, all I just want is a screen full of slide controls next to gauges so I can realtime tune, save and burn.

 

Not all software supports all ECM/pcm setups. Far as I know Tunercat and TunerPro both have definitions to cover a very wide range of ecm/pcm setups but not so much with LT1 edit. Hell if we take you attitude about it why not discuss HPTuner and such.

You should also be looking into datalogging options, reprogramming is a lot harder if you have no feedback from the computer.

 

I'm open to discussing HPTuner. I'm not sure it supports chipped cars though, I thought it was just for post 1995 cars. Is that true? What do you use?

 

I had a 93, still have the powertrain that's going in a 84 Firebird, and used the Moates autoprom with Tunerpro RT for simultaneous datalogging and realtime tuning. I also have Tunercats, but prefer Tunerpro RT due to the datalogging capability.

 

See you made my point, HPtuner doesn't support anything older than 97. I used it as a joke.
Figure out who supports your platform and then pick between them. I thought LT1 edit had a couple options to cover 94-5 and then another for 96-7, never heard of them handling 93

 

On my 93, (383 build) I went with Solomon @ LT1PCMTUNING. I bought the software myself, chip burner, cables, program ect. but haven't gotten into doing anything myself. Also curious about this.

If you decide to go the easy route, try a tune from Solomon. He's done hundreds if not thousands of mail order tunes and mine was great even on my heavily modified LT1. You drive the car, normally, WOT, ect and send the log via email. He sends you a new adjusted tune back. You do this several times till it's spot on.

whoever sent you that crappy lean tune doesn't know wtf they're doing. It's not cool to have someone pay you and send them some junk that will **** up their car.

 

^^ a mail ordered tune will never get it 100 percent on they take similar setup that they Dynod and just take a stab In the dark

 

I also had a Solomon tune for my cc503 and it ran like f*** I have a pcmforless tune with cc306 and ported le lt4 heads and ported le lt4 intake 30lb injectors, lt headers, ory, and gears and it runs great!!

 

Downloaded TunerPro RT and can't get mine to recognize the ALDL cable. Any secret to that? I'm on COM2 on my laptop. DataMaster recognizes it, logged on today. Lots of fun watching all those numbers dance around on the screen. Spark has lots of advance for some reason. Gonna have to really get into this, it's getting interesting.

I need to get the TunerPro RT working though because it's necessary for the Moates system. I can't flash the chip without it.

 

Pm sent. Gregrob knows a lot about that program

 

you are correct..

 

Thanks for the PM, it was very helpful. Answered a lot of questions.

 

Are you using the Autoprom? If so, you need to change the position of the switch on the autoprom so you can tune and datalog with tunerpro. You also need to go into tools-setup-emulation in Tunerpro and select autoprom. Do you have the DA3 ecu file and the ads file for datalogging? If not, let me know I can send them to you.

 

Still waiting for the stuff in the mail. I got to the datalogging part in TunerPro with some help from Gregrob's tutorial thread. Some very interesting things happening, I might post a screenshot once I have done a couple more files. I have a lot of spark advance and a very lean condition that causes the car to stall once heated up.

 

I use Tunercat for tune and Datamaster for logging on the 93. I also believe I have an LT1Edit license lying around somewhere.

I suppose I do. I haven't changed the tune on either the 93f or the 93y for over 5 years.

The early OBD1 chip cars don't have the complexity of the code in the later OBDII cars, so it is pretty ez to tune.

Give us an idea of the build on your car. I have both Hypertech and TPIS *.bin files around from when the cars were 350s. Man that was way back in 97. Time flies when you are having fun.

Perry