tune on a mostly stock car.
I say its worth it thats basically all thats done to my car and look at the times i run. Every other lt1 i run into has the same mods i do ex the tune. I am usually at the low 13's and they are mid's. When i use my nitrous then that a diff story. LOL
It won't make you any slower and you will likley feel some difference. Also I know PCMforless will only charge $50 in the future for additional upgrades! I don't know about other tuners but I imagine they are the same. If you plan on upgrading you're car it will eventually need to be done, so why not now!
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From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
If you don't plan to do any mods in the next year or so, shell out for a tune. If you plan to mod, just hold out.
I did my own tune, and I won't lie, I don't know what I'm doing for the most part. It was my second try, my first was a TPI motor. Thankfully the ECM was basically the exact same so changing settings was familiar. Anyways to the point: With just installing 24# SVO (25.5#) injectors, my car woke up. If I had a 94 where I could tune more easily, I'd be tweaking more, but I'm happy where I'm at for the moment.
Cliff Notes: Upgrading soon? Wait. Going to be months/year, go for it!
On that note, if you're going to, then you have basically 2 options. 3 really, but we don't count Jet and Hypertech type chips (unless it's free). You have a Dyno Tune, where you go and get Dynod and all the readings are then factored into the tune, this I'd wait for more mods to do since it's not cheap. The next is a "mail order". You send out your PCM to Ed Write, MadZ or PCM For Less, and then they send you one back (with in a few days). They've been in the biz for quite awhile, and can do wonders even for a site-unseen bolt-on car
Also, don't buy those eBay "boost computers with like 4 wires and a sticker, or the IAT (Intake Air Temp) little diode mod. All that one does is trick the computer into thinking it's sucking in like 50ºF air, instead of 80-110ºf, so instead it dumps in more fuel. Yea, you get more performance, but it's pretty lame :\
I did my own tune, and I won't lie, I don't know what I'm doing for the most part. It was my second try, my first was a TPI motor. Thankfully the ECM was basically the exact same so changing settings was familiar. Anyways to the point: With just installing 24# SVO (25.5#) injectors, my car woke up. If I had a 94 where I could tune more easily, I'd be tweaking more, but I'm happy where I'm at for the moment.
Cliff Notes: Upgrading soon? Wait. Going to be months/year, go for it!
On that note, if you're going to, then you have basically 2 options. 3 really, but we don't count Jet and Hypertech type chips (unless it's free). You have a Dyno Tune, where you go and get Dynod and all the readings are then factored into the tune, this I'd wait for more mods to do since it's not cheap. The next is a "mail order". You send out your PCM to Ed Write, MadZ or PCM For Less, and then they send you one back (with in a few days). They've been in the biz for quite awhile, and can do wonders even for a site-unseen bolt-on car
Also, don't buy those eBay "boost computers with like 4 wires and a sticker, or the IAT (Intake Air Temp) little diode mod. All that one does is trick the computer into thinking it's sucking in like 50ºF air, instead of 80-110ºf, so instead it dumps in more fuel. Yea, you get more performance, but it's pretty lame :\
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So, the answer is YES with some kind of optimum tuning, even on a stock engine will definitely give you some gain in performance!
