LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Street Tune vs Mail Order

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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 12:48 PM
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Default Street Tune vs Mail Order

How much better would a street tune be over a tune from madz28 or pcmforless? So far there are two guys that will tune my car locally and I'm still looking for more but one is the same price as the mail order tunes but the other is more expensive but all he does is tune unlike the other guy who is a mechanic. So how much more power and mpg would I get out of a street tune vs mail order?
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 01:18 PM
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The street tune will tune it for the way the car is driven most of the time, you would have to make several WOT pulls for them to log that data and to correct the flash for that, but it should be comparable if not better than a generalized mail order tune.
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 01:39 PM
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I agree. Just watch out for cops on those WOT pulls
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 04:41 PM
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The real benefit of a street tune is not so much the better WOT adjustments but the part throttle calibration that allows you to dial in the MAF sensor and fuel trims accurately. This is impossible with a mail order tune.

A street tune is really the best way to tune especially if you have a wideband to use. The person has to know what they are doing though.
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 07:21 PM
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I was thinking about just getting a mail order for now, then eventually with future mods going dyno tuned. I just really wanna get the idle a little smoother.... and pick up the extra horses. But how much do you really gain from the mail order? I've been hearing of only a 2-4hp gain when going mail order to dyno, but how much do you gain from the M-O tune itself?
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 08:03 PM
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Originally Posted by projekt70chevelle
I was thinking about just getting a mail order for now, then eventually with future mods going dyno tuned. I just really wanna get the idle a little smoother.... and pick up the extra horses. But how much do you really gain from the mail order? I've been hearing of only a 2-4hp gain when going mail order to dyno, but how much do you gain from the M-O tune itself?
im wondering the same thing... does anyone know? i figure it would vary from mod to mod but still how much really?
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 08:03 PM
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dyno or street tune all the way... the customer service with certain mail order tunes just freakin sucks... so still with whats good and local..
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 09:04 PM
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IMO a mail order tune can get you 80% of the way there. the other 20% comes from dyno tuning and street tuning.
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 09:05 PM
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with just tuning by a semi local tuner (currently in iraq) and new spark plugs my stock a4 94 formula put down 256rwhp and 291 rwtq with 125k on it
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 09:19 PM
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lol stupid question, but how much does an a4 put down stock?
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 09:44 PM
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^ usually around 240-250.
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Old Jan 8, 2008 | 11:01 PM
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you can get a cars tune almost dead on with a street tune and a wide band.
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Old Jan 9, 2008 | 08:33 AM
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*bump.... Anybody know approx. how much a cam/bolt-on car would gain from a mail order tune. And how much would be gained from going dyno after mail order??

I mean are mail-orders only really good for idle, shift points, fan temp, ses code deletes, etc.... or can you actually gain some real power from it??
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Old Jan 9, 2008 | 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by projekt70chevelle
I mean are mail-orders only really good for idle, shift points, fan temp, ses code deletes, etc.... or can you actually gain some real power from it??
You gain power, usually at least 10rwhp, from the stock a/f ratio being too rich at wot.
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Old Jan 9, 2008 | 11:15 AM
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well i was asking this question originally because the guy who was gonna street tune my car for the same price as mail order is kinda shady but i just heard they totalled one of their customers high dollar vettes and did massive burnouts w/ another guys camaro they didnt like so I'm definitely not taking my car there. The other guy is freaking expensive and was trying to figure out whether I should pay big bucks for a street tune on bolt ons or pay reasonable price for mail order but I just talked to some people and the guy I used to take my car to at my old speed shop still tunes and is very good so I got it all figured out
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Old Jan 9, 2008 | 03:50 PM
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^^ Sounds like one of those shops that won't let you do the driving... Some local yuppie place does that with their dyno. No thanks.

Matt
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Old Jan 9, 2008 | 04:13 PM
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If you are just bolt ons then get a mail order tune. Mail order tuners have done so much tuning they pretty much have it down pat. I think that Bryan at PCM4less has a dyno as well and dyno tunes local cars so he has a good idea on what needs to be done and chances are he has tuned something similar so getting a street tune isn't going to be that much better to offset the added cost. Most street/dyno tunes are going to be $400 and a mail order will run 125-150ish depending on shipping, etc.
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Old Jan 9, 2008 | 05:11 PM
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yes, mail order all the way for a bolt on car....
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Old Jan 9, 2008 | 06:02 PM
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well i can get my street tune for under 200
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Old Jan 9, 2008 | 09:02 PM
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My Old Set Up Put Down 356 Rwhp With A Cam And Mail Tune From Maddz28 The Prob Is Finding Someone Local That Tunes Lt1 And Does A Good Job! For The Money U Pay. I Hear All The Time Of Ls1 Guys Paying 500 Plus For A Dyno Tune And Not Making Any More Than A Mail In Tune, BUT EVERYONE AND THERE MOM DYNO TUNES LS1. Where Im At In Dallas No One Dyno Tunes Lt1 And I Would Rather Have A Dyno Tune Makes More Sense Of Course So If U Have A Local That Will Dyno Tune Lt1 I Would Go With That. Anyone Know A Dyno Tune Place For Lt1 In My Area???
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