How difficult is it to go from cam only tune to H/C tune?
10-11-2010, 10:35 PM
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How difficult is it to go from cam only tune to H/C tune? Maybe I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself here, but I've recently bough efi live and am reading a tuning book trying to learn about efi tuning. (all I can say is wow I feel overwhelmed haha)
My question is tuning wise, would it be like starting from scratch if I added aftermarket cast heads to a cam only car? Or would it just need 'minor' changes.
Not sure if this is possible, or if it would help. But was thinking of maybe going with a sponsors mail order tune and using it as a base to work off of if it would be easier for me to learn.
The reason I ask these questions is because this winter I want to put in a custom spec cam from EPS and after cam and supporting parts I will need, I dont really see myself spending another 2k+ on some heads right away before upgrading the rear end.
I know thats a lot of questions just thrown together but I appreciate the advice.
Thanks guys!
My question is tuning wise, would it be like starting from scratch if I added aftermarket cast heads to a cam only car? Or would it just need 'minor' changes.
Not sure if this is possible, or if it would help. But was thinking of maybe going with a sponsors mail order tune and using it as a base to work off of if it would be easier for me to learn.
The reason I ask these questions is because this winter I want to put in a custom spec cam from EPS and after cam and supporting parts I will need, I dont really see myself spending another 2k+ on some heads right away before upgrading the rear end.
I know thats a lot of questions just thrown together but I appreciate the advice.
Thanks guys!
10-12-2010, 12:24 PM
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I have hp tuners and have read a couple different books and pretty much every sticky on hp tuners site multiple times. From what I understand (I'm very new to this as well) is that anytime you make mods that change the air flow, that the v.e. and maf (if using one) will need to be adjusted.
To answer your other question on getting a mail order tune to reference. My opinion is although the mail order would work fine for you, your not gonna get the full understanding of it unless you just give it a shot on your own. I've grabbed a couple tunes out of hp tuners site for reference myself, but that didnt seem to help me much. Do a search for free ls1 tuning guide also. I am currently working on my ve and maf tune and that little guide helped me a bunch so far.
Again I'm very green at this myself. I'm sure someone with a ton more experience will chime in to help ya.
Good luck!
To answer your other question on getting a mail order tune to reference. My opinion is although the mail order would work fine for you, your not gonna get the full understanding of it unless you just give it a shot on your own. I've grabbed a couple tunes out of hp tuners site for reference myself, but that didnt seem to help me much. Do a search for free ls1 tuning guide also. I am currently working on my ve and maf tune and that little guide helped me a bunch so far.
Again I'm very green at this myself. I'm sure someone with a ton more experience will chime in to help ya.
Good luck!
10-12-2010, 01:56 PM
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If you can nail down a cam only tune then adding a set of ported heads would be pretty ease comparitively. The most time consuming part of cam tuning is getting the low speed drivability nice which, in my opinion, is very hard for a mail order tune to do. You end up reworking the entire shape of the VE and MAF, and the idle related tables are quite a bit different. Getting out all the surge and getting good manners in all situations just takes some time which makes doing it yourself very nice and rewarding. The biggest changes going to heads would be adjusting the airflow (mostly scaling up, in general), and working the timing tables (mostly scaling down).
10-12-2010, 07:26 PM
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Pretty much as ramair said. Airflow & timing requirements would be different between the cam & cam/heads tune. On a brighter note the right head set up should improve the lower end drivability & be easier to tune than cam only IMO.
10-12-2010, 08:51 PM
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Well then I think its settled, I'm going to cam it this winter and hope I learn enough to tune it during the down time before it can hit the road again. 
Might have to do some looking into the DVD Banish made that summit sells... I learn faster by watching someone do something opposed to simply reading it in text.
Might have to do some looking into the DVD Banish made that summit sells... I learn faster by watching someone do something opposed to simply reading it in text.
