In the past I had my car tuned by a couple of people. They changed my tune and just ran the car a WOT on the dyno and made more changes. Now that I'm trying to learn a little about tuning it appears that the VE table has to be tuned at different rpms. Do tuners mostly load a base tune and then just adjust the maf/timing at WOT? I am just trying to understand what is a normal tune. Thanks

 

A normal tune is different for different setups. What are your mods?

 

Initially head/cam/bolt ons. Now a 427.

 

A "normal" tune would be to dial in the MAF and VE tables. To adjust the idle tables for proper idle function. To maximize the efficiency of the spark tables, and the entire tune, for that matter. How each tuner goes about it is left up to them. I usually will throw a tune together based off a large library of tunes, for the combo I'm tuning. Based off the specific mods, injectors, engine size, throttle body size, type of MAF, etc. and start tweaking from there.

 

Most shops just get it to idle and do a few WOT pulls on the dyno then send you on your way. Without a load bearing dyno or street AFR logging the part throttle transitions will be off and it will run poorly, but the stock MAF tune will keep it close enough that most don't feel the difference.

Most shops won't spend the time necessary to remap your entire VE table and MAF which is what you will need when changing engines like you did. You will have to find that special tuner that can do exactly what you want.

This is more the consumer's fault than that of the shops'. Customers don't understand that it could take 8+ hours to get it perfect, but they only want to pay 400 for it.