HP Tuner
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From: Westchester, NY
HP Tuner Yes, I know that this has probably been covered in 1,000 threads. My apologies. If it pisses you off please move on. 
I purchased the kit used with 8 credits a year ago and have done nothing with it. I currently have 3 vehicles that I would like to use it on. Aside from my TA that basically just gives the car cover something to cover (garage **** only), I also have a 2010 CTS that has the worst transmission programming/logic of any car I have ever driven. And I have my 17 year old Silverado that is getting a mildly built LS6.
I have no idea where to start. No idea how to even begin. I haven't even installed the software on a laptop yet, I'm very intimidated and nervous. I'm not trying to become a pro tuner over night. Not gonna happen.
I just want to know how to approach the whole thing as a novice who is good with computers. Take the Cadillac for example. I have no interest in messing with anything engine related, but I want the transmission to sort of act right.
Where do I start? DVD's? Books? Websites? Handson? This is a whole new world for me.
I purchased the kit used with 8 credits a year ago and have done nothing with it. I currently have 3 vehicles that I would like to use it on. Aside from my TA that basically just gives the car cover something to cover (garage **** only), I also have a 2010 CTS that has the worst transmission programming/logic of any car I have ever driven. And I have my 17 year old Silverado that is getting a mildly built LS6.
I have no idea where to start. No idea how to even begin. I haven't even installed the software on a laptop yet, I'm very intimidated and nervous. I'm not trying to become a pro tuner over night. Not gonna happen.
I just want to know how to approach the whole thing as a novice who is good with computers. Take the Cadillac for example. I have no interest in messing with anything engine related, but I want the transmission to sort of act right.
Where do I start? DVD's? Books? Websites? Handson? This is a whole new world for me.
Check out a couple of Denmahs vids. He shows how to do some simple stuff like tweaking the power enrichment and stuff like that. If you don't have a wide band yet I would get one. The AEM uego works great.
Start with tuning something stock to get good with the scanner set up and wideband logging. Most any teaching media is going to tell you to buy a dyno . LOL Thetuningschool.com sells learn at home stuff as well as Greg Banish. Greg teaches VE and MAF corrections via wideband and the tuning school teaches it via fuel trims and the vehicle's narrow bands and WOT tuning via wideband. I like Greg's teachings a little better but I did not at first. It was when I got a better understanding of tuning that made Greg's approach seem much more efficient. I attend thetuningschool.com live beginner's coarse and don't regret it at all. I will say, until I get to purchase a dyno, I w9nt be attending any more classes.
If you are good with computers then installing the software on a laptop should be a snap. Then figure out how to read the calibration file out of each vehicle and save and license each file. Then email the files to a pro tuner like LSXTuning, a sponsor here. Pay him to write tunes for each vehicle and email them back to you. Then flash the new calibration files into each vehicle. Do you understand air/fuel/spark timing and how it effects engine performance? All the tables in the calibration that control those things? All the tables that control transmission operation? The 6 speed auto and the tables in the calibration for it are not the easiest to understand. Are you willing to spend $$$ on books and dvds that try and explain it and the time to learn it all? Honestly this is going to be the best option for you going by the tone of your post.
Father in law bought it through sdpc along with the tuning school with the books on online videos. I've had a chance to read through it all and watch a few of the video's if you are remotely interested in learning to tune and understanding it the it is well worth the asking price. Knowing what you get from it now I would tell anyone to fork over the money for it if you want to learn. There are plenty who have learned with out it though. I have 2 running cars and a 3rd im building and after paying several people to tune and it not being complete I was annoyed so im learning. if that sounds familiar to you buy the school program
First watch this:
Then watch this:
I just used HP tuners for the first time ever, watched these 2 vids, entered new injector data for my new injectors I just swapped in and my car starts and idles good. I've never tuned anything prior to this.
I had just bought a cheap Dell E5400 to use as a dedicated laptop for the HP tuners software. Laptop came in yesterday, but the DVD drive didn't even show up in the bios. I don't have time to wait for other people to do their jobs correctly so I typically just do it for them. I went on craigslist and had a used DVD drive in my hands 15 minutes later. Popped it in, it works fine. Again, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing and yet I still somehow manage to make it all work.
With this much success as a first time user, not sure if this is a sign that I should start teaching tuning classes after learning a bit more or....?
Then watch this:
I just used HP tuners for the first time ever, watched these 2 vids, entered new injector data for my new injectors I just swapped in and my car starts and idles good. I've never tuned anything prior to this.
I had just bought a cheap Dell E5400 to use as a dedicated laptop for the HP tuners software. Laptop came in yesterday, but the DVD drive didn't even show up in the bios. I don't have time to wait for other people to do their jobs correctly so I typically just do it for them. I went on craigslist and had a used DVD drive in my hands 15 minutes later. Popped it in, it works fine. Again, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing and yet I still somehow manage to make it all work.
With this much success as a first time user, not sure if this is a sign that I should start teaching tuning classes after learning a bit more or....?
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (17)
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 38
From: Westchester, NY
If you are good with computers then installing the software on a laptop should be a snap. Then figure out how to read the calibration file out of each vehicle and save and license each file. Then email the files to a pro tuner like LSXTuning, a sponsor here. Pay him to write tunes for each vehicle and email them back to you. Then flash the new calibration files into each vehicle. Do you understand air/fuel/spark timing and how it effects engine performance? All the tables in the calibration that control those things? All the tables that control transmission operation? The 6 speed auto and the tables in the calibration for it are not the easiest to understand. Are you willing to spend $$$ on books and dvds that try and explain it and the time to learn it all? Honestly this is going to be the best option for you going by the tone of your post.
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Last edited by 5.7stroker; Mar 11, 2017 at 10:06 AM.
Well in addition to be a Finance Director I have also been the IT manager for several companies so yes, I'm good with computers. And I am familiar with how air, fuel and spark effects performance. The tables that control everything? Not so much. That's what makes me nervous.
If you don't have time, and ALOT of it, don't do it. It's just not something your going to figure out in a day, a week or a month, and if you stop, and put it away for say 2weeks, its just like school, you forget, and it throws a wrench in it.
The best advice I can give is you need to know HOW you learn, and base training off of that. Then, start with your cheapest car, and work on that first. Figure out how you data log, and understand what tables do what, then develop YOUR plan for how you want to save your files after every tweak. Then, data log, tweak, save load and repeat.
The best advice I can give is you need to know HOW you learn, and base training off of that. Then, start with your cheapest car, and work on that first. Figure out how you data log, and understand what tables do what, then develop YOUR plan for how you want to save your files after every tweak. Then, data log, tweak, save load and repeat.