Seriously.I just got HP tuners.I don't know where to start.I'm doing a lot of reading but it all seems really heavy and I don't understand most of it,I'm having a hard time.Where do I start?I've done a couple of scans with my car,but I don't know what it means.LT B1 and LT B2 seem to go red a lot if that means anything.You guys probably think this is the stupidest post ever,but I want to learn this.

 

Not a stupid post - but you could have found more info than you could have hoped for simply by reading the stickies at the top. Theres plenty of step by step manuals and instructionals out there.

 

It is not a stupid post at all and here is why. More often than not people purchase this software in the hopes of tuning and then go "Holy ****, this is way more complicated than I thought." Here is what you have to keep in mind and that is that EVERYONE started out as a newb at one time or another. Like with anything there will be growing pains and mistakes along the way. The key is not to give up and BEGIN WITH THE BASICS!!! Learn what functions control what and how they affect the motor. You will find that allot of it is in "Geek Speak" because folks assume those reading the instructions are already familiar with tuning and the like. Learn the terms, functions and outcomes before you retune you PCM. What I would recommend in to get the instructions for downloading your .BIN file from your PCM and then begin reading through different write ups while picking through your .BIN file to become more familiar with the functions of the software. You will be surprised how much you will learn by doing this without even touching your stock program. The other keys are research and asking questions, the only stupid question is the one you do not ask despite what some smartazzez my say, don't worry about them just keep plugging away and you will find that there is a ton of knowledge here and some really helpful folks as well. To recap it all here is a breakdown for ya -

Now keep in mind that this is only a quick and dirty to get you started. Be patient and do not give up as it will come in time. Hope this helps.

JC

 

Im in the "newbie" wagon too!
Im confident that I know a lot of "mechanical" stuff, and some (very little indeed) electical-electronic stuff.
HERE IS THE DEAL FOR "IN THE KNOW"
if a neewbie goes a step too far------BANG!!! back to mechanical stuff..... (replacing rods and pushrods and s#it!)
I would sugest a categorized LS1TECH DIAG&TUNING.

very basic-"newbie stuff" for some extra performance for the streetlight warrior.
medium, for the stang killer that inside all of us!, and to beat the hipercharged beetle engine inside the subaru or the latino taxi mitsu evos (althoug pretty fast and nice!)
advance for the "scrarry street asphalt wrinkling machine"
MASTER for the "this is not my daily driver anymore!!!!"

(I'm from Guatemala and every taxi is either a toyota corolla, or a mitsu lancer or a Hiunday atos!!! I`M INCLUDING HERE MYSELF!!!! )


***"mustangs are like tampons... EVERY P&SSY HAS ONE!"*******

 

Hey man, dont knock the scoobie, im about to buy a rex for a daily driver/winter car so I can justify gutting out my ls1.

I just know im going to get a ton of asshats revving up on me in the wrx, but nobody makes a peep when im sitting at a light in the Z, shaking like a paint mixer, laptop glowing in the passenger seat, and leavig a toxic plume of raw gas out the tailpipes...

 

Anyway, read all the links in the sticky here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/pcm-diagnostics-tuning/287094-read-me-first-tuning-docs-ve-maf-ses-lights-faqs-more-01-31-07-a.html

And here's the ever famous tuning howto: http://www.transamws6.net/HPTuners/ls1tuninginfo.doc

There's constant evolution and differing diciplines on how to tune, but the good old stickied information is a tried and true way to get you in the ballpark. Once you get there, youll be familliar enough to understand some of the more indepth discussions that come up. When you get stuck, use the search and search only the tuning forum. Youll be amazed how quickly you can turn up info. If you positively cant find the answer by searching this and the HPTuners site, or if youre fairly certain youve got a new idea or innovation, by all means, post up.

 

ROTFLMAO, ROFTMALO!!!!!!

DEFINETELLY MY TUNE! My wifes´beater uset to be my lumina 96 apv, I loved the thing even better when I managed to install a SC from a pontiac boneville, you should se it HOULING the tires beating beemers!!!!!
now she has a kia rio cinco (misses the van!) and my second toy is a ford probe 89 (mazda MX-6)@ 17 psi,
for racing im in a Honda RC-51, and find more peace of mind working underneath my camaro thinking to myself "definetelly I rather be here than having my wife on top of me!!!! (the camaro weight less!!!!)"

 

She sounds like a real gem! For your sake, I hope youre talking about a 5 oz. plastic model camaro, otherwise shes gonna kick the jackstands out from under the car one of these days.

 

not to worry, the jackstand, gets regular maintenance, from another garage!!!!!!!
yes shes a gemmmm, NOW I EVEN.... WORK!!!!

 

WERE STEALING THE THREAD!
BACK TO ECM PROGRAMING NOW, WOULD YOU PLEASE!!!!!! ha ha ha!

 

Yea,I'm trying to go through the tuning 101 document.I'm still on the first page I'm alittle stumped about reading the LTFTs.They say between -5 and +5.but when I play back my scan from a varied drive they're all over the place.

 

there are anumber of things a LONG TERM can tell you but this is about a STORY of how you drived, how you reacted to the engine, etc, Imo first you should be more interested in getting the SORT tftrm first.
this will get you a crispier throttle response and do yourself a favour... tune your car w/ new O2 sens, I´m holding myself until the vcm suite arrive to install mine...

 

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I wont be tuning my car anymore till I get my lil Cat problem fixed. I had a pretty sweet tune or so I think but stuck the stock tune back in once my Cat died... the tuning will continue once I get my lts and ory

 

Should I just get 2 brand new o2 sensors or is it necessary to get a wide band if so do I need 2?And what is SORT tftrm?
Also the reason I started with the LTFTs is because thats where the tuning 101 article begins.

 

If you're a dummy, you shouldn't be tuning! Sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously, to tune properly you need to understand how the PCM and it's strategies work.I always recommend the book "Corvette Electronic Fuel Management" that concentrates on EFI theories, strategies, explains the sensors (including terminology) and has a good bit of LS1/LS6 specific information. Spendy, but well worth the price because it's a excellent source of information that will never get outdated.

 

glad you made this thread becuz most of us newb tuners were scared to do it

 

I've spent months reading posts & playing around with the HP tuners software before I finally got my WB installed. Initially I didn't understand anything. As an an example, I started logging and correcting VE with the WB hooked up wrong which (of course) gave me completely wacky numbers. It took me a while to figure it out and when I did I said to myself "you're definitely not as smart as you thought".
Anyway, I now have it hooked up correct and am in the process of getting the VE table correct. I will then move on to MAF, spark, PE, etc.
All I can say is that this tuning stuff has a pretty steep learning curve that needs to be dealt with and I don't really see any shortcuts. In my case I got the Dynojet WB commander that comes with an A/F gauge which helped a LOT since I was 99% sure that the gauge showed the correct ratio. I used it as reference against what HP tuners showed.
I won't tell you about all my embarrasing moments but there were quite a few and you probably have to make mistakes to learn. Now, when I have it right, the car runs comparatively very well and I'm only midway through VE tuning. It can only get better from here and I have finally felt the reward for all the work.
It's tough in the beginning but very rewarding once the pieces start to fall into place.

 

i'm in the same boat here also.but i've been doing small things like tuned my injectors, so i'm slowly learning.if it wasnt for this site i would'nt no $hit LOL.

 

I'm just getting into tuning myself and have found this page to be a pretty good to start out with: http://www.customefis.com/GMEFI.html Now all I gotta do is order the software

 

wow i had prolly 10x as many civics try to race me when my car was built as to when it was stock