Hand Held Tuners
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Hand Held Tuners I picked up a 1998 Pontiac Firebird Formula 5.7L V-8 the guy i bought it off of had put on a catback flowmaster exhaust and a kn air filter...i just ordered a slp lid and slp intake system along with a 160 degree therm...i want to install a tuner to give me a little more horsepower but there are a couple of options with huge price differences....
I was wondering if any one had installed the Hypertech tuner...its $299.00 in summitracing.com and it says it gets 31ft/lbs torque?
There also is a Hypertech Max Energy one for $339.00. Whats the difference?
I also have been reading about Diablo but i dont think they make them for the 98 models...
Any help would be greatly appreaciated just trying to get a start and some feedback on what you guys thought of the ones you used...
I have entry level mechanical skills and i need something easy to get me some more hp for the car...
I was wondering if any one had installed the Hypertech tuner...its $299.00 in summitracing.com and it says it gets 31ft/lbs torque?
There also is a Hypertech Max Energy one for $339.00. Whats the difference?
I also have been reading about Diablo but i dont think they make them for the 98 models...
Any help would be greatly appreaciated just trying to get a start and some feedback on what you guys thought of the ones you used...
I have entry level mechanical skills and i need something easy to get me some more hp for the car...
Don't waste your money on the Hypertech. Not sure where they pull their numbers from, but I strongly suggest they are inaccurate. I owned one for years and found it useful for an automatic, but my track numbers were exactly the same with and without the tuning installed.
You don't need mechanical skills to tune a car, you need computer skills and patience, along with a willingness to learn.
Get a real LS1 tuner, you will be pleased.
You don't need mechanical skills to tune a car, you need computer skills and patience, along with a willingness to learn.
Get a real LS1 tuner, you will be pleased.
That is a valid question. I thought about that after I posted, I just failed to go back and rectify my mistake.
I suggest that you go ahead and read through this sticky first:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/pcm-diagnostics-tuning/368718-read-me-best-ls1-tuning-software-best-scanner-best-handheld.html
It addresses the various tuning solutions, and you could go to some user threads or websites and see what they say about it.
Most prefer the software solutions, myself included. However, at the current stage of your car, the biggest benefit you will get is to correctly set the fan on temps to correctly utilize the 160 thermostat. Your other changes are so minor that the most that could be done is to refine the stock tune. For that, you could possibly use a canned tune (not the HPP, it don't work). For the software solutions, you could probably find some files that other users have posted and see how they work on your car.
Hope that is a bit more helpful.
I suggest that you go ahead and read through this sticky first:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/pcm-diagnostics-tuning/368718-read-me-best-ls1-tuning-software-best-scanner-best-handheld.html
It addresses the various tuning solutions, and you could go to some user threads or websites and see what they say about it.
Most prefer the software solutions, myself included. However, at the current stage of your car, the biggest benefit you will get is to correctly set the fan on temps to correctly utilize the 160 thermostat. Your other changes are so minor that the most that could be done is to refine the stock tune. For that, you could possibly use a canned tune (not the HPP, it don't work). For the software solutions, you could probably find some files that other users have posted and see how they work on your car.
Hope that is a bit more helpful.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
I dont think they make the Diablo tuner for 98...which sucks cause that is that one that i hear is the best...basically for my year im looking at Hypertech or hypertech max energy! I was trying to see if anyone knew anything about the max energy programmer its fairly new! Thanks for the help guys!
TECH Resident
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 781
Likes: 0
From: Taxme, Ohio
Even hypertech doesn't seem to know much about the max tuner. 
You probably went to their website and came away with the same bewilderment I did. They simply repeat what the NON max tuner version is supposed to do. I didn't see a single added feature other than what it looks like.
Another option is the Crane Vinci tuner. Don't know if they have a model for the 98 pcm or not. I guess there's one more hand tuner - SuperChips I think.
You probably went to their website and came away with the same bewilderment I did. They simply repeat what the NON max tuner version is supposed to do. I didn't see a single added feature other than what it looks like.
Another option is the Crane Vinci tuner. Don't know if they have a model for the 98 pcm or not. I guess there's one more hand tuner - SuperChips I think.
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