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How easy is HP Tuners???

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Old Dec 24, 2007 | 02:22 PM
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Default How easy is HP Tuners???

How easy is it if you've never tuned a car before? Do you have to have technical knowledge of everything, or just basic? I look at the screenshots on HP Tuners website, and it looks intimidating on some of the graphs, because I have no idea what some of the stuff means. Should I just let someone else tune my car?
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Old Dec 24, 2007 | 02:47 PM
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It all depends on if you plan to do more mods later on, how far it is to drive/haul the car to be tuned and what the cost is. If you NEVER plan to do more mods, then have someone else tune the car and you're good to go. If you think you might have ore mods in the future, then get the HP Tuners and start learning. If you decide to do it yourself, my best advise is, read read and then read some more.
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Old Dec 24, 2007 | 03:12 PM
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I wish I would have asked your question before I purchased HP tuner, 1st let me say I think HP is the best overall amd bang for the buck, I watched the "expert" tune my car after my cam with LS1 edit and EFI live and he basically tuned and hacked the IFR and spark table, and added fuel and timing and raised the idle to get it to idle desent, the car made 367 HP and 388 torque and did not run well, after I got HP and did not know anything, I read and read and read...get the pic.?, put the IFR and spark back stock and started over, I have more time in this than I can keep track of but I am keeping the car and want it right, it idles correct, after tuning the VE, MAF and idle and is making almost 400 HP and 420 torque.
To do things right it will take time if you are not experienced, but if you are going to keep the car I think it is worth it.
Hope this helps
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Old Dec 26, 2007 | 03:31 PM
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It isn't easy. Do not be fooled into thinking any software will just automatically tune your car if you plug it in and drive it around a little bit. There is a process you need to follow and you need to be able to navigate the software and make some decisions yourself based on your knowledge of what the pcm does in response to the info it gets.

It takes a lot of time with a fairly steep learning curve. It can be frustrating, but there are lots of patient people around here who will answer your questions. This stuff isn't all black and white.

That being said, the answer for how-to's will always be - "read the stickeys" or "read the manual". When you ask specific questions about specific issues, you will get answers about possible solutions. Experienced people will look at your files for you and try to help.

If you have the time and patience, you can do it better than (or a least as well as) a "tuner".
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Old Dec 26, 2007 | 04:06 PM
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Sorry for the hijack. What other equipment do you guys use to tune. I have a HP Tuner but my car is not in runnign condition yet and many people have been telling me that the oxygen sensors are inaccurate when it comes to determining AFR.

So how many of you guys use an after market y-band when tuning your cars.
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Old Dec 26, 2007 | 04:10 PM
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Wideband is a necessity ... makes tuning so much easier, especially WOT
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