How does tuning work?

[GreyDiesel]

I am looking for an overall theory on the topic. Why does it work? What are the steps in the process? I have no experience with this at all. From what I gather, you buy a handheld computer gizmo, then download files from the internet, and upload them to your car, based on what modifications you have done. Is this correct? When a CAI is advertised to come with a tune, is that just the tune file, or the handheld gizmo? Can you upload the files with a laptop? Do the handheld gizmos come with files pre-loaded? What is mail-order tuning?

Thanks for any help.

 

[blbrchnk]

magic

 

[08blueskunk]

Most performance websites will sell CAI and Handheld tuners as "kits" They usually start off around $550 advertised price.

As far as a tune goes, without getting into the "nitty gritty" Just to give you the basics your car's computer controls and analyzes/senses everything just about, nowadays.
It is programmed to work with certain factory parts for example an intake. the size of the intake effects the amount of air being sucked into the engine. You have MAF sensor that tells the computer hwo much ect. ect.

The computer "control" is a good way to restrict/control performance and safeguard the engine and prolong the life of the car. How every you are limiting what could take place.

Now when you start changing/modding out parts sensors start to detect the changes in things like airflow, exhaust flow, O@ sensors get weird reading. When thsi happens teh computer detects it and thinks something it worng and Check engine lights go off and the car's computer may not adjust things like fuel properly because it is adapting to what the sensors are telling it.

So by getting a "tuner (hand held device)" it allows you to input new settings and change what the computer is looking for and how it should react. This is done so by sitting there and adjusting every little detail one step at a time and measureing it all out ect, ect, It takes alot of know-how and dyno evaluationas, and lots of sensor readings.

So to combat this many dyno shops and performance businesses allow you to buy/download "tunes" that were previously done to other cars. These may nto be the most exact "tune" for your particular car but it give the car's computer a ball park idea for the mods. The performance shop has a good idea what to expect from certain Mods and they can set it up from what they have learned from their dyno adjustments.

i think that is a Laimens as you can get.

So you defiantly want one, or else most mods you do won't do much or anything at all until you let the computer know you did it.

 

[PSYKOSTEVO]

I will answer you questions:

Teh stock computer program has a throttle % rampup that starts the throttle body at ~40% open and allow the throttle body to advance up to 80% over the course of the RPM range. I think by 4000 rpms you are finally at 80% throttle open. The retune changes that to a SOLID 80% with no ramp up.

Stock cooling fans are set to run the car at 215-225* coolant temp. The retunes should drop this down to the 195-205 range.

The speed governor is raised to unfathomable speeds instead of te ~150mph mark.

The stock ignition timing table is set for 87 octane, but the motor is capable of optimizing up to 93 octane. Ford also has an octane modifier in the stock tune to reduce the timing even below optimal timing for 87 octane. It is possible to add about 6* or more to the WOT timing.

The car has a delay for enriching the fuel mixture when you floor it, causing a lean spot and a little lag. That gets reduced to a 0.5 second delay on the tune.

The stock WOT AFR is ~12.4, when the car makes peak hp between 12.8-13.1 AFR so that needs to be optimized to make more power.

The stock variable cam phasing does not take full advantage of it's range of motion. Some tunes recalibrate the motion to make the transitions more favorable for power.

There are many other factors, all in all about 25-30 table that are recalibrated to control these behaviors.

 

[steedman07]

It usually takes a good 2-3 hours for a full on custom dyno tune, and longer if its forced induction...If it only takes a guy 1/2 hour to "custom" tune your car, its not custom at all..beware

 

[dro]

Yea when doug tuned my cobra he had to pull about 8 or 9 times i think before he got it where he wanted it. Took about 2-3 hours if i remember correctly.

 

[PSYKOSTEVO]

It usually takes a good 2-3 hours for a full on custom dyno tune, and longer if its forced induction...If it only takes a guy 1/2 hour to "custom" tune your car, its not custom at all..beware

Umm........ that depends. I custom dyno tuned a supercharged roush in 1:15. And I can tune most cars in 0:45 - 1:00. When it's the guy who owns the dyno that's doing the tuning you bet its gonna take longer. When I get paid by the hour I put more work into it.

Mustangs are EASY to tune IF and only if you know what you are doing.

 

[PSYKOSTEVO]

Yea when doug tuned my cobra he had to pull about 8 or 9 times i think before he got it where he wanted it. Took about 2-3 hours if i remember correctly.

That's about the right amount of pulls. And it's up to the operator to decide if the car is ready for another pull. On forced induction cars I bring bags of ice to cool the core since it has no coolant of it's own and would otherwise do nothing but heat soak.

 

[steedman07]

Umm........ that depends. I custom dyno tuned a supercharged roush in 1:15. And I can tune most cars in 0:45 - 1:00. When it's the guy who owns the dyno that's doing the tuning you bet its gonna take longer. When I get paid by the hour I put more work into it.

Mustangs are EASY to tune IF and only if you know what you are doing.

Well, my tuner is a friend of mine and did mine for basically free, and tunes alot of stangs, mostly Subies, Porches things like that...After my s/c install, he tuned for my auto, control plates gears and more..6 pulls on the dyno..3 hours for mine including mounting and dismounting the car on the dyno...Chris SK @ XX Tuning and EFILOGICS is da man...

 

[PSYKOSTEVO]

Well, my tuner is a friend of mine and did mine for basically free, and tunes alot of stangs, mostly Subies, Porches things like that...After my s/c install, he tuned for my auto, control plates gears and more..6 pulls on the dyno..3 hours for mine including mounting and dismounting the car on the dyno...Chris SK @ XX Tuning and EFILOGICS is da man...

Well the transmission takes equally as long as the motor to tune, so I can see why it took 3 hours.

 

[GreyDiesel]

Thanks for the help, I think I am starting to get it.

Can you upload the ballpark tune files you download from the internet with a laptop? I am guessing it is just a USB port or something similiar on the car. Do you need to buy the flash tuner device?

Also, what does it cost for a custom tune on a dyno? Where do you find out about places that will do it?

 

[The Fang]

The tuner plugs in under the dash right above your left knee area. Custom dyno tuning is like 300 bucks.

 

[steedman07]

Well the transmission takes equally as long as the motor to tune, so I can see why it took 3 hours.

Ya, he says its sort of tedious, but it takes time to do it right..I love how my car shifts now, night and day from the canned Vortech tune I used for about 1 month..

Thanks for the help, I think I am starting to get it.

Can you upload the ballpark tune files you download from the internet with a laptop? I am guessing it is just a USB port or something similiar on the car. Do you need to buy the flash tuner device?

Also, what does it cost for a custom tune on a dyno? Where do you find out about places that will do it?

A good pro tune from a reputable guy will run somewhere around $300-$500, depending on how extravagant yuor set-up is..But it really is worth every penny..And most tuners will give u a few extras tunes for later on if you install a mod that requires some tuning..Good luck

 

[PSYKOSTEVO]

Custom tunes in Phoenix range from $125-750 per tune on the Mustang.

The VALUE of those tunes is around $300-400. Anything more than that is out of line, anything less, and I'd ask some questions first.

 

[alf1096]

I am now confused I am goning to eventually put a cai and a sct programmer on. I was just going to put it on the 93 oct tune and leave it. Will I still get good power gains. This is a weekend car for fun no dd and no track....its fun to drive with some hp. Also if you pay for a dyno tune do ou still have to pay for a tuner like sct.

 

[PSYKOSTEVO]

I am now confused I am goning to eventually put a cai and a sct programmer on. I was just going to put it on the 93 oct tune and leave it. Will I still get good power gains. This is a weekend car for fun no dd and no track....its fun to drive with some hp. Also if you pay for a dyno tune do ou still have to pay for a tuner like sct.

If you pay for a dyno tune you still have to buy an SCT if that's what the person uses. They will put theirr tunes on your SCT X Cal.

I was talking about the actual tuning. If you buy an SCT you are not "tuning" you car, you are just flashing a tune to it. The Tuner is the person who wrote the flash for your SCT.

I can write directly to the ECM without needing an SCT scanner, so if you tuned through me in person you wouldn't need to buy that thing. But obviously that limits who I can tune, and where I can do it.

 

[alf1096]

So does the sct x come with preloaded tunes