Amazing, Absolutely Amazing!!
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
Did your old tuner do a dyno tune or did he just guess? I do my own tuning on my car and it starts, idles, runs perfectly and makes as much power as it's gonna make. The difference is that I've had all the time in the world to get it right.
When you do a mail order tune with somebody you're really making "your best guess" based on the information provided to you and your previous experience. You could tell me exactly all of your mods and I could burn you a chip that I promise would run, but would it be optimal? Not by a long shot. The reason being that I simply don't have the amount of previous experience that Alvin does. Every time you tune a car, you learn something new. Alvin's just done a lot more learning than I've had the opportunity to do.
I have nothing but respect for Alvin. Even though his initial guess is MUCH closer to being right than what you had before, I would greatly encourage you to do the data logging he asks for and let him know of any problems / quirks that may come up. The more feedback you give him the better the tune will be. As good as it is now, he can probably make it even better if you keep communicating with him.
Just think, if he can do this by mail, what can he do in person?
When you do a mail order tune with somebody you're really making "your best guess" based on the information provided to you and your previous experience. You could tell me exactly all of your mods and I could burn you a chip that I promise would run, but would it be optimal? Not by a long shot. The reason being that I simply don't have the amount of previous experience that Alvin does. Every time you tune a car, you learn something new. Alvin's just done a lot more learning than I've had the opportunity to do.
I have nothing but respect for Alvin. Even though his initial guess is MUCH closer to being right than what you had before, I would greatly encourage you to do the data logging he asks for and let him know of any problems / quirks that may come up. The more feedback you give him the better the tune will be. As good as it is now, he can probably make it even better if you keep communicating with him.
Just think, if he can do this by mail, what can he do in person?
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 11,992
Likes: 1,331
From: Middletown, DE
Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
That's good to hear, Ive been contemplating doing that myself. Is it worth doing on an internally stock motor with minor mods?
By FAR the most noticeable benefit was when I slapped on the PCMforless chip! Mail order based on my answers to his questionnaire. Best $180 I've spent on the car. And, Alvin said he'd do one free update (I think within 6 months) if I got to a tuning session or made some significant mods. You can't beat that!
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Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 295
Likes: 3
From: Newton NJ
Another Happy customer of Alvin's here He burned a chip for my stock 350 only mod was pink top ford injectors, car runs perfect and passed Nj smog test 
I honestly did not expect the new chip to make such a big differnce in my car, but it was like night and day 
He burned a chip for my stock 350 only mod was pink top ford injectors, car runs perfect and passed Nj smog test I honestly did not expect the new chip to make such a big differnce in my car, but it was like night and day
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,730
Likes: 1
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '05
Guys,
I'm really glad that I'm doing a good job for you.. If any of you guys need anything just let me know.. Remeber everything that leaves here is my best file for your application.. If it happens to be off when you take it to get it dynoed or if you happen to get a datalog just send them over so we can fine tweak them. Thats a case of my chip not being right so I'll fix it and even send it back free.
I really really apprecate the kind words.. they've met all the world to me on a otherwize bad day like this one.
thanks again.
I'm really glad that I'm doing a good job for you.. If any of you guys need anything just let me know.. Remeber everything that leaves here is my best file for your application.. If it happens to be off when you take it to get it dynoed or if you happen to get a datalog just send them over so we can fine tweak them. Thats a case of my chip not being right so I'll fix it and even send it back free.
I really really apprecate the kind words.. they've met all the world to me on a otherwize bad day like this one.
thanks again.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
Without trying to be a pain here, can some-one pl. explain "datalogging"...?
I have an old version of Diacom-plus and only used it for checking pulse widths, air flow rates, O2 trans., open/closed loop status and other basic stuff. Is it able to provide "datalogging" info required for a mail order tune..? If not, what other affordable means are there to effectively "datalog"?
I had a mail order tune (not pcmforless) and am happy with it, except that my car has a "burst" of ping when I nail it at anything over 2500rpm. It is momentary only, as the KS picks it up and brings timing back, so it will safely pull hard, but I'm wondering how much performance I am losing with the timing being retarded by the KS...?
I'm guessing that datalogging will help to pin-point the cause of this ping, and then the chip could be "re-tuned". Sorry, can't come in for a dyno, as I am Australia.
Advice on this would be welcomed..
I have an old version of Diacom-plus and only used it for checking pulse widths, air flow rates, O2 trans., open/closed loop status and other basic stuff. Is it able to provide "datalogging" info required for a mail order tune..? If not, what other affordable means are there to effectively "datalog"?
I had a mail order tune (not pcmforless) and am happy with it, except that my car has a "burst" of ping when I nail it at anything over 2500rpm. It is momentary only, as the KS picks it up and brings timing back, so it will safely pull hard, but I'm wondering how much performance I am losing with the timing being retarded by the KS...?
I'm guessing that datalogging will help to pin-point the cause of this ping, and then the chip could be "re-tuned". Sorry, can't come in for a dyno, as I am Australia.
Advice on this would be welcomed..
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
That's it! I use Diacom Plus and can save over 7,200 frames of data, then I give it a file name, copy it to a floppy and it can be read and analyzed. It takes about 15 minutes for Diacom to go through 7,200 frames of data. So you can certainly get a WOT blast captured.
After it captures the first 7,200 frames and I save it to file, I start Diacom recording again and go through another 7,200 if I want.
You already know all the conditions it monitors - BLM, Integrator, timing, knock count and retard, TPS voltage, 02 activity, RPM, etc., etc.
I believe a PROM tuner can look at the variables, like timing, BLM/Integrator, knock counts and retard, TPS voltage, Commanded Air/Fuel ratio, Idle Air Position, Air Flow Rate, Filtered Load, Coolant Temp, EGR, etc. and recognize what changes need to be made to correct anything that needs tweaking.
Maybe the guys who actually tweak PROMs will post on what they pay particular attention to. I'm pretty sure commanded A/F ratio, ignition Timing and Knock Countsand Timing Retard are among them.
There are several different programs on the market that do pretty much the same thing, log data.
Hope this helps.
Jake
After it captures the first 7,200 frames and I save it to file, I start Diacom recording again and go through another 7,200 if I want.
You already know all the conditions it monitors - BLM, Integrator, timing, knock count and retard, TPS voltage, 02 activity, RPM, etc., etc.
I believe a PROM tuner can look at the variables, like timing, BLM/Integrator, knock counts and retard, TPS voltage, Commanded Air/Fuel ratio, Idle Air Position, Air Flow Rate, Filtered Load, Coolant Temp, EGR, etc. and recognize what changes need to be made to correct anything that needs tweaking.
Maybe the guys who actually tweak PROMs will post on what they pay particular attention to. I'm pretty sure commanded A/F ratio, ignition Timing and Knock Countsand Timing Retard are among them.
There are several different programs on the market that do pretty much the same thing, log data.
Hope this helps.
Jake
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 9,464
Likes: 1
From: Modesto CA
Originally Posted by JrRifleCoach
Alvin will make a believer out of you. If you need proof, I can load the original bin back in my 86 and then you'll see the difference.
:
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 22,209
Likes: 12
From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Originally Posted by steve1ph2
one surprise and one no surprise. hot rod you were right in you pm that our set up and looks are twins. very very strange. did you have to do alot of cutting on the valve covers to make them fit? they look like the same ones i have. another link is i had my eeprom worked on by alvin too. what a trip. look at your pic and my avtar. anyhow yea pcmforless are real honest people and i would recomend them as well. after i got my rom installed and started it up for the first time i could instantly smell the diff as well the fans were coming on at 160 too. my engine was running rich plus i did not like the factory 200 plus temp setting on the fans. alvin and his team solved all that. fixing to have some more eeprom work done since iv added some more mods.
as far as tuning, i will never ever consider another one again; it will only be pcmforless. the quality service and VALUE cannot be beat.
working with alvin by sending datalogs is of course critical to optimizing his base tune. thats what i did as well; a few TTS datamaster logs and subsequently one additonal tweak to the chip by alvin was all that was needed. his base tune was already pretty close. amazing for a mail order tune, but he specializes in this! it runs very well and smooth, has excellent street manners, and idles nice and even.
Last edited by Red Tornado; Jan 12, 2006 at 03:33 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 90
From: Sparks NV
Well this thread did it....just ordered mine from Alvin (are there chipmonks, by the way?) With some of the mods I'm in the process of doing the results should be interesting...plan on datalogging after for that final tweek 
Pro
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 658
Likes: 7
From: Perth Amboy New Jersey
Originally Posted by JAKE
Don't know what else to call it.
After reading so many posts on this Forum from others who had Alvin at Chips@PCMFORLESS re-program their chips, I figured I'd give one a try just to see. So I had Alvin burn a chip for me, even though I've been running a modified PROM for a few years now.
I had been thinking the modified PROM I was running was about as good as it gets and I was good-to-go. MAN WAS I EVER WRONG!
Now, I expected a little improvement over the customized 89 bin, etc., I've been running, but the results from his programming were over the top. I mean, it felt like an entirely different engine under the hood.
Engine starts immediately and idles like a dream. Throttle response is so much more crisp and instantaneous it was hard for me to believe that proper programming could give such positive results.
I just returned from my first "test drive" on the Interstate and all I can say is WOW!!!! The engine pulls so hard and throttle response is so immediate I had to re-learn my accelerator pedal foot pressure just to keep from blasting down the road like 'Speed Racer'.
I don't race my Vette (can't afford to break anything since it's my daily driver) so I don't have any numbers for comparison purposes. But I know how the car use to accelerate when I pulled out to pass, but now it's a whole different ball-game.
Talk about a Happy Camper. Only wish I'd made a move to his programming a LOT sooner.
Well done, Alvin.
Jake
Just another testimonial to be added to all the others.
After reading so many posts on this Forum from others who had Alvin at Chips@PCMFORLESS re-program their chips, I figured I'd give one a try just to see. So I had Alvin burn a chip for me, even though I've been running a modified PROM for a few years now.
I had been thinking the modified PROM I was running was about as good as it gets and I was good-to-go. MAN WAS I EVER WRONG!
Now, I expected a little improvement over the customized 89 bin, etc., I've been running, but the results from his programming were over the top. I mean, it felt like an entirely different engine under the hood.
Engine starts immediately and idles like a dream. Throttle response is so much more crisp and instantaneous it was hard for me to believe that proper programming could give such positive results.
I just returned from my first "test drive" on the Interstate and all I can say is WOW!!!! The engine pulls so hard and throttle response is so immediate I had to re-learn my accelerator pedal foot pressure just to keep from blasting down the road like 'Speed Racer'.
I don't race my Vette (can't afford to break anything since it's my daily driver) so I don't have any numbers for comparison purposes. But I know how the car use to accelerate when I pulled out to pass, but now it's a whole different ball-game.
Talk about a Happy Camper. Only wish I'd made a move to his programming a LOT sooner.
Well done, Alvin.
Jake
Just another testimonial to be added to all the others.
yedi