I have avoided the custom tuning my 383 combo for many years. If I cannot do something properly, I usually avoid it totally.
I plan to aquire the equiptment I need to do so, and begin the process this fall.
My question is:
What equiptment will I will need?
Best place to buy it?

Any guidence would be appreciated.
The search feature is not working well.

 

You sound like me.

The equipment is not expensive. I would get a PCMFORLESS tune for a starting point and tweak it from there.

You will need to be able to datascan.

Craig Moates is the Go To Guy.


Eddie

http://www.moates.net/

 

Also check over the scan and tune sticky FAQ.

 

I got my chip burner (burn1, http://www.moates.net/index.php?cPath=51 )from Craig Moates, http://www.moates.net/ . Alvin at pcmforless directed me to AKM cables for the cable. I use tunercat to change the tune, and TTS datamaster to log data onto my laptop.
If you can go wideband for data, that makes a huge difference.

 

Pete , I'm sure if you can get head around the internals of a trans you will come to grips with tuning fine.

Get the Moates Ostrich; real time tuning on the fly for $175
When you are finally happy with the tune (propably never , always something to tweak) you can then get the tune burnt to a memcal.

 

Back in my computer hacking days I used a burner from "Needham's Electronics". I can't find a link to the actual manufacturer that works, but there are dozens of them for distributors of their products. Check Ebay also.

They had PC based as well as standalone units, and probably a lot more now. Check them out.

 

You need to talk to Paul (aka SloRvette)

He's a member of my club, I've know him for years, he's the one that's going to do my engine tuning.

He recently did MTVette's car.

 

You still need to be educated on what your changing and all the different peramaters in the program. How do we find that info out? I bet its like open heart surgury or tearing into the guts of a tranny. Somethings should be done by specialist.

 

I agree. But If I thought that way before I rolled my first trans across the garage floor as I disassembled it, I would have never figured that out as well as I have.
My life experiences have been that paying a "pro" is absolutely no guarantee you shall get a good job. Most of what I know, is due to losing thousands of dollars per year by handing over my hard earned money for shoddy results.
Right or wrong, I am 100 percent confident in my abilty to learn it, and do it (eventually) as good as any pro.
Time will tell.

 

I will not , however, attemp my own surgery or dental work

 

Well if you like to tinker around and learn, I say do it. The only way to see which paramaters are making a difference would be to make the adjustments at the track or while your on the dyno. I have a friend lives close by and is a member of CF. He had a crossfire and now he has a 92 ZR1. All OBD1 cars that require a chip. He rigged up both these cars, is able to plug a Ostridge to the ECM then into his labtop. When we go to the track, there he is making changes to the tables in his program all the time. It seems it gets obsessive. Then again its our hooby. The good thing about this Ostridge is there no burning of the chip. If you want details let me know. Im sure he will sure his knowledge with you.

 

Girl!

Like the others have said, Moates is the place to get the gear. Thirdgen.org is the place to learn some stuff.

 

Plenty of stickys and answers over there.
If you understand the mechanics of tuning a carb then you are a good way there.Change #'s in a laptop instead of jets
Just have a lot more control across the range v jet / advance changes on a carb setup..

 

aside from tgo, dfi efi is also good, Pete I don't think tuning is as "mysterious" as many in the past have made it appear. Like anythiing else, get the gear, read the TGO prom tuning section, start w/one idea (ve or maf tables perhaps) and make one change at a time (not multiple), see the results, take your time etc. As you keep working with it you add info and experience, and things/changes become more evident in the cause and effect. If I can help in any way feel free to call. Mick

 

Thanks Mick,
You and Joe were the first two I thought of when I started thinking about this. Although I am slightly intimidated, I am confident I will figure it out eventually. We are pretty lucky these days to have each other as resourses, not to mention the info gathered and posted on websites.
Right now, my concern is banking a few bucks, and making a list of what I need and don't need regarding equiptment.
Time do do my homework.

 

I get it, I remember being very nervous at the beggining. The only consolation was knowing I could reverse any change I had made. I couldn't agree more, w/out those resources tuning would still be a "black art". Aside from Joe, lots of good reading over there, traxion, grumpy, rrob, grim reaper provided a lot of early on insight into tunning. I have no doubt you will do just fine.

 

I was just reviewing Moates.net. Lots of good stuff over there.
I have no clue what it is, but it all looks neat!

 

lol, yeah lots of great stuf over there. You will be iprobably be interested in an APU-1 or the "ostrich". I can't even begin to tell you how nuch time craig "donated" to my tuninig efforts........real nice guy!

 

Will $1,000 be enough to get me going? Wide band, equiptment, and software? Not counting the laptop.

 

Should be more than enough. I have seen the the lm-1 going for around 299. (or less) these days (as opposed to 350-450. when I bought mine).
Since you will be using software w/emulator, the rpm and both software from the lm-1 and tuning can be running/recorded simultaneously (rpm will be available from the tuning software). If you want to run the LM-1 meter separately, you would need either the rpm adapter (from innovative) or just get the newest lm-2 that has rpm in the software/hardware so you can understand at what rpm the afr needs tweaking).

I have used the LM-1 in closed loop tuning only to know exactly what's happening, but have gotten to the point where for the most part only use it for wot/pe.

I haven't used the ostrich because it wasn't available at the time when I purchased gear. Joe does and tells me it works great, it is a bit cheaper than the apu-1 package @350. (price includes everything you need). I am not sure if the ostrich is a "package" (or if there is one availabe w/everything like the apu-1, need to check that). Either way you will want the gp-1 w/zif socket adapter for the ecm (55., but I believe comes w/the apu-1 package), which makes installing chips and or ribbon cables much easier, and saves those fragile ends.

Tuner pro rt (comes w/above package) and will record unlimited data time, but there is a software glitch when used on the 90-91 (got it work but has intermentant crashes), so I also purchased TTS Datamaster when not emulating and only want to record/log.

The only other consideration off the top of my head, is I am not sure if any of the software works w/vista. (sorry, haven't looked at much of he stuff lately).
(man sorry for the typo's in my earlier post...my girl's laptop has very small print... and no reading glasses on either)