MrMagic

Friends and countrymen, lend me your ear!

I have completed a 96 Corvette LT1 swap into my 81 corvette and would like to get it dyno tuned. I'm in Southern California (Lancaster, Ca). Can anyone recommend a good dyno shop that has good experience with LT1s? I realize I may have to drive a little for the best. Thanks in advance.

jaa1992

One of the Calif LT1 guys should be here soon.
You may want to ask at the Guru as well

MrMagic

Thanks for the expeditious reply jaa1992. I'm new here so i'm not sure what you mean. One of the Calif LT1 guys will be where soon? And what and where is the Guru? Thanks again

C4orce2

I'm in Scottsdale, AZ, so I'm not familar with any shops in your area. I can tell you though that I'd make sure whatever shop you use has a loaded dyno like Dyno Dynamics. I just installed a LS3 Hot Cam crate engine in my 92 and had it tuned in Scottsdale by a company that has that dyno. It allows them to tune the car on the dyno just like it was being driven down the raod. Great results, must better that trying to tune it on a DynoJet. Good luck.

MrMagic

Thanks for the info C4orce2. I have read in several places that if you take your car to someone who doesn't know what they are doing, they can cause serious damage. Therefore, its important that I go to someone who has experience with this engine and tuning it. Hopefully I will hear from someone closer than Scottsdale. If not, road-trip!

screamin_conure

Oooooh, one of my favorite year Corvettes with one of my favorite Corvette engines!! Now we're talkin'!!

Since I live in the Midwest, I can't offer any suggestions on a dyno shop, but you HAVE to post the results here when you get it done!

Some pics of the completed car would be nice too.

C4orce2

MrMagic, I was not suggesting you come all the way to Scottsdale for your tune. My only suggestion was that when you are deciding which local shop to use, make sure they have tuned that engine and computer before and, if at all possible, be sure they use a loaded dyno to do the tune. The loaded dyno that my tuner used was a Dyno Dynamics dyno and he used the HP Tuner program. Often the type of computer on the car will determine whether the HP Tuner program or the EFI Live program should be used. My LS3 hot cam uses a GM E67 computer and the HP Tuner program worked much better than the EFI Live program. You will be amazed how much hp and tq a good tune will give you.

A95Y

I don't think either of those programs work on an LT1 PCM.

MrMagic

Screamin Conure- I have pics of the car and the engine swap in my photo album and will definitely post results. I also wrote a blog on my lessons learned for this endeavor. If you ever need something to read on a Sunday afternoon, PM me your email address and I will send it to ya! Beware, its about 80 pages long.

C40rce - I realized you were not advocating Scottsdale. My comment was stressing how far I would drive to get a good tuner. I'm quite confident there are some good dyno tuners in Southern California. They just haven't read my post yet.

And although I am a novice in this arena of dyno and software, I think CKP is correct; the program's you cited will not work on Lt1 PCMs.

Thru internet searches, some guy in San Diego highly recommends a guy in Pasadena; Jorge at Express Auto. Still waiting to get a few more references.

Thanks for all the comments and I will keep you guys posted on my results

C4orce2

MrMagic: I'm sure you and CKP are correct about the tuner programs. When my 92 had its LT1 I never got it tuned. This is my 5th vette but the only one I have ever had tuned. Wish I had tuned my 03 Z06, might have kept it then.

cv67

Charlie at RPM motors in Santa Clarita has done some LT1 tuning, hear hes pretty good. Dont know of anyone else around here that does

MrMagic

Santa Clarita? Now you're talkin; that's real close! I will check them out also. Just so you all know, I have received the following recommendations if you ever need dyno:

http://www.excelsiormotorsports.com/ (San Diego)

Express Auto - (Pasadena)

and now RPM Motors (Santa Clarita)

If I had the time and inclination, I would go to Wong's Performance Engineering. He is being hailed as the true Guru on Corvette Dyno's (All Models). But he is up in Vancouver Washington. I've been communicating with him thru email and he has provided good advice. Again, I will keep you guys posted on my findings.