Hey all!

I have an 85 vette and I'm wondering if anybody knows a good diagnosis/ tuning program for my computer. I would like to be able to hook my laptop up to my car and diagnose/ tune away. Also a program that would not break the bank would be great.

 

For get about connecting your laptop to the Stock ECU in a 85 to do on the fly tuning. You can get some data but the 85 ECU is very very very so when it comes to data transfer. I've been there... tried that. You will need to either up grade to a 165 ECU then you will still need to buy additional equipment in order to link your laptop to tune on the fly. Or you can buy an after market stand alone system. If you are not going to do any major modding I suggest you keep your stock ECU. If you are planning to do major mods then decide which direction to take. There's plenty info here in the forum just do some searching. I purchased an after market stand alone system for my 85 because I got tired of doing mail order tunes.

 

http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~davis/z28/ecm_swap/

then a $60 cable and $30 software gets you tuning

 

Thanks for your input guys. Sadly a tranny problem just came up that I'm going to tackle before I do any tuning/ modding. Gotta love those 4+3's!!!!

 

I suggest finding a real professional who knows his stuff. You can get a big boost with no hardware. Chevy made plenty of mistakes setting up the tables in the PCMs of the LT1s that can be corrected and give you greater hp, torque and mileage. Ranting and pulling your hair out in your garage is not required. Using one-size-fits-all software from catalogs is not the answer. Do the research. It will save you in the long run and you will be much happier. The real secret: Find a good (really good) dyno shop. They will understand how the hp and torque curves relate to the fuel flow, spark advance, intake air temperature, mass air flow, exhaust temperature, exhaust oxygen content, dwell, valve timing, all this at different rpms and different loads, and so much more, as well as have the software, knowledge and (key here) experience to make your car run better. You will not. You probably never will unless you make it you life's work. And you probably don't really want to. You just want more power. So did I. I went out and bought it. My LT1 looks stock. Acts like a ZR1.

If you want you can go a lot further with porting, heads, cams and exhaust headers and on and on and on. That's what makes it all so much fun. Loving it here!

 

It is not "one size fits all" software;
TunerPro for instance is a program capable of tuning/ adjusting all and any of the factory parameters in the tune of almost any pre 'OBDII GM EFI equipped car ;

Not for the 85 being discussed here ; probably not even for the 86 -93 cars either.
Most shops are only interested in and have equipment for flash tunes on LSX engines and similar equipped LT1 cars like your's.
Plug a laptop in ,push a few buttons and the job is done

Few invested in the knowledge back when the cars were current and now even fewer are interested in the ancient EFI technology that requires programming removable chips
Next time you are at your favorite tuner ask if he has the equipment to program the removable eprom from a early GM cars

 

Yep, I figured something like this would pop out. The other LT1 being tuned that day was a 93 with the removable PROM. I drove mine over. That boy brought his on a trailer.

Let me pick you apart for just a moment. My words: "one-size-fits-all software from catalogs is not the answer". Your response: "TunerPro for instance is a program capable of tuning/ adjusting all and any of the factory parameters". I'm confused. What's the difference between "one size fits all" and "all and any". Not much according to my Merriam Webster.

Frankly, I don't care about other early EFI technology. I care about mine. There are folks who do it for a living and know what they are doing. You just have to find them. It's even better when they come with a GM engineer who grew up with the software systems that were being modified. He knew where the strengths and weaknesses could be found.

Results are the important piece missing from your discussion. Being able to do something does not mean the something you do will be the thing that should be done. We did five dyno runs, making adjusments after all but the last. Each subsequent run delivered a higher level of power and torque, making it clear to me it's not "push a few buttons and the job is done". Every time you make a change to a table there is an effect on other, associated systems. Read these words carefully as I believe they are what your solution is missing: Experience in doing the job. You may do it a few times in your life. You might even get it right. If so, congratulations.

Perhaps I just got lucky. If so, good for me. By the way, you don't just visit these guys. You call and make an appointment. It's more like going to a doctor than a mechanic. The facility is like an operating theater specializing in Corvettes.
Just like your Tuner Pro, huh?

 

Frankly I don't care about your LT1 either.
Obviously you are not aware of the changes in ECM technology across the C4 years which makes most of your comments in this thread irrelevant
The car in question here is a '85 that has almost zero aftermarket tuning support ; hence the recommendation to upgrade to the faster , better supported 86 -89 ECM that at least has the support of some online tuners and the availability of self tuning
through TP or similar programs which are well supported through the online forums


One size fits all implies a generic pre set tune like a Hypertech chip that is supposed to work on any combo.
All and any refers to all the various operational parameters in a given program that can be adjust with the correct tuning software
the same sort of software as used by your " expert" tuners

I have done the tuning and my results ( better strip times ) have proved I adjusted the right things.

Each to their own
Some owners like to be a bit more " hands on" with their cars instead of just flashing their credit card; there is a certain satisfaction in doing something yourself ( and succeeding )

 

PM I received

As I already tried explaining , the early cars are completely different to your LT1 as regards tuning and aftermarket tuning support so your comment above about paying for professional
tuning services is completely irrelevant to this particular conversation and a waste of bandwidth
Clear enough ENGLISH for you

 

The wife and I have been in Europe for seven weeks and I missed your last message. The folks who did my tune specialize in C4 ZR1s, LT1s and turbo charging them. They are among the best you can find. The results. speak for themselves. The parameters are set and won't need to be adjusted until I decide to do more to it. 375 HP is enough for me. Take your responses to an English teacher before posting.

 

You sir, are an idiot.

 

My success in life would not support your allegation. I'm the one spending two months traveling around Europe. We will return to our beautiful waterside community, boat and gorgeous 94. A little Prozac might help.

 

Yes. Success and a $6000 car often go hand in hand.

 

I have a 85, started with a TPIS chip after upgrading the heads and cam, went to a 406 and replaced the ecu with a 87 165 ecu (much work but worth the effort) thanks to the guys at http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/tpi/ . Stepped up to an all aftermarket 400 and with the help at the folks at blower works http://www.blowerworks.net/ they got the engine very driveable (with the tune on an ostrich which was part of the MAF package) and it is a real treat to show new vetts and camaros my 28 year old tail-lights

 

Hot dang!

 

You'll need to explain that in English.