Longtube headers...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Houston & College Station Texas
Longtube headers...
Do you absolutely have to get a dyno tune after the install? Should it throw any codes?
I did a header install on my old Trans but I was in college and didn't care if I ran it into the ground. Thanks.
I did a header install on my old Trans but I was in college and didn't care if I ran it into the ground. Thanks.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 36,838
Likes: 438
From: Manassas Park VA
St. Jude Donor '07-'08,-'13-'14, '16-'17
Just get a bench tune, pretty cheap, than your car will act better 
Remember, you are going to be running leaner...
Peace
Chip
Remember, you are going to be running leaner...
Peace
Chip
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 713
Likes: 2
From: Tennessee
Its not completely neccessary for a tune but you will get every HP out f the headers with it. Take my advice and go ahead and get a couple of more mods to throw in their and knock em all out in one tune.
I thought that you will run fat without a tune?
Remember, you are going to be running leaner...
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: Richmond VA
From my personnal experience, a tune is absolutely not necessary after header install. When I put my car on the rollers after my header install it dynoed 342whp and 350rtq and I said to myself wow great for baseline numbers can't wait till the tuner starts playing with it. On the next pull my tuner advanced timing and I lost 5rwhp because the computer started to retard timing. After playing with it and 7 pulls later we left it on the baseline tune. 0 hp gain with the tune, I was shocked to say the least.
The only thing that I benefited from my tune was: disabled skip shift, got rid of the check engine light, and corrected my short/long term fuel trims which were a little off.
Would I have done a tune knowing that my car adusted the a/f ratio perfectly the way it did, absolutely not !
The only thing that I benefited from my tune was: disabled skip shift, got rid of the check engine light, and corrected my short/long term fuel trims which were a little off.
Would I have done a tune knowing that my car adusted the a/f ratio perfectly the way it did, absolutely not !
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Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 491
Likes: 2
From: Arlington Hts. IL
I've had the headers on for 2 years now and the ecm has not self adjusted.I'll post on friday about the tune. Silnus ,before i'd go with heads and cam I'd put an ls3 in. Just as much trouble and not much more dough.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
From my personnal experience, a tune is absolutely not necessary after header install. When I put my car on the rollers after my header install it dynoed 342whp and 350rtq and I said to myself wow great for baseline numbers can't wait till the tuner starts playing with it. On the next pull my tuner advanced timing and I lost 5rwhp because the computer started to retard timing. After playing with it and 7 pulls later we left it on the baseline tune. 0 hp gain with the tune, I was shocked to say the least.
The only thing that I benefited from my tune was: disabled skip shift, got rid of the check engine light, and corrected my short/long term fuel trims which were a little off.
Would I have done a tune knowing that my car adusted the a/f ratio perfectly the way it did, absolutely not !
The only thing that I benefited from my tune was: disabled skip shift, got rid of the check engine light, and corrected my short/long term fuel trims which were a little off.
Would I have done a tune knowing that my car adusted the a/f ratio perfectly the way it did, absolutely not !
so find a better tuner?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Kerrville, Texas USA Hook 'em Horns!
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
I sold my TPIS long tubes to a friend. He also has a Blackwing intake and Z06 TI catback exhaust. He drove around for a couple of weeks with no issues. He then took it to Henderson Performance Technology in New Braunfels TX and got a tune. He ended up with 352 RWHP. He is very happy with the results of the tune. I sent him a link to this thread and asked him to respond.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 272
Likes: 5
From: Canton Georgia
Had my ARH's on for about six months,no codes, than it started to throw a po420 code about every 50 miles after clearing it. A trip to Vettedoctors and no more codes! They tuned it and I was happy with the results.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,285
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From: Fort St John B.C
I put headers on (hi-flow cats,xpipe,bullets) two years ago and I still havent got a tune yet
Only because theres no one within 20hrs driving.... Yes I get the P0420 code as well.
Only because theres no one within 20hrs driving.... Yes I get the P0420 code as well.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,738
Likes: 10
From: Austin, Texas
I sold my TPIS long tubes to a friend. He also has a Blackwing intake and Z06 TI catback exhaust. He drove around for a couple of weeks with no issues. He then took it to Henderson Performance Technology in New Braunfels TX and got a tune. He ended up with 352 RWHP. He is very happy with the results of the tune. I sent him a link to this thread and asked him to respond.
C5Aggie. When I had the tune done, we saw the RWHP go from somewhere around 320 to 352, while Corey (shameless plug for Henderson Performance in New Braunsfels
) did his thing, over the course of 5 or 6 pulls.So I guess it depends on how a car comes from the factory. You'd like to think that they are all the same, but from reading this Forum for a few years, that is clearly not the case. While it may not be necessary, I would recommend a tune, as there is a very good chance you will see nice gains.
roscoe
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Looking forward to hearing how the numbers came out. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,156
Likes: 2
From: Arlington VA
From my personnal experience, a tune is absolutely not necessary after header install. When I put my car on the rollers after my header install it dynoed 342whp and 350rtq and I said to myself wow great for baseline numbers can't wait till the tuner starts playing with it. On the next pull my tuner advanced timing and I lost 5rwhp because the computer started to retard timing. After playing with it and 7 pulls later we left it on the baseline tune. 0 hp gain with the tune, I was shocked to say the least.
The only thing that I benefited from my tune was: disabled skip shift, got rid of the check engine light, and corrected my short/long term fuel trims which were a little off.
Would I have done a tune knowing that my car adusted the a/f ratio perfectly the way it did, absolutely not !
The only thing that I benefited from my tune was: disabled skip shift, got rid of the check engine light, and corrected my short/long term fuel trims which were a little off.
Would I have done a tune knowing that my car adusted the a/f ratio perfectly the way it did, absolutely not !
Bench tunes work okay but are not prefect either. I had a bench tune done at Carlisle right after my ARH install last year. The tune was done by a very reputable tuner. When I got home I found my car would detonate at WOT. A bench tune is a guess based on your mods and what the tuner has experienced in tuning other cars with similar setups. Iwould say better this than doing nothing at all. Just my $0.02.
Ed has done work on my car as well. He is very good. Best of luck.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 491
Likes: 2
From: Arlington Hts. IL
OK, just got back from Speed Inc. a supporting vender. The car is an 02 Zo6 ,LG lt streets and x pipe the only performace mod. The base line 362hp and 353 ft lbs. after the tune its 369hp 363ft lbs. I wish I had done a stock base line to see what the headers brought to the table. Got stuck in traffic on the way home no check eng light , normally it would have come on. There you go Aggie, now you decide.