My ignorance
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 10,742
Likes: 211
From: Marana, Arizona
There is also the difference in just tuning a car while not running and tuning a car while on a dyno. You can do both but running the car on a dyno will get you more precise information than just tuning the car while it's off. You can't measure realtime air flows, knock, exhaust readings and such without actually running the car and seeing how it responds. When serious mods are made to a car such as internal engine mods, superchargers, turbos, dyno tuning becomes absolutely neccesary. When you start pushing an engine to it's limits with aftermarket parts dyno tuning is very critical. For just small mods a basic general tune can be made to give a slight increase in performance while still allowing the engine to operate in a safe range.
In general the tune that the factory installs is very conservative to keep the engine safe for longevities sake. This doesn't mean that with a little bit of tweaking you can get some extra HP, and also some extra MPG, because the factory tune is ususally fuel rich. By thinning out the fuel mixture you will get a more ideal combustion event which equates to a more efficient operating engine. To thin and bad things can happen such as premature detonation. Gas essentially acts as a coolant. To much and it chokes the engine and wastes fuel, to little and the combustion chamber gets too hot and can burn pistons and valves.
Sorry for the long winded response.
In general the tune that the factory installs is very conservative to keep the engine safe for longevities sake. This doesn't mean that with a little bit of tweaking you can get some extra HP, and also some extra MPG, because the factory tune is ususally fuel rich. By thinning out the fuel mixture you will get a more ideal combustion event which equates to a more efficient operating engine. To thin and bad things can happen such as premature detonation. Gas essentially acts as a coolant. To much and it chokes the engine and wastes fuel, to little and the combustion chamber gets too hot and can burn pistons and valves.
Sorry for the long winded response.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Amherst NY
All this tuning stuff is new to me.Could a dyno tune on stock c5 auto with 2.73 gears,change my transmission performace match what my car with a 3.15 would be like ?Would there be any disadvantages to doing this such as any damage to trans etc.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 27,567
Likes: 99
From: San Diego
My first vette had those 2.73's. Hated them.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 580
Likes: 0
From: Fort Lauderdale Florida
A tune for your A4 would allow you to change your shift points and shift firmness. I don't believe it would be able to do what a gear change to 3.15s would.
