Tuning Help
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 345
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From: Lake City AR
Tuning Help
I'm kind of stuck in a delima and really wanted to see what you recommend that I do. The tune that is in my 02 I love the car runs great. It was done by a friend of mine with a program called C.A.T.S. "JET Dynamic Spectrum Tuner" now the problem I have run into is I added a nitrous kit and want to spray it from time to time but I know the timing that is in the tune is advanced I belive to around 29 degrees. I would like to have a tune that I can safely run with the nitrous but I also want a tune I can run N/A without it running like a Cavalier because the timing is so retarded. Currently the car "3.15 gear" has Vararam, Ebay headers & X pipe and Corsa mufflers and with the current tune the car has went a best 12.37 in the 1/4. I have considered buying HP Tuners and letting someone modify my tune that I'm currently running to work with the spray, then using the tune that is it for my N/A and even possibly having a daily driver tune. All the racing that is basically done with it anymore is "organized" street racing also so I know a track tune is not gonna preform the same way on the street. I'm open for ideals and would appreciate any help or ideals. Getting really tired of talking to tuners and have them say O yea I can fix that bring me the car and $500. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,586
Likes: 2
From: Bardstown Kentucky
I'm kind of stuck in a delima and really wanted to see what you recommend that I do. The tune that is in my 02 I love the car runs great. It was done by a friend of mine with a program called C.A.T.S. "JET Dynamic Spectrum Tuner" now the problem I have run into is I added a nitrous kit and want to spray it from time to time but I know the timing that is in the tune is advanced I belive to around 29 degrees. I would like to have a tune that I can safely run with the nitrous but I also want a tune I can run N/A without it running like a Cavalier because the timing is so retarded. Currently the car "3.15 gear" has Vararam, Ebay headers & X pipe and Corsa mufflers and with the current tune the car has went a best 12.37 in the 1/4. I have considered buying HP Tuners and letting someone modify my tune that I'm currently running to work with the spray, then using the tune that is it for my N/A and even possibly having a daily driver tune. All the racing that is basically done with it anymore is "organized" street racing also so I know a track tune is not gonna preform the same way on the street. I'm open for ideals and would appreciate any help or ideals. Getting really tired of talking to tuners and have them say O yea I can fix that bring me the car and $500.
-- sorry had to.Seriously though, depending on the shot you are looking at running... If you are talking like a 75 shot I would pull 3-4 degrees out and go a bit colder on the plugs and run it all the time like that. If you are looking into over 100 shot I would have HPtuners and 2 tunes to put on the car. I had a 95 and they take forever to flash a tune to so I just pulled a few degrees out and drove it all the time like that. Of course it wasnt "as fast" as it could be N/A but when the spray came on it was safe. Hope that helps!
Advanced
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 67
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From: Farmington MI
Bring me the car and $500 and I will fix that no problem. -- sorry had to.
Seriously though, depending on the shot you are looking at running... If you are talking like a 75 shot I would pull 3-4 degrees out and go a bit colder on the plugs and run it all the time like that. If you are looking into over 100 shot I would have HPtuners and 2 tunes to put on the car. I had a 95 and they take forever to flash a tune to so I just pulled a few degrees out and drove it all the time like that. Of course it wasnt "as fast" as it could be N/A but when the spray came on it was safe. Hope that helps!
-- sorry had to.Seriously though, depending on the shot you are looking at running... If you are talking like a 75 shot I would pull 3-4 degrees out and go a bit colder on the plugs and run it all the time like that. If you are looking into over 100 shot I would have HPtuners and 2 tunes to put on the car. I had a 95 and they take forever to flash a tune to so I just pulled a few degrees out and drove it all the time like that. Of course it wasnt "as fast" as it could be N/A but when the spray came on it was safe. Hope that helps!
http://www.fullthrottlespeed.com/ite...NE~eq~~Tp~.htm
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 328
From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
Another way that some guys remove timing easily is to get a IAT timing tricker device--one that is adjustable would be best--at the lowest setting it locks the incomong air temp at 57* (which you will never be running in under most circumstances)--then you do have to flash the ECM just once and change the IAT table across the entire 2 rows from
50 & 60* with a -3* or whatever you want to take out---When finished racing with NOS just put the timing tricker back to normal---So in short you are using the IAT table to take timing out without messing with a full flash everytime
50 & 60* with a -3* or whatever you want to take out---When finished racing with NOS just put the timing tricker back to normal---So in short you are using the IAT table to take timing out without messing with a full flash everytime
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 345
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From: Lake City AR
I'm using a 150 shot. I talked to a tuner today that finally asked me questions instead of making me asking all the questions. He recommended doing a stand alone fuel system and a few other things to run the safest system possible with having 1 tune in it. Then I mentioned buying HP Tuners and doing a couple different tunes and he said thats the best ideal and even offered to help get me some tunes setup an saved for me to change between and told me with that I would beable to play around with it and learn my own stuff and he would help me out along the way! So I think that is the route I'm gonna go.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,241
Likes: 21
From: Knoxville Tennessee
There is a "Timing Tuner" that you can buy to go along with your setup. It looks just like a MAF Translator. In fact, I believe the same company makes both. When activated, it will retard timing by altering the crank position sensor signal before it gets to the PCM. That way, you only need to run 1 tune.
http://www.fullthrottlespeed.com/ite...NE~eq~~Tp~.htm
http://www.fullthrottlespeed.com/ite...NE~eq~~Tp~.htm
Something for your think about.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,586
Likes: 2
From: Bardstown Kentucky
Do it once and do it right. You dont need a standalone, either pull some timing and put up with it being a turd on the street, or buy tuning software and have 2 tunes. Its a simple solution, $500 in software will save you $5000 in an engine rebuild.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Burton TX
You can run 2 two tunes on your car off your stock pcm and switch between your nitrous tune and n/a tune with a simple toggle switch. You can switch between the two even with the car running. The only catch is you have to have EFI Live or have someone with EFI Live tune your car. Its called custume operating system #5 (COS#5) I run this on my own personal car and have set it up in many other cars. It works really well and allows you to pull timing, add fuel and change several other things all with the flip of a switch. Beer on here is also running it. Its something to look into, you can have best of both worlds.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,586
Likes: 2
From: Bardstown Kentucky
You know if you had HPtuners you could actually do it using the scanner. Just use the tools and minus timing. Pull 3 degrees out across the board and run it. Then just click the minus button to deactivate it. In another post you are talking about purchasing the software, I say do it, you wont regret the purchase.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 345
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From: Lake City AR
Well I just know I don't want to end up with a car that runs like it has a nitrous cam in it and I know that what is gonna happen if I allow someone to tune it to 21 degrees of timing. Yea it will be safe but the N/A tune is gonna be so doggy I will hate it. What would be great is if there was a handheld tuner that would allow you to save custom tunes to change between. Why ain't anyone made that yet! I do like the ideal fo the Timing Tuner Box but for a few $'s more I can get HP Tuners and do so much more.
Last edited by RIP1976; May 31, 2007 at 03:05 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 328
From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
You can run 2 two tunes on your car off your stock pcm and switch between your nitrous tune and n/a tune with a simple toggle switch. You can switch between the two even with the car running. The only catch is you have to have EFI Live or have someone with EFI Live tune your car. Its called custume operating system #5 (COS#5) I run this on my own personal car and have set it up in many other cars. It works really well and allows you to pull timing, add fuel and change several other things all with the flip of a switch. Beer on here is also running it. Its something to look into, you can have best of both worlds.
Are you sold on HP ?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 345
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From: Lake City AR
Right now I'm not sold on anything. I did talk to Jim @ SWTuning this morning though and I'm about 99.9% sure after thinking about it last night and then talking to him this morning I'm probably gonna get rid of the tune I have right now and start from scratch with a new dyno tune. The tune I have now is great imo but its the only tune I have had and its just an adjusted here and there thing. The guy that did it made the car perform alot better but he is not a Tuner " all though he has alot of automotive training he doesn't do this for a job this is a side thing for him an my car was the first he tuned". So my thoughts were as of 20 minutes ago when I hung up with Jim was to buy HP Tuners then take Jim my car and laptop and let him build me 2 custom tunes an be done with it. This way I still will have the HP Tuners for later on down the road to make future adjustments with or maybe even for a newer car. Who knows! The reason I'm leaning towards HP Tuners is cause all the major tuners seem to use it and it seems to be the weapon of choice everyone brings to the fight and I know a few guys that run it on their F bodys and I could always get help from them if neeeded
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,356
Likes: 1
From: Chesapeake Va
For a 150 shot just pull 3 degrees total from the RPM point of activation to the top. You will probably never know (feel) the difference. The HP difference may only be 3-5 hp.
That and 1 step colder on the plugs and you'll be fine. Switching between tunes is cool and all, but not needed for something like this. You dont need to take a bunch of timing out of it, just enough.
That and 1 step colder on the plugs and you'll be fine. Switching between tunes is cool and all, but not needed for something like this. You dont need to take a bunch of timing out of it, just enough.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,086
Likes: 0
From: Meeker OK
timing retard
Can't you run an MSD timing box that activates when the nos solenoid switches to ground. When you not squeezing it, it switches off. Just call MSD. They will help you with this. Shouldn't be any big deal.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,258
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From: Home Southern Maine
St. Jude Donor '08
You can run 2 two tunes on your car off your stock pcm and switch between your nitrous tune and n/a tune with a simple toggle switch. You can switch between the two even with the car running. The only catch is you have to have EFI Live or have someone with EFI Live tune your car. Its called custume operating system #5 (COS#5) I run this on my own personal car and have set it up in many other cars. It works really well and allows you to pull timing, add fuel and change several other things all with the flip of a switch. Beer on here is also running it. Its something to look into, you can have best of both worlds.
Here is a EFI Live screen on the timing tables
Here's a pic of the switch NA/CUSTOM
Fuel Pump issues, thwarted my efforts to run it through the ringer on the dyno last month...
