tune or not to tune?
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
tune or not to tune?
I recently installed long tube headers,free flow cats, and a x pipe to my 2000 6 speed. The car already had B&B PRT mufflers. I am very pleased with the results, but was wondering If I should have it tuned? I am also considering A mild cam. Is the cam worth the effort and the money, with out other modifications?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 7,215
Likes: 1
From: Orlando FL
Tuning is the only way to get the max out of the headers. Be careful there are a lot of shady 'tuners'. Make sure you talk to previous customers. A quality tuner will gladly give you references. Adding a cam will get some good rear wheel horse. Be careful you dont go to big or you could effect drivability. Good Luck
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I have an 02 Z06. I installed Stainless Works Headers, 3" exhaust system with X pipe, high flow CATS, 168 deg thermostat, vararam, hand ported TB, and Throttle Body coolant bypass. The car had better grunt but my stock 31 MPG Z06 now had at best 23 MPG highway!
Loved the HP increase but the fuel economey SUCKED! So I had the car tuned. The stock tune was whacked. I had knock, Long Term Fuel trims were all out of whack. (thats mainly caused by the vararam) Had the car tuned by a local tuner. He got WOT tune nailed and improved my economey by 2 MPG. $500 bucks and I still have tuning work that needs to be done.
Had Violator adjust my tune at Bowling Green Cruise in and got 26 MPG.
Purchased EFI LIVE and now Im doing my own tweeks. Back to 31 MPG
!
So,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yes a tune is worthwhile!!!! Just make sure that your done installing all the stuff that you need to install that will effect a tune.
Things that will need to be adjusted in your tune are : Fan turn on temps, timing, LTFT (long term fuel trims) MAF calibrations and a few other tables.
Soooooooooooo, long story short, its always a good idea to tune after MODS. Just make SURE that you get a COMPEHENSIVE tune and not just a WOT tune! Make sure that you get your LFT's adjusted!
BC
BC
Loved the HP increase but the fuel economey SUCKED! So I had the car tuned. The stock tune was whacked. I had knock, Long Term Fuel trims were all out of whack. (thats mainly caused by the vararam) Had the car tuned by a local tuner. He got WOT tune nailed and improved my economey by 2 MPG.
$500 bucks and I still have tuning work that needs to be done. Had Violator adjust my tune at Bowling Green Cruise in and got 26 MPG.
Purchased EFI LIVE and now Im doing my own tweeks. Back to 31 MPG
!So,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yes a tune is worthwhile!!!! Just make sure that your done installing all the stuff that you need to install that will effect a tune.
Things that will need to be adjusted in your tune are : Fan turn on temps, timing, LTFT (long term fuel trims) MAF calibrations and a few other tables.
Soooooooooooo, long story short, its always a good idea to tune after MODS. Just make SURE that you get a COMPEHENSIVE tune and not just a WOT tune! Make sure that you get your LFT's adjusted!
BC
BC
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
So,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yes a tune is worthwhile!!!! Just make sure that your done installing all the stuff that you need to install that will effect a tune.
Things that will need to be adjusted in your tune are : Fan turn on temps, timing, LTFT (long term fuel trims) MAF calibrations and a few other tables.
I would wait until you install or have your Cam installed, just my .02 but your money! 
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A tune will help you get the most HP out of the mods you've already done, but depending on how long it will be before you switch cams, you might want to wait until that is done and then just have it all tuned at once.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,448
Likes: 4
From: Sarasota Florida
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by JDs00PewterCoupe
A tune will help you get the most HP out of the mods you've already done, but depending on how long it will be before you switch cams, you might want to wait until that is done and then just have it all tuned at once.
And yes, a cam is well worth doing, big or small. The factory cams are tiny compared to what we talk about here on the Forum. A baby cam is a 220 or 224. A factory LS6 cam is a 204.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
So,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yes a tune is worthwhile!!!! Just make sure that your done installing all the stuff that you need to install that will effect a tune.
Things that will need to be adjusted in your tune are : Fan turn on temps, timing, LTFT (long term fuel trims) MAF calibrations and a few other tables.
Soooooooooooo, long story short, its always a good idea to tune after MODS. Just make SURE that you get a COMPEHENSIVE tune and not just a WOT tune! Make sure that you get your LFT's adjusted!
BC
BC
Things that will need to be adjusted in your tune are : Fan turn on temps, timing, LTFT (long term fuel trims) MAF calibrations and a few other tables.
Soooooooooooo, long story short, its always a good idea to tune after MODS. Just make SURE that you get a COMPEHENSIVE tune and not just a WOT tune! Make sure that you get your LFT's adjusted!
BC
BC
Tuning is the second best mod you can do for your car. The best mod is driver training 
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 776
Likes: 0
From: Mount Juliet Tennessee
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
I have an 02 Z06. I installed Stainless Works Headers, 3" exhaust system with X pipe, high flow CATS, 168 deg thermostat, vararam, hand ported TB, and Throttle Body coolant bypass. The car had better grunt but my stock 31 MPG Z06 now had at best 23 MPG highway!
Loved the HP increase but the fuel economey SUCKED! So I had the car tuned. The stock tune was whacked. I had knock, Long Term Fuel trims were all out of whack. (thats mainly caused by the vararam) Had the car tuned by a local tuner. He got WOT tune nailed and improved my economey by 2 MPG. $500 bucks and I still have tuning work that needs to be done.
Had Violator adjust my tune at Bowling Green Cruise in and got 26 MPG.
Purchased EFI LIVE and now Im doing my own tweeks. Back to 31 MPG !
So,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yes a tune is worthwhile!!!! Just make sure that your done installing all the stuff that you need to install that will effect a tune.
Things that will need to be adjusted in your tune are : Fan turn on temps, timing, LTFT (long term fuel trims) MAF calibrations and a few other tables.
Soooooooooooo, long story short, its always a good idea to tune after MODS. Just make SURE that you get a COMPEHENSIVE tune and not just a WOT tune! Make sure that you get your LFT's adjusted!
BC
BC
Loved the HP increase but the fuel economey SUCKED! So I had the car tuned. The stock tune was whacked. I had knock, Long Term Fuel trims were all out of whack. (thats mainly caused by the vararam) Had the car tuned by a local tuner. He got WOT tune nailed and improved my economey by 2 MPG.
$500 bucks and I still have tuning work that needs to be done. Had Violator adjust my tune at Bowling Green Cruise in and got 26 MPG.
Purchased EFI LIVE and now Im doing my own tweeks. Back to 31 MPG
!So,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yes a tune is worthwhile!!!! Just make sure that your done installing all the stuff that you need to install that will effect a tune.
Things that will need to be adjusted in your tune are : Fan turn on temps, timing, LTFT (long term fuel trims) MAF calibrations and a few other tables.
Soooooooooooo, long story short, its always a good idea to tune after MODS. Just make SURE that you get a COMPEHENSIVE tune and not just a WOT tune! Make sure that you get your LFT's adjusted!
BC
BC
Thats what I want to do I just dont know the first thing about tunning my car. Ive got a much bigger setup though it is still NA. I would think my tech would have a notion though he does not tune vehicles just because of not having a dyno or software is all. I dont wany to pay a tuner 500 bucks every time I add something. I thought about installing a bigger cam on the car anyway. Its not too bad to change your mind till you have to pay the tuner.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I purchased EFI Live out of frustration!! How many times do you need to drop $150, $350 or $500 before you take things in your own hands. I know NOTHING about tuning. I have found people that have helped me set my software up and start to make changes. EFI Live comes with a EXCELLENT tutorial and there are plenty of friends that have tuning software that can explain stuff. The key is to NOT make massive changes and DON'T change anything that you don't understand what it does. My car runs SOOOOOOOOOO much better and I have only just started.
I have also invested in a wide band (Innovate LC-1) and that is another key tuning tool!
I tweak my tune (play) a lot. Its like a big toy!
EFI Live is coming out with some really cool tuning software. If your going to purchase software, wait till that comes out. Here is a post that COW wrote and it explains what its all about. HP Tuners is also a powerful tuning set up!
BC
I have also invested in a wide band (Innovate LC-1) and that is another key tuning tool!
I tweak my tune (play) a lot. Its like a big toy!
EFI Live is coming out with some really cool tuning software. If your going to purchase software, wait till that comes out. Here is a post that COW wrote and it explains what its all about. HP Tuners is also a powerful tuning set up!
BC
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 776
Likes: 0
From: Mount Juliet Tennessee
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
I purchased EFI Live out of frustration!! How many times do you need to drop $150, $350 or $500 before you take things in your own hands. I know NOTHING about tuning. I have found people that have helped me set my software up and start to make changes. EFI Live comes with a EXCELLENT tutorial and there are plenty of friends that have tuning software that can explain stuff. The key is to NOT make massive changes and DON'T change anything that you don't understand what it does. My car runs SOOOOOOOOOO much better and I have only just started.
I have also invested in a wide band (Innovate LC-1) and that is another key tuning tool!
I tweak my tune (play) a lot. Its like a big toy!
EFI Live is coming out with some really cool tuning software. If your going to purchase software, wait till that comes out. Here is a post that COW wrote and it explains what its all about. HP Tuners is also a powerful tuning set up!
BC
I have also invested in a wide band (Innovate LC-1) and that is another key tuning tool!
I tweak my tune (play) a lot. Its like a big toy!
EFI Live is coming out with some really cool tuning software. If your going to purchase software, wait till that comes out. Here is a post that COW wrote and it explains what its all about. HP Tuners is also a powerful tuning set up!
BC
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
