Before I order VCM Suite Standard I thought I would ask if that was a good idea? I'm in the computer field so I can find my way around electronics and software pretty well but I currently know almost nothing about tuning cars. I have a stock 05 C6 Z51 (99% stock...only added a K&N and Magnaflow cat backs). I am planning long tubes and 4.10's, and a 160 stat in the immediate future. Rather than get a (seemingly) limited tuner like the Diablo I'd rather have something more flexible. Being able to run it on my laptop as a scanner seems nice also.

Can anyone tell me how steep the learning curve is to at least be able to adjust the cooling fans and load a decent tune to start. I see they have a customer login side with tunes available...I assume there are standard tunes available you would use given the mods I want to do?

 

Go to hptuners webforum after you get it and you will receive TONS of help and go through some walkthroughs and such for tuning basics.

You will get it...it just takes a little time.

 

you are right about a hand tuner diablo is that, just depends on how involved you want to get.

I have looked at other packages and am leaning toward HP tuner as well

 

There are a few concepts to wrap your head around. This is more modelling and controlling a physical system than something like conventional data processing, and a lot of the design seems to have originated more from the "hard" engineering side than the software engineers.

Most of the systems it controls have a baseline mode of operation which provide fail-safes in the event of computer failure, so sometimes its helpful to think of it more as modifying an operation rather than controlling it.

Most of the calculations are based on table data or interpolations of that data, as modified by heuristics and feedback systems. Often the heuristics are simply the selection of which table to use; for example there are timing tables for low and high octane gas, the ECM decides which table to use based on knock experience.

The tables are what's manipulated by the HP Tuners software.

Some tables are used to describe the physical characteristics of the hardware, for example there is a table that describes the inertial characteristics of the fuel injectors in terms of flow. You generally wouldn't want to change these!

Generally the goal of tuning is to try to get the predictive data as close as possible to reality, that is to say to minimize the feedback term. For example, feedback from the O2 sensors is accumulated as short and long term fuel offsets, you want to get the fuel tables such that these values are near zero.

Something like adjusting the fans is quite easy. Adjusting for things like headers that may affect the physical characteristics depending on RPM and/or load require much more careful data collection. The quickest way to do this is with a "wideband" O2 sensor and a dynomometer, but all of the data can be derived from the existing sensors with some patience.

One thing to keep in mind is that although the engine operates closed-loop most of the time it goes to predictive mode under rapidly-changing conditions such as WOT or in failure modes.

 

Begin by making very small changes and perform lots of datalogging. You will learn as many others have before you.

May I suggest getting a baseline tune from a Professional tuner using HP Tuners to get you going in the right direction? Maybe a mail order tune (be sure the tuner does not lock it). You may find it very helpful, as you will have a decent performance tune to start with and that you only need to slightly tweak. That relieves you of the bulk of the performance tuning duties while allowing you to get your feet wet with some light tuning tweaks. You'll gain the experience and confidence to make your larger changes later with the safety net of a professional base tune helping you in the beginning.

 

I bought HP Tuners and I'm not sure I'd recommend it. EFILive exposes more parameters for tuning. It costs a little more, but the things I want to change can't be done right now in HPT.

 

Give Chuck at CoW a call and come up to get your tune done, dont try this at home

 

It's actually pretty quick and easy to tune yourself. It's commonplace for others to speak without any knowledge of what's involved.

The learning curve is steep. Figure 2 weeks of reading and rereading just to figure out what's going on. Past that, it becomes really easy and is very rewarding...and addictive!

BTW, don't buy the Standard. Buy the Pro version because you can't tune with any accuracy off NB O2 sensors. You'll upgrade anyways and it's a lot more expensive to upgrade from Standard than to just buy Pro (they know you will and make the price difference significant. Figure $325 just to upgrade).

enjoy! it's addictive

 

Thank you for the information...its exacly what I needed.

Buffy, your write up just did a better job of explaining what I've been reading about (and trying to get my head around) for a week.

I'm now a little confused as to whether to go with EFILive or HP Tuners so I'll keep reading but my choice so far is HP Pro but that is only because I have read more about it.

I think I'll either try a shop in the area, that is assuming I can find one I trust, or just read for a couple weeks and go very slow. Can't be much worse than learning a new programming language or a new OS but I could certainly be wrong!

Thanks again for the info. Any input on EFILive would be great too.

 

This is what I did, and road tuned and dyno tuned from there. It us reasonably easy to learn and there is a lot of help on thw hp tuners forum. I find tuning to be a lot of fun and the datalogger is invaluable at the track, telling you tons of parameters and hiw you did launching and shifting.

Don't make the mistake I did, get the enhanced version from the start. You will want it. Don't forget you can tune 4 cars with it as it comes so you can split the cost with some friends.

 

I tuned my 2005 Corvette with HP Tuners after I installed my twin turbos and larger injectors. I had no previous experience tuning a fuel injected car, but a good amount of mechanical experience, and knowledge of tuning a carburetor and distributor, and I'm a programmer by profession, and I used to be an electronics tech at one time.

First, I recommend that you buy the Pro Version of the software and get a wideband O2 sensor that you can plug into HP Tuners. I have a PLX SM-AFR. You really need the wide-band sensor to know what your true air fuel ratio is under wide open throttle conditions.

To start, I read lots of posts on the HP Tuners web site, and posted a few questions. Then once the software arrived, I took the advice from other posters, and stored my factory tune, and used it as a starting point, then I setup my injector fuel settings well enough to get my car to run (larger injectors don't run with the stock tune).

Once running, I ran several data logs, and tuned the VE tables so the car ran well under cruise and idle conditions, then I tuned fueling and timing at Wide Open Throttle. It took me about three weeks of just reading the forum, testing the car, and playing with the tune to get a good tune. Also, in my case, I had to put a new map sensor in the car, and I used the 2bar tune that comes with HPTuners. The 2bar tune is for turbocargers or superchargers.

I am very happy with the results and I learned a lot. I would do it again. I just might do it again, in fact, on my next new Vette. I can tune the turbos to run 500rwhp or 600rwhp, its my choice since I know how its done now. I've been keeping it at a little over 500rwhp, its kinder to the motor, and I can't afford a rebuild yet

You're lucky you have a 2005. Its easier to tune because the VE tables are still there from the LS1 days. Also, the stuff you mentioned in your post that you want to change are way easier than the challenges I faced. You should have no trouble, just avoid spark knock.

Since you have a 2005, you don't need EFI Live, the extra parms are mostly for the 6-speed auto trans and for the cars that don't have VE tables like ours.

 

PM "SUBFLOOR" (Christopher Martin) he's also in the computer field, and tuned his own car via HPTuners and some help. He'd probably give you the best answer that I know of.

 

I was in your shoes about a year ago and wrote a crash course here based on what I learned. I am pretty comfortable with it now.

The basics of tuning.

 

One of the best things there is about HPtuners is that if you get stuck and need help you can always log the car with a scan and email it to someone like me who can interpret it and help you with the tune which can also be e-mailed back and forth. If you swapped cams I could do a tune from my chair here and email it to you. It in the end is a learned art but the basics are way better than the predator. In the predator's defense it is nice to have a hand held unit that isnt so big and clumsy as a laptop for daily use and scanning to see if a heavily modded car is running right. You can spot bad fuel and basic parameters of the engine without haveing a ton of wires all over the place. It can record a scan and play back later at home. I wouldnt mind having one.

Get it and learn. We can all help that curve.

 

Why is the DIABLO "limited"??I can adjust fans,slope and all that and do logs an email the logs back and forth to another person for help??What am I not getting with it that I would get w/HP?

 

Thank you guys again for all of the information. The wealth of knowledge and experience on this forum and the fact that so many people take time from their busy days to help out is amazing!

 

Does HPTuners have any special sales or forum discounts for the pro version?

I've been planning on getting the pro version too but have been waiting around to see if I can catch it on sale.

 

You reap what you sow - I've learned so much here I feel it my duty to put something back when I have a little information!

For the prior poster ^^^ best discount on HP Tuners is to split it with 4 buddies like I did. That way you've got 3 other people learning things too, and you can have 'tuning parties' in your garage.

 

Just to chime in here and add another yes vote for the HPTuner. It's a very nice tuning suite. Another feature of th ePro version is the ability to log data without your laptop in the car and then down load the data later. Nice and convenient. I had a proprietary tuner for a Grand Prix and had some luck with it but when I decided I was getting a Vette, I bought an HPTuner because it can do both cars.

I think it is pretty easy to adjust some basic things early on, then as you want to know more and get into more detailed tuning you can do that with the HPTuner. And like others have said their site is very informative and helpful. Good luck and happy tuning!

 

A great read. Excellent. Thanks for the link. I learned something today.