Mods without tuning
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 102
From: Buffalo Grove IL
St. Jude Donor '11
Mods without tuning
How far can I go mod wise without a tune? I have an AFE CAI and an X pipe. Could I do an SC port? Anything else I can do for performance?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 21,590
Likes: 1,615
From: GREER SC
Z06
You really need a tune for what you have already done. That said I would probably do either headers and or a pulley. If pulley don't go crazy with it. With the size blower these cars come with over-driving them adds to the heat soak issues. And now you will need a tune for sure. One of the best things I've done for my car is going to E-85, but that's going to need supporting mods. You can search and finds tons of info on the forum about all of these things. Good luck.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 768
Likes: 101
From: Miami FL
Finalist 2020 C7 of the Year -- Unmodified
I would agree with him aswell. My 2019 has AFE intake, borla x pipe with awe exhaust and was dyno tuned. I ended up gaining about 30hp and 40tq with those mods tuned on 93 in 97 degree Florida weather. A tune is a must on these cars even with simple mods.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 478
From: Maryland, USA
i have lid, ported tb, cold air, xpipe, axleback seems to do well. I believe even stock z's gain decent hp and tq with a tune. soon new mid/connections pipes and I plan to run without tune till i figure something out.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 928
From: near philly
A guy stating he did those mods and gained "x" power does not mean you need a tune. What it means is that a factory tune is slightly conservative, period.
Going and dyno tuning it simply means somebody who may or may not be qualified is taking parameters and simply making them more aggressive and taking out "safety factor" on the factory tune.
Does this mean more power, absolutely. Anybody can tune a bone stock vehicle of any kind and bump up power, it simply reduces longevity and reliability to some degree.
CAI and X pipe do not in any way reduce the ability of the factory setup to monitor intake mass air flow and calculate needed fuel to be safe, not even close. That's the whole job of the ECU.
If cars were that pathetically sensitive and had no ability to adjust for varying conditions there wouldn't be a car on the road.
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 546
Likes: 112
I had all of these mods plus mid-length headers with high flow cats. It was on the stock tune for months and never had issues. I would have had it tuned with these except I waited until I added an 18% crank pulley.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 21,590
Likes: 1,615
From: GREER SC
Z06
Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 546
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