Need opinions on tuning options
 

Hey guys :) So my car has been runny kinda funky lately and I think the AFR's are way out of line, so getting a tune within the next week or two. Narrowed it down to two options, I hope some of the more experienced members here can help me out! I know next to nothing about tuning lol

Current bolt ons:
-Unorthodox lightweight crank pulley
-AEM CAI
-ART test pipes
-T1R catback


Going for an Uprev tune with dyno sessions; so far my two choices are :

1) Intecracing @ seattle. $650 for a 2 hour dyno session, and the standard package (license, cipher cable, software)

2) Monkeynutz racing. $550 for a 1 hour dyno session and a license, nothing else.


My main concerns are if a 1 hour dyno session is enough to get a proper tune? And with option 2, I don't get a cable or software for it, only a license and a tune. They said I would be able to load maps onto my car if I just find a cipher cable elsewhere. Is there an actual uprev module, or is it just the cipher cable? Is it also possible to buy that cable/software separately?


Thanks in advance :)

Sub'd for the results. No one in Van to do this?

really dumb question here; why not jump on the GB, let us send you a cable and software, and get a custom calibration for your car, along with lifetime free updates?

A bunch of people I know have done option 1. It took longer than 2 hours but they weren't charged more. Up rev dyno tune is the best tuning I find.

For an extra hundred bucks I'd get the cable.

dyno tuning alone IS not the best tuning you can get, sorry to disagree. But dyno only, even on a GOOD load cell type dyno works only on the open loop side, and leaves the closed loop, where you spend the majority of you time, and transition alone.

You need a complete drive cycle calibration, then, if you are a diehard, and wish to spend the money, dyno time to touch up the high end open loop cycle

If done this way, you will end up with a much finer, more drivable calibration.

However if all your looking for is hp numbers, strap it to a dynojet, clean up the open loop fuel, and go

Dyno tuning consists of more than just WOT tuning. A good tuner will smooth out the entire low and mid b range power as well. If done correctly a Dyno can simulate Street driving at low mid and full throttle and smooth everything out and then make big pet at the end.

Option 1 seems like the better deal, but I always look at experience not price when it comes to tuning. Bad tuning, especially VVEL which can cause a catastrophic failure if pushed too far in one direction, can cause major issues short term and long term on your Z.

Also when you have a loaded dyno you can simulate driving down the road. I dont understand why you say you can only tune open loop fuel tables on the dyno?

Thanks,
Alex Goodwin
AlexG@motionlabtuning.com

Between those two, I'd definitely go for option one. At the very least you could sell the cable, but 2 hours is definitely a huge plus vs just 1 hr.

simply because you cannot simulate a true drive cycle unless you have a programmable rolling road type dyno.

:drama:

I was just thinking about this now that a vendor has come up with VVEL tuning (and I heard rumor that Uprev has it in the works, too). Seems to me that messing with VVEL has the potential for 'issues'. You'd better have a damned good tuner if you want to start messing with it.

This.

You can't simulate a true drive cycle without a rolling road in a wind tunnel. Period.

(Professional, big budget) Race teams do exactly this. The rest of us road/track tune.

We do it to every Z on our dyno, really helps fatten up the power band :tup:.

Thanks,
Alex Goodwin
AlexG@motionlabtuning.com

VVEL, or VVT? Just want to clarify this

VVEL using UpRev.

Thanks,
Alex Goodwin
AlexG@motionlabtuning.com

My second post in this thread seems to puny and insignificant now.
I think you guys even scared the OP away.

^Hahahahah. Sorry just didn't check the thread because I had class xD

Thanks for all the replies! Hoping for more, because I'm getting mixed reviews atm. All the local guys are vouching for Monkeynutz racing, but I think with them being in Vancouver they don't have as big of a customer base as Intec racing does down in Seattle.

One really important question though; is one hour of dyno tuning enough?

I don't know how good the guys at Monkeynutz are at tuning, but seems like Intec racing have gotten very good reviews. Of course, another factor that makes me kind of lean towards Monkeynutz other than the good local reviews is that it's 2 minutes from my house where as Intec racing is 2.5 hours from my house hahah. Not that I would really mind the extra drive if it really did make a noticeable difference, afterall it is all up to the tuner right?

Another thing I was wondering is if I really did need the cipher cable? Still haven't figured out how useful it is yet, I have an obd2 reader hooked up to my ipad to check codes, afr's and all of that (though I'm sure the cipher cable and uprev software would be able to read much much more information). After the initial tune and maps loaded onto my car I'm not sure if I would need to load new maps on it in the future, without going to another dyno session where in that case I would be able to get them to load it on for me.

Not too sure about etunes atm, in my head I'm thinking that it takes a few runs in person to read all the things and tweak them as necessary, rinse and repeat? Where as etuning imo would take quite a while due to communication time and times to adjust/remap the thing? Then again this is an opinion coming from a complete noob at tuning, please correct me if needed :)