Over my head thinking I may have goofed.

[Popinsmoke]

Thanks to any that take the time to read my rant.

I have built many old school street rods and muscle cars I feel very comfortable with the old school tech.

I picked up a 02 Camaro SS for a daily driver and was amazed at the power and economy.

I have not been living in a cave I knew that automobiles had made leaps and bounds in technology but my daily drivers tend to be older then I am and I spent most of my time on two wheels.

So this Camaro is the most advance vehicle I have ever owned I was a little intimidated that half the the engine is under the dash lol.

Being a hot rodder I could not leave the car stock I installed longtubes, ORY, TSP Rumbler exhasut, Ported lS6 heads, And tsp 231/237 Cam.

The install went pretty smooth as once I got the scary rocket ship looking parts out of the way it was just like any other domestic v8 I have worked on I followed step by step instructions and took my time and found that I wasn't that far out of my comfort zone.

I figure what the heck might as well try to tune it as well, I have always been adverse to paying others to wrench on my stuff.
After researching the programs available Hp Tuners seems to be the way to go.

I purchased the HP Tuner Suite, A copy of Greg Banishes book, Read allot of information on different forums and came to the conclusion I my have bitten off more than I can chew.

I read correctly I still need to buy a wideband 02, and the only thing that I have found that supposedly breaks tuning down step by step is a class or the dvd by Greg Banish from summit racing.

So If i understand correctly I will have more than twice invested in software and hardware then it would have cost me to have a pro tune my car.

I have always wrenched on my own stuff, Has anyone else run into this where you just don't seem to be able to put all the information together I don't want to puss out but I fear I am not getting it and I am afraid I will damage my car.

As it is the car is a paperweight.

So anyone else ever thought about selling your suite and just letting a pro handle it, If you decided not to and did it yourself how did you get it to click in you brain.

If your still reading thanks, If you share your thoughts many thanks.

[planethax]

Your best to Read your current tune;
Make a thread Posting all your Mods (injectors/Maf etc etc)

Then someone with experience can help you get it started.

Besure to get and install a Wideband O2S

Its takes time but with the Forums help you will succeed.

[Sherman]

Yes you will need a wideband O2.

I was like you at first. I was thinking what the hell do I change and how much. After months and months of reading, buying books, dvd's, I even attended The Tuning School( don't waste your money) and still had issues.
I see that learning how to tune is like learning a different language. You just have to keep at it until it sinks in.

I can tell you this.
The Mass Air Flow and the Volumetric tables will have to be tuned independently of each other. Meaning disable one to tune the other. Once one table is calibrated, disable it and re enable the table you disabled and calibrate that table.

I suggest that you find a shop that has a reputable tuner and ask to observe a vehicle being tuned.

[domestic rice]

I feel your pain and frustration. I was there a while ago. Same type set up plus a new tranny with a 3600 stall all needed to be tuned at once. Here is the optioins and decisions you need to make. You can pay a local/tuner to either do it or get you set up. Problem is there are very few of them out there that are worth a crap, so do some research good before you go that route. Now you have spent the cash on the program, I would say if you are into the tuning then give it a shot. Best thing you can do sometimes is to take a day or even week off when you get pissed. That will help you not feel overwhelmed and let some of the stuff sink in. There is some good info out there, but ALOT of bad, so sorting through it all is the tough part. I decided to stick it out, with the help of a few people here I got my ride running great/perfect. I like to do the stuff myself but just be warned that there is a crap load to read and learn, and if you dont have the time or energy to do it then dont even start.

[Bill@HPTuners]

We were all there at one time or another. 9 years ago when I started there was no information available, it just just a select amount of guys that had been tuning their own cars, made nice, asked specific questions when need be and just did alot of testing on my own. Eventually after reading & doing things started to sink in. Then gen 4's came out...lol

[Bill@HPTuners]

http://web.archive.org/web/200503300...ers.com/forum/ -1800 members back in 2005(I joined in 2004)

now 21000 members.

The experiences of those 21,000 members really has propelled this forum to what it is today, a collective gathering of information.

[Brians6]

I'm on your level man. It's starting to make sense though just keep reading especially in the forums if you have a specific question about something chances are so did someone else and there's a thread with the answer somewhere.

[Bill@HPTuners]

It literally took me about 3-4 months before it clicked and things really just started to make sense to me, some it takes longer, some less. As a part time hobby its not something you are going to pick up over night, or a weekend. Its like anything new it can and will take a while to catch on, depending how good your teachers are and what curriculum you follow everyone differs really.

[Higgs Boson]

Don't worry, just research and start small.

I am not the best, most awesome tuner on the planet by any stretch but I was able to teach myself using my 01 Z06 with a 408, big cam, all the bolt ons, nitrous, etc and it didn't explode on me. Believe me, I had some serious driveability issues like lean bucking at low RPMs, etc and I learned how to tune it all out, etc.

Yes, I did need a wideband, yes, I did tune it for about 8 months, but yes, I also learned all the tables, etc and now my tuning gear has more than paid for itself about 10 times over with tuning other people's cars and trucks.

You will never know everything about tuning, you will just learn a strong frame work, don't be afraid to ask questions or be wrong, just accept your wrongness and learn if that's the case. Just like photography, which is also something of a money making hobby for me, I learn something new every day. New technology comes out and you need (nay, GET) to learn how to harness it, you learn to see things in new ways, etc.

Never give up.