cam tuning questions for beginners

[CD1982]

ok so im giving a lot of thought in getting hp tuners not sure on pro or non pro..
but I have a 2000 z28 a4 3 to 3200 stall and long tubes no tune at all.

I noticed during drive times it kinda bogs some times an im guessing because no tune

I also have a cam that is not installed right now and it will be soon

so im asking when I get the cam installed I was wondering if I could get the help here with tuning it ?

ive got a buddy that is saying it just isn't that easy and to go a different route..
one of them using a pat g mail order tune then uploading but I don't have hp tuners..
my buddy says we can use his hp tuners but I need to buy credits.. but I just don't see the point in that

sorry if this is in the wrong section wasn't sure really where to post

now I am good with computers and software I catch on quick to things like that

[mowton]

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.........

Go for the Pro version because you will have to secure a wideband O2 sensor for WOT tuning and without then Pro version you have to finagle an input into the EGR or AC pins of the PCM. Updating the non-Pro to Pro is $289 and you receive no additional licenses.

If you believe this will be your first and only car to tune and you can keep your friend for the duration, then the $100 license is the way to go. Looking at the opening of my post again, you can use the cable that you procure on any additional cars you may own or even help a friend if required.

There is a plethora of tuning guides, tutorials and threads that can help you through the learning process. As your first project is bolt-on only, it is a good starting project and then you can migrate to the cam.

I had the same thoughts some 8 years ago, made a decision and have never looked back. It has grown from a hobby to a passion to a job......

Good Luck and let us know what you decide.

Ed M

[LOWnEASY]

There are 100's of threads to help with tuning, type in "cam tuning" on Google and you will see. Also look at the stickies at the top of this page. Lots of info there
If you run into any problems then there is more than enuff' help here to get you sorted out.
As for getting hptuners, I would say go for it. Its a one time buy and there for any mods down the road.
I'm new my self, but hope this helps make up your mind.
Edit: ^he beat me to it, and was a more detailed. I'll be there one of these days

[CD1982]

well I was looking at sdparts in lubbock texas an I can get the pro with a wideband kit for less than 800$ shipped to me.
I wouldn't mind trying this and looking into something new I plan on owning a vette someday I also own 03 z71.
I could use hp if I got on it also.. I just don't want to make a mistake buying it an not like it..

my thing is if I gave the dude the 100$ no telling when ill be able to use it is the thing as he isn't using it..

[5FDP]

You can download a demo version of the software and test the waters.

Though you can't do any real tuning, you can watch the scanner and fiddle with the vcm editor and view all the tables and try to help understand how the whole things works. Only bummer about the demo is that there is only so little that you can do on it, having it in your lap with your own cars it alot different in a way.

[CD1982]

yeah it always tells me no interface connected...

another question I have if I don't go pro I know I cant hook up the wideband straight to the interface..
but the buddy that has hp tuners does not have the pro version but does have wideband guage and he just pays attention to it...
is that not a proper way to do things? or would it work

[mowton]

That will make tuning near impossible....close but not as accurate as you would like. As i said, without the Pro version, you can hook up through the EGR or AC input into the PCM. Google this, will find a nice write up on this approach.

[5FDP]

Even without the interface you can still view the files and what not.


Not having the pro version doesnt mean you can't log the wideband, you would just make it work a different way. Most of us will use either the EGR or AC pins/wiring to then get a signal into the computer, from there you'd make a custom pid to log the data and have it show up as wideband in the scanner.

Just eye balling the wideband isnt very accurate, sure you can do it for small things but if you want to log hard data and really tune the vehicle, you must log the wideband to do proper changes. If you really want to cam this car or even tune it correctly the way it is now, logging a wideband is key.

[CD1982]

the non pro fits my budget better im putting it on a CC.. and it would be like a month after I got the kit before I can get a wideband. until then im sure I could do small things
then finding out how to hook it up without the pro version using google might be my best option..

a lot of it seems very interesting and if its something I could get really really good at I could tune for some of the local guys here.. to help them out

[mowton]

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-s...hp-tuners.html

http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showth...ce-using-EGR-O)

[Red01Z]

Just a bit of a warning... you shouldn't expect that your questions will be answered to your satisfaction the same day, or maybe even the same week. Often times replies are merely asking for more information. As others have said, there are plenty of threads or web pages for you to read. Many of which have helpful information and many of which have out-dated and inaccurate information (the HPT tune repo has many examples of outdated tuning methodologies). Tuning your car will be an endurance race, not a sprint. Fortunately, you are starting with a relatively minor build. My advice to you if you learn to tune yourself, is to be patient and really spend quite a bit of time reading the information in the help files. The people here will point you in the right direction, but they won't tune your car from start to finish.

Good luck to ya!

[MikeOD]

http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showth...ht=part%20deux

[CD1982]

yall are giving great advice thanks I look forward to more from yall.. as I soon will be making some type of decision

[CD1982]

well my cam is installed I have not driven the car except home from the shop. with the car being an auto it does not like to idle at all and its running rich of corse..

so I have not yet decided on getting hp tuners if I do it will be the non pro version and then later getting a wideband..
ive been reading a few posts and stuff on tuning and sure looks like a lot to information to gather..
I know someone local who has hp tuners but he is very busy and never has time.
pat g a great tuner said he can mail order tune for 300$ but I would need hp tuners to upload.. he would basicly send me the tune back in an email an leave instructions on how to upload...

right now im kind of inbetween a rock an hard place trying to figure out if I should get this product and try an learn an get help tuning the car my self or buy it an have pat g do the tune an upload it .

but if he tunes it im not sure where I could learn from on an already tuned car

[rpturbo]

Learning to tune, is a big process. I have HPT pro, and have for awhile. I have read, and read, and read some more, and I am still a bit leery. Even if you buy HPT and have a wideband, and have Pat G tune it, he will have you log it, and make changes, and have you log it again, and make changes, and so on and so on. The nice part about that, is you have a real world experience you can use to learn from. The biggest thing I have found that you need to understand about HPT, is how to use the scanner, and how to interpret and use histograms to change your tune. There seems to be a real lack of how to do that from everything I have seen. I have the GB DVD, and it shows some, but there is just so much to it. At this point, I think I can do a basic tune, but my confidence factor is still pretty low.

[CD1982]

well I bought hp tuners pro so it should be here Thursday... I will prob get a wideband next payday I also got a book as well..

so I understand its not good to plug the laptop into a charger because you can fry the hp tuner device?
so do some of yall just go an pull your file and bring the laptop in an make changes or what?

[5FDP]

Right, you can't have your laptop hooked up to a charger while using it with the MVPI connected to the vehicle. You can bring your charger in the car with you, but just unplug that before you want to scan or write a file.

I just walk out to my truck with a fully charged laptop and either write the file or to go do runs with it and then I go back to my room and watch it and make changes from there. Then go back outside and flash the new file if I changed anything. I pretty much just "bench" tune everything, easier to me unless it's something small and I will pull over and change something and write it there on the spot.

[CD1982]

well I got this book here
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/193...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and I got hp tuner pro.. they should be here Thursday or so and I will start reading.

[charchri4]

I'm about half way through reading that book ^^ and so far it is really good. I was tempted to skim over the first few chapters because it seemed basic but I'm glad I read it word for word because it puts tips and why you need to know what he is telling on every page. I'm starting to think this is something that actually is rocket science!

My tuner should be here tomorrow but I did not go pro....

[CD1982]

well my tuner will not be in until Monday but I got my book today so im going to be reading though it here and there..