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Thread: We need a tune or a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT 3.8L OUTLAW CYBER STOCK race car

  1. #1
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    We need a tune or a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT 3.8L OUTLAW CYBER STOCK race car

    My 16 year old daughter races a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT 3.8 liter at a Nascar Sanctioned oval track in Michigan. The track is a 3/8ths mile oval and we only use 2nd gear. My buddy races in the same class as my daughter and has an HP tuner. He is willing to let us buy credits to tune our car with it. What transmission tunes should I do to this car?? Engine tunes? Misc tunes?? The car is bone stock minus the GM "drive by wire" garbage that has been removed. (creates throttle lag). Please help us with ANY AND ALL suggestions. My daughter is a beast behind the wheel, and I'm ready to start watching her kick some a$$


    Thank you for any and all suggestions

  2. #2
    Tuning Addict 5FDP's Avatar
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    How did you even get it to run without the DBW throttle?

    Honestly not much can be done, but you can still do a few things. Adjusting performance enrichment settings to allow the power to come in sooner, running 91+ octane will help reduce knock and allow for more timing in some cases.

    A shift kit and huge trans cooler is something I'd recommend for sure, these 4T65E's will heat up really fast and die quickly with really high trans temps.
    2016 Silverado CCSB 5.3/6L80e, not as slow but still heavy.

    If you don't post your tune and logs when you have questions you aren't helping yourself.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by 5FDP View Post
    How did you even get it to run without the DBW throttle?

    Honestly not much can be done, but you can still do a few things. Adjusting performance enrichment settings to allow the power to come in sooner, running 91+ octane will help reduce knock and allow for more timing in some cases.

    A shift kit and huge trans cooler is something I'd recommend for sure, these 4T65E's will heat up really fast and die quickly with really high trans temps.
    aftermarket parts for dbw replacement... DBW has a 3/10ths of a second lag in throttle response... doesnt seem like much.... until you're on a race track. We already run 93 octane with a TINY mixture of 110 in there to boost octane to about 95-96 or so... This car is three years old and the guy who raced it before us won 2 championships and 15 races in two years... without a tune. Now, the rules for this class has opened up and we need to mod to keep pace. I'm looking for torque management possibilities... we would like to get rid of the abuse mode gm puts in the trannys. A shift kit does zero considering WE DON'T SHIFT. She runs in second gear on the track. Obviously, air/fuel mixtures... things like that are what we are looking for. Honestly... I've been involved in motorsports for thirty five years, but... I'm old school. I am BRAND NEW at tuning electronics. Is there such a thing as a "sports tune" or "race tune"?

    -good call on the trans cooler... we already run one

  4. #4
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    With access to an HPTuner, you can completely disable torque management and do other things to help increase power. If you're not sure exaclty what to change, you can buy a "mailorder" tune for the car (swap out the ECM) - it's at least a good starting point and you could make changes from there as needed.

    Check out www.getoverkilled.ca - he's been performance-tuning these cars for many years - one of his tunes may be very helpful. Although, not sure how your removal of the DBW would affect things... I'm sure that the guy that does these tunes (Will) would be glad to customize the tune as needed though. Check out the site and some of the descriptions of what he tunes.

    Althought, I must say, I would HIGHLY recommend that you get your own HPTuner device. Otherwise, you will have to constantly try to borrow one to make any changes - not very practical.

  5. #5
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    Thank you... just emailed him. The guy that we race with is sponsored by HP tuners and lives about 7 minutes away... access to a tuner is no problem.

  6. #6
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    Cool - Grand Prixs are one of his specialties, so you are in very good hands. Please do report back what happens - always interested to hear the experience of others!

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    Last edited by manhuman; 10-12-2016 at 12:47 PM.

  8. #8
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    Just lower the throttle % that it happens at. I think stock is 60% on a N/A after like 1600rpm, you could lower it to 45-50% throttle. Change the 0-1400 rpm to match, so it all the same.

    Under TM, on the engine side. Set the max torque VS RPM to 380 to match your rpm vs gear. You'l never make more than 380 ft lbs of torque but you will make more than 208 like it's set to from the factory.

    Yes you can view trans temp in HP Tuners, just add it to the table display. Thats all I did on my 2000 GTP config.

    And I forget what cooler is the most popular to run nowadays, I'm on the forum all the time but I don't own that car anymore so I don't really know what they all use.
    2016 Silverado CCSB 5.3/6L80e, not as slow but still heavy.

    If you don't post your tune and logs when you have questions you aren't helping yourself.

  9. #9
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    Last edited by manhuman; 10-12-2016 at 12:45 PM.