LS1 Edit w Laptop

[99WS6MAN]

Could someone tell me how this works? I have a laptop but what do I need in order to get it going? Is this something a novice can do or should I just get a programmer?

Thanks in advance ...

Mark

[tblu92]

Hi The laptop is just the tool you use to read and download the tunes with. In order to do all this you need to purchase a software package the gets you into the computer and allows you to read the file and then make changes to the file.The big 3 and the most popular brands are 1. HP-Tuners 2. LS1-Edit
and 3.EFILIVE . I personally have EFILIVE and have the workshop edition whch allows me to do unlimited tunes. For your own use you can purchase any one of the three I mentioned to do one vehicle for about $600. Then if you choose to do another vehicle you can buy an additional license for about $100 each. This type of tuning is far superior to the "handheld" type programmers--- It is like day and night. A handheld unit is limited to about 10 generic tables to tune with --where a full-on programmer has the ability to change aprrx. 450 calibratons.Also most Of these tuners have scanning and logging capabilities that gives you the ability to monitor sensors and data to check before and after what the changes you made have done to your engine----

[jon-donut]

if you had a laptop hooked into a 1998 LS1 Camaro Z28 what callibrations would you do to the engine and how would you do them, is it just simply going into the files and switching numbers around or are we dealing with something more technical?
Thanks-
Jon

[Transam388]

I to be frank would just pay someone to do it. You can really mess your PCM / engine up with these programs if you do not know what you are doing. Most places will also re tune after the initial payment for like 50 to 75. They are good but I just would hate to see you make an incorrect adjustment and have some problems occur. I would also say though do not even bother with the handheld programmers. What you get out of them really IMHO is not worth the cost.

[tblu92]

I think you know the answer to that--It is like the answer above--You really need to know what you are doing or you can go BLEWEY !!!! A hNDHELD PROGRAMMER HAS BUILT IN SAFEGAURDS that only allows you to go so far--but a REAL tuner done on a laptop has the means to lean out a file badly enough to blow it up--You really need to know what to do--typically if you make a change in one area--you'll have to make a compensation in another---a change in one spot can affect a file in anotherI would have it done by a tuner-rather than buy one myself--I would also agree-PASS on the handhelds--they area $400 waste of money-Get a Tune from a tuner---And not a mail-order--someone local--as the car NEEDS to be driven to be done corrrectly

[Doc99SS]

All you need is some common sense about the whole thing. Engine tuning is all about air-fuel-spark. There are many tables, but for most tuning purposes, you will touch only a few tables, and that is all that it involves is altering values in a table, like changing an Excel file. And you do not make huge changes.

Also, you have to be able to do data logging, you must know how the engine is running, whats could (should) be improved before you can tune. I use LS1Edit along with Auto-Tap.