Any benefit from tuning?

**JRB 9966** · 06-06-2007, 04:20 PM

My '99 TA WS6 is nearly stock.

I am running a Whisper lid with K&N high flow and an SLP Loudmouth.

Would I see any benefit from a tuning?

Thanks,
John

**Y2KPewterSS** · 06-09-2007, 09:39 AM

Sure, but you would see more of a benefit if you had more mods. Personally, I wouldn't get a tune until you get some headers at least.

**kebie05** · 06-14-2007, 08:25 AM

what kind of tuning you talking bout?

**Killer_bluebird** · 06-14-2007, 08:37 AM

Yes but not enough to warrant the cost. Stock tunes are not that great so you can always benefit but until you get headers, LS6 intake, Ported TB and exhaust it would not be worth the cost of getting it tuned or buying a handheld programer.

**Firebirdjones** · 06-14-2007, 01:24 PM

I disagree, mine is a proven example of a novice (me) tuning it. A tune can be very benificial on a nearly stock LS1. Especially on the auto equipped versions.

Mine is an 02 SS vert with auto that ran a best of 13.78 at 102 mph when it was stock.

My first mod was to purchase HPtuner,,,although I hate computers and didn't know a damn thing about tuning with one,,,but I have self tought myself and asked many questions on their website. People here have helped as well. Just by simply moving shift points around, shift points, torque management, adjusting the A/F ratio that was way off base showing fuel trims in the +8 and +10 range,(stock tune sucked),,,is all I have done so far,,,and believe me when I say it's not perfect, but decent......

Now the car runs 13.40's at 104 mph and I haven't lifted a wrench,,,,to me this is well worth the small investment,,,,and when more mods come in the future,,,I can continue to tune the car and improve it.
I didn't like the idea of having a professional tuner do it,,,,they generally lock the computer so it can no longer be accessed by anyone but them,,,so any changes in the future that needs to be done, has to be done by the original tuner, providing they are still around. That was enough to push me into buying my own and learning. Not to mention you can diagnose your own problems and pull codes etc....it's well worth it....do it and don't look back. I would pass on the handhelds. Cheers. Larry.

**Killer_bluebird** · 06-14-2007, 02:41 PM

You prove my point. $500+ for 3 tenths and 2mph in the quarter mile is not worth it in my opinion.

I did say that any car will benefit from tuning it is a matter of cost vs benefits.

I also have HP tuners and have been tuning my car myself. Is it worth it for me? Heck yeah. But my car is far from stock.

So to reiterate. Get a few mods under your belt then either tune it yourself or get it tuned by someone else.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 06-14-2007, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Killer_bluebird

You prove my point. $500+ for 3 tenths and 2mph in the quarter mile is not worth it in my opinion.

I did say that any car will benefit from tuning it is a matter of cost vs benefits.

I also have HP tuners and have been tuning my car myself. Is it worth it for me? Heck yeah. But my car is far from stock.

So to reiterate. Get a few mods under your belt then either tune it yourself or get it tuned by someone else.

Which is also what I said in my first post

**Firebirdjones** · 06-16-2007, 09:19 AM

The cost really isn't the issue. The price doesn't change just because you have a few mods. You may as well invest in it now,,,why wait.

I would say 3 tenths and 2 mph are well worth the $500 investment, especially when you consider I barely did anything to the car at all,,,there is still more in it. Not to mention other benifits you get other than just speed, there are many many other perameters to adjust that have nothing to do with ET's but have everything to do with drivability. To me this is a no brainer and to sit here and have to explain it is just mind boggling to me.

You WILL benefit from a tune whether stock or not. To complain about a measly $500 for tuning equipment on a car that cost $30,000 when new just makes me chuckle. You can barely do anything to these new age cars nowadays without spending at least a couple hundred bucks, you wanna play you gotta pay,,,,get over it.

**Fran D** · 06-17-2007, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

The cost really isn't the issue. The price doesn't change just because you have a few mods. You may as well invest in it now,,,why wait.

I would say 3 tenths and 2 mph are well worth the $500 investment, especially when you consider I barely did anything to the car at all,,,there is still more in it. Not to mention other benifits you get other than just speed, there are many many other perameters to adjust that have nothing to do with ET's but have everything to do with drivability. To me this is a no brainer and to sit here and have to explain it is just mind boggling to me.

You WILL benefit from a tune whether stock or not. To complain about a measly $500 for tuning equipment on a car that cost $30,000 when new just makes me chuckle. You can barely do anything to these new age cars nowadays without spending at least a couple hundred bucks, you wanna play you gotta pay,,,,get over it.

I would agree with this, especially if one is intending to mod in the future. Get some familiarity and learning under your belt now before you start making too many changes and find yourself in a real mess. As an opportunity to learn the control systems, what the car will and will not respond to, the initial cost of a tuning package is a bargain (although, admittedly, I didn't pay $500 for my software...since I'm such a cheap SOB!

). Don't forget the sheer entertainment value of being able to play with the tune. That's been non-stop fun that's paid for itself many times over!

My suggestion would be that if you want to have fun and learn what makes these things tick (there is no mystery, it all comes down to air, fuel and spark), then take the plunge.