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OBDII off-the-shelf programmer vs. custom tuning?


zeitgeist57

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For my 2007 CTS-V, all I have is a Magnaflow cat-back and a K&N Typhoon full CAI kit. Love the car, and was thinking about headers but I'm backing off that idea.

 

A couple of LSx guys said that the factory PCM doesn't know what to do with the additional air from the K&N, and that I need a tune. If I'm not affecting speedo (stock rear gear/tire diameter) or transmission settings (stick shift), is an off-the-shelf programmer the best and cheapest way? Does anyone recommend an off-the-shelf programmer, or is it truly worth it to go to DTM?

 

I got a quote form Brian last year so I know the HPT license and tune/dyno time, but curious if I'm not going nuts with custom parts whether a programmer should be just as good. Thank you!

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Custom tune makes you go vroom, a canned tune might go click, click boom.

 

Spend the money, go to Brian, get it done right to avoid issues.

 

Let me tell you why, because there might be an underlying issue with the car you are not aware of. Car is running fine, no codes, ect but the problem could be there. You toss a canned tune on there without finding that issue that would show during a dyno pull/log and bad things will happen.

 

How do I know this? When I first got my Trans Am I thought about just throwing a mail order tune on the car for my basic mods. Before I did that I took it to Brian for some base pulls during a dyno day, turns out there was an issue.

 

My "stock" car had been "tuned" by someone and the car was deadly lean, no codes, ran fine, but a mail order tune would have blown that bitch up.

 

TL;DR, Spend the money to do something right the first time, rather then doubling up costs later.

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Too easy to get an actual tune, besides the price difference isn't that much. With a custom tune you know exactly where everything is so you know it's safe. Random bullshit that worked on someone elses car may not work on yours and is just a poor idea.
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It's an LS, with the local knowledge and on going support, I would get a tune to the car. As Brian said, off the shelf tune = boom. I have spent more on tuning then many do in bolt ons. With the knowledge of Dyno Brian, and him being local, it's kind of a no brainier.

 

Now go fine me a tuner that knows his head from his ass for my rotary.

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It's and LS, with the local knowledge and on going support, I would get a tune to the car. As Brian said, off the shelf tune = boom. I have spent more on tuning then many do in bolt ons. With the knowledge of Dyno Brian, and him being local, it's kind of a no brainier.

 

Now go fine me a tuner that knows his head from his ass for my rotary.

 

Any Rotaries running AEM Infinity or Pro EFI?

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Just to chuck in my .02 on the subject and something others have touched on, canned tunes are designed as a generic "this works with this this and this" parts. They also typically leave quite a bit on the table as far as performance goes in order to allow for tolerances between different machines.

 

Where as with a custom tuning you have someone constantly monitoring the feedback and data of your specific car. Unfortunately, not all cars we buy have been treated nicely in their previous life so while monitoring for tuning and powwa you may also be able to hunt down issues or injuries you didn't know of before.

 

And hopefully you spot those issues before something goes boom :)

 

Ok, so maybe that was more like .05

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