Hey guys. I tried searching it, but it was tough to choose keywords that would narrow my search but still yield results since I know nothing about tunes.

WTF is a tune and what does it do for me? I have a MTX (well once it gets here) and I've been trying to get savvy on all this stuff, but the ECU is something I know little about. I know a tune reconfigures the ECU, but what does it do for a manual besides adjust your AFR? When does it become necessary to do a tune?

Many thanks!

a tune for a manual also changes spark timing it takes off the governors controls fan activation, it makes the car run better and stronger, it also adjust rev limits, sets up 2 steps for your launches, it helps you gain more power from the mods you already have lets you benifit from using a higher octane gas, don't take the cheap route like i did, mine cost 75 bucks and the guy takes a while, just go to tom his is 125 but, if you buy the programmer from him it comes with it. toms a good guy helps out a lot of people on this forum.

Well it's more about whn I need the tune. I heard his tunes are 450... that's not an amount of money I want to spend more than once on it if I can help it.

The 450 for Tom's includes the XCal tuner, which is the actual device you plug into your OBD2 port to load the new parameters into your ECU.

Tom's tunes are more expensive, BUT he's waaay experienced AND, if you buy from him once, every time you put a new mod on your car, you just have to tell him about it and he'll write you up and new tune and e-mail it to you for free! Then you load it onto your XCal and put it in your ECU to get the most performance out of your new equipment.

The xcal3 is what I sell with my custome tune, It cost 379.00 and 20.00 for shipping and you get free updates as you add more NA mods

Tom

Is there a different charge for FI then?

Yes FI is 450.00 for the ZX3 and 550.00 for the SVT , That is a full custom tune as you send datalogs I send tunes till safe ,

Then if you up the boost of make changes there is no fee to make changes

Tom

550 for SVT with xcal3....how much for just the tune? or to update an existing tune?

Roland07 "The 450 for Tom's includes the XCal tuner, which is the actual device you plug into your OBD2 port to load the new parameters into your ECU."



I am not quite sure about the price, is it $550 TOTAL or is it $929 (550 + 379) for SVT FI and the XCAL?

To tune the ZX3 is 450.00

To tune the SVT is 550.00

This is IF you have a flasher already if not the flasher xcal3 is 379.00

Tom

To answer the original question:

You need a tune when you modify your engine either:
a) Internals (cams, rods/pistons, port/polish)
or
b) add a supercharger or turbo

Tuning is the modification of the car's computer software to deal with the changes you have made. This avoids blowing up expensive parts.

To answer the original question:

You need a tune when you modify your engine either:
a) Internals (cams, rods/pistons, port/polish)
or
b) add a supercharger or turbo

Tuning is the modification of the car's computer software to deal with the changes you have made. This avoids blowing up expensive parts.

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I couldn't let this one slip...

What you said is not entirely true. Anybody can benefit from a tune. While maybe not in the hp area, you can still benefit in the driveability area. Of course you will see more gains with a tune if you have a heavily modded car, but from what I know and have read, the best time to think about a tune is after the intake/ exhaust mods...

^^^ So glad you "couldn't let this one slip"...

The key word in the original question was "need". When do you "need" a tune? Changes to internals like camshafts and compression ratios. Changes such as adding a Super- or turbo-charger, larger injectors, etc.

Can you benefit from a tune without any changes or with only minor mods such as intake and exhaust? That is a whole other question. My $.02 is why waste the money with such minor mods? Tunes aren't cheap, even if they are sent via mail. Tom's tune for the SVT enhanced the drivability of the car. Is it worth it? I don't know... I don't have an SVT. But I did do the intake and exhaust upgrades prior to my supercharger addition. I would not have spent the money on a tune until I added my camshafts. There is not that great a deal of change in the mapping with intake and exhaust to merit a tune.

But your looking at it as a performance gain. I dont do tunes just to make better HP/TQ

I do tunes to enhance driveability, Make the engine run safer, better MPG THEN I try to add HP/TQ

Tom

so, if I install an f2 header, fswerks cai, and fswerks stealth exhaust is a tune worth it?

i have an auto and I drive on the cheapest gas haha

Even on cheap gas the the trans will shift better and stronger , idle will be better , driveability will improve some

93 you will gain some performance

With those mods I would add a wide band also

Tom

were can i find tom

were can i find tom.pm me please

I am Tom (1turbofocus)

email hpdyno@aol.com
IM hpdyno on aol

Tom

were can i find tom

I am Tom (1turbofocus)

email hpdyno@aol.com
IM hpdyno on aol

Tom

lmao, I thought that was funny for some reason. Anyway, I will probably get a tune from you Tom once I get my FSWerks header, and my TB because it is like adding stuff to your pc at home, if you don't install the software for the hardware you add, you won't get the best use out of them.

also other things you will find that with a tune you will get a better power curve out of the motor...i.e more usable TQ and HP over a wider range of RPM's

sorry to resurect a dead horse. I have a zetec and i am starting with the exhaust by replacing headers, cat(if i can find something descent) and the rest of the exhaust. I know this will cause my check engine light to come on would a tune fix this? also i plan on going with a jrsc after this is done should i just wait and do one tune and not have any problems(check engine lights) my car is registered in florida so i dont have to worry about smog test.

Wait until your JRSC install is complete to do the tune.

winter garden i used to live in orlando. actually going back there to do all the work on my car. so then it will take care of all the codes and i will not have check engine lights on for everything.

To answer the original question:

You need a tune when you modify your engine either:
a) Internals (cams, rods/pistons, port/polish)
or
b) add a supercharger or turbo

Tuning is the modification of the car's computer software to deal with the changes you have made. This avoids blowing up expensive parts.

should have a tune for nitrous too, i figured u prob include that in the sc tc category

i have a quick question to add to this. i just installed a f2 header and i was only able to get two of my O2 sensors moved over onto my f2. The O2 sensor for the cat (the third one) is the one that i am missing. Will i need to replace this sensor before i can get a tune?

i just got a tune the other night and found out my front 02 is goin bad also but the tune o beleive should be intact

Just the CAI and catback (with both cats ion place) were enough to trip the CEL on my '05 - The MAF transfer function was way off with the K&N intake, so a tune was needed. YMMV, etc...

Tom,
Question, I got the kn fipk intake, borla exhaust and 67 mm cfm throtlle body. I am debating on the header but I was wondering about what would be the gains on hp be without the header. I have a automatic also.

Thanks

Dint know what the gains would be but it will help and with a ATX you need all the help you can add , you will need a tune

Tom

Tom, if I got a tune from you, and then installed nitrous later, would I have to buy another tune? Or Would it be cheaper then $125?

I charge 250 for a NA/Nitrous tune if you get them at the same time , I charge 150 for a NA tune and 150 to add Nitrous later so you save a little by doing the both at once

Tom

Hey tom i have a svt 04 everything normal other then a cai and msd exhst and a msd coil . No turbo ! I need a price

Tom, you need your own thread for tuning if you dont have one. I suggest you to at least 10 people a day, lol.

For anyone interested in what a tune can do, i can tell you all about the tune I got from FS and I can tell you all about the tune that Tom did for me at FF08.
If your on the fence about a tune, read my tag line about 50 times

Hey tom i have a svt 04 everything normal other then a cai and msd exhst and a msd coil . No turbo ! I need a price

Based on what he posted above it looks like 379.00 for the Xcal 3 flasher plus pre-loaded tune+ 20 for shipping. But if it's anywhere around there it is absolutely worth it man, number one mod for an SVT. Really transforms the car. Private message him or e-mail (listed above) and I'm sure you'll get a prompt reply.

im thinkin of goin with a header + toms' tune at the same time, along with the switch to 93 octane.

Hopefully i will notice any improvement