Tuning 101 - Thread Merged with Injector Posts

DZL JIM

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Update:
I tried several different PCM's and they all performed a bit differently but were better than the one I was using.
This morning I finally had time to swap the PCM from my '96. The car spooled up great, I tried 4 times and it seemed to do well. And now my truck runs like poop. Obviously the issue was the PCM.
Trying to get to the track one more time this year. Track closes in a couple weeks...
 

HEUIGuy

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I watched this thread almost a year ago, didn't think it would still be alive! I haven't been on the forums before, but following along I feel like I know a lot of you already. Charles, to step back a few months where you were trying to get this to be about tuning, I will be happy to participate and share my Knolege and learn. Try to learn how these pages work..

My background is just as most start. An enthusiast. Located In Alaska I really got irritated with the lack of availability of parts and if they were around, it was from a dealer for stupid prices. So I started a business working with Clay and Ryan along with some others to get things up here for the old oil powered trucks.

Next was my irritation with files that simply were not good. I tried seveal tuners and liked some things about some files/tuners, but I was never completely satisfied.

After purchasing a transmission from 907Dave (yes, I'm that lucky to have his number lol) he piqued my interest and had me set on figuring out how to make these trucks run correctly myself.

As a disclaimer, I do not claim to be a professional, I am not even great at tuning. But I have spent more hours than I want to think of searching testing and scratching my head. And loved every minuts of it.

More from me later, excited to be involved and I hope this thread continues.
 

Charles

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Fwiw, I was reminded of just how crappy mainstream tuning can be on Friday. I was cruising along and when a lane opened up in front of me I stepped out and scooted along at probably 50% power when I saw a superduty back behind me coughing smoke out both sides and going nowhere. Apparently he took my departure to mean I was racing. Even though I wasn't smoking at all I was absolutely leaving this guy by at least a time and a half his acceleration. Even after I lifted off and was coasting down to my intended speed I was still gaining ground while he was pouring smoke out the back the entire time...

That's when I remembered how bad a LOT of tuning sucks...

Now that I drive a crew cab longbed with a winch bumper on 35's everyday, I don't even really have to wonder if his truck was just heavier, lol.

He was probably running some killer stage II's on some kick ass programs!

:rolleyes:
 

mikeeg02

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There's always the people with a stock turbo, and stage 2s or similar. Many many people put together poor injector / turbo / supporting mod packages sometimes due to money, sometimes due to negligence , and some people flat out don't care.

That being said, actually getting someone to fully tweak and listen when you order a "custom tune" seems to be almost out of reason, without taking them the vehicle so they can see it in person. Even with data logs, specific requests, and even with offering monetary supplements. It seems most like they way they have done things and aren't willing to change that. At least that's been my experience.

I've thought of tuning myself, just can't justify the 1500 or whatever it costs yet. I've talked with others and read your posts, and agree with your thought process on how a truck should drive. Your old compound turbo'd truck you said dyno'd north of 650, and you had one tune that made that, and at the same time you could let your grandmother drive it because the pedal wasn't touchy it was linear. And maybe it was more logarithmic, where the large request for power wasn't until ~3/4 throttle or so. But I cannot stand a touchy pedal that so many offer because they appeal to the ones that want to feel like the truck makes more power

/rant
 

HEUIGuy

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Many people are happy with the result of a emailed custom tune. But I can say from experience, there is nothing that compares to live tuning. Although, I don't seem to have to much trouble getting a truck to run decent without being there. But some people are more picky than others. I'm really picky. But I have software. IMO if you have no intention of being extremely picky about how your files work you have no business tuning.

As for my files, I am out of town and WiFi is horrible here. I'll try again to get some files up but it may have to wait till I get home in a few weeks.

Charles, do you have VCABO_02 or VRAA6S3?
 

sootie

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Many people are happy with the result of a emailed custom tune. But I can say from experience, there is nothing that compares to live tuning. Although, I don't seem to have to much trouble getting a truck to run decent without being there. But some people are more picky than others. I'm really picky. But I have software. IMO if you have no intention of being extremely picky about how your files work you have no business tuning.

As for my files, I am out of town and WiFi is horrible here. I'll try again to get some files up but it may have to wait till I get home in a few weeks.

Charles, do you have VCABO_02 or VRAA6S3?
Who are you?
 

HEUIGuy

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By the way, I have nothing but respect for the big name tuners. Nothing I said is to mean I think I am better or more Knolegable. I AM NOT. My point is, I enjoy filing the gap where there is no option for live tuning in my area.
 

Jomax

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5f56c88776ec83bf37dd7a369b53ef9a.jpg



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TyCorr

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Im starting to hate my tuning....other than the idle. Idle is great. Which is important to me.

The best tune I have is my "economy" tune as its pulled back enough in terms of pw that its not putting out the fire. The rest, are too rich. The "stock" file is fine past 50% throttle. And who in tf puts a truck in od at 47mph? Its aggra-damn-vating. If i remember to, i turn off od until about 60.

Other than being mushy off idle in the economy tune it drives better and its not supposed to.
 

IHPowerstroke7.3

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Been following this for a while even though I don't tune or even have custom tunes for that matter. On my late 99 with stock injectors, chip off my cold start idle is say 600rpm until high idle kicks in but there is zero haze at startup. Running any tune my cold start rpm is near 1000 and I always get a little cloud/ haze for the first say 5 seconds of run time. What rpm is everyone else seeing on initial start up?
 

TyCorr

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I have no idea. Mine is somewhere around 750....then it kicks up a bit higher. If its real cold I get the 1100 rpm high idle.

Those are well educated guesses. I dont ever look. Mine typically has crap coming out the pipe unless its warm or the ambient temp is warm. At operating temp though i can idle in 10 deg weather and not have smoke and bs going all over the place. Its clean enough to leave idle in the lumber shed and not have anyone watery eyed or coughing. It does smell like an old tractor but it runs well.
 

HEUIGuy

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View attachment PMT1_Stage1s_HOT-STREET.bin

Let me know if this does not work.

This is a VRAA6S3 (PMT1) file In 256K. for any of you with the older 224K I can upload it in that size.

Its a very good running File I loved to daily drive with stage ones. (180s)

Feel free to check it out, just an FYI this was setup for a truck with a stock trans with a Valve body.
 
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