dyno tuning...

2dot4 · Post by **2dot4** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:16 am

I was going to get my car tuned this weekend, but the shop decided to charge me an extra $400 than they originally quoted me.

I was wondering if anyone knows a local shop that can dyno tune an e-manage fairly cheap. I'm not even all that particular to dyno tuning - I'll take an open-road wideband tune - I just don't have much more than $200 to get it tuned right now, and I really don't want to pay $600.

If everyone around here charges $600, does anyone know anything about tuning an e-manage? I have a laptop and the support tool software for it - I just need a little help on making adjustments and whatnot. I've been wanting to learn, but I decided to just pay someone to tune it for now, and that didn't work out, so I'm back to square one. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

JustRob · Post by **JustRob** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:42 am

Give Lowe Performance a call. But before you go there, I'd go with a different EMS.

2dot4 · Post by **2dot4** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:49 am

I've heard it before, but whats your reasoning?

with the software, the e-manage blue functions like an e-manage ultimate (with the exception of the map switches, and the ability to trim fuel).

I looked into the unichip, but I can't afford it.

I don't really plan on adding too much boost, so I find it hard to justify spending so much money on a standalone or anything crazy like that - the car runs fine on 7psi with no tune...just a few irritating things. I want to smooth out my acceleration, and I want to get my car to idle like it did when I bought it. That's all. I want my driveability back.

LowePerf · Post by **LowePerf** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 3:54 am

2dot4;81413 wrote:I've heard it before, but whats your reasoning?

with the software, the e-manage blue functions like an e-manage ultimate (with the exception of the map switches, and the ability to trim fuel).

I looked into the unichip, but I can't afford it.

I don't really plan on adding too much boost, so I find it hard to justify spending so much money on a standalone or anything crazy like that - the car runs fine on 7psi with no tune...just a few irritating things. I want to smooth out my acceleration, and I want to get my car to idle like it did when I bought it. That's all. I want my driveability back.

I can't speak for Rob but the most common reason for not liking the E-Manage is it's a piggy-back system. Piggy-back systems often rely on altering the input signals to the ECM to make the output match what you want done. The problem with this approach is since you do not change the factory program, the only way to change the output is to fool the computer into thinking it is running at a different load input. This is how the E-Manage works.

A properly tuned car should have all load points mapped correctly for both fuel and ignition. For example on a MAP Sensor equipped car, at 2500 rpm and 70kpa (this is your load reference) your car might need a 5 ms pulsewidth to get a 13:1 A/F ratio and need 30* of timing to provide maximum torque. Since we cannot alter the rpm signal the only way to alter this output is to modify the MAP signal to fool the ECM into thinking it is operation at a different kpa (load) level. The issue arises because this also changes the load table that controls spark advance. Which at this point will probably be wrong for the actual conditions.

The support tool does support spark timing, so it is a pretty good system when you have this option.
If needed I can tune it for you but I'm booked for about 2 weeks at this time.
-John

JustRob · Post by **JustRob** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 8:56 am

2dot4;81413 wrote:I've heard it before, but whats your reasoning?

with the software, the e-manage blue functions like an e-manage ultimate (with the exception of the map switches, and the ability to trim fuel).

I looked into the unichip, but I can't afford it.

I don't really plan on adding too much boost, so I find it hard to justify spending so much money on a standalone or anything crazy like that - the car runs fine on 7psi with no tune...just a few irritating things. I want to smooth out my acceleration, and I want to get my car to idle like it did when I bought it. That's all. I want my driveability back.

John hit it on the money. The way I see it, the eManage is just an AFC that requires a laptop. And you should never tune a turbo charged car (that was originally N/A) on an AFC.

I can't believe your running that car with no tune. Thats the dumbest thing ever. Your just asking for trouble. I'm surprised your cars still running.

2dot4 · Post by **2dot4** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:11 pm

the MAF system helps keep the car running safely. That's one of the plus sides of the tC - as dumb as it sounds, rozz was right - there are a lot of people runnng boost on a tC with no tune. The car runs fine - it still puts down 240whp on 7psi, but the driveability is lacking. Rough idle, random stalling at idle, very rare hesitation - stupid annoying shit. At WOT the car performs beautifully, it's the low end performance that needs help.

And I'm not looking to tune for max performance at all - this car is my DD, and I just want to smooth out the idle and get rid of the stalling problem - I can't justify paying $600 to fix those two things.

I have a wideband - my worst problem is running rich, so thats why I want to get it tuned - lean out the rough spots a little.

Scions are so unbelieavbly different than Hondas.

mike93hatch · Post by **mike93hatch** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:30 pm

i would tune it but im not that close... emanage is easy.

99BlackHatch · Post by **99BlackHatch** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 6:55 pm

Apex'i Power Fc has my vote... Stand alone system.

Silver Knight · Post by **Silver Knight** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 8:10 pm

2dot4;81478 wrote:the MAF system helps keep the car running safely. That's one of the plus sides of the tC - as dumb as it sounds, rozz was right - there are a lot of people runnng boost on a tC with no tune. The car runs fine - it still puts down 240whp on 7psi, but the driveability is lacking. Rough idle, random stalling at idle, very rare hesitation - stupid annoying shit. At WOT the car performs beautifully, it's the low end performance that needs help.

And I'm not looking to tune for max performance at all - this car is my DD, and I just want to smooth out the idle and get rid of the stalling problem - I can't justify paying $600 to fix those two things.

I have a wideband - my worst problem is running rich, so thats why I want to get it tuned - lean out the rough spots a little.

Scions are so unbelieavbly different than Hondas.

sounds like you should've just kept the car N/A.

99BlackHatch · Post by **99BlackHatch** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 8:33 pm

2dot4;81478 wrote: And I'm not looking to tune for max performance at all - this car is my DD, and I just want to smooth out the idle and get rid of the stalling problem - I can't justify paying $600 to fix those two things.

Personally, I believe paying the $600 to get the shit done right and have it run smooth and problem free is worth it.

It's either $600 now, or more for the new motor later.