ProjectGT

I need some more power so i'm looking at tuners. I want to get some input on the SCT 4 -bank eliminator chip compared to the SCT tuner .
Is the chip worth buying or should I spend the extra $ and get the tuner?
Any problems with the bank eliminator?

cliffyk

Are you planning on learning to tune the engine yourself, or depend on mail-order and/or local tuning shops?

If the former get a handheld unit, or look in to Delta Force Tuning's Special Forces and Commando systems--if the latter then get whichever you like. The 4-bank switched system has the "advantage" of being able to throw a switch to change tunes--though I have never quite understood why, other than if you just want to cheap out on gas...

By definition a "high performance" tune will give you the best performance (doh!) and that includes fuel economy--the only advantage to a switched system would be so that you can save 10¢ to 30¢ a gallon on fuel, and suffer downgraded performance while doing so. Although the real savings will be somewhat less as the the tune optimised for the higher octane fuel will provide a bit better mpg.

ProjectGT

I'm going to use a mail order tune for awhile until I can find someone in my area.
I've heard alot of mixed opinions on the mail order tunes.

MU71L4710N

mail order is ok for a bolton car, i would NEVER run a mail order on a FI (nitrous, turbo, supercharged) car. or a car with head/cam work.

that being said, ordering a handheld and just loading the 93 octane tune it comes with is a good start. its going to be similar to any mail order tune you get and atleast with a handheld you have more features (you can check codes, change things as you desire like rear 02 sensors and gear/tire size changes, etc...). a chip = like 50+ bucks, and then buying the tune. and you dont get anything other than what comes on it. you can get a used handheld for 150$.

switch chips are really only good for nitrous cars. running nitrous = retarded timing so you actually lose HP when your driving without the juice on. also, if you had a supercharged/nitrous car, you could have a tune loaded for just the supercharger and one for supercharger with nitrous. or you could have different nitrous jet tunes (50hp, 100hp, 125hp for instance). its really pointless for a street car without any goodies.

cliffyk

There is nothing wrong with mail-order tunes, it's just that each engine is sufficiently different (even with a well-defined list of its "mods") that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for its individual optimal tune. This, combined with our litigious society, means that only an idiot would send you a tune that might in any way hurt your engine.

I.e. they are nice, conservative, guaranteed not to in any way damage your engine tunes; aka generic run-of-the-mill tunes--same as the "base" tunes from any handheld tuner, or any PC-based tuner for that matter.

So I get back to the bottom line. Do you ever plan on learning to tune your engine yourself, or are you consigned to having others do it for your?

If the latter then buy SCT as that is the most widely "used by your local speed/dyno shop" system, Diablo has virtually no presence in the "local speed/dyno shop" community, Delta Force is just a bit better.

But if you do want to learn to do it--and keeping in mind that it there is no rocket science involved, and even regular geezers like me can learn to do it (I was 58 when I bought my 1st new-edge Mustang)--then buy a REAL tuning system like Delta Forces' Commando and get on with it.

It is easy and the DF tuning community will hold you hand through the learning curve--they won't do it for you, but they will help YOU learn how it comes together...

ProjectGT

thanx for the info . I want to someday do the tuning myself but for now i'll just go with another option. I think i'm leaning more toward the switch chip because I am for sure going to do nitrous install this winter.