cliffyk

There is NO rocket science involved in any of this--in fact it gets boring after a number of years. Even the best tuner out there, heck, even me :-), started out not knowing jack-shìt about tuning.

Buy the tools, read (Greg Banish's Engine Management: Advanced Tuning is a must), and experiment--the main thing to remember is "baby steps". Sneak up on timing in small increments and don't mess with fueling without a WB O2 system--you'll be a tuning guru before you know it...

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This is from many years back, I apologise up front should it offend anyone...

"Having someone else tune your car and bragging about how fast it is, it like having someone else do your girl and then going around bragging about how good she was."

tbirdscwd

Or at least have enough knowledge to get you in trouble

hpwrestler220

Cliff, let's say you use the canned tunes for 93 octane, but you want to squeeze mire out of it. Do you just pull some timing or do you add it? And if you do this, you just need to listen for detonation on WOT? I have heard that with these tuners it's nearly impossible to blow your engine even if you change these settings. True or false?

I just need more lower end power and I feel like I should tweak my diablosport a little. What should I do?!

Sorry for the thread jack

tbirdscwd

You should datalog your car at WOT first to see how much timing you are in fact running right now before you even start messing with it.

abber

ok so what tuner should i buy. and its a full pi swap from a 01 mustang not just h/c/i full motor but i think i have the computer from the 97. so im wondering if that is a hinder i dunno im putting down some good times i think 9.3 for my first ever drag race with a stick that was without the plenum and t/b so yeah what hand held tuner do you suggest

sonicx

+1 bro.... Hey OP if I were you go to a dyno shop, get a SCT tuner & have it dyno there. Otherwise, a sct form Am would be okay too. OR, read up ALOT and go w a sniper type of tune (do it yourself). GD Sir w/ whatever you choose

abber

which sct product?

MU71L4710N

yes but not all shops use SCT software.

cliffyk

Your asking this question means you need to do some reading, and first gain a clear understanding of how EFI engine control systems work--Greg Banish's book Engine Management: Advanced Tuning is a great place to start.

You need to listen for detonation at all throttle settings, however it is often most easily provoked and pronounced at WOT and lower/mid RPMs. Detonation at high engine speeds is the most devilish because it's the most difficult the hear, and has the most potential for serious damage.

Optimum timing will be 0.5 to 1.5° less than the point at which detonation first occurs.

This is a good explanation of timing from Innovate Motorsports.

Only a fool would make such a statement, it's a wonderful example of what my grandfather told us years ago:

"Believe none of what you hear, 50% of what you read, and 90% of what you see"

This was of course before the Internet and Photoshop, so I have updated it for my grandchildren:

"Believe none of what you hear, 20% of what you read, and 50% of what you see"

Read, do some data logging to see where timing in particular is now, and don't mess with fueling unless you have a wideband O2 system.

abber

the guy at the shop said not to bother with a handheld tune he has all the equipment and plugs straight into my computer at the shop. so thats what im going to do