I know it's supposed to make your car "run better", but what sepcifically will it correct. So far the only 2 things I notce different from the stock cam (other than the RR chatter) is the idle is rough and the exhaust smells rich.

 

I doubt that its rich unless you have an exaust leak. It will fix timing and fuel, but mail order is never perfect unless you go back and forth WITH wideband dyno data.

Stock timing and fuel tables are made for a stock setup, once you stray from that then without making those changes then you can expect to maybe make more power here or there, but lose some in several places as well, and perhaps most noticeably poor gas mileage. Wether you have a carb or FI car it is no different, once you start changing aspects of the engines performance you must re-tune to get the best results.

Go Tunercat and dont look back.

 

I'm not really versed in computer re-programming, and it doesn't sound like somthing a novice should mess with. Plus, I've heard that PCMforless has hot cam tuning down to a science.

 

That depends who you talk to, I know a guy still getting about 12 MPG with his HOTCAM car.

I spent a couple weeks reading about tuning and such before I started to really get a good grasp on it, so its a time investment, starting off with a baseline on the net should get your timing about dead ON and then all you have to fix is fuel, which is the easiest IMO by far, timing requires, well, time

Good-very good timing can be head relatively easy with a baseline, PERFECT timing is a labor of love.

If you can get a real dyno tune from Brian or anyone else thats the way to go, mail order is hit or miss.