I want to learn to tune, I have a laptop capable of doing so, but would like to know...

What program would be the best for a beginner?

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

 

Tunercat - help is provided here as well as the TC mailing list.

 

Thanks, I was actually looking at TC's website this morning. Thought it wouldn't hurt to ask someone.
TC also says they do not offer the cable to connect my laptop to the ODB2 connector. Where can I find this cable. I checked the links page on TC and have not found any.

 

HIJACK! Sorry, lol. How do you subscribe to the TC mailing list?

 

For your 2002 car, there are two more tuners, LS1Edit (which I have) and HPTuners. I use TunerCat to tune my OBD1 '87 IROCZ.

I really cant say which is easier to use, I think that they are all about the same. The trick is to know what needs to be tuned on your car (a data logger is used here) and identifying the correct table to change with the tuning software. There are like 100 tables that you could change, but only a handfull are the big hitters. For example, if you add nitrous and want to reduce the WOT timing advance, then its pretty obvious that you click on the timing table and edit the values. Most of it is common sense.

 

do you have a link for ls1edit. I am going to do heads and cam and a few more bolt ons and call it a day, after a tune.

 

www.carputing.com should do it for you.

I am not advocating any one tuner over another, you will need to decide which way to go.

 

Thanks for the link. The price is not bad either.

 

does ls1edit log and record as autotap does? Or is it strictly to tune?

 

I believe that the lastest version of LS1Edit also data logs as well as tuning, but you will have to check their site. It is my understanding that HPtuners has the capability to tune and data log.

My version of LS1Edit only allows me to tune the PCM. I data log with AutoTap.

 

I will send ls1edit an email and check hptuners website. I really don't want to have to use 2 different programs if I don't have to.

 

Yea, I would not pay for two programs either, one to tune, one to data log. It seems that when HPtuners first came out they had data logging included which was a big plus for them. LS1Edit is new to the data logging side and TunerCat is new to LS1 tuning. So, after summing it all up, If I had to buy something today, I would probably go with HPtuners, more bang for the buck and proven reliable.

 

I'm happy with Atap on my palm ans LS1 Edit.
Atap + palm is a good combination: collect data + a display that you can watch while driving. This without having the PC in the car (you can download the data to the PC using the USB connector).
Edit isn't that modern as the other products, but I never had a problem with it.

 

I thought about your way, as I do have a palm with windows ce on it. You bring up a good point.

 

Went to HRP last night with the ls1tech truck guys with my older brother and there was a guy there named Alan from San Antonio. He was tuneing and useing HPtuner. I had a few questions about it, and he was great to answer them for me. I think this is the tuner I am going to get. I actually got to see it in action.