I'm getting ready to do an engine build up. It's going to be TEA heads w/ an undecied cam. The car is a 93. I know that the dyno tune would be the best, but how much better is it going to be over like a PCM for Less tune. Cause TEA wants $450 for a dyno tune and i can get a pcmforless tune for $150.
Thanks for your replies
Dan

 

Hard to say, depends mostly on how common your combo is. Id say 15 rwhp or so at the very least.

 

My $.02. If you plan to build your engine in your garage, you will need a safe way to start the car and break it in. I went with mail order tune and it's pretty darn good. I plan to do a dyno tune in the future.

 

mail order tunes are merely a starting point.. dyno tunes are generally for max power.

 

I currently have the PCMFORLESS tune and am happy with it. I still think that a dyno tune would be better. Even though mail order tunes are good every car is different and it would take the dyno tune to get the most out of the setup.

 

IMO you need a dynotune anytime you do heads, or go to a non-stock fuel system.

If you were just doing a cam on stock head and fuel system, then you can get a mail order that is pretty much dead on. I was actually dissapointed in the gains of my dynotune. Heads are so unique that you need a dynotune with a wideband. Just look at the wide variety of numbers people are putting down. Also fuel system changes can affect AF ratio greatly and you don't want your new TEA setup running dangerously lean because its putting down more power and using more fuel then you planned

 

I agree. I did my complete build up and just threw it in last month. Bryan at PCMforless did the tune. The car started faster then ever. Soon as I touched it it started. I was very impressed. it purrs like a tiger and runs well. But I think there is more in there, and to be honest you can't expect anything more out of a mail tune.

I also agree on how common the set-up is. Like I'm running the Hotcam and Bryan does a lot of those, thats why he nailed it I guess. Ion (Madwolf) does some good mail order tunes also.

 

 

Well both have their strong points, I say it comes down to how common of a cam it is. Guys like Rooster from PCM4less have tuned so many cars you could prolly just tell them the set up and they could get you failry dead on with the tune. ESp if its one of these real common cams every one runs.

 

There's no way a mail order tune can be anywhere close to the equivalent of a dyno tune. In no way am I bad mouthing mail order tunes...I agree that thay're a great place to start and will satisfy the majority of people who order them...

A dyno tune is done after looking at your cars' strong and weak points on the dyno chart at that very moment. After a few more runs the dyno tune can be made, pinpointing consistencies and faults and utilizing the curves on the chart. This can't be done with a mail order tune, at least not nearly as well or as accurate...

 

Dyno tunes with wideband o2 readings are better, you can maximize the potential of the combination. I tune my own, but Brian at pcmforless has been an invaluable ally in this.

 

You need a dyno tune for max performance, eh?...LOL

For a '93, I make NO other suggestion than Alvin (ROOSTER) at PCMFORLESS! Period...No more questions!

Alvin set me up with a perfect mail order tune for my CC305/ported head combo. I sent him a spec sheet on the engine, he sent me a chip. Without any fine tuning to the chip, I've went 12.05 @ 112 MPH...with a completely stock 95,000 mile bottom end, and a full weight car.

The car idles perfect, and I can drive it anywhere.

Frank

 

That's awesome, but can't you agree that mail order tunes are somewhat of a guessing game whereas dyno tune is usually more accurate? For the price on a slightly modded car, go mail order. After H/C, N2O, blower etc go with a dyno tune. You're one of the lucky ones that came out of the mail order deal on top...there are many more dreadful stories with mail order than there are with dyno tune...as a matter of fact I haven't heard any horror stories with a dyno tune, but then again you shouldn't considering what many places charge...

 

Flyboy,

As you know I talked to brent today at TEA. I am posting this to let everyone else know what he said.

I asked him the same question and he said for the combonation that he Flyboy is going with, that a pcmsforless tune would be just fine, and would be within 10-15 hp of a dyno tune. He said the combonation has been done quite a bit so theres less guess work. If there was a custom cam or something like that, he said more power would be gained from a dyno tune.

Jason

 

If you had a flashable ECM, I'd say go with the mail order tune from madwolf. However, since you've go the chip ECM I'd definitely say get it dyno tuned. It'll cost more up front, but you know it'll work perfectly.