Whipple....generic tune vs dyno tune?

[DoctorV8]

A question to all you Whippled folks.....

Some very reputable installers (one in particular) use a generic tune for their Whipple installs.

I understand that with the GT, there aren't many variables in terms of engine setup, but in the past, I have always found a custom dyno tune on my vehicles to be worth the extra expense....doubly so in the case of forced induction, both for peak performance and safety issues.

Opinions?

 

[tmcphail]

You can't beat having your car properly calibrated on a dyno. That is by far the best way to go. I personally vote for that combined with street tuning as well.

 

[GFORCE]

Who would do that?

Both my gts,had custom dyno tunes.Is there anyone that would just do a generic tune.

 

[DoctorV8]

Is there anyone that would just do a generic tune.

That's what I thought! The answer may surprise you, though.

 

[paul b]

I have the whipple with 15lb. pulley, I'm using the Diablo GT tune. So far I am satisfied with the results. The car is only street driven and not overly abused.

 

[BlackICE]

You can't beat having your car properly calibrated on a dyno. That is by far the best way to go. I personally vote for that combined with street tuning as well.

+100%

You can have a safe out of the box tune, but you would have to run richer and with less timing. Much like the OEM tune that is very safe, but leaves a lot on the table. To get the best tune, you have to dial in the MAF transfer function for your car and confirm the A/F ratios and timing for your particular car and gasoline combination. That would optimize your GT for moderate to hard pulls on street, strip or dyno. The next level of tuning to optimize idle, part throttle and transitional throttle movements. That would take more time on a load dyno and or street tuning while data logging with a wideband O2. After this area of operation is adjusted you can choose to work on adaptive learning next. Most tuners, if not all, prefer to leave adaptive learning off. Adaptive learning allows the ECU to remember optimum closed loop A/F ratios and to store them in KAM (memory). The problem with adaptive is that it learns corrections during closed loop (part throttle, usual less than 1/3) operations and may apply the corrections to open loop WOT operation. That can be dangerous at WOT if you don't have the lower portion of the MAF mapped near perfection. The benefits of adaptive is during transitional throttle movements in closed loop operation, the ECU zeros in on the correct A/F ratio quickly leading to slightly smoother operation. Also the ECU can adjust for seasonal gasoline variability, such as ethanol content. In my area ethanol can vary from 0 to 10% by volume!

Unless you are a techno geek with a lot of spare time, I suggest you find a knowledgeable tuner with experience with blown modular Fords to get a dyno/road tune, otherwise look look at these web sites
http://www.sctflash.com/product_racer.php and http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/lc1.php to learn more about how to spend more time tuning your GT rather than driving it.

Those of you near Torrie, or TonY G, should without a doubt start there.

p.s I am still fine tuning my GT! It never seems to end.

 

[Derry]

I have had two vettes and the GT done with custom dyno tunes. I never really considered generic, I like having a local goto person that worked on the tune.

 

[tmcphail]

+100%


p.s I am still fine tuning my GT! It never seems to end.

Ha isn't that the truth. I do the same thing daily on my own car as well.

 

[roketman]

I have only had race cars dyno tuned .Its really quite fascinating to see the improvements that can be made in torque and power as well as the performance curves.
I wonder what gain could be made with just dynoing your car with the stock set up?

 

[DoctorV8]

I'd be curious to see what a custom tune on a car like paul b's would gain.

Just seems that if you are spending the $$ on a Whipple, why leave 20 or more (maybe way more) 'free' HP on the table?

 

[DoctorV8]

I wonder what gain could be made with just dynoing your car with the stock set up?

Easily 20-30 rwhp on 93 octane. They are very rich with conservative timing curves from the factory.

 

[tmcphail]

I would think that if your going to go that far with the vehicle and move to that nice large sized compressor have it properly tuned after the fact would be a must. Its an inexpensive way to make sure everything is safe and you get all of the power you paid for. Just make sure you find someone who is extrmely competent in GT recalibration first and foremost.

 

[paul b]

I'd be curious to see what a custom tune on a car like paul b's would gain.

Just seems that if you are spending the $$ on a Whipple, why leave 20 or more (maybe way more) 'free' HP on the table?

I enjoy doing the work myself, I think of these things more of projects rather than goals. I'm happy with the 100 H.P., squeezing the next 30 doesn't interest me as much as finding a good water injection system.

 

[nota4re]

The tuner guys who have done several Whipple installs and tunes have undoubtedly developed some pretty good "generic" tables that can be safe on another GT with similar mods. Our engine mods are fairly limited - mostly just an exhaust or not and the likes of Heffner, Ida, MMP, Accufab probably all have VERY similar effects on engine tuning. Even the Ford Racing Headers didn't produce a dramtically different result.

BlackICE provided an overview of what "real" tuning is all about. If you want it done right, you should also data log and tune to real world driving to get everything right. I did the extensively with a previous car and in my mind it was much different and sumultaneously much better than dyno tuning.

I'd take an out-of-the-box, "known good GT tune" from one of the Forum-reputable tuners ahead of having an non-GT-familar tuner try to dial mine in on a dyno. The SCT is a toolkit of different ways to tune a car. For certain, there are more paths to hell than there are to Heaven.

 

[B O N Y]

+100%

You can have a safe out of the box tune, but you would have to run richer and with less timing. Much like the OEM tune that is very safe, but leaves a lot on the table. To get the best tune, you have to dial in the MAF transfer function for your car and confirm the A/F ratios and timing for your particular car and gasoline combination. That would optimize your GT for moderate to hard pulls on street, strip or dyno. The next level of tuning to optimize idle, part throttle and transitional throttle movements. That would take more time on a load dyno and or street tuning while data logging with a wideband O2. After this area of operation is adjusted you can choose to work on adaptive learning next. Most tuners, if not all, prefer to leave adaptive learning off. Adaptive learning allows the ECU to remember optimum closed loop A/F ratios and to store them in KAM (memory). The problem with adaptive is that it learns corrections during closed loop (part throttle, usual less than 1/3) operations and may apply the corrections to open loop WOT operation. That can be dangerous at WOT if you don't have the lower portion of the MAF mapped near perfection. The benefits of adaptive is during transitional throttle movements in closed loop operation, the ECU zeros in on the correct A/F ratio quickly leading to slightly smoother operation. Also the ECU can adjust for seasonal gasoline variability, such as ethanol content. In my area ethanol can vary from 0 to 10% by volume!

Unless you are a techno geek with a lot of spare time, I suggest you find a knowledgeable tuner with experience with blown modular Fords to get a dyno/road tune, otherwise look look at these web sites
http://www.sctflash.com/product_racer.php and http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/lc1.php to learn more about how to spend more time tuning your GT rather than driving it.

Those of you near Torrie, or TonY G, should without a doubt start there.

p.s I am still fine tuning my GT! It never seems to end.

All good advise... the issue is getting a tune designed to meet the owners demands. We already have seen a holed piston. I wanted a conservative tune and received exactly what I asked for. I could not be happier. I have 760rwhp and the car runs great on 91 octaine.