What ECU for tuning and how to tune

[Mishakol129]

Hows everybody today? I got a question bout tuning my 91' lx auto.
I know we can tune civic/acura computers i just don't know which one to get. plus i hear autos can be tricky to tune. What would be the best and easiest route to tuning? i heard of this thing called Hondata, and I hear you can program the ecu on your computer. Also I saw this ECU on ebay that was pre chipped and all you had to do was send the seller the tune specs and he would program it. What would be the best way to tune my auto?

[cloudasc]

Since your car is an auto your options are limited. I would get a moates demon, and use ectune, combined with an innovate or aem wideband and egt sensor. You do realize you have the potential to grenade the motor with improper tuning. Before you even attempt tuning on your own, I seriously recommend that you familiarize yourself extensively with the content available on pgmfi.org . I would only trust that basemap to get you to a tuner, that means driving like granny all the way there, the romping can be saved for after the tune. Tuning isn't cheap, expect to drop a grand for everything if you don't tune yourself.

[SOHC-FTW]

$1000 for tuning? hate to be in your area cloud. N/A tunes from great known shops in NC raw performance/ASAP tuning/RLZ start at $250 here none of which have an issue tuning an automatic, yes you'll still have your standard shift points unless shifted manually.

Unless you want to log your tune, besides buying a tuneable ecu and paying for the tune cost is well under $500.

[cloudasc]

$1000 for tuning? hate to be in your area cloud. N/A tunes from great known shops in NC raw performance/ASAP tuning/RLZ start at $250 here none of which have an issue tuning an automatic, yes you'll still have your standard shift points unless shifted manually.

Unless you want to log your tune, besides buying a tuneable ecu and paying for the tune cost is well under $500.

What I was saying was for everything, a tunable ecu, plus gauges/sensors, plus tune w/dyno time could cost you a grand.

Hondata doesn't support automatics, and I don't believe crome really does either, the only good option was ectune or neptune, which reminds me that ectune bit the dust, so your only real option is to work with neptune. Personally I would like to have the ability to log, that way when stuff starts acting up, I will have a record of it, and it might help find the problem/issue.

[SOHC-FTW]

$250 is dyno tune with neptune, i wouldn't trust a street tune on anything but a basic bolt on mild cam setup. Meh a p06 shouldn't cost $60, gauges would be a must on FI maybe an oil pressure an temp gauge on a N/A. If one wants to log (Which does help trouble shooting aswell) i can see $700+ but IMO thats what a good tuners for, i've never had the need honestly or been into tuning as thats why ya pay well known tuners.

Heck ASAP was going to do a N/A and nitrous map on my auto for $275 aslong as i provided the ecu. Besides that tune rates can vary so doesn't matter OP just needs realise it's needed beyond bolt on's.

[Mishakol129]

Thanks guys for your help. I just installed the modified H23 IM. First thing I noticed was my car was a lot quieter lol. Down low rpms's were drained a little but the mid to high rpm's made up for it. It was about the same time 0-60. Its still slow though.

About a tune. If I tuned wouldn't that reduce my gas mileage?


Another thing, before the tune, what should I do?

-Stage 1 or 2 cam?
-Upgrade the downpipe to 2.25" (collector is currently 2.00")
-Upgrade the springs?
-New fuel injectors and fuel pump?

[deevergote]

The more you do, the more of a difference the tune will make (or the more it will be necessary for the safety of your engine.) None of that, save for maybe the Stage 2 cam (depending on what "stage 2" it is... it's a manufacturer-dependent term, and isn't universal) doesn't require a tune at all.


Essentially, this thread is asking "what do I need to tune, and how do I tune?"... and to be quite honest, that's like saying "SHOW ME EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!!"
You're essentially asking people to cram a TON of knowledge into your head. It's not going to happen. Anyone that would be kind/stupid enough to even try would quickly become frustrated.
You're going to have to read. You're going to have to research. Tuning an ECU is a fairly complicated process. The basics can be learned with enough study, and that should keep you from blowing up your engine... THEN you can start asking specific questions. Asking to be taught everything is asking a bit much, however.

Take cloudasc's advice and do some reading on pgmfi.org. Buying some useful books would also come in handy (How to Tune & Modify Engine Management Systems by Jeff Hartman is a good one to start with... there are many more out there.)

[SOHC-FTW]

If you're doing the tune..... i suggest you learn how on what you've got right now or you'll be wasting money on the stuff for tuning and any engine related parts.
Sourcing a tuner is the route i'd take.

[deevergote]

Very true. Tuning a bone stock F22A is about as safe as you can get. Nice low compression to give you a wide margin of error.

Even if you find a tuner, I'd still suggest learning as much as you can. If you don't know the first thing about tuning, then you won't know if you have a good tuner or not. I've trusted "professionals" in the past because I didn't want to learn, and they screwed me... I was forced to learn to fix their mistakes! (h22sparkle is another one that learned that lesson the hard way at the very same time!)

[Mishakol129]

If you're doing the tune..... i suggest you learn how on what you've got right now or you'll be wasting money on the stuff for tuning and any engine related parts.
Sourcing a tuner is the route i'd take.

I would really like to learn about tuning software and how to start tuning. I found this article here about it, http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/t...g/viewall.html

[honda2014]

I would really like to learn about tuning software and how to start tuning. I found this article here about it, http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/t...g/viewall.html

Amazon will be your best friend. Buy some books. Sit down and read them. If you do, and you keep doing it, you're interested enough, and probably smart enough to eventually do it yourself. The first step is humbling yourself and realizing that you have to learn it yourself. Good luck dude.

[Madpol]

god you guys have it easier and cheaper in the states....just spoke to one of if not the best ECU tuner in the country and its going to cost roughly $2500 for a S3000 ECU and a tune...the Tune alone is $900 but once you pay you dont have to pay for any future work pretty much.

but this guy is so well known and good at what he does i dont think i can trust any one else. he gets flown around the country/world for his skills

[Jarrett]

It's probably $2500 because you're getting the one-off S3000 instead of the S300 which is the best we can get over here.

I kid. Why don't you purchase it from the US and have it installed into an ECU before it's shipped? Before shipping you're looking at $700 brand new. Say it's $100 to ship. At that point is he going to charge $1700 for a tune?