Do you need to buy a hand held tuner to get a dyno tune?

[darrens07gt]

I am considering having Brenspeed install a set of detroit rockers NA cams and then tune the car for me. I was quoted $400 for a dyno tune but then I could swear he told me I still had to buy a hand held tuner from them for another $400. That's $800 to tune my car for a set of cams. WTF?

Does that sound right to you guys? Why couldn't my car get dyno tuned without me having to buy a tuner? I understand that I can't change the tune afterwards but that's ok because I'll be done modding this car after the cams.

If that's the case I guess I'll just buy the tuner and tell them forget the dyno and just give me the standard mail tune for LT's and DR's. No way I'm paying $800 for a tune.

 

[06silverbullet]

yes

 

[NickD87]

what tune are you running now?
I assume your running something with the bolt ons you have now?
Same tuner will be used you dont have to buy a specific from brenspeed
Eg I have a SCT x3 I ordered from american muscle, that same sct device can be used to load tunes from any email tuner as well as my local dyno tuner.

 

[darrens07gt]

what tune are you running now?
I assume your running something with the bolt ons you have now?
Same tuner will be used you dont have to buy a specific from brenspeed
Eg I have a SCT x3 I ordered from american muscle, that same sct device can be used to load tunes from any email tuner as well as my local dyno tuner.

I bought the car from a dealership with the 4.10's, magnaflow axelback and spectre CAI all ready on the car. I assume the car is on a stock tune or real close to it (Spectre is a no tune required CAI).

I added the JBA LT's and ORH but did not buy a tuner or have the car tuned for LT's yet. That's why I wanted to go ahead and do Cams now so I can tune it once and be done.

Oh well, Guess I'll buy the tuner and skip the dyno. Thanks for the fast responses!

 

[Mach2burnout]

Find a used sct tuner for 2-300 bucks. Put the cams in yourself and get Brenspeed to Dyno tune.


Sent from iPhone

 

[darrens07gt]

Find a used sct tuner for 2-300 bucks. Put the cams in yourself and get Brenspeed to Dyno tune.


Sent from iPhone

I read the cam installation walkthough and I'm just not sure I want to risk blowing my motor because I made one mistake. I've done brakes, headers, alternators, starter motors and stuff like that but I have never cracked a motor open in my life.

I'm ok with paying $600 for installation but I can't see paying $800 for tuning on top of that.

 

[06silverbullet]

you can find sct 2's for 100-125 bucks used all day. thats what i use, don't need those new fancy touch screen jobs.

 

[Franchi]

Yes you do need it. They would write the tune while the car is on the rollers, and then use the handheld tuner to upload said tune to the car.

That being said, pretty much any SCT X2, X3 3000, SF3 3015, X4 7015 model will work for what you need, if buying used, just make sure 100% ahead of time that it's UNMARRIED.

If it's married, it's a cool looking paperweight until unmarred by either the original owner or SCT for $150 fee.

 

[weather man]

You will need a tune with the cams and other mods on your car.

 

[Unreal]

Depends. HP tuners no, they just flash it, no need for anything. If they are using SCT then yes, you need a hand held.

 

[Greg Hazlett]

If you have done all that work then you can install cams; very good step by step write up on how to do it, about 3 hours and no special tools are required. All the noise cams are NSR cams so follow the directions and it is a breeze. You will need a ft long piece of garden hose to ensure the timing does not jump a tooth, if you decide to swap the cams yourself do a search on here, lots of people have done them and can help with it.

 

[blownGTvert]

The more I learn about tuning, the more I realize SCT is a racket. The SCT pricing structure for the weekend racer using Advanatge is BS. And using thier hand held device nonsense is so archaic!

HP tuners and never look back!

 

[darrens07gt]

If you have done all that work then you can install cams; very good step by step write up on how to do it, about 3 hours and no special tools are required. All the noise cams are NSR cams so follow the directions and it is a breeze. You will need a ft long piece of garden hose to ensure the timing does not jump a tooth, if you decide to swap the cams yourself do a search on here, lots of people have done them and can help with it.

I'm very tempted. After completing the Headers I had all but decided to install my own cams. Then I researched the proceedure and found this writeup:

http://home.comcast.net/~cookpaging/hammeron/cams/hotrodcams.html

Here are the main parts that kind of confused me:


Note: I followed Taco Bill's write up on cam cover removal. Note: The Haynes manual has you reverse the tightening
sequence when loosening the cam cover bolts. Here is the
tightening sequence.

Then is shows a drawing with numbers on it but I'm not sure what this means. I have to remove and or install in a certain sequence?

The No. 1 cylinder (passenger side, front) camshaft exhaust lobe (the middle lobe), must be coming up
on the exhaust stroke. Verify by noting the position of the 2 intake camshaft lobes and the exhaust lobe
on the No. 1 cylinder.

I have no idea what that means.

Step 23: Verify correct camshaft positions, by noting the position of the No. 1 & 5 cylinder intake and exhaust camshaft lobes

How do I know which ones are 1 and 5? Is it sequencial right to left or left to right?

Tighten the RH and LH, camshaft phaser and sprocket bolt in 2 stages:
Stage 1: Tighten to 40 Nm (30 lb-ft).
Stage 2: Tighten an additional 90 degrees.

Does this mean I need a torque wrench?

I've also read a few threads on cam installs that went horribly wrong and destroyed the motor. I'm tempted but I'm also nervous. Maybe if I had phone support but outside of that I don't know if I'll have the balls to try it on my own.

 

[Wes06]

This is the order you tighten them down, so go in reverse. I put all the caps on to keep the chain tension from pulling it down on only the front cap and breaking it

its literally how the picture is, the center lobe is the exhaust, as you rotate the engine the lobes press the valves down, when the exhaust lobe lets the valve close its coming up, so you want the orientation of the #1 cylinder lobe's to be as in this picture

that has the cylinders numbered off in order

yes you need a torque wrench, get it

 

[darrens07gt]

IDK. Maybe I can do this myself. I know a foot of garden hose takes the place of the timing chain wedge but do I need a torque wrench and or the valve spring compressor tool?

 

[Greg Hazlett]

Yes to the tq wrench, no to the valve spring tool as the noise cams are NSR.

That step by step process is the one I used every time and no issues.

 

[hammeron]

after all these years, i still like that writeup! glad to see it is still referenced now and then.