When you are modifying and installing upgrades to your vehicle, there will come a time when you need an engine tuner. Tuning is the act of changing and adjusting your fuel delivery curves as well as ignition advance to reliably produce as much power as possible. Engine tuners can also help you gain fuel efficiency and increase your miles per gallon. When you want the best in performance, you need the best tuner to provide the tune your engine needs.
No matter what make or model you own, the best tuner can adjust these values and tune your car. This can be done through an aftermarket tuning device, or a piggy back computer like a Super AFC. Have you recently installed a turbo kit, or even a supercharger? You can use this guide to finding the best tuner in your area to help you.
How to find the best tuner
Tuning shops should never be confused with tuners, because there are many shops out there that should never touch your engine computer. Legit engine tuners will have a chassis dyno or other torque measuring equipment that is designed to help them.
You can use these tips to see if the tuner you are looking at is the best choice for your car. Before heading to the dyno, you’ll need to prepare your vehicle for dyno tuning.
Experience – Some of the best tuners in the world will have a long line of customers and experience. Ask your tuner whether or not they have experience with your engine and setup. If you own a turbocharged setup, ask them questions about how much boost they recommend for your choice of fuel.
All things aside, experience is the main qualifier in your hunt for the best tuner. Dyno tuning isn’t easy, and you’ll need the best tuner to adjust your engine computer. Before picking the tuner in your area, ask yourself if they have history tuning your vehicle or using your tuning computer.
Community – No matter what make and model vehicle you drive, there’s a group of like-minded people out there that can help. This can be people who own the same car, or an online forum of enthusiasts who have used the same tuning computer you have.
See what kind of experience and pitfalls other people ave made. The right level of feedback and user experiences can help you avoid making mistakes.
Diversity – If your tuning computer is a relatively new one, or your tuner isn’t sure about your vehicle, the next best thing is a diverse tuner. Although they may not be the best tuner for your exact example, a tuner with a lot of experience can make up the difference.
The ideal engine tuner will be one that has worked with a wide array of setups. This can include your engine setup, number of cylinders or expected power level.
Customer Service – Needless to say, when it comes to tuning your engine, the last thing you want is a bad tuner who doesn’t care. Pick the best tuner by asking about their re-tune policy, and how involved it is.
How quickly can they take care of the issue? How much does a retune cost? In the event of a problem or a issue, will your tuner work with you to resolve the issue.
How will they be tuning your car? – Where will your car be and what will they be using to tune your vehicle? This is one of the most important factors to choosing the best tuner for your vehicle.
Turbocharged applications should always be tuned on a dyno. Some popular choices of chassis dyno include a inertia drum style of machine, such as a DynoJet or Mustang Dyno. Others are designed to bolt onto your wheels like a Dynapack. If you are driving your vehicle on the streets, it might be best to ask your tuner about a eddy dyno.
Eddy current chassis dynos give your tuner a choice to send real world road conditions to your vehicle. They can simulate hills and other terrain that allows them to see how their tune and your vehicle handle these conditions. This is especially important in turbocharged vehicles as there will be higher load conditions going up hills and other grades.
Using the chassis dyno, your engine tuner can simulate these road conditions and match the tune accordingly. By preparing your engine tune for earlier spool-up and longer acceleration times, your tuner can create a tune that is much safer and less likely to detonate.
Do you have all the proper equipment ready? – Although most engine tuners worth their salt with have equipment, it’s never a bad idea to have some of your own. Some of these precautions can include a boost gauge, or a wideband oxygen sensor so that you can read what your car is doing at any given time.
So the next time you are preparing to modify, tune and install a component onto your vehicle, use these tips to find the best tuner in your area. It could mean the difference between reaching your goals, and possibly blowing up your motor. Don’t get stuck with the wrong engine tuner, take the proper steps to ensure you are hiring the best tuner possible.
