Who/where do you recommend for tuning an LS1? - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

V · 11-06-2006, 04:40 PM

My motor should be in by the end of the weekend and all buttoned up by the following weekend. Due to the cam size and injectors, i dont feel comfortable firing it up with the stock programming. So now i'm in desperate need of a tune. I'm in north eastern NJ, so the only place local would be TTP, and i'd have to trailer it there. I think i heard somethign about a shop in CT. any recommendations would be appreciated since I dont know what other shops also do tuning at a reasonable price. Right now i'm screwed and might as well not finish the car if i cant start it.... and if i have to make an appointment, i gotta do it soon...

Bandit · 11-06-2006, 04:46 PM

Cartek.. ( Garwood, NJ)Best around. $$$$$ and you may need to wait a month or so to get an appointment. You get what you pay for, cheap + quick = bad..

Mikey in PA would be a second choice.

V · 11-06-2006, 04:53 PM

eh, i will not go to cartek, i heard too many bad experiences from friends

whos mikey? since i'm trailering it, PA wont matter much more

Bandit · 11-06-2006, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingSS

eh, i will not go to cartek, i heard too many bad experiences from friends

whos mikey? since i'm trailering it, PA wont matter much more

Rapid Motor Sports..

Well who ever told you Cartek tunning sucks is on crack, Julio is one of the best tuners in the country for LS motors. Most people would agree on that. As for there work on motors, its like most shops.

j0n · 11-06-2006, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bandit

Well who ever told you Cartek tunning sucks is on crack, Julio is one of the best tuners in the country for LS motors.

I know bill isnt right in the head but i doubt hes on crack

V · 11-06-2006, 08:14 PM

right now it looks like it'll be TTP, rapid, or eastside in CT... but now i'll be paying 600+ when i'm all said and done... im not to happy about this situation...

i searched around and bills issue, along with others, was cartek cut O2 wires to make the cars stay in open loop mode.. not something i want done on my car so cartek is out for sure.

Batman · 11-07-2006, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bandit

Rapid Motor Sports..

Well who ever told you Cartek tunning sucks is on crack, Julio is one of the best tuners in the country for LS motors. Most people would agree on that. As for there work on motors, its like most shops.

I second that, Mikey at Rapid is the man for tuning and after Cartek used a sledge to help install my friends motor I wouldn't go there for new lug nuts. Mikey is located in Birdsboror PA, near Reading. I would suggest him because IMO he is the best, then I would go to TTP. I think for an initial tune and dyno time unless you go to PCM for less you are going to end up in the $400-$500 range no matter what. I know Mikey charges $499 including unlimited dyno time. It also goes faster the more info you can give him on your engine/drivetrain.

Give him a call 610-404-7979. Tell him Nick Brehm referred you.

Tsar · 11-07-2006, 09:25 AM

i think eastside tuned CJ's car and his car kicks ass

foff667 · 11-08-2006, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bandit

Julio is one of the best tuners in the country for LS motors. Most people would agree on that.

Guess I don't follow the crowd...personally had a horrible experience with cartek which is the main reason I started tuning on my own.

Though I will not say there is a lesser of two evils around either

As for their shop goes, they did my Tq converter install & I will say Roy did a kickass job. Tuning wise they get a thumbs down from me.

NJSPEEDER · 11-08-2006, 10:51 PM

with all these prices getting thrown around, have you thought about tuning for yourself?
hptuners basic is the same $499 you are thinking of paying for a one time tune, and it would leave you with the ability to continue improving the tune for more than jsut the WOT that a dyno at a shop will give you.
just a thought, but it doesn't make sense to me to pay for a one time tune when you can get unlimited tunes for the same price.

V · 11-09-2006, 02:48 AM

i will be buying the software by the end of the week. $649 for the pro version(features datalogging), and i should be able to get by using my PC until i can find a decent laptop to do real time tuning. Then the wideband O2 setup is another 200. The HPtuners software comes with 8 credits, (1 ls1 car is 2 credits) so i can tune my SS, and maybe to a SD tune(another 1 credit) so i'll have 5 or so credits left. And of course the car i'll be getting next, doesnt seem to be supported...

foff667 · 11-09-2006, 08:33 AM

let me know if you need help settling in with the software

BTW good choice

Batman · 11-09-2006, 08:38 AM

Is HP Tuners more user friendly then LS1 edit? I have edit and I tell ya I can't pick it up for anything.

foff667 · 11-09-2006, 09:06 AM

very much so...if you were closer I'd say come down & I'll show you around the hardware/software end of it.

I have as close to the tunershop version of everything as you can get
GM Firebird/Camaro (V 8 1998
GM Firebird/Camaro (V 8 1999
GM Firebird/Camaro (V8 2000
GM Firebird/Camaro (V8 2001
GM Firebird/Camaro (V8 2002
GM Firebird/Camaro (V6) 1997
GM Firebird/Camaro (V6) 2001
Pontiac Grand Prix (V6) 1997
Pontiac Grand Prix (V6) 1998
Pontiac Grand Prix (V6) 1999
Pontiac Grand Prix (V6) 2000
Pontiac Grand Prix (V6) 2001
Pontiac Grand Prix (V6) 2002
Pontiac Grand Prix (V6) 2003
Pontiac Grand Prix (V6) 2004
Chevy S10 Pickup (V6) 2002
GMC Sonoma (V6) 2002
Oldsmobile Bravada (V6) 2001
GMC Jimmy (V6) 2001
GM Firebird/Camaro (V6) 2002
Chevy Colorado (I5) 2004
GMC Canyon (I5) 2004
Chevy Colorado (I5) 2006
GMC Canyon (I5) 2006

Vehicle Groups:
GM V6 Cars

not to mention the unlimited Custom Operating systems I have

add to that the real time tuning option they offer with all of their custom operating systems theres really no better software package out right now. Not to mention you get up to 4 pcm licenses with the option to upgrade to unlimited year/model locks you also get more then any other program out there with your initial purchase.

LS1edit has one thing going for them...their name.

They've pretty much changed nothing over the last several years & when they do they charge you for it.

HPTuners software updates minor or major are all free for life.

foff667 · 11-09-2006, 11:58 AM

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/sh...mySimon%2FCNET

$399 new laptop.

NJSPEEDER · 11-09-2006, 06:06 PM

i actually have a cheap laptop that is plenty good for tuning that i am getting rid of. shoot me a pm if yer interested.

foff667 · 11-09-2006, 09:03 PM

if your talking the one with the docking station it barely meets the minimum requirements tim.

1QWIKBIRD · 11-09-2006, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingSS

i will be buying the software by the end of the week. $649 for the pro version(features datalogging), and i should be able to get by using my PC until i can find a decent laptop to do real time tuning. Then the wideband O2 setup is another 200. The HPtuners software comes with 8 credits, (1 ls1 car is 2 credits) so i can tune my SS, and maybe to a SD tune(another 1 credit) so i'll have 5 or so credits left. And of course the car i'll be getting next, doesnt seem to be supported...

I've been toying with the idea of getting the software also, strictly for my own use (I don't want to blow other people's gear up

) What is a the better package for the home user? Something like what is mentioned above or some other combination of options?

Chris

V · 11-09-2006, 09:51 PM

from what ive gather from the website and bill. the pro version which is $150 more is the way to go it seems. That interface allows the use of other inputs, such as the wideband o2 sensor, and it also allows data logging, which the 499 interface setup does not have. I read up on it quite a bit from their website, www.hptuners.com

ar0ck · 11-09-2006, 10:17 PM

My boss went to Eastside, I had a pleasent experience there since they knew my boss.

NJSPEEDER · 11-09-2006, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingSS

from what ive gather from the website and bill. the pro version which is $150 more is the way to go it seems. That interface allows the use of other inputs, such as the wideband o2 sensor, and it also allows data logging, which the 499 interface setup does not have. I read up on it quite a bit from their website, www.hptuners.com

the thing i like about hptuners the most is the help files. lol
there are enough of them that you can literally start from scratch, do an hour or so of reading, and have a good idea of how to tune a car already. all you really need to know going into it is a basic knowledge of using a computer and the absolute basics of what makes an engine run

V · 11-10-2006, 12:46 AM

oh another plus about hptuners that i completely forgot to mention... once you become a customer, you gain acess to a registry where you can share you tunes, or get tunes from others. So if you have a similar combo as another, you can get a basic idea where to start, or if you ever need to put a stock tuen back in, its allt here(or so ive gathered, ill be a customer there soon) lol

I'm just dissapointed they dont support the GM 3.2 or 3.6 V6 cars.

1984camaroz28 · 11-14-2006, 06:42 PM

EASTSIDE

NJSPEEDER · 11-15-2006, 05:36 AM

with software like hptuners around and someone like bill to ask about anything that comes up, i wouldn't ever consider spending money on a one time tune.