Are mail order tunes any good ?

[Jeckyl Hyde]

G'day

New to this site, so here we go!

I have a VX series 2 commodore sedan, LS1 6speed 3.46 LSD

Place a cam and other bits n pieces into engine..

Cam spec's 232/242 550 lift in / 559 lift exh 112 degree LC

Have sent away PCM to a tuner in victoria and have since sent it back a second time...

Reason being the idle, wont idle went cold , but seams to go OK once warmed up a little....later in the afternoon it will idle, but its sluggish until it reaches 3000rpm..

Reason for not dyno tuning car is the closest with any desent rep is 1500k's away (perth).....

have give tuner a detailed list of whats being done and what is doing..


Am I wasting my time and money?

[heavyduty1340]

It will all depend on who you are sending it to

It is probably worth doing a bit of research on good tuners in Perth

You could try
Street Quick Performance in Maddington
Chipmaster - sponsor here
WA Performance Centre - sponsor here
Probably many more that I dont know who are good


I would avoid the Bibra Lake area as bad experiences there

[Jeckyl Hyde]

cheers

I did speak with a few you listed ...they where very un-easy about a mail tune..

[SS Enforcer]

Thats a COME racing cam isn't it ?

Not that that has anything to do with it but it's harder for a tuner to do a cam tune remotely. If the car is getting better each time work with your tuner and you should be able to resolve it. There are settings the tuner can change to improve the cold idle and if you completely detail the issues it will make it easier for him. A bit early to be chucking out the tuner IMHO unless they are crap and trying to flip you off.


Or you could buy some tuning software and learn to tune yourself like some of us have done.

cheers

[Jeckyl Hyde]

cheers

yeah correct its a COME racing cam.....

This area is new to me (old school engines)so yeah I've tried give the tuner a much detail as I can think of , plus spokin over the phone....we did try and drill the TB 1/2 a millmetre (twice) and seen an improvement....

is that cam any good?

[Oztrack Tuning]

I have done a huge number of mail order tunes for people and 99% have been very happy with the results. The value for my customers is the fact that are able to get a very highly developed tune strategy because of the development that has gone into it over the past 5 years. I also support many workshops and individuals remotely. Cars like yours i arrange to do them remotely which customers usually enjoy because they become a part of the process.

[Jeckyl Hyde]

thanks OZtrack

thats the answer I was looking for ....99percent are happy with the results.

I'm not knocking my tuner just gathering thoughts on this process..

cheers

[vz6.0]

just make sure that whoever tunes it is available for touch ups or further work without too much pain, i hear a lot of tunes end up locked and you get stuck using one bloke forever which is handy if you have an issue and someone on the other side of the country "owns" (and i use that term with utmost derision) the tune and removes your choice of workshop/tuner.

Unless of course you wish to throw your money in the bin and start again.

[jca]

Hi, the come cams can be tricky has the tuner got u to drill a hole in the throttle body?. regards Jason

[benniemc]

OZTrack Mafless tuned my car via mail order, very very happy with the results!

[HARMSY]

OZTrack Mafless tuned my car via mail order, very very happy with the results!

I have an oztrack arriving tomorrow and from what I have researched have the faith and convidence in Steve......will post my thoughts later in the week

[Jeckyl Hyde]

Hi, the come cams can be tricky has the tuner got u to drill a hole in the throttle body?. regards Jason

Correct...

Speakin over phone he suggested .....1/2 mm at a time

[QldKev]

I have done a huge number of mail order tunes for people and 99% have been very happy with the results. The value for my customers is the fact that are able to get a very highly developed tune strategy because of the development that has gone into it over the past 5 years. I also support many workshops and individuals remotely. Cars like yours i arrange to do them remotely which customers usually enjoy because they become a part of the process.

I've recently got a Oztune mafless mail order tune done. Without having a 'on the dyno tune', I could not ask for more. I did have an idle question for Steve and he talked me though it; and it worked!. Experience is the answer.


QldKev

[Jeckyl Hyde]

I've recently got a Oztune mafless mail order tune done. Without having a 'on the dyno tune', I could not ask for more. I did have an idle question for Steve and he talked me though it; and it worked!. Experience is the answer.


QldKev

Thanks QldKev

Was you question a bit like mine?

[TommyVTss]

IMO If I had my time again I would have spent the extra dollars and got a custom dyno tune,

Tom

[HOLDAN]

I have an oztrack arriving tomorrow and from what I have researched have the faith and convidence in Steve......will post my thoughts later in the week

Same here - ordered mine on monday - very excited.

[HOLDAN]

I have had 3 dyno tunes (not because i like throwing money away - it was because a new cam I had installed was faulty - all good now). Had some gearbox work done recently and that coupled with a few nagging small issues I have with the engine tune, I thought I'd give Oztrack a crack. The thing I like about the remote tuning process is that I get to log my "normal" driving and the tune can be adjusted to suit. Can't do that on a dyno.

[QldKev]

Thanks QldKev

Was you question a bit like mine?

Mine was an idle too low mainly when cold, but also when warm.
The result was to adjust the little grub screw under the throttle body to hold it a bit more open, and then reset the TPS.
Drilling out the hole would be doing the same thing, allowing a bit more air; but it's harder to reverse.



IMO If I had my time again I would have spent the extra dollars and got a custom dyno tune,

Tom

Only problem is I'm several hundred k's from any decent tuner. A mail tune is a good way to make it happen today. If I had to get down to Brisbane for a tune and on a work day; and wouldn't be happening for a long time.

I know I may have ~5kw less than a custom tune, but I can live with that; and it's a lot better than the stock tune.

QldKev

[vessloveit]

Here is another vote for OZTRACK I have puchased tunes and EFILIVE from him more than happy with price, performance and service.

[NOS540HQ2DOOR]

as a tuner i have had very good feedback with mailorder tune from my custumers

[TommyVTss]

when you have to replace a motor from pinging etc from a mail order, its not worth it,

just my opinion and experience

tom

[HARMSY]

when you have to replace a motor from pinging etc from a mail order, its not worth it,

just my opinion and experience

tom


Yeah but who through??? can't put into the same basket......from what i have researched there were a lot of rouge mail order tuners getting around

Harmsy

[Woteva]

How much do mail order tunes go for?

I've got a VY SS auto with the usual bolt-ons and MAFless.

[LuisS]

How much do mail order tunes go for?

I've got a VY SS auto with the usual bolt-ons and MAFless.

You running mafless without a tune ? :1peek:

[macca_779]

You running mafless without a tune ? :1peek:

I think he is just curious to know what people charge.

FYI anything from $100-$500 and that does not necessarily have anything to do with quality.

[Jeckyl Hyde]

Mine was an idle too low mainly when cold, but also when warm.
The result was to adjust the little grub screw under the throttle body to hold it a bit more open, and then reset the TPS.
Drilling out the hole would be doing the same thing, allowing a bit more air; but it's harder to reverse.




Only problem is I'm several hundred k's from any decent tuner. A mail tune is a good way to make it happen today. If I had to get down to Brisbane for a tune and on a work day; and wouldn't be happening for a long time.

I know I may have ~5kw less than a custom tune, but I can live with that; and it's a lot better than the stock tune.

QldKev

Cheers QldKev

heard of that method a few times through reading this .........adjust grub screw..reset TPS......thanks for feed back

[Oztrack Tuning]

I aim & expect my mail order tunes to be as good as my custom ones. My feedback on ebay says it all. Having country family background i like to look after people in remote areas.

[Woteva]

You running mafless without a tune ? :1peek:

No I have a MAFless tune already but it is rubbish. So I was curious as to whether a mail order might be viable. Don't think the wife will allow another $1000! :bawl:

And no I have no intentions of taking it back to the original tuner. If an experienced tuner lets crap out of his workshop I'm certainly not giving him a second go.

[HoldenOnn]

Nothing beats real time dyno tuning. Mail order tunes can be very good. But for the optimum performance out of your car and mods, go to a dyno tuner and get them to do real time dyno mapping adjustments.

Not all cars react the same even with the same mods. So a mail order can never beat a real time dyno tune.

[vessloveit]

Yes dyno tuning will improve a mail order tune, however there can be problems if dyno tuner uses different software to mail order tune.

Also if you have the software etc such as EFILIVE and get a tune from someone you can then log data and have tuner refine tune.

I have done this and am most happy with results thanks Steve (OZTRACK)