My bad tune saga and cure to the Miss/surging of tuned cars and a little VENT.
(Vent on)
Took my car shortly after purchasing to a major Motor sport dealer/tuner with adds in multiple magazines in CLINTON IL. I had them install BF pulleys and Idlers and tune it. In the process of them installing my Blower pulley they jacked it up real good and in the end he said he didn't charge me for the Total dyno time to make up for it but I know I still got the raw end of the deal. It looks like they installed it with a tire iron and a Sledge hammer.
After the car was tuned I took it home and parked it and really didn't drive it for another few months. At the time of the tune I didn't notice anything wrong (straight highway home) but later when driving in town or at slow speeds I noticed problems, such as: At Idle it misses or acts like a bad plug, 1000-2000 it misses to the point passengers feel the car jerking or like riding a horse. Clears up a bit after 2K, 2500K on no problem, no smoke or spark blow out under boost.
Driveablility is main concern. To try to fix miss, I had replaced plugs 3 times, checked and rechecked gaps, clean iac, maf, air cleaner, Bought a new COP and used process of elimination to determine if I had a bad one, Posted/subscribed/ to numerous threads with people who have same issue. Most were cured with tune fixes it seemed. Car would also stall upon stopping and pushing clutch in (intermittently) also constantly searched for rmps right after stopping. I called Tooner multiple times for answers. Received no call back or email. I have talked with others tuned by them and they all had a problem or two during their tune. One even had 30 pulls and they said there was something wrong with his car and not their tune ability. He went back twice and still had major problems. Another had his car limp home 20 minutes after getting tuned. Then had to go back for more, they couldn't understand why his car wouldn't accept tune only to mysteriously accept it 2 days later. I don't know of anyone to just go in and come out 100% happy and have no probs. (found all this out after my tune)
When another friend got a datalog by a X-Ford Tuner, Immediately he pointed out major problems with tune. One of which was a miss at idle (like I have) he said it was WAY over sparked at idle. I had same problem. He said it was by far the worse tune he had ever seen. I will let you decide who the mystery CLINTON IL MOTORSPORT tooner was haha(Vent off)
Conslusion observations---
I have a jlt cold air in fender unit. I have heard when the maf is turned down it upsets car calibration plus it sucks up water when it rains. To remedy this I purchased a JLT Ram Air under hood unit and an Xcal 3 with lifetime tunes from Bama. I unmarried the Diablosport predator and married the Xcal3 which contains 3 tunes 1. 91 octane daily driver tune, 2. 92 Octane aggressive street and 3. 93 Oct race tune.
My non professional opinions so far:
6/21/11
1.The 91 daily driver tune:
Uninstalled the TOON from "Xtooner" via my diablosport. Was very easy, returned to stock.
Using new SCT with tunes from Bama I uploaded the first of the tunes. The 91 octane.
Removed JLT Cold Air in fender unit. found about 3 table spoons of oil inside and near TB. I have since ordered 2 JLT Pcv Pre filters to quell this. Installed new JLT Ram Air went very quick and was easy. had to use a little pressure to install heat shield. but not too bad.
Started the car with the new tune and noted:
A. Car Fired up a lot quicker than previously.
B. Car went to idle speed very quickly without searching as with previous tune.
C. At idle the miss was non exsistant.
D. Miss was not noticeable at all speeds under 2K Rpm. no bucking or surging.
E. When letting off of gas there was no clunk or head forward movement. Just a nice even deceleration.
F. Noticeable growl from exhaust when letting off gas and still in gear. (burbley sound for lack of a better word)
G. When driving and coming to a stop car returns to idle when depressing clutch. Does not die or search for idle speed like previous tune.
H. Throttle responds quicker.
I. Don't know if it is my head or not but it seems like I have to use the clutch less. I don't have to ride clutch out from a stop, now it seems as if it is quicker to respond to acceleration. I let the clutch out quicker.
J. Noticeable GAS smell from no cats is now 1/4 of what it used to be (In other words, you don't asphyxiate at a stoplight)
2.The 92 Street Tune:
Nothing real noticeable, same idle rpm and throttle response,and all as above.
3.The 93 Race Tune:
Same idle rpm and throttle response, I am sure the difference would be noticed at the track. feels a little more torquey, Engine is smooth all the way to red line. notice a very slight lope in exhaust. not noticed in other tunes.
Noticed engine is very smooth when revving unlike Previous Clinton Gang toon.
4. Took it on a 60 mile high way trip. Car ran flawlessly. Got out of car half way and stood behind it for a few minutes no noticeable gas smell like with other Clinton Toon.
In conclusion.
The Bama tunes are good email tunes on the surface and I predict the A/F will be almost if not spot on when checked professionally as with the other elements of the tune.
If you would like the privilege to purchase Dyno time and Tooning/trouble from the Clinton IL based company and worry about it soon after then so be it. My experience for the part install and dyno time was Over $875. plus having to purchase another hand held tuner (SCT)
If you would like an Xcal 3 tuner, plus lifetime tunes for future mods/tweaks with support for Datalogs and tech support all for under $380. Then I suggest American Muscle/Bama tunning. I am glad I did so far.
Hope this helps someone now or in the future if they have problems.
CLiffs: Stay away from tuning in Clinton IL. Bama tunes are very good.
(Vent on)
Took my car shortly after purchasing to a major Motor sport dealer/tuner with adds in multiple magazines in CLINTON IL. I had them install BF pulleys and Idlers and tune it. In the process of them installing my Blower pulley they jacked it up real good and in the end he said he didn't charge me for the Total dyno time to make up for it but I know I still got the raw end of the deal. It looks like they installed it with a tire iron and a Sledge hammer.
After the car was tuned I took it home and parked it and really didn't drive it for another few months. At the time of the tune I didn't notice anything wrong (straight highway home) but later when driving in town or at slow speeds I noticed problems, such as: At Idle it misses or acts like a bad plug, 1000-2000 it misses to the point passengers feel the car jerking or like riding a horse. Clears up a bit after 2K, 2500K on no problem, no smoke or spark blow out under boost.
Driveablility is main concern. To try to fix miss, I had replaced plugs 3 times, checked and rechecked gaps, clean iac, maf, air cleaner, Bought a new COP and used process of elimination to determine if I had a bad one, Posted/subscribed/ to numerous threads with people who have same issue. Most were cured with tune fixes it seemed. Car would also stall upon stopping and pushing clutch in (intermittently) also constantly searched for rmps right after stopping. I called Tooner multiple times for answers. Received no call back or email. I have talked with others tuned by them and they all had a problem or two during their tune. One even had 30 pulls and they said there was something wrong with his car and not their tune ability. He went back twice and still had major problems. Another had his car limp home 20 minutes after getting tuned. Then had to go back for more, they couldn't understand why his car wouldn't accept tune only to mysteriously accept it 2 days later. I don't know of anyone to just go in and come out 100% happy and have no probs. (found all this out after my tune)
When another friend got a datalog by a X-Ford Tuner, Immediately he pointed out major problems with tune. One of which was a miss at idle (like I have) he said it was WAY over sparked at idle. I had same problem. He said it was by far the worse tune he had ever seen. I will let you decide who the mystery CLINTON IL MOTORSPORT tooner was haha(Vent off)
Conslusion observations---
I have a jlt cold air in fender unit. I have heard when the maf is turned down it upsets car calibration plus it sucks up water when it rains. To remedy this I purchased a JLT Ram Air under hood unit and an Xcal 3 with lifetime tunes from Bama. I unmarried the Diablosport predator and married the Xcal3 which contains 3 tunes 1. 91 octane daily driver tune, 2. 92 Octane aggressive street and 3. 93 Oct race tune.
My non professional opinions so far:
6/21/11
1.The 91 daily driver tune:
Uninstalled the TOON from "Xtooner" via my diablosport. Was very easy, returned to stock.
Using new SCT with tunes from Bama I uploaded the first of the tunes. The 91 octane.
Removed JLT Cold Air in fender unit. found about 3 table spoons of oil inside and near TB. I have since ordered 2 JLT Pcv Pre filters to quell this. Installed new JLT Ram Air went very quick and was easy. had to use a little pressure to install heat shield. but not too bad.
Started the car with the new tune and noted:
A. Car Fired up a lot quicker than previously.
B. Car went to idle speed very quickly without searching as with previous tune.
C. At idle the miss was non exsistant.
D. Miss was not noticeable at all speeds under 2K Rpm. no bucking or surging.
E. When letting off of gas there was no clunk or head forward movement. Just a nice even deceleration.
F. Noticeable growl from exhaust when letting off gas and still in gear. (burbley sound for lack of a better word)
G. When driving and coming to a stop car returns to idle when depressing clutch. Does not die or search for idle speed like previous tune.
H. Throttle responds quicker.
I. Don't know if it is my head or not but it seems like I have to use the clutch less. I don't have to ride clutch out from a stop, now it seems as if it is quicker to respond to acceleration. I let the clutch out quicker.
J. Noticeable GAS smell from no cats is now 1/4 of what it used to be (In other words, you don't asphyxiate at a stoplight)
2.The 92 Street Tune:
Nothing real noticeable, same idle rpm and throttle response,and all as above.
3.The 93 Race Tune:
Same idle rpm and throttle response, I am sure the difference would be noticed at the track. feels a little more torquey, Engine is smooth all the way to red line. notice a very slight lope in exhaust. not noticed in other tunes.
Noticed engine is very smooth when revving unlike Previous Clinton Gang toon.
4. Took it on a 60 mile high way trip. Car ran flawlessly. Got out of car half way and stood behind it for a few minutes no noticeable gas smell like with other Clinton Toon.
In conclusion.
The Bama tunes are good email tunes on the surface and I predict the A/F will be almost if not spot on when checked professionally as with the other elements of the tune.
If you would like the privilege to purchase Dyno time and Tooning/trouble from the Clinton IL based company and worry about it soon after then so be it. My experience for the part install and dyno time was Over $875. plus having to purchase another hand held tuner (SCT)
If you would like an Xcal 3 tuner, plus lifetime tunes for future mods/tweaks with support for Datalogs and tech support all for under $380. Then I suggest American Muscle/Bama tunning. I am glad I did so far.
Hope this helps someone now or in the future if they have problems.
CLiffs: Stay away from tuning in Clinton IL. Bama tunes are very good.
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