Opinions please SCT Pro Racer Software

[HFBPA889]

I am looking for opinions/experiences on what you tuning gurus think of this software and how user friendly it is for a newb to tuning. I have never tuned before but I want to learn. There are a limited number of tuners where I live and very few respected ones.

So, if I buy a package deal from Don Lasota with his book/cd is this a product that can be used by a beginner like myself? Does the book/cd give you the technical ability to get the job done confidently? Any first time tuners out there use this product and how long did it take you to get the concept down?

 

[slonech]

loooooooooooove it... first time newbie here and i was able to get my highly modded car running pretty good so far with the package from Don. Took me about 2 weeks to get the car to idle smooth and working now on drivability in the MAF tables. His support is top notch!

 

[HFBPA889]

loooooooooooove it... first time newbie here and i was able to get my highly modded car running pretty good so far with the package from Don. Took me about 2 weeks to get the car to idle smooth and working now on drivability in the MAF tables. His support is top notch!

Thanks for your input, I want to pull the trigger on this and just need some confidence.

 

[01yellercobra]

I picked up the software a few years ago. Before that I had only tuned carbs. It took a little learning but it's not bad. I'm trying to talk the wife into letting me tune her car.

 

[Blown38]

Do it! SCT has forums for questions you may have also.

 

[watman02]

i got it and would do it again in a heart beat.... don's book is great and support is great as well. i would highly recommend it. we need more ford guys tuning there own.

 

[svtshadow]

I am going this route next month. I have heard his support is second to non.

 

[fbody83]

I bought the software from Don about a month ago along with his tuning guide. I knew nothing about tuning before this. It only took me about two weeks to get my car fully dialed in that was an hour here and there in the car. If I had a whole weekend to do it, it could have been done. My car is a built motor with cams and I had no problem getting it to idle after making adjustments. Don will give you a solid base tune that you can work off of and his guide/dvd is extremely helpful.

I'd highly recommend doing this if you have the time and some patience.

 

[HFBPA889]

I bought the software from Don about a month ago along with his tuning guide. I knew nothing about tuning before this. It only took me about two weeks to get my car fully dialed in that was an hour here and there in the car. If I had a whole weekend to do it, it could have been done. My car is a built motor with cams and I had no problem getting it to idle after making adjustments. Don will give you a solid base tune that you can work off of and his guide/dvd is extremely helpful.

I'd highly recommend doing this if you have the time and some patience.

I just pulled the trigger on a SCT bundle package from Don, I am very interested in putting this to use, and can't wait. Thanks for the responses and I have read more positive than negative discussion on the pro racer software. I will be posting my thoughts once I start tuning my car.

 

[fbody83]

Awesome! Good luck!

 

[flowgoode]

I'm also interested in tuning my car using Pro Racer. I have currently have an Xcal2 (old I know)...but the person I went to in the past for tuning is a very busy person, and so am I. So I'm looking at other options. Subscribing to see your experiences with it. Good luck!

 

[Blown38]

I've tuned 3 cars with it now. All have return fuel systems, so don't know how much harder the returnless is. Only one has made it to the dyno for numbers and it made 717 it was tuned on the street and track. The other 2 cars run 11.6 and 10.3 in the quarter mile theses are all 4000lb plus Marauders. Probably the hardest thing for me is the auto trans functions, just takes time to get em to shift how you want.

 

[fbody83]

I've tuned 3 cars with it now. All have return fuel systems, so don't know how much harder the returnless is. Only one has made it to the dyno for numbers and it made 717 it was tuned on the street and track. The other 2 cars run 11.6 and 10.3 in the quarter mile theses are all 4000lb plus Marauders. Probably the hardest thing for me is the auto trans functions, just takes time to get em to shift how you want.

Did you have to become an SCT dealer and buy the dealer PRP in order to create tunes for other cars?

 

[Senator]

Glad you took the plunge. Don is a great resource.

I'm about 3 weeks ahead of you. Lots of guys willing to help, just be patient on responses.

 

[01yellercobra]

Did you have to become an SCT dealer and buy the dealer PRP in order to create tunes for other cars?

You can buy the license to tune other cars. I contacted them about being able to tune Mustangs. But it wasn't cheap.

 

[fbody83]

You can buy the license to tune other cars. I contacted them about being able to tune Mustangs. But it wasn't cheap.

What did it cost you to do this if you don't mind me asking? You can PM me the details if you prefer.

 

[racecougar]

If you own the other cars (you have to show proof of ownership), you can get additional tuning licenses for $100 per car, IIRC.

 

[Blown38]

The cars I tuned have their own licenses.

 

[flowgoode]

If you own the other cars (you have to show proof of ownership), you can get additional tuning licenses for $100 per car, IIRC.

Yeah, you have to show registration or title in your name to prove ownership. I think it might be $150 now though.

"Dealers" have a different license to be able to tune other people's cars as a business.

 

[03Steve]

Here's my review...

I've tuned cars over the years with both Advantage 2 and 3. I would say it is the best platform to learn on. There are four levels of public access, typically Pro Racers get level 1. Dealers get level 3. Level 4 is the highest level; allowing end users access to chronometric, drive by wire, cam timing, and other categories.

Level 4 access is granted to end users that go through SCT-sponsored training. The drive by wire access is one driver behind that.

Advantage 2 has been discontinued now for about four years. SCT actually has it in their current license agreement that you agree not to use 2. That's a shame, because the descriptions for a lot of items and the general overview on some categories are much better in 2 than they are in 3. I especially enjoyed Jerry's overview notes on automatic shift scheduling ("no matter how good you think you are at transmission tuning", lol) For one reason or another, many of the old descriptions and overviews didn't make their way into Advantage 3. Advantage 3 however provides more overall PCM access, and supports more vehicles.

SCT currently requires the end user to connect to the internet for updates and big brother stuff (per the EULA). The files you create with SCT software are the property of SCT, and you are considered a "work for hire" per the EULA.

There are positives and negatives with any tuning platform. But for learning on a stock Ford PCM, SCT is the best place to start in my opinion. LaSota's manual is an excellent resource. If you get as far as you want to go with SCT and want to know more, then you may end up in the same boat with other single end users and dealers in the EFI tuning world.

Enjoy. It's fun.