ok how much is the best version of hptuners shipped to my door ready to hook up to my car no extra stuff needed ???? thanks

 

your really going to need a laptop & a wideband to accuratly tune your vehicle, which are not included with your purchase...the best version would be the MPVI pro with standalone data logging which is $649+shipping.

 

Theres always going to be a minimum amount they need to charge to recoupe r&d & hardware costs so don't expect pricing to come down from their current $499 standard version. Also remember you get enough credits to tune up to 4 cobalts...so get together with 3 friends & it should run each of you $125...thats pretty "lite" on your pocket

 

So would it be pointless for a complete noob to purchase this, would they do more harm than good?

 

ok one more question can i use the aeroforce scan guage as my wideband or should i buy like the OBD II or the aem one from cobalt-addiction.com its like 299.00 i mean i know im going to have to buy one of these anyways to monitor knock and all the good stuff and i have a laptop so i just need to know what type of scan guage or monitor device i should use

 

I hope not.

 

if you get the pro you can wire the wideband right into a log eveyithing with it. HP has a scanner program so you can log your stuff like tps, a/f, injector duty cycle, and on and on and on.

 

Well if you do purchase just remember baby steps. Dont go crazy with it. If you buy it you can tune yourself if you dont you have to pay a shop everytime you want to change something and well prices vary a lot from place to place.

 

How much are these classes, are they on-line, or do I need to rollup to NJ for a a vacation trip to learn to tune? I'm extremely interested as this is the area I lack the most knowledge in and it is also the area the can kill an engine the fastest!

 

yeah i agree let us know i want to purchase hp tuners within the next week

 

most beginners efi classes are around $500-800 from what I've read but most arent hptuners specific...they cover the engine, a/f ratios, how to use a dyno, etc.

 

you still didnt answer my question on what type of wideband i need to buy for hp tuners

 

I think it was the Innovative LC-1 that works with HPTuners IIRC.

 

you can use just abou any wideband that has a 5v output. I use the AEM but a lot of people like the LC1.

 

k thanks im gonna pick up hp tuners soon with the wideband so if i have both of these im not gonna need to buy an aeroforce scan guage am i to monitor knock and all the other stuff can hp tuners do this for me

 

personally I have the innovate LM-1...its slightly more expensive but probably thee most portable unit on the market...takes me 5 minutes to install in a customers car including the time to install the actual sensor in the bung lol. A lot of people have run into minor & some major issues with their LC-1's and I honstly don't know if they've completely reconciled everything to where they are working 100% at this point so even now I'd probably stay away & try the AEM one if mine decided to kick the bucket.

BTW knock on wood but I've had my LM-1 for 2 years now.

 

does hp tuners monitor knock????

 

If I recall correctly from the last time I connected to an SS it monitors 130+ sensors & pid's including KR, timing, rpms, mph, commanded afr, maf frequency, etc....not to mention having bidirectional controls, DTC scanning saving & clearning, soon to offer ford & dodge scanning at no extra charge, as well as ford & dodge tuning. The hardware they offer right now is about as future proof as it gets

 

I know HPTuners requires credits to tune your vehicle. (2) per vehicle, and (6) for year/make (as far as colbalts are concerned).

1.) If I take the year make option when activating the software, that gives me unlimited tunes for that year/make car right?

2.) Do I also get unlimited tunes for one specific car, if I use the per vehicle option?

3.) Hypothetically, if I use the year/make option, and save someones "stock" GM STAGE tune, can I then apply that tune to ANY and ALL cobalts of the same year/make?

4) If #3 is true, then people could just get a MPS, and 42.5lb injectors, and go around uploading stage whatever onto all of their buddies cars for a minimal cost. I say this because Im considering getting HPTuners. My cousing has Stage 2. If I gank his tune, then I can apply it to my car and only have to purchase 42.5 injectors.(?) I could then have whoever else I know do the same thing, and then just upload the GM STAGE tune to their vehicle. Right? That would be fairly cheaper than purchasing stage 1 or 2 for anyone I know....

Just a thought....

 

-correct

-correct

-correct its not like you only get one shot at flashing it in lol it just means your locked to that pcm with those two credits, nothing more.

hypothetically yes, is it a smart thing to do, no. IMHO mail order tunes are junk...every car is different & reacts differently. Not to mention different Operating systems & vin #'s that wont match up(there are work arounds for these though).

in the end its up to you, good luck & don't blow any of your friends cars up

 

Yea, I figured that you got unlimited tunes for the vehicle no matter what selection you made, just not to a variety of vehicles if you did the make/model year selection. (in case I get another GM, etc. vahicle)

You said something about different operating systems, and vin#s not matching correctly. I guess I didn't take into consideration the whole GM vin# thing. However, I could just make a simmialr, or modified GM Stage Tune in HPTuners, and then apply it to others vehicles running the same/simmiar mods. (Like the common stage 2/2.8" pulley thing)

I agree a custom tune is always better than a generalized mail order tune. However Im still up in the air about it. (between GM stage 1, and HPTuners). Mainly becasue of limited PCM tuning experience, lack of wideband, etc.

Thanks,
Chris-

 

i mean you could make a few files & then just use the compare-copy over differences feature but even me(I've been tuning for 2 years) don't use this on ANY vehicle I do. Cookie cutter tunes=crap IMO...there are alot of other big name tuners outside of the 4 cyl world that don't do them either...they probably could make alot more money doing them, but they know as well as I do that its not right and rarely works out well especially the fueling side of things

 

last question i just dont want to wasted money this project is gonna be expensive enough! If I got the MPVI pro with standalone data logging there would be no need to purchase a aeroforce scan guage would there i mean i would have a laptop in my car at ALL times monitoring everything so am i correct that the aeroforce would be pointless????? thanks

 

The Aeroforce would be nice so that you don't have to have your computer with you every where you go, and you can still monitor your AFR or whatever else you are wanting to monitor.

For the newbs to tuning I would suggest getting some information on tuning befroe you invest the money and hurt something. There are a few books out there that help you to understand what things are, how they work, and how changes can effect them.

Check these out if you would like.

Engine Management by Dave Walker (click here) This one is brief and not too indepth, but comes with a demo version of Emerald M3DK tuning software to practice a simulated tune.

How to Tune and Modify Engine Management Systems (Motorbooks Workshop) by Jeff Hartman (click here) This is quite indepth and explains how each part of the system works and what effects changes make.

 

Ok.. i sound like a noob i know **** on this subject but need help... i have a laptop. i wanted to upgrade to a smaller pulley etc without the gm stages ..do i need hp turners program... and what do i need to tune the vehicle i have a laptop what else tight budget ..can i tune it my self or do i need a shop.