I installed the ZZP stage 2 turbo kit onto my LE5 a couple of months ago and I'm looking into getting it retuned in January.

My question is, which is better? A dyno tune or having someone street tune it? I can't seem to find anything specifically on this website about the pros and cons of both and I'm fairly new to the tuning scene. All advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for something that's going to keep my car safe and reliable since it's currently my DD.

Thanks in advanced and I hope to get the information I'm looking for!

 

If you can't tune it yourself, go for the dyno. I like to start with a dyno tune then dial it in on the street.

How many times can you wring out 4th gear on the street? 3rd was the money gear on my LNF so that's what got the fine tune.

 

As the member said above, in order to be able to log 4th gear run to let's say redline, your going to be doing what will easily get you a ticket from a cop. I know a 3rd gear pull will get me to 105mph. Now, that doesn't dismiss road tuning as I believe it will truely match the the load(weight of the vehicle+ You) to the engine. On the dyno you'll be able to do proper WOT which will enable you or your tuner better visible input of what's going on as the tach climbs the rpm's.

The dyno is a tuning tool, use it. I would suggest a Mustang because the rollers on a Mustang weigh 2650( or about that). Now, we both know that your Cobalt weighs more than that, that's where the Eddy load cell(found on the roller) comes into play. For the remaining weight(to match the weight of the car) the Eddy load cell add's an additional load/ resistance to the roller. Getting the weight dialed in will make sure that your afr's are good when changing parameters to the ecm. So, if you'd like to get street tuning and your car dialed perfect on a dyno, use a mustang or clones like Dyno Dynamics.Another thing to keep in mind, look at the net gains for each pull you do, not millisecond peak horsepower. Doing this will show you that changes to the tune are being effective or not.

 

i understand that but i have a question, Doesnt street tuning allow you to better tune for your way of driving?

 

What driving in a straight line? Which is what most of you do anyways(roll racing). You can do that same pull on a Mustang dyno or your dyno of choice. Ultimately, I'm not against street tuning as I street tune and dyno tune.

 

Will the lack of air flow on a dyno be that big of a deal compared to a street tune?

 

It certainly can make a difference. On a dyno tune you're going to by tuning for pretty much one thing. Making sure you get no KR and how the car is running besides doing some actually pulls. Street tuning will perfect a tune do your driving characteristics. Each one has their downfalls. Do both, nothing wrong with that. A couple dyno pulls and some street driving/pulls.

 

When I was tuned by James (CCSS3) we did street tuning, that worked great and still does. When I had my motor got rebuilt I went to Performance Autowerks since they are closer and they use a dyno to tune. Dave got the tune dialed in pretty well on the dyno, but then took it to the street to make the minor changes that needed to be made. In our case it was colder outside, so it was boosting a bit higher then it was inside. So there are minor changes that needed to be made. I don't believe that a tune can be perfect without having a little bit of both, but that's just my opinion!

 

Alright so I should dyno tune first, then street tune to dial it in perfectly? One isn't necessarily more of a priority then the other?

 

Me personally, I think dyno first then street to dial it in. But there is nothing wrong with just getting a street tune

 

^^^^^ agreed

 

I think I'll go that route. Dyno first and street when the funds are there and I find the right guy.

 

sounds like a winning combo, expensive if you cant do your own tuning.

 

I guess it can be expensive but that depends on who is tuning. The dyno shop I go to knows me well and they already know that I'm not there to get numbers and leave so they charge me $100 for ulimited pulls(for doing logs) and I go about sending them to my tuner(Term2). Term2 is amazing and I paid $400 in 2011 and haven't paid anything since besides dyno's(which I was doing every few months). I would then go out on a particular highway here in San Diego to do 3rd and 4th gear pulls and sometimes 1-4th gear pulls. I'll be doing the same here in a week or two when my car finally comes out of the shop(well after I break in the engine, 1200 miles)

 

It sounds like tuning is a time consuming thing and isn't just a once and done thing. I don't on modding my car very much within the next year.

 

Well if you want you could always pick up HPTuners. There are a few tuners in the community who will remote tune you. So you will be able to log your car, send it to them, they will revise it and send it back to you. You can do this process as much as you want too. Dyno tuning can be expensive, but you need to find a place that knows how to tune the LNF or LSJ. The shop that I go to now has a very good tuner, and just so happens there is a dyno haha, so I get the best of both worlds. Everyone is not that lucky tho haha

 

As of now I believe I'll be taking my car to Complete Street Performance in West Chester, PA. If not there then Tune Time in New Jersey. Tune Time is pretty expensive though but focus on Chevy's a lot.

 

OP, great thread, just sayin'!

 

Thanks man! I feel like this is good information for everyone. I had people swearing by street tunes and said dyno's were a waste of money due to the lack of air flow. But then I was told that a dyno would be the safest and best way to tune a DD without destroying anything.

 

A buddy of mine Tunes ZR1's, High powered Mustangs, the new LS9 Cadi's, GTRs, you name it he has the system and has tuned them. He always starts on the dyno then fine tunes on the Street. His name is Jeremy Formato @ Fasterproms. He specializes in GM tunes down in FL but comes up to the NE for some extra $$.

 

It seems like a lot of dyno's also finish tuning by street tuning.

How often does he come up?

 

Heard nothing about bad stuff from tune time. Anyone with a 06 I can help out for free. Anyone else I would have to unlock credits.

 

Damn, mine is an '07.

Really? I thought they were supposed to be a good dyno shop for Chevy's.

 

THERE ARE NO good tuning shops in el paso, far as i see none even knowledgeable on the LNF platform thare are only 5 in the area from wut i have seen, so what should I do?

 

I have not heard good things about them. PM Me when you get a chance.