[alldaysteve]

I have been modin grand prix's for the last couple of years and have a pretty good foot hold. I have a 3.3 pulleyed GTP w/ supporting mods. But I just purchased a HP tuner and I dont have the slightest idea what to do:icon_sad:. I have 0 tuning experience but decided (with the help of a descrepency with my tuner) I need to start! Can anyone tell me what to look out for? Tips for decreased KR? What is a wideband? I saw numbers ranging from 875-950 on this site, sorry I dont have more info. Timing? What is the MAF reading supposed to be? I just would like to get my feet wet before I become overwhelmed! Thanks for your time!

 

[murphinator]

it will take some time to get comfortable with your new tuner

spend some time reading the help section at hpt along with watching the posts on their forums and allow some time for it all to start sinking in - it takes time to get your head around it all

a wideband is a wideband oxygen sensor whereas your car is factory equipped with narrowband oxygen sensors

the simplest way to verbalize the difference is that narrowband sensors are accurate in a narrowband of readings - basically they are deadly accurate from aprox. 14 to 1 to 15 to 1 AFR which is great for cruising & fuel economy

with a sc application like you have at wot you will want to be somewhere in the 11.2 to 11.8 AFR range to keep your pistons in 1 peice this is where a wideband comes in as it is accurate from approx 9 to 1 up to 16 to 1

widebands are not created equal either , some are toys , some are tools - there are good threads on hpt about which wideband brands and which sensors (bosch or ntk) will provide the best accuracy

KR can immediately be removed /reduced by pulling timing based on copying & pasting max kr values from your histograms to your high octane table - long term you will want to get that timing back through proper fueling & timing via VE & maf tuning and proper wot enrichment

I am still in the studying phase myself and above is what I am still trying to apply to my own cars with slow but steady progress

the good news is that once you do figure it all out nobody has the time to put into your tune that you do so eventually you will have an excelent tune along with an understanding of how to adjust for weather & mods on the fly
without hoping someone else is doing things properly

for around $20 Greg Banish's book called engine management & advanced tuning gives an excellent overview

 

[Louvered97GTP]

My suggestion is to start scanning your car first and fix your MAF table before you start pulling timing. We all have different methods and approaches to tuning so that being said.... you want the most timing you can run without getting KR, but you can tune out kR if you first set your desired AFR and then modify your MAF table first to optimize your fuel trims. After that's done, you can start to remove KR by richening the car back up a bit at whatever MAF frequency if the KR happens during city driving, or you can also modify your transmission shifts if the KR occurs due to engine load stress. After your KR has been minimized by all other means, then I'd last hit the timing so that you don't kill more timing than you have to.
The HP site has loads information which may make your head spin at first. do a search on here and you should find a post with links to multiple tuning write ups.
Good luck. Tuning takes a while and can be fun if you have some patience.

 

[alldaysteve]

Thanks a bunch

Thank you for all of your help on the tuning topic! There are definitely many ways of tuning out there. I think I'm goina check out my 02's to make sure I'm in the 930-940 range. Then Ill adjust my fuel trims in the lean areas and maybe a hair up top to hold my timing down. If KR is still present, I will then pull timing back down after the fuel enrichment.

Does this sound like a solid first tune?

Murph, How did you get such a solid time? I didnt think that was even possible. I have a 3.3 pulley power log header tuned by a nobody(thats why I am tuning my self) with 160tstat autolite 103's no cat ubend or res. Ported blower; Ported TB and I only turned a [email protected]! How? Elevation difference? possible many KR issues with my car? I will tune as soon as HP tuners ships it out.

 

[murphinator]

Murph, How did you get such a solid time? I didnt think that was even possible. I have a 3.3 pulley power log header tuned by a nobody(thats why I am tuning my self) with 160tstat autolite 103's no cat ubend or res. Ported blower; Ported TB and I only turned a [email protected]! How? Elevation difference? possible many KR issues with my car? I will tune as soon as HP tuners ships it out.

that was before I got my tuner on a zzp 1.0 with plog , ported rear ,3" catless dp , 3" hogan catback , stage 1 tb . homemade fwi , 3.4 pulley.autolite 103/104 plugs ,180 stat

I have always gotten my cars to run quicker times than mods would indicate. The local track is only 95 feet above sea level and I typically only go to the track if density altitudes are going to be - 500 to -1500 feet below sea level.

beyond that I have a fair amount of seat time - I used to buy & sell 60's & 70's GM muscle cars in the 80's & early 90's and was at the track weekly.

I also do a lot of track prep , run race fuel ,remove unneccesary items and let my car cool properly = a few quality passes vs. many passes

I have a thread on the regal forum where I document everything I have tried sucessfully & unsucessfully to get quicker et's.

I plan on getting my wifes car in the 13's on $200-300 in mods in the next few weeks - it baselined at 14.4 @96 box stock no track prep stock tune

 

[alldaysteve]

lol great job! I think it might be a combination of both im in Flint ant Lapeer Drag way is 800ft above sea level. Maybe my tuner had no idea what he was doing also. I think between a little KR and the elevation I would have been in the ball park.
Keep me up to date on your wifes car lol. I am very interested. I think thats great your wife is cool with it cuz my girlfriend isn't lol issed:"Dont touch my car!"