I am so lost...

[Red99CSVT]

Alright everyone I've figured out he mods I'm doing and have been looking into tuning the pcm but I can't get my head wrapped around it. I'm installing an intake w/heashield, MSDS headers, Truebends y-pipe w/high flow cat, cat back not sure which one yet, and a Zex dry kit 75 shot. Also a Fidanza flywheel and Spec clutch thats it for engine mods I'm sure a tune is in order but do I just buy an Xcal and have a tune put on it? Can I take my car to a shop and get it dyno tuned without installing anything as far as engine managment??? I can't get it figured out anyone that will give me straight answers please help me out the threads in this forum confused me even more if they did anything.

[Ray]

okay.

in order to change what the PCM is seeing or doing you need to be able to alter it in some way.

• There is the XCAL2(or 3, now) which alters the STOCK PCM's actual code. there is nothing to solder on, nothing to attach, no piggyback methods..
• You have a PCM chip you can add to the PCM.. it alters the commands given to the car. You(or a company) have to open your PCM itself and solder (or clip, nowadays) the electronic components to your stock PCM
• as a smaller section to PCM chips, you can get a "flip chip", which is installed the same way with some additional wiring running to a switch. The switch controls which "tune" program the chip will run. (aggressive/more power/less mileage, or safer, longevity, more mpg etc)

Now, once you have a method to modify the PCMs output/input you can tune it.

• You can "dyno tune" it, but the dyno shop needs to be able to communicate with your specific method of PCM alteration. (ie.. if you have an Xcal, they need to "support" an XCAL at that location)
• email tune it (which is what "most" tuning methods will come with. You get a VERY basic tune preloaded on your chip based on engine size and APPROXIMATE mods (if they go that far)

So.. no matter which option you do, there ARE possibilities.. sure.

My choice?

Obtain an XCAL2 and get it tuned via Nautilus Performance (Tom is, without question or debate, the number one tuner for the Duratec platform out there.. bar none..)

he will send you a tune to upload with your XCAL and then you can drive around while "logging" your driving.. send those logs back to Tom and he will further tailor the tune.. upload, rinse, repeat until you are tuned to the max. No dyno trips, no dyno pull $$, no soldering, no worries, and being able to rest knowing you have the MOST for your money

Other companies give you one tune, the initial one mailed with your chip) and you PAY for another one

How do you KNOW you need another one? you don't.. the car has to be un-driveable enough for YOU to realize you aren't "as good" as you could be, then YOU have to pay again to retry.

so...

cliff's notes.

XCAL
Tom
sleep well

[Red99CSVT]

Thanks for putting it in a way I can understand I appreciate it. I'll do some more reading up on the Xcal2/3 and go from there to make my choice. I've read on here a couple have run the Zex kit w/o a tune which I wouldn't think is recommended even though the kit regulates and helps compensate. Now with the Xcal2 it talks about a wideband a/f gauge to tune it best. I will be installing an a/f gauge but it's not a wideband and the biggest reason besides the obvious horsepower that's gained is to be sure my a/f is in the safe zone when I'm on the bottle. How is that going to be tuned via e-mail if I don't have the wideband?

[Ray]

if you are installing a NARROW BAND o2 gauge you are wasting your time.

The narrow band gauge works as simply a visual way of representing what the stock O2 sensors on the car are seeing. That is, they are only able to tell if the mixture is above, or below stoic. They can differentiate between "barely rich" or "more than barely rich".. that's it. same way for the lean side.. "barely too lean" and "anything more than barely too lean".

there is no accuracy. the gauge you are using will simply move those "measurements" to a visual LED light show.

The car will be "barely too rich", it will show that, compensate in reducing the fuel, then the sensor will see "too lean" and the lights will swing the other way. there will be no way to tell HOW much too lean/rich you were, or even how much you will be. The lights bounce back and forth because all it does is correlate the O2 sensor voltage to the leds.

Wideband O2 sensors are accurate to a specific mixture level. They can represent a mixture level. it doesn't just say "its rich, or "more rich".. it shows exactly how rich.

don't buy a narrow band. if you did, return it.. if you can't, sell it.

If nobody will buy it, eat the loss.

buy a wideband.
period.

[Red99CSVT]

Looks like I need to buy a new a/f gauge then not a big deal the other one I bought I got a deal on only paid like $40 for it. Thanks alot for your helping me understand Ray.

[Red99CSVT]

Alright so I went and bought an AEM wideband a/f ratio gauge to complete my selection of aftermarket gauges now all I need is an Xcal from warmonger. Always one more thing to buy right?

[Barge]

I would recommend a flip chip over the Xcal to anyone running nitrous. It's a lot more convenient to switch and the tunes will be drastically different with a dry nitrous system.

[Red99CSVT]

After doing some more reading the flip chip does look like a really good idea for anyone running nitrous because it can be switched on the fly. Dammit I don't know what I want to do again. Is anyone on here running a flip-chip?

[Barge]

Just listen to me, you'll be better off in the end

[Red99CSVT]

The only reason I'm really thinking about it is the cost because if I go with the flip chip to be totally safe when I'm on the bottle I need to get it dyno tuned right? Then when I move to Arizona in april I have to get the car retuned again? I'm asking the questions I don't know the answer to.