What should I do?

[ttocs]

I just completed a head/cam swap with a trickflow 170 and stage 1 cam. At the same time I also added an Anderson power pipe, lightning maf and figured I could buy some time with the SCT chip from american muscle. The car will turn over and start up but does still run rough from time to time and is also running rich enough to chase you out of the garage with your eyes wattering after a short time. I figured I would need to dyno tune it sooner or later but I am working on a bit of a slow budget as I need to save up for each mod now and I have a couple of choices.

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to score the 60 mm display for the PLX devices multi-gauge on ebay for $100 shipped and plan on adding 2-4 of the gauge modules as time/money comes around. I am definitly doing a wideband and water/oil temp, maybe vacume. After that I can send my chip in to ask the to modify it once I know what it is doing wrong as it has free burns on it to help the car run better(hopefully), or should I just take it down to the dyno and have it done once before getting the modules?

 

[robb15033]

Got to get the car running perfect. If a dyno tune isn't an immediate option, I would start with your first call back to Bama or AM to work on getting the correct tune. I know its time consuming that way but you might be able to collect some data that they need to get it right. Calling them in regards to the tune files is at least a start.

 

[ProKiller]

so you don't have a chip yet? what is your fuel pressure set at?

 

[ttocs]

I bought a chip/tune from american muscle/bama tuning. its working but not perfect and needs some more work done on it.


I would assume I would need to install the gauges to get then info that they would need about air to fuel and such otherwise telling them a little more/a little less seems like it would be pointless.

I had it tuned one other time(long story) and was surpised to see that the chip I pulled out is the exact same chip as the one I just put back in with the new tune. I hope I can just send that one back to them to have the new tune on it and then swap them back when I get it.

So I guess my question is $400 worth of gauges or $400 worth of dyno? Can't do both right now...

 

[OnyxCobra]

gotta get it running right, what good are gauges if it's not running right? They tuned it for the LMAF and all?

 

[det_riot]

save up for al ittler longer and just get it dyno tuned. the mailorder tune is never going to be exactly right for your combo and what a dyno tune is going to do for your car is going to blow the mailorder tune out of the water.

 

[ttocs]

gotta get it running right, what good are gauges if it's not running right? They tuned it for the LMAF and all?

well it actually isn't running badley now as it stays cool, doesn't throw the CEL. As I said its runnin rich by the smell and doesn't have the power I expected it to have after all that but I do not know the exact AFR or engine temp, which is where the gauges help. They tuned the chip for the all the new parts but all by computer charts on what they have seen, not from my exact car.

Wish my disability trial would go over soon and well and then I could at least have a little cash to spend. Tired of being broke and waiting...

 

[rz5.0]

you gauges wont help them tune. Need to datalog then it might help.

 

[ttocs]

I was suprised to find out today that my folks are givin me enough cash for my birthday to cover both a tune and the gauges. It was very generous as they usually do not give anywhere near that much for gifts.

Now I can plug 4 different gauge modules into that display. Definitly gettin an AFR and liquid temp gauge(will do oil and water temp), but what other guages would be good to get?