After people read this they will say I'm bitter. Yes, I am bitter. I should have known better but I let my laziness take over and ordered a tune package from AGP for $600.
When I first got it, the tuner was bare and no tunes were in the handheld. A quick email to Kevin solved the issue, and he sent me the 3 base tunes (medium, leaner, richer). I set everything up per their instructions (battery disconnected for 30 minutes, FP set to 50 with boost source and 0'd out the SAFCII). Then I flashed the leaner map (not recommended to start on).
Car fired right up and idled great. Took it for a cruise and things seemed good but my LTFTS were in the -15's and above. That definitely needed changing. After a while I decided to do a WOT run. 1st and 2nd felt great; 3rd also felt great. 4th and 5th simply sucked. As the gears got longer, and the boost got higher, my A/F would just get deep into the 9s on my A/F gauge.
I emailed Kevin who said my tune was set for 650s not 750s. OK, new map...same shit. After I emailed him again he presented the idea that my car was somehow "funky." OK so I change everything. I change the exhaust, I get a new wideband sensor, I pay $100 for a local dyno shop to pressure check the fuel system, look for boost leaks, etc. I scored A+'s on everything - the car is in peak running condition.
Kevin decided to "custom" make me a map, that pulled 15% across the board. This put my LTFTs dead on, but the car felt slower than before, and I can attribute that to the immense pull of timing to compensate for the pull of fuel. A/F ratio was in the low 10s now, but would taper off in the 9's gradually.
5th gear was unbearable. I was unable to even pass cars on the freeway because the car would hit low 9's and then bog. Just awful.
Emailed Kevin again, and we focused on 4th gear and I tried a few more maps. One gave me lean spikes throughout WOT and I was not comfortable with it, and the next one made me pig rich again. A week ago I hit 8.8 on my A/F gauge and knew it was time to take things into my own hands.
So I take my car to one of the SCT software co-writers, Jerry W. He looks over my system, and assures me he could access their "locked map" if he so desires. I said don't bother, though. After taking a pull in my car he said the map is simply just not very good at all. He said my fuel pressure is way too high for my injector size and the 1:1 rising rate is killing my gas mileage (no duh!). What do we do? We flash in a quick base tune with very little timing being pulled and 13% of fuel being pulled across the map and voilą, car wakes right up. Unfortunately, it was a "test" map and I was unable to keep it.
Upon telling Kevin this, Kevin said Jerry probably didn't know it was a boost only source but thought it was a vacuum source. Nope, I said. I spoke to Aaron from Realtune on the phone about my dismay regarding this canned tune and he told me to call AGP and tell them EXACTLY what I want. I'm a competent individual, and I monitor everything detrimental to making the motor run safe. I do not need to be in this excessive "safe zone." This was was not going to affect the tunes I was getting out of Kevin so I told him I was just going to solely tune off the SAFC based on his original 131-1 map. Right now I'm pulling 13% of fuel across the RPM range, upping it to 18% in the higher RPM range to keep myself below -8 LTFTS. I have yet to tune WOT because I need to hit a dyno for that.
I took Aaron's advice and called AGP and left a message, and I was ticked off. There were no threats, just a clearly agitated guy at the end wanting something done about how rich his system is. I got no call that day, nor the next. Finally I emailed Kevin displeased and he replied that basically there's not a whole hell of a lot more he can do for me because I have not provided him with the information necessary. Wrong. I have kept him up to date and to the T on every little thing that has happened. After me questioning his ability to use the SCT software, he accused me of trying to dog his tunes in hopes I'd get him to send me an unlocked map to tune myself. Talk about a desperate and completely illogical idea. Why? Simple. I personally know 2 guys that have the means to get into locked LL3 maps. Just because a company locks it doesn't mean you can't access it. Your average PRP tuner won't be able to, but there are ways to circumvent its lock.
In the end I told Kevin I would not be trying his maps any more because they're just a waste of my time. My car runs well, accelerates well, but I do not like changing plugs once every 2 weeks, washing down my cylinders with fuel and paying $100 a week in gas because Kevin doesn't know how to balance timing and fueling for peak performance.
I was happy with this at first, as it blew my half-assed SAFCII tune out of the water initially; but am extremely unsatisfied with the fact that nowhere was gotten with a reputable company like AGP and map after map, nothing improved. You'd think something would start to get right after a map or two. The excuse was always my car. I either had an exhaust leak, or a boost leak, or a clogged fuel filter, or a bad wideband sensor, etc. It was never the tune...so guess what? I replaced most of that and got everything checked out at a speed shop, as said above, and my car passed with flying colors.
When the co-writer of the SCT software says a map is poor, you know it's just that.
Moral of the story? Go with a dyno tune or get a map from someone that will take into account ALL of your mods. AGP takes into account 2 things - injector size and turbo size. Cams, ported hardware, etc. are apparently irrelevant.
__________________
Quote:
I love turbo lag, it gives you a second to reflect about the poor decision you have just made.
i am installing that "one guy's" map tomorrow night. ill keep you posted on how it runs out of the box w/ the 1st tune. no safc or anything as of yet. i know you're interested in his since he takes into account every mod...
i am installing that "one guy's" map tomorrow night. ill keep you posted on how it runs out of the box w/ the 1st tune. no safc or anything as of yet. i know you're interested in his since he takes into account every mod...
Yeah he never got back to me via PM. I'm hoping he does. I'd definitely like to try his out for sure.
Definitely looking forward do it. Aaron couldn't stop saying enough good things about his tuning capabilities. Let me know how that tune works for ya'.
Definitely looking forward do it. Aaron couldn't stop saying enough good things about his tuning capabilities. Let me know how that tune works for ya'.
yea did a quick search and he def. knows his shit. he also flew out to TX and dyno tuned some people's cars and had great results.
hopefully maybe hes gunna be a vendor on here now that he took over the TCS systems... he'll probably shut all the other vendors down in terms of xcal can tunes...
thanks for the write up this is why im going to get edither the prp or a aem who is this guy you guys speak of . i might need to talk to him
__________________
STG3R ,PTP 50LB WITH TOYS. MOPAR CAI.MOPAR STS. 3INC TBE.,MM INSERTS.FRONT STRUT BAR. SPRACO BFMIC.TUBONETICS HARD PIPE AND BOV. 60MM TB AND SPACER, PORTED INTAKE MANIFOLD ,STG 3 AGP WG AND A FEW MORE STUFF
SOON TO BE EXTERNAL WASTGATED .PORTED AND SOME OTHER STUFF 4 u
So I take my car to one of the SCT software co-writers, Jerry W. He looks over my system, and assures me he could access their "locked map" if he so desires. I said don't bother, though. After taking a pull in my car he said the map is simply just not very good at all. He said my fuel pressure is way too high for my injector size and the 1:1 rising rate is killing my gas mileage (no duh!). What do we do? We flash in a quick base tune with very little timing being pulled and 13% of fuel being pulled across the map and voilą, car wakes right up. Unfortunately, it was a "test" map and I was unable to keep it.
What is your base fuel pressure set to?
Also, how would a rising rate kill your gas mileage? You're fuel pressure only goes up with boost, after all.
What is your base fuel pressure set to?
Also, how would a rising rate kill your gas mileage? You're fuel pressure only goes up with boost, after all.
This fuel pressure business has been exhausted in every conceivable way. First off, canned or not, no "tune" should have your LTFTs at -15/-18 under idle and cruising. I should have taken that as my first acknowledgement that this was not going to be a beneficial mod.
AutoForums.com is the premier network of enthusiast-owned
enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
We operate more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share
experiences and opinions as a community.
My canned tune experience, via AGP
who is this guy you guys speak of . i might need to talk to him
Your not being a dick telling the truth
Linear Mode
