Help me Tune my car
 

Hey guys

This is my setup for a 95 GSR OBD-I

All the bolt ons:

AEM Short Ram Intake
DC Sports 4-2-1 header (2 inch)
Carsound high flow CAT (2 inch)
Tanabe Hyper Medallion catback (2.36 inch)

I'm a newb when it comes to tuning, can someone post some step-by-step on tuning?

Do I need a FPR?
I have Read about VAFC2, but not quite sure what that is?
Also read about hondata, not quite sure what that is?
Do I need to get my ECU chipped? Piggybacked?


Where can I go to fuel tune my car in the GTA? Anyone know a good place?

Would this place also hava a dyno? And how much would it cost? And would this place sell or have the above stuff?

Thanks

you can try and change some curves with a vafc, other than that, i would have someone that tunes cars do it for you + perferably on a dyno.
find Mark from TSR

with the vafc i beleve you can change your vtec engagement, modify fuel per RPM, etc but the best way to tune your car is on a dyno.

Your waisting your money on a VAFC or FPR if you don't have any upgrades that require you to add more fuel. Your stock computer is more than capable for handling your mods. You can use your VAFC and FPR if you used them to lean out the motor. There's about 5-7hp to be gained that way, but there are risks to running a lean motor. You'll need to dyno tune to get a safe fuel curve. Changing VTEC is a waste for most non-aftermarket cam applications. To make more power, sometimes you have to raise the vtec engagement. I've experiemented with a few different vtec points on my r motor and found the factory setting makes the best power during cross-over. When it was lowered there was a dip. When it was raised there was a dip. There is a guy that I raced with that found he had better power curve with a rmp engagement 200rmp above stock on his r motor. It's weird. Every motor has it's own way it likes to be tuned. If you do cams or cam gears I'd go with having a chip written for you setup on the dyno before going to a VAFC. Splitfire in Brampton has good equipment to set you up. Until you do something more aggressive with your setup, I don't see the value in the upgrades you're talking about. Save your money.

Well I dont really want to be adding anything more than what is required to properly tune my ride.

These bolt on mods are all I want. I'm not gonna be doing engine part upgrades (cams and stuff).

So what are the minimum additional parts needed to tune?

Start by reading your plugs. Here's a guide to know what you're looking at:

http://www.dansmc.com/spark_plugs/Sp...s_catalog.html

If it's wet you're too rich, if you're really white with little hair things on it, you're so lean you're causing detonation. You want a dry rusty colour - if there is a tiny bit of white, you're ok too.

Then book some dyno time with a reputable tuner and get a baseline. Make sure they put a sniffer in your tailpipe. That's the only why you'll know your fuel curve. At that point you can decide to spend money to tweak your fuel curve or if it's fine the way it is. Stock settings tend to dump a little extra fuel, so what the tuner will do is pull that back a bit in places. Splitfire's equipment lets them plug their computer into you wiring harness and add/remove fuel and adjust your fuel curve accordingly and move around your VTEC point. They can then save that program onto a chip. At that point, you can decide whether having the chip installed into your ecu is worthwhile or leave it stock. If your stock curve looks safe then leave it. It it isn't, then go with the chip, then do some real world driving and keep an eye on your plugs. In about a month bring it back to the dyno for more tuning. If the curve is the same and the plugs read good, then your fine. Otherwise, adjust the curve again and come back a month later.

I run my car at 13-1 A/F all the way across the band. Some say that's too lean, and 12.5 -1 is safer. I just keep an eye on it. I use an FPR and fuel gauge, but that's more so I can add a bit more fuel when I'm lapping or solo1 racing. At the track I run 45lbs of fuel, on the street 40. I have a VAFC but I've never installed it since tuning on the dyno seems to work for my app. If you want it I'll give you a good price for it.

Hey, thanks for the response Rex, I really appreciate it.

I might go there someday and check it out. I'm probably not gonna get a VAFC, but do you think a FPR is required for the type of tuning I want? Would you have that place's contact info?

Believe neutronics is at east mall and north queen in Etobicoke. Right next to ProKart. I lost the number, sorry.

Paul at splitfire it on Rutherford, north of steeles, south of clark. They're at 222 Rutherford unit 2. His number is 905 457 2977. www.splitfireperformance.com.

A lot of guys I race with have had a lot of success with Neutronics. I personally can't vouch for them, but by reputation they do good work. Like I said, I use Splitfire in Brampton and have had good success with them. Paul can be a little hard to deal with at times and has little patience for people who claim to know more than him. He runs an 8 second turbo GSR civic and does a really good job of keeping it together, so just listen and agree with everything he says and you'll be fine. If you don't agree with the way he sets up your car, then just thank him and go somewhere else. He does work really hard to get the most out of your setup. See what he says about the FPR and if you need one or not. My guess is the stock one should do just fine. Oh, and don't act upset if he makes you wait - which he will. His prices are really good though.

Oh, another piece of good advice is whatever tuner you go to, just pay whatever they ask. The service you get for $100 is not the same service you get for $80. But that's just a general rule of thumb for anything in the service industry - from painters to lawyers. And no I don't get a commision for saying that. :) It's just there are places to cut corners and car tuning isn't one of them.

If you want more opinions than mine, then do a search on honda-tech.com, clubsi, TCC or put a post in the ask hada section of the hadamotorsport.com forums.

Thats why when I go to see Paul I am going to bring BabyNSX with me.... he will overlook all of Pauls work.... if he doesn't like it... tuff.