SpeedRacerEX-R

This will be my first turbo kit and looking at the price of a dyno tune, I'm leaning toward just buying a wideband and tuning it myself. How wrong could I go if I download a base map (I have an S300) and tweak it to fit my parts? I could care less about knowing how much power I'm making, I just don't want it to blow up. Thoughts?

jdblock

You can sometimes rent the dyno and still self tune. More consistent than just driving around.

Muckman

iTrader: (2)

I blew up my first 2 engines learning how to tune. Its not easy.

blackeg

this is what i usually do when i go to the dyno. Muckman is right, its not easy but that doesnt mean you cant do it. probably just use a nice safe base timing retard like 1 degree/psi and focus on your afr first. honestly though if you dont want it to blow up, bring it somewhere and have someone tune it. watch what they do and maybe ask some questions so you can get the hang of it for yourself

SpeedRacerEX-R

Can you tell me how it blew them up. Not necessarily the damage done, but what mistakes were had?

spAdam

iTrader: (1)

Read, read, read.

Start with the Greg Banish books and go from there. If you really want to learn, I would recommend you start with learning to cal on a simple NA setup... You'd have to really F something up to blow an NA engine, and you'll learn what to look for, how to read data (which is the most important part) and what equipment you'll really need to do it right. As a bonus, you'll generate a pretty decent starting point for your NA tables if it's the same engine you plan to turbo.

Read, read, read some more and learn everything you can about turbocharger theory. Then you are ready to start learning to cal a turbo engine.

Street tuning is a tedious and time consuming process, and you need to be diligent in your methods to ensure consistency in your runs or your numbers will mean nothing. The dyno is much easier for a beginner as it's a controlled environment with less variables (which is the whole point). You then can use the street to polish any edges and get the drivability dialed in, but you'll spend much less time if you start at the dyno. That being said, Virtual Dyno and good datalogs are invaluable tools for tuning on the street. You can't do much more than dial in your lambdas without some way to compare runs numerically.

If getting an engine cal'd in short order and/or saving money is your goal, the diy approach is really not the way to go. If you want to have some fun, get intimate with how your engine works, and learn a useful skill, then the diy method is the right approach.

Masterl1nk

Street tuning is the best way to learn how to tune. I recommend you to start tuning an N/A engine, since there are less chances to blow it rather than a boosted one.

Take care of the ignition timing all the way. I always tune the fuel first to achieve consistent AFR readings when pulling at WOT. Let's say you got 13.0:1-13.2:1 on a WOT pull, now add (or substract) timing and see what happens on AFR readings. If your wideband goes rich, then you need to do the inverse with the ignition.

After two or three pulls also check your plugs looking for detonation signs.

SpeedRacerEX-R

Thanks for the input everyone. After what you all have said, I may just take it to a tuner this time and maybe learn on my other car that is stock.

2kdrift

good call tunning is an art and you wont learn overnight, if you are interested in learning be prepared to do alot of research

superccs

Try and find a map from someone else who has a similar build as a starting point, a basemap will be of no use. Run rich initially to be on the safe side. I started tuning my NA D16Z6 with wideband with just a bare outline of an understanding and now after many street runs I am now pretty confident that I know what I have done.

spAdam

iTrader: (1)

Also, learn how to use this:

Virtual Dyno

Unfortunately "Tuning" without any numbers attached usually just means setting lambda (AFR), making sure you're not knocking it to death, and calling it a day.

VegasInvasion

It's just a guarantee, you're going to blow something up at some point. It's a right of passage as a tuner. Unless you have a big budget for learning, you'll save a lot of money and headache by having a professional do it for you.
If you're still aching to break something, read the manual in my signature to get started.

whittlebeast

The big problem is those turbo motors have lots of ***** painted with cocane dust. Do you have data logging capabilities with your tuning software? I find turbo installs fun to tune provided you keep boost within reason.

The trick is bringing the power up slowly and looking at the data. Knock data and AFR data is mandatory with this sort of thing.

Andy