Hondata Tuning Experience
02-22-2002, 06:44 PM
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Location: Lexington, KY
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Hondata Tuning Experience
i posted this on ClubSi, but I thought I should share it here as well....
I just got back from the most frustrating trip of my life. After finding a Hondata tuner within a 3 hour drive of me I called them up. They said that they have a qualified Hondata tuner in their shop who has been tuning Hondata systems for over 3 months. I thought it sounded great so I asked for a day off work, and made an appointment. I left my house at 7:00 am, and my day of fun began. We ran a baseline, to see where we stood, and then got ready to tune the Hondata. These people had apparently never tuned a Hondata setup before. No joke, it took them 4 hours just to get my car hooked up to their interface box. That was because their wires were incorrect. Finally though, they did get it all hooked up. At which point, they seemed to be guessing as to what should be done. I had a much better understanding of the software than the did. They even had to look at the instruction manual that I happened to bring with me. They took out 80 percent of my fuel where I was running rich, and of course the car backfired till it died. I was glad I at least got to see what they were doing, so I knew how incompetent they were, when it came time for them to try and make me pay. To make a long story short, after 8 hours in their shop I ended up telling them to just put my car back to the way it was (put my chip back in my ecu), and I would go home. After some discussion with the owner, he agreed that I owed them nothing, which was respectable on their part. I was glad I at least got to see what they were doing, so I knew how incompetent they were, when it came time for them to try and make me pay. This trip turned out to be a complete waste of time. And this is a authorized tuner that Hondata guided me too. I love the Hondata product, but this was a horrible day. Now my car is still running extremely rich, and I'm back to where I began. At least I have a car though.
I hope that Hondata is not simply handing these systems to anyone, because that would taint their reputation in my opinion.
My best run according to their dyno, was around 200 whp at 6800 rpm on 10 psi. My boost dropped off down to 7 psi or so as the RPM increased. I can't figure out why my boost keeps dropping off.
I just got back from the most frustrating trip of my life. After finding a Hondata tuner within a 3 hour drive of me I called them up. They said that they have a qualified Hondata tuner in their shop who has been tuning Hondata systems for over 3 months. I thought it sounded great so I asked for a day off work, and made an appointment. I left my house at 7:00 am, and my day of fun began. We ran a baseline, to see where we stood, and then got ready to tune the Hondata. These people had apparently never tuned a Hondata setup before. No joke, it took them 4 hours just to get my car hooked up to their interface box. That was because their wires were incorrect. Finally though, they did get it all hooked up. At which point, they seemed to be guessing as to what should be done. I had a much better understanding of the software than the did. They even had to look at the instruction manual that I happened to bring with me. They took out 80 percent of my fuel where I was running rich, and of course the car backfired till it died. I was glad I at least got to see what they were doing, so I knew how incompetent they were, when it came time for them to try and make me pay. To make a long story short, after 8 hours in their shop I ended up telling them to just put my car back to the way it was (put my chip back in my ecu), and I would go home. After some discussion with the owner, he agreed that I owed them nothing, which was respectable on their part. I was glad I at least got to see what they were doing, so I knew how incompetent they were, when it came time for them to try and make me pay. This trip turned out to be a complete waste of time. And this is a authorized tuner that Hondata guided me too. I love the Hondata product, but this was a horrible day. Now my car is still running extremely rich, and I'm back to where I began. At least I have a car though.
I hope that Hondata is not simply handing these systems to anyone, because that would taint their reputation in my opinion.
My best run according to their dyno, was around 200 whp at 6800 rpm on 10 psi. My boost dropped off down to 7 psi or so as the RPM increased. I can't figure out why my boost keeps dropping off.
02-22-2002, 08:06 PM
#2
Re: Hondata Tuning Experience (2000Si-at-UK)
Hey,
I know your frustration!!! Let me just say that unless they own a turbo Honda/Acura with a Hondata system, don't trust anyone. I will not mention any names. I will just say that I spent another $500 to upgrade to their stage 4 and even more time and money to put together a wideband sensor because I now know that some things are best done yourself. In 4hrs I am now confident with the software, and without a dyno or a wideband yet, got my car running near perfectly just by tweaking and burning chips. That was just to undo and redo what god knows how many hours of wasted time driving and waiting and being frustrated!! Thats why I plan on offering tuning to others for some yet undetermined fair price just so they don't have to be so frustrated with this whole mess. Tuning a race car is not tuning a hondata on an aftermarket turboed honda. If they can't prove their experience be wary.
just my opinion of course
I know your frustration!!! Let me just say that unless they own a turbo Honda/Acura with a Hondata system, don't trust anyone. I will not mention any names. I will just say that I spent another $500 to upgrade to their stage 4 and even more time and money to put together a wideband sensor because I now know that some things are best done yourself. In 4hrs I am now confident with the software, and without a dyno or a wideband yet, got my car running near perfectly just by tweaking and burning chips. That was just to undo and redo what god knows how many hours of wasted time driving and waiting and being frustrated!! Thats why I plan on offering tuning to others for some yet undetermined fair price just so they don't have to be so frustrated with this whole mess. Tuning a race car is not tuning a hondata on an aftermarket turboed honda. If they can't prove their experience be wary.
just my opinion of course
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