I'm really debating on 3 different places and EMS systems. i'm going to need your alls help in deciding this one.

FOR TUNING RATES I'M INCLUDING THE PRICE OF THE TUNING SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE TUNE AND ECU BOOST SOLENIOD...


#1 Evans Tuning
Distance - 8 hrs.
Full tune - 975
EMS - Hondata s300
Pros. Very reputable
Hondata S300 is the best EMS out there
Cons. The drive is long so I would have to stay in a hotel adding to the cost of the tune.

#2 JK Tuning
Distance - 5 hours
Full Tune - 900
EMS - Neptune RTP
Pros. Down to earth, willing to work with you and any issues you may have.
Neptune is a very close comparison to the Hondata S300, yet stlightly cheaper.
In House Dyno
Cons. the drive is still lengthy but I could do it without need a hotel.


#3 Blueridge Motorsports
Distance - 2.5 hours
Full Tune - 400
EMS - ectune
Pros. Closer than both Evans and JK.
In house dyno
Price is a lot better IF and on IF the quality in the tune is as good as Evans and JK.
Cons. - I can't find a lot of personal experiences or people talking about them. I'm really concerned with using a tuner whom I havent heard much about.
ECtune isn't a platform that is as good as Hondata or Neptune....



So please feel free to inlighten me on these three choices. If you have personal experience from either of them (good or bad.) and if you was in my position who would you pick?

Remember I'm interested in both HP and Reliability. i've put a lot of time in this build to allow it to be destroyed by a shiaty tune...

 

You should put your location... people may have more local suggestions.

Evans would be my choice... you never know what you might want to change down the line... s300 makes it VERY easy to do some minor adjustments that can make some pretty big differences in drivability.

 

^^ i agree. post your location but it sounds liek your in VA and there are some good tuners that might be closer and well worth it.and s300 is my choice all the way. you can change little things yourself, you can get the boost by gear option or regular boost controller you can change your map sensor and whatever you want(launch control, full throttle shift) all from the seat of your car. well worth it to me.

 

Our pricing is much cheaper for s300/tuning: http://blog.evans-tuning.com/2009/02...ount-packages/

 

I use the dyno at Innovative MotorWorks, so the dyno is in house.. as I work here everyday.

Also the tuning rates for the RTP system are a lot cheaper than what you have listed, unless you are including the purchase of the RTP system in the price.

If you didn't want to tune the car or make adjustments down the road you could always go with the NepTune Eprom system which takes $300 off the price.

 

I would recommend Evans Tuning. I had my car tuned there this spring. I live over 5 hours away so i stayed in a hotel the night before(theres a few within minutes of his place). I know of a few other reputable tuners within an hour of where i live and i still decided to make the drive to ET.

He also has awesome customer service. I had a few concerns throughout the summer about my tune. Sent him an email and i had a response within a day sometimes hours.

In the scheme of things whats a few extra hours of driving and a little extra money....Just my 2 cents.

Oh and i wouldnt even think about getting neptune. The datalogging and being able to make your own changes are a huge advantage with hondata. I didnt think i would make adjustments on my own as much as i do.

 

??

With the NepTune RTP system you are fully capable of making any changes you want.

The NepTune Eprom system is different, but with the RTP Demon package it can do everything and then some that the S300 can do on a street car application. Plus it is over $100 cheaper!

But with him having to drive a few hours to where ever he ends up going, I do agree that him having an end user adjustable system will benefit him in the long run. And is definitely what I would recommend. It would be different if he were only 30 mins away from the tuner.

 

yeah I'm starting to talk myself BACK into getting the S300 or the Neptune. the extra 450 for the system is hard on the wallet but I guess i need to suck it up.

And to be clear John and Evan I'm including the purchase of the system in the "full tune"

 

Our package price includes s300/tune and installation of the s300 into a stock ecu.

 

when you say blueridge motorsports im assuming you mean in North Carolina? if that is the case how about RLZ Engineering in Concord?? They have tuned my car several times and I have been very happy. I have never used any of the 3 you have listed but they all have excellent track records.

 

yeah RLZ is a little further for me (5 hours) and I've heard mixed emotions about them so I left that option out. Possible but not likely..

 

how about inline pro in nothern va? they shouldnt too far from you.

 

matt shue

 

I live four hours south of Evans tuning but am heading there in Dec myself .I have heard nothing but good things about Jeff Evans and so far just in e-mailing back and forth his response has been Awesome. I have spent alot of money on my ride and have bought so many parts to get the most out of it . Therefore I believe I should also get the best tune possible to get the most out of it !

 

a little experience my buddy just had from going to blueridge motorsports...

My friend took his freshly built GSR to blueridge motorsports to have tuned the first on November. The motor wasnt built by a reliable machiniest in the first place, however; the motor wouldnt build oil pressure on the dyno and later spun the bearings. (this was more than likely do to the shiaty machine shop.)

The scary part is what BRMS told him when they quoted him for an engine rebuild. He asked "what rods do I need to order, considering the car is a GSR." BRMS told him to buy a crank first LS or GSR and then buy the matching Rods. Well its possible to go with LS rods in a GSR block for added stroke but it increases the compression ratio (which isn't ideal for boost) and I'm pretty sure the pistons from a GSR wont fit on LS rods without machine work...

Second, and the final comment made for me to decide I will deal elsewhere, is when he asked what bearings to get. BRMS told him that ACL Race bearings are not only cheaper than OEM but better. HAHAHA they might be of quality but not better and on top of that PROPER CLEARANCE is made with the precise use of OEM honda bearings....


Maybe I'm wrong here but I would first buy a GSR crank that Matches the block and pistons he already has, and I would use Honda bearings for proper clearances. Any engine builder should want it done right the first time...

 

Actually a LS crank will be better, more displacement. The compression will be around the same. You dont have to do anything to the pistons either, they will "bolt" right in no matter what rods you use. That was a good advice acutally.

Adriano

 

You should check out Tempest Racing in Mechanicsville, MD. They do great work and the guys are very helpful

 

OP, where exactly in VA are you?

 

WV 24963

Also some machine work is required from what I understand in clearance...

https://honda-tech.com/forums/all-motor-naturally-aspirated-44/gsr-pistons-ls-rods-2420372/

 

i use intense motorsports out of charlotte as well the tuner there learn from howard at RLZ and in my opinion is a great tuner

 

Inline Pro in Springfield, VA is good, but they have gotten so big that they don't focus to much on the average tuner anymore.

Hybird Garage in Fredricksburg, VA, is just as good as Inline Pro, but since they haven't made a name for themselfs yet, they prices for tunning are half of Inline Pro. When I put my Turbo on in a few months, thats where I'm going. My entire crew I hang with goes to them, and the guy I bought this car from went to them, seeing how many of there stickers are on my car......

 

IMW/ J-K-Tuning!!

 

IMW/ J-K-Tuning!! I second that!!!!

 

do wat ever closer... jeff evans is the man.. but im from pa and ive just been to imw... and have sen it firsy hand.. and now john for jk-tuning works there so that place is getting better by the minute.. but if ur in wv.. try tempest liek stated above... i drove.. the 4.5 hours there for joe to tune my car and cant be more happy it was a great experence.. joe is a down to earth cool guy and will help you with any problem you have.. But BUMP for all of them Jeff, derek, john , and joe..

 

I would go with Evans and the s300