Looking for a shop to tune my safc

[PhillyGsx]

Im looking for a shop in the area, near the meets, that can install my safc II and tune it. If u know any places, please let me know where, and how much they charge, if u know.

[03tarmacblack]

Precision dyno tuning did a great job tuning my afc, im located right by the meets and their very close in south jersey, plus he has a dyno.

[SexyDSM95]

Ummmmm I would suggest getting a logger maybe? Why spend all that money to have someone install it?

[olmytsi]

http://www.phillydynoworks.com/launch.htm

[Driven]

My $.02 is that, by the time you pay someone to install the AFC, buy a logger so that you can actually have a decent tune and pay someone to tune it for you, you could buy DSMLink and tune it yourself to a much better tune (Plus not have to worry about shelling out money for a new tune anytime you get new mods). DSMLink is simple enough for the most beginer tuner (plus very easy to install, 3 bolts, 4 plugs), but has enough features to make 9 second drag car's happy.

I get nothing for selling the product, I am just a very satisfied customer. I wish I never messed around with the AFC and logger, luckily I got a good deal on both of them and didn't lose much money when I sold them.

[PaleDSM]

I'll second all that is below.

Originally Posted by Driven

My $.02 is that, by the time you pay someone to install the AFC, buy a logger so that you can actually have a decent tune and pay someone to tune it for you, you could buy DSMLink and tune it yourself to a much better tune (Plus not have to worry about shelling out money for a new tune anytime you get new mods). DSMLink is simple enough for the most beginer tuner (plus very easy to install, 3 bolts, 4 plugs), but has enough features to make 9 second drag car's happy.

I get nothing for selling the product, I am just a very satisfied customer. I wish I never messed around with the AFC and logger, luckily I got a good deal on both of them and didn't lose much money when I sold them.

[2point4DSM]

I figured with the amount of money I spent already on the VPC, VPC chip, GCC, SAFC, pocketlogger, palm pilot, EVC, wideband, and TMO I could have easily gotten AEM. Problem is when I was in the process of colleting all this stuff AEM and DSMlink weren't available yet and not for a few years.

At this point I could probably go ahead and sell all my stuff and upgrade for little money out of pocket. Problem is what's next. It never ends, lol.

Although I agree that if your starting from scratch it makes a lot of sense to just get the better stuff. But then with this kind of thinking why not just go ahead and get an Evo, haha.


So from my experience taking baby steps can be just as fun.

[SexyDSM95]

Yea but honestly for a 90% stock set up I doubt AEM is going to be much help. I can see maybe DSMLink...

I agree with Wil though, babysteps first. I always wanted to go straight from my T25 to a humongus 50 trim but then realized that would be TOO much work and TOO much power all at once. Now I am on the 14B and pushing that, and if I do upgrade I would probably go with the ever popular Evo 3 16g, then possibly the 20g.

[Driven]

Originally Posted by SexyDSM95

Yea but honestly for a 90% stock set up I doubt AEM is going to be much help. I can see maybe DSMLink...

I agree with Wil though, babysteps first. I always wanted to go straight from my T25 to a humongus 50 trim but then realized that would be TOO much work and TOO much power all at once. Now I am on the 14B and pushing that, and if I do upgrade I would probably go with the ever popular Evo 3 16g, then possibly the 20g.

Turbo upgrading is apples to oranges. Speak to anyone with DSMLink (ex: Eric or I) and I promise you they will agree that starting with anything else is somewhat of a waste (now that it's available). Everyone should do what they want, but myself, and other people who have been there can mostly agree, DSMLink is great on any car from stock to 9's, road racing to drag strip to street.

As for your turbo upgrades, you may be okay going from a 14b to a 50 trim. I don't think you need 3 steps in there. The 20g is pretty similiar in size to a 50 trim so I'd go with one or the other, not both.

[SexyDSM95]

Naw, that's just my personal preference. I am not a huge fan of huge turbos...well on my car that I want as a daily driver

[2point4DSM]

Skip the 16g, haha.

My buddy went the complete opposite with his GVR4. From stock to T66, AEM, 4 port wet NOS setup, sheetmetal intake, tubular exhaust mani, built motor and head, etc. He still hasn't driven the car much because he figures that after he put all this stuff into it that it would be fast and reliable.

No such luck! He just keeps pushing it because apparently the setup he bought was suppose to be good for 9s and he won't be happy till he gets there regardless of how many other things he blows up.

I'll wait till I win the lottery to do that.

[Driven]

Originally Posted by SexyDSM95

Naw, that's just my personal preference. I am not a huge fan of huge turbos...well on my car that I want as a daily driver

50 trim is a medium sized turbo....

I thought lag would bother me in a daily driver, but I get annoyed at how quick my GT40 spools on the street. I have trouble keeping the waste gate closed passing people on the highway (no downshift required). My next turbo will be larger, and the car may still be daily driven.

[PaleDSM]

A few years back we were held back by piggybacks like the AFC. Plain and simple there just weren't many options. With something like DSMlink available I think any of the others are a waste like Driven mentioned. There is no additional skill really involved over and AFC. The logging is very good and captures alot of parameters. Many many more than you typical pocketlogger or MMCd logger. Why tell yourself you need to learn with something easier and handicap yourself?

On the subject of turbos. I would never on my car or any future DSM I own go smaller than a 50trim/20G turbo. These aren't that large that they are laggy on the street. Half throttle and 10psi and I am moving pretty good and like Driven said (again) the wg is not open so it is still quiet. I don't really understand people saying they are going to learn on a smaller turbo and then move up. The learning process is the same and the tuning principals are the same no matter what turbo you run. If you want a 16G then fine but don't get it as a stepping stone to something larger. That is just a sure way to spend more money than need be on the way to your goals.

[Driven]

Originally Posted by PaleDSM

A few years back we were held back by piggybacks like the AFC. Plain and simple there just weren't many options. With something like DSMlink available I think any of the others are a waste like Driven mentioned. There is no additional skill really involved over and AFC. The logging is very good and captures alot of parameters. Many many more than you typical pocketlogger or MMCd logger. Why tell yourself you need to learn with something easier and handicap yourself?

I'd actually say DSMLink is easier to learn on since it comes with a very good manual, a tuning guide and a forum, that is only for DSM's with DSMLink. There is less involved with getting started tuning with DSMLink than there is with an AFC in my opinion. No need to worry about low, mid and high fuel settings. No need to worry about switchover points. Plug in DSMLink, set the global and deadtime to that recommended for your injectors (from manual, or have chip burned like that to begin with and skip this step) and you're ready to drive. Fine tune your injectors as described in the manual and then you're ready for some wide open throttle tuning if you want. Search the DSMLink forums and develop your own preference on how you want to tune your car for maximum performance.

If anyone is interested, if I stop by the meet tonight, I'll bring my laptop and show anyone what DSMLink is all about.

[PaleDSM]

Meet? You should be packing for the SO.

[Driven]

Originally Posted by PaleDSM

Meet? You should be packing for the SO.

I wish, I need to get ready to head back to school next week in South Carolina. I hope to make the SO next year.

[auk113]

http://www.philly240sx.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=599

[SexyDSM95]

Originally Posted by PaleDSM

The learning process is the same and the tuning principals are the same no matter what turbo you run.

I would have to disagree a bit Erik. How can the tuning and principals be the same when you would want more upgrades for a larger turbo. You also lose powerband the larger you go in a turbo. I would think tuning would definately be different based on the size of the turbo and the mods to support it. Please explain if I am completely wrong...

[PaleDSM]

Your powerband may shift around a little bit between larger and smaller turbos but the basics of knock, air/fuel, and timing all still apply in the same ways. Every car I tune I do the same basic procedure. It doesn't matter if it is a 14B car or a 60 trim car.

The supporting mods don't really make all that much difference either. Yes, you may need a larger pump and afpr but that doesn't change much. Set the base fuel pressure to the stock level and tune as normal. With an AFC there are changes that can be made with the regulator but with DSMLink it is for the most part a set and forget kinda thing. One exception is if you are trying to push injectors that are really too small for your application where you would need the additional fuel pressure to stretch them further.

[Driven]

Originally Posted by SexyDSM95

How can the tuning and principals be the same when you would want more upgrades for a larger turbo. You also lose powerband the larger you go in a turbo. I would think tuning would definately be different based on the size of the turbo and the mods to support it. Please explain if I am completely wrong...

The tuning and pincipals stay the same (and really, the other mods aren't that much different between a 16g car and 50 trim car). The difference comes in with safety margin. A 14b car, you can knock like crazy and probably not hurt anything. A T66 car could eat a piston on the first sign of detonation. There are exceptions to both. A 50 trim, however, like I said, is a medium sized turbo, it's really not that much more risky than a 16g in my opinion. I ran 28psi on pump gas by accident with no tuning on the 50 trim (boost controller line blew off). Stock motor, head gasket and head studs and it survived for many 120mph passes after that. I know the car knocked like crazy on that pull but it survived.

The reason Erik and I suggest getting DSMLink from the beginning is you can learn all the fundamentals of this stuff when you have less chance of hurting something if your tuning goes wrong. If you weigh in all the costs of everything to run an AFC properly, it just makes sense to get DSMLink.

BTW: the power range doesnt ge smaller with a larger turbo, it just moves up in the rev range. Ex. T25 is good from what? 2500-5500 about, thats 3000RPM's. A 50 trim will make power from 3500-7000 or more. This actually increases your power band, it's just moved up some.