Flash tuner...

[Mikal52]

Hey lads.

I'm not exactly what you would call full bottle with my cars and modding them so when I'm just after some opinions...

I'm looking at buying a flash tuner from the site sponser KPM on this group buy thing and I'm wondering what I should expect and if I'm doing the right thing. My car is as follows.

2002 AUIII xls
5L v8
manual
125***kms
dual exhaust from cat back
K&N filter with larger intake snorkle

I plan on doing some more mods to my car soon as I can afford it (full exhaust, MSD ignition, better air intake)

So I'm wondering if the flash tuner will be good bang for my buck and I should go ahead and buy it or spend my money on other things.... It just seems too good a price to pass up.

Cheers
Michael

Any advice would be welcome

[MoreHPformyXR6]

Flash tuner is great of your going to get a quality custom tune to tie in all your mods together. I wouldnt bother if your not looking at getting a custom tune done after you have completed your mods (as the custom tune pulls the whole package together).

[Mikal52]

Once I've completed the mods I want to do I would definately get a custom tune to get the most out of them.

What I'm more wondering is if I will see much difference with the car as it is now. And more importantly I want to make sure I wont be doing any damage to my car...

I always run it on 95 octane (thats the best we can get in karratha :() so I would set it on the 95 octane generic tune they come with and maybe change it to 91 when i put it in for servicing :

Thanks
Michael

[meanfalcon]

I got a full custom tune on my 220kw XR8 last week. same mods as yours but hm extractors as well and picked up 9 kw. Not great for 1200 folding. Driving the car feels a little stronger at times, others its just as dissapointing as it was before. If you seen the rear wheel power result you would probably cry.

[sly]

I had good results from a KPM generic tune on my AU I6, running LPG on the 98 tune. Noticeably better low-rev torque (which is what I was after).

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by meanfalcon

I got a full custom tune on my 220kw XR8 last week. same mods as yours but hm extractors as well and picked up 9 kw. Not great for 1200 folding. Driving the car feels a little stronger at times, others its just as dissapointing as it was before. If you seen the rear wheel power result you would probably cry.

What kind of rear wheel figures are we talking here?

[dreadly]

Yeah mate get one. Always check the for sale thread or ebay. I personally cant vouch for kmp... But if you get one and send it to chris at bluepower, Im sure you'll be pleased. ;) Resonable gains with what you have, Get it set up for 95% then return it to stock when you get it serviced, and later down the track when your happy with the level of mods you have put it on a dyno and get a custom tune and it'll be worth it.You could always try a chiptorque H2? Bit cheaper and pretty straight forward gains.

[falzoony]

Here mate have a read of this thread
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11226401
Helped me make my decision to get one.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Mikal52

Hey lads.

I'm not exactly what you would call full bottle with my cars and modding them so when I'm just after some opinions...

I'm looking at buying a flash tuner from the site sponser KPM on this group buy thing and I'm wondering what I should expect and if I'm doing the right thing. My car is as follows.

2002 AUIII xls
5L v8
manual
125***kms
dual exhaust from cat back
K&N filter with larger intake snorkle

I plan on doing some more mods to my car soon as I can afford it (full exhaust, MSD ignition, better air intake)

So I'm wondering if the flash tuner will be good bang for my buck and I should go ahead and buy it or spend my money on other things.... It just seems too good a price to pass up.

Cheers
Michael

Any advice would be welcome

Buy the tuner now, put it in the cupboard and use it once you've finished modding. There's no point tuning the car now if you're going to change it again soon anyway.

Meanfalcon, rwkw figures mean NOTHING. Mine is comparitively low for the work that is done to it but it will spank 220 XR8's all day long - and yes Ive tried.

[MoreHPformyXR6]

Originally Posted by Mikal52

Once I've completed the mods I want to do I would definately get a custom tune to get the most out of them.

What I'm more wondering is if I will see much difference with the car as it is now. And more importantly I want to make sure I wont be doing any damage to my car...

I always run it on 95 octane (thats the best we can get in karratha :() so I would set it on the 95 octane generic tune they come with and maybe change it to 91 when i put it in for servicing :

Thanks
Michael

Hard question to answer I had a generic 98 tune in mine when I first got the box. My car ran fine no pinging or anything but seat of the pants dyno felt nearly the same as factory tune. Less than 5% improvement over factory id say. So I just loaded it back to factory did all my mods than got a custom tune done (by Bruce Heinrich) and it was like chalk and cheese. I have read many reports on here re generic tunes and how people have found them and its a real mixed bag. As its NA if its not pinging on generic tune im sure youd be fine (but im no expert). I personally didnt want to risk generic tune as I was always going to get a custom tune anyway so only ran it for a couple days on generic tune before switching back to factory tune (may have to be a little more carefull with generic tune if a turbo id say but once gain I aint an expert).
:

[BLACKAUXR8]

I've spent less then 1000 dollars and engine mods on my Series 3 220 and had 244 rwhp before converting to manual. Its not all in the mods. I would of expected more then 9 rwkw though Meanfalcon. I am interested in purchasing one of these tuners for my XR8 220. If i can come up with the cash while they still have them.

[Mikal52]

Thanks for ya reply's guys.

I have put my name down and paid for one so should see it in about 2 weeks or less hopefully. Once I get it ill put it in then send my car straight to the dyno shop and check everything is ok with it.

And once I've done a few more mods and am happy ill get a custom tune done. Then we'll see how the old 5L can really go!

Thanks again fella's. I'll let ya's know what I think once I get it.

Cheers
Michael