Stage 1 Pro/Dyno Tune for one thousand dollars!!??

[veritas]

Maybe I misundersood...Can someone who has gotten a Stage 1 protune tell me that thats what they spent? I thought it was like 4-500?

 

The place I called(I'm in the NYC area) told me that they can only tune my car with an AP and I had to purchase the AP in order for him to put a custom stage one tune on it.

 

The whole point was I didn't wanna be bothered with buying an AP or going Opensource, just having a place who knows what there doing putting a nice Stage 1 Protune on the car. If I have to buy the AP, then whats the point.I don't wanna datalog, I don't wanna flash my ecu. I don't wanna spend a Grand for Stage 1.

 

I called a second place in NJ who said they couldn't even tune my 08 because of some issue with the dyno????

 

Talk about getting put off.

[RIPjeep2002]

Skip stg1, go right to stg2. Modifying isn't cheap.

[veritas]

Thanks, but I don't have a desire to go Stage 2 and I realize modding isn't cheap, however I didn't think Stage 1 was a grand when going the pro tune path.

[Mr. Sinister]

They're probably including the price of the AP. If that's the case, then it seems about right.

[LGTspecB1657615261]

Yea you need to buy an AP to get a COBB ProTune. The other option is to buy a Tactrix Cable and download RomRaider - and ask the tuner if they can tune using RomRaider. It is similar to COBB software in many ways, but different in others. A Tactrix cable is cheaper than a Accessport. It has less features, but it sounds like you would not need them anyway.

It all depends on if they have tuned with RomRaider before.

 

But yea... you will be dropping cash regardless. Just depends on what you are willing to spend.

[Spec B]

I believe that Precision Tuning in Brick does opensource tuning..no cable or AP needed. But honestly..for stage 1 it is not worth the $400-$500.

[PhilT]

The whole point was I didn't wanna be bothered with buying an AP or going Opensource, just having a place who knows what there doing putting a nice Stage 1 Protune on the car. If I have to buy the AP, then whats the point.I don't wanna datalog, I don't wanna flash my ecu. I don't wanna spend a Grand for Stage 1.

 

How do you think someone is going to tune your car ?

 

If you don't buy an Accessport, and you don't use opensource, and you don't flash your ECU, how is the information going to get into your car to tell it to go faster ?

 

Pixie dust ?

[veritas]

I believe that Precision Tuning in Brick does opensource tuning..no cable or AP needed. But honestly..for stage 1 it is not worth the $400-$500.

 

Thats the place that told me they couldn't do the 5eat because of something with the dyno.

[RIPjeep2002]

Thanks, but I don't have a desire to go Stage 2 and I realize modding isn't cheap, however I didn't think Stage 1 was a grand when going the pro tune path.

 

Yeah. That's what I said until I went stg1. Its leaves room on the table and will leave you wanting more.

[veritas]

How do you think someone is going to tune your car ?

 

If you don't buy an Accessport, and you don't use opensource, and you don't flash your ECU, how is the information going to get into your car to tell it to go faster ?

 

Pixie dust ?

 

Well, if pixie dust was what it used to be then well...No Phil, I didn't think that. I thought that if a particular shop did Cobb tuning that they had access to their own AP, not realizing that each AP is married to each car. I mistakingly thought they performed a pro-tune for your car and then after it was done unmarried the AP from it but I guess thats not done. The other avenue to walk down was Open source but the first place I called was ONLY able to tune using a AP so yes, the cost of the tune included me buying my own AP which i wanted to avoid in the first place which leaves me with either finding a place that will Open Source tune or getting the cable, laptop and doing it myself which is why it's not worth it for me to do all that if I all really want is Stage 1.

 

Maybe I'm the only one on here who doesn't wanna be bothered with Stage 2, data logging your pulls, learning romraider, ecuflash, what parameters to set and so forth. Since Stage 1 is mild but cleans up the way car performs so to speak; i dunno, 500 is one thing, a grand and maybe I'll just deal with the hesitation in the power band.

 

 

Happy holiday

 

Vin C

NYC

[veritas]

Yeah. That's what I said until I went stg1. Its leaves room on the table and will leave you wanting more.

 

I hear ya bro, I do, but I already did this whole thing with my turbo eclipse. Things seemed simpler back then. MAF sensors allowed more room for error. I didn't throw a CEL until I upgraded my turbo and put a TBE on the car...304 WHP later tuned with a simple piggy back Apexi Safc, lol. Ran it like that for 40k miles before I sold it.

 

 

That was a while ago and I don't have time anymore for that but the crappy stock tune these Lgt's have is worth fixing IMHO and it seems like Stage 1 does that. I don't even own a laptop (desktop only) so even if I wanted to go Open source with infamous It would still be 400-600 and I'd have data log and so on etc etc.

 

Happy Holidays

 

Vin C

NYC

[veritas]

Seems like EFI logics in CT will do Open Source for 500 according to their website but they don't really recommend it. I'd assume thats because they want you to be an active participant in how the car responds to tuning IE: an AP or tactrix cable + laptop etc etc.

[KurtP]

Akuma is doing a special on AP's + tunes. You will be close to the 1k mark with ap and tune

[EFI Logics]

Actually, if it's a Stage 1 ProTune, we can do it with OpenECU with no issue.. We are currently have a special on tuning until Feb 1st, it's $400. Check the major forums for our user name, you will find our posts on the specials we have going on.

 

Thanks,

 

Chris

[veritas]

Chris,

 

Thanks for the reply. Looks like I'll be calling you in the next few weeks. Damm though, you guys are 90 miles from me.

 

Happy New year.

 

Vin C

NYC

[CTATV]

Contact EFI Logics in Bethel CT they are about an hour from NYC and they will take care of you. they can tune with Cobb or without. Really good guys wont jerk you around...

 

http://www.efilogics.com

[KurtP]

You NE guys have it good. You honestly cannot go wrong with Junior over at The Shop, PEte and EFI, and of course John at Akuma.

 

Its all win.

[Boostin1657615274]

I hear ya bro, I do, but I already did this whole thing with my turbo eclipse. Things seemed simpler back then. MAF sensors allowed more room for error. I didn't throw a CEL until I upgraded my turbo and put a TBE on the car...304 WHP later tuned with a simple piggy back Apexi Safc, lol. Ran it like that for 40k miles before I sold it.

 

You do realize that Eclipses don't have Mass Airflow Sensors? They have Karmen Vortex volume airflow sensors. Those two sensors produce completely different signals. MAF sensors are more sensitive to the design of the intake tract, but if you keep the stock intake that's not a problem.

 

Stage 1 tunes are mostly just fiddling with the internal boost control tables and raising the overboost fuel cut, with some minor timing or fuel changes depending on who is doing the tuning. The factory tune supplies plenty of fuel. The knock control system will pull timing immediately as well as over time through a learning function.

 

If you wanted to do it DSM style you could still put in an MBC and run an external fuel cut defender to the pressure sensor. But there's basically no point to that since the ECU has been cracked. It may seem like the oldschool DSM way was simpler, but it really wasn't. I say this from experience. The "oldschool" EFI tuning involved a lot of sensor trickery (SAFC to alter airflow signal) and hacking up factory systems such as ditching the factory EBC because it's not controllable.

 

On Subarus the factory ECU is powerful and adjustable enough that all that external stuff is unnecessary.

[veritas]

You do realize that Eclipses don't have Mass Airflow Sensors? They have Karmen Vortex volume airflow sensors. Those two sensors produce completely different signals. MAF sensors are more sensitive to the design of the intake tract, but if you keep the stock intake that's not a problem.

 

Stage 1 tunes are mostly just fiddling with the internal boost control tables and raising the overboost fuel cut, with some minor timing or fuel changes depending on who is doing the tuning. The factory tune supplies plenty of fuel. The knock control system will pull timing immediately as well as over time through a learning function.

 

If you wanted to do it DSM style you could still put in an MBC and run an external fuel cut defender to the pressure sensor. But there's basically no point to that since the ECU has been cracked. It may seem like the oldschool DSM way was simpler, but it really wasn't. I say this from experience. The "oldschool" EFI tuning involved a lot of sensor trickery (SAFC to alter airflow signal) and hacking up factory systems such as ditching the factory EBC because it's not controllable.

 

On Subarus the factory ECU is powerful and adjustable enough that all that external stuff is unnecessary.

Yep, your right. I just meant the Air Flow sensor. I guess it felt simpler to me at the time. Some of the guys were using DSM Link but most of the guys in my club didn't. I guess it's really comparing apples to oranges. At any rate, Stage 1 will work fine for me.

[BigInALegacy]

I'm another one that says go stage 2... it's definitely the sweet spot. Skip stage 1, it will leave you wanting more... especially when there's so more left on the table with basically just a downpipe (no uppipe needed on the 2008's, its uncatted).

 

Stage 2 and I'm still getting over 20mpg, and every mile is "wicked fun"!

 

(may want top consider a Light Weight Crank Pulley before the tune, word is they really help our 5EAT's rev, unfortunately I hadn't gotten the chance before I tuned, but then again, my updates aren't $400 on my etune )

[RallySport Direct]

Stage 1 is quite noticeable. So its a nice improvement over stock.

Just did a Cobb OTS Stage 1 last night on my Spec B, and put on about 100 miles so far. The car does drive a bit smoother, and has a noticeable improvement in performance. Fuel economy went up my 2mph also.

 

However with that being said, a Stg2 is going to be even better all around. Not only will you get performance increase, but the car will also consume LESS gas when driven normally.

 

Thing that many people have a mis understanding is that you must have a full exhaust to do stage 2. However you can do just a Down Pipe, and run a stage 2. Power wise you will be pretty much the same with only a Down Pipe, as compared to a Turbo Back. And with a Down Pipe the car will still be nice and quiet.

 

So to recap. Cant go wrong with a Stage1, but Stage2 will be the best bang for the buck. We typically see a increase in fuel economy by about 4-6MPG depending on your driving habits.

For Instance.

2008 STi Stock. 21-22MPG. Stg2 25-26MPG

 

2008 Spec B. Stock 21-23MPG. Stg1 25MPG.

[MarkV]

Okay question, just to put into perspective. Ive got 2006 LGT. I've got a catback system and am looking to purchase a downpipe and seal the deal....what stage is that considered?

 

AnD, if/when I do get the downpipe, will I need a complete 'protune' or is there a cheaper way? (sorry for the noobness, but I've walked away from upgrading my soobie for a couple of years now and not clear of the terms anymore.

 

So basically what I'll have when I'm done with what i want to do is:

. Full exhaust (aftermarket downpipe) and full catback exhaust

. CAI (which was installed over a year ago and didnt have to tune for that

 

So after these two things being done, will tuning need to be done?

[TPLGT]

To the OP: How about an opensource E-Tune from Infamous1? I believe he can tune Canbus...Shamar is a good man, very reasonable and I hear he tunes lights-out!

[CTATV]

Okay question, just to put into perspective. Ive got 2006 LGT. I've got a catback system and am looking to purchase a downpipe and seal the deal....what stage is that considered?

 

AnD, if/when I do get the downpipe, will I need a complete 'protune' or is there a cheaper way? (sorry for the noobness, but I've walked away from upgrading my soobie for a couple of years now and not clear of the terms anymore.

 

So basically what I'll have when I'm done with what i want to do is:

. Full exhaust (aftermarket downpipe) and full catback exhaust

. CAI (which was installed over a year ago and didnt have to tune for that

 

So after these two things being done, will tuning need to be done?

 

so with a down pipe and a tune to go with it you will be at stage II. you need a tune with a down pipe and with an intake you should have a custom tune really unless it is a cobb intake...

[iNVAR]

Okay question, just to put into perspective. Ive got 2006 LGT. I've got a catback system and am looking to purchase a downpipe and seal the deal....what stage is that considered?

 

AnD, if/when I do get the downpipe, will I need a complete 'protune' or is there a cheaper way? (sorry for the noobness, but I've walked away from upgrading my soobie for a couple of years now and not clear of the terms anymore.

 

So basically what I'll have when I'm done with what i want to do is:

. Full exhaust (aftermarket downpipe) and full catback exhaust

. CAI (which was installed over a year ago and didnt have to tune for that

 

So after these two things being done, will tuning need to be done?

does the 2006 have a cat in the uppipe? i think it does. i would strongly suggest replacing it with an uncatted one. the cat could break off a chunk (higher temps seen with stage 2) and you would end up grenading your turbo if that happened. also, you'll get better spool with an uncatted one.

 

also, a lot of people suggest replacing the TMIC with an all metal one... or at the very least JB welding the end tanks on, because the tabs will start prying loose with the higher boost pressures you see.

 

i ended up going with an AVO TMIC at the same time i did everything else.