If you were to ask ten different
professional tuners to make a safe tune for your car, you will get ten
different tunes and ten different levels of performance with the same
modifications. The same goes for questions, you will get ten different
answers to “What is a safe tune?”
Let’s state what we consider a safe
“Overall” Performance tune.
A safe tune is a state of tune when your
car does not experience any negative issues, such as:
- knocking (detonation);
- high exhaust gas temperature (EGT);
- too rich or too lean of a mixture;
- and other issues that inevitably lead
to the above three.
Safe tuning does not have to be unsafe
to see performance. You can make lots of power with a safe overall
performance tune without sacrificing drivability, reliability or
longevity. Tuning for “Peak” Performance usually
becomes the unsafe tune.
A “base” map is basically, a set of maps
and parameters for your ECU. Generally, you can download base maps for
a certain level of modifications from your Engine Management System
(EMS) manufacturer, but they should only be considered “base” maps and
individually tune your car to be safe and reliable. This is where most go wrong, tune your car!
Examples of different upgrades in stages:
- Stage1: Intake And Turbo-Back Exhaust
(TBE) Installed
- Stage2: Intake, Turbo-Back Exhaust
(TBE), Header, Uppipe And Engine Management (EM) Installed
- Stage3: Intake, Turbo-Back Exhaust
(TBE), Header, Uppipe And Engine Management (EM) And Top-Mount
Intercooler (TMIC) Installed
- Stage4: Intake, Turbo-Back Exhaust
(TBE), Header, Uppipe And Engine Management (EM), Top-Mount Intercooler
(TMIC), Bigger Injectors, Larger Turbo And Upgraded Fuel System
Installed
- Stage5: Intake, Turbo-Back Exhaust
(TBE), Header, Uppipe And Engine Management (EM), Top-Mount Intercooler
(TMIC), Bigger Injectors, Larger Turbo, Upgraded Fuel System, Head/Cam
Upgrade And Upgrade Short-Block Internals Installed
Base maps are just that - basic. They
will allow your car to start and run good when you just installed the
Engine Management System, but that’s it. Your car will not be able to
realize the potential of your modifications while running on a base map.
What is an “Overall” Performance Tune?
Generally tuned basic maps, as offered by EMS manufacturers are
generally:
- on a richer side;
- have very conservative timing;
- have fairly low boost and
conservative boost maps;
- knock-free, meaning that the
manufacturer went to great lengths tuning the basic maps so they will
be safe and develop zero knock in the majority of cars.
Overall Performance tuned maps are
considered safe. When Overall Performance tuning you car you can adjust
your base map to be powerful over a broad RPM range, but still be safe.
An Overall Performance tune:
- is on the leaner side;
- allows you to run higher EGTs, thus
spooling the turbo faster;
- has higher, aggressive timing;
- has a higher boost map, tuned to
spool your turbo fast and give the necessary boost pressures;
- has AFRs, timing and boost adjusted
for all gears, throttle positions and engine load, without any engine
knock.
A “Peak” Performance tune is not
considered a safe tune? If tuned properly, for a specific application,
then “Peak” tuning has its place, but not for “Street” Cars.
To sum it all up:
- a safe overall performance tune is a
tune that doesn’t let your car run into negative issues such as knock,
high EGTs and rich/lean conditions;
- good research and knowing what you
are doing pays off in your car’s safety, longevity and reliability;
- you must find a qualified tuner when
tuning your car. Tuning is the single most important modification
you an do to your car.
- the wrong tuner can make you life a
nightmare or the sweetest dream!
|