Street or Dyno Tuning

NRA223

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May 20, 2015
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I'm looking for opinions on what the best way to get tuning dialed in is. Is it best to be tuned on the dyno, or for the tuner to be in the truck on the street?
 

Awenta

Active member
Sep 28, 2014
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CT
Well marks dyno tuning with cylinder pressure monitoring is probably the best way.

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S Phinney

Active member
Aug 15, 2008
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Quncy, Fl
Street tuning is the better option if you are not at a extreme hp. Dialing in big power on the street makes for too many opportunities for breaking parts. With dyno tuning you don't get the drivability factors worked out because you are not putting it through the same situations that you do in driving the vehicle around. That is my opinion on the subject.


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NRA223

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May 20, 2015
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I'm guessing i'm somewhere around 600 rwhp. Truck runs good, but i want to make sure it's dialed in. My tuner is 3 hours away and they raised the price on their dyno time to what i feel is unreasonable but will dial it in on the street for half the cost.
 

Harbin_22

Active member
Dec 4, 2010
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Southern Indiana
I dropped my truck off to Mark for an entire week! Dialed on top end power as much as he could on the dyno, than drove it around on the street
 

Digmax

Member
Jan 23, 2016
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Yea but you would be in the extreme hp class. Prob not practical for average fellow....or needed

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CaptPhil

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Sep 10, 2011
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Delaware
at 600hp I don't think dyno tuning is necessary. unless you just want the dyno printout.

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Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
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My truck never seen a dyno and never will for tuning. Even when I get close to the 1000hp mark. Now if I was competing in the DHRA etc. and the truck was just for that then maybe.


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MarkBroviak

DMax Junkie
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May 25, 2008
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Danville Indiana
I tune on the dyno because trying to do it on the street is both unsafe and irresponsible at the same time. Too much shit can go wrong really quickly. Very rarely do I have have to make any changes to them afterwards and it is usually tcm tuning that needs adjusted. I wouldn't have a drivers license if I didn't have my dyno, period!
 

Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
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Do you really get them that close on the Dyno Mark? I thought it sounds like guys are always having problems building full boost on the Dyno. I would've thought most you're turning would've had to been done at the track as opposed to on the street.

Really I think any good tuner should be able to tune the average truck over emails. Competition builds and trucks that are problematic or newer would be another story.


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clrussell

pro-procrastinator
Sep 23, 2013
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I tune on the dyno because trying to do it on the street is both unsafe and irresponsible at the same time. Too much shit can go wrong really quickly. Very rarely do I have have to make any changes to them afterwards and it is usually tcm tuning that needs adjusted. I wouldn't have a drivers license if I didn't have my dyno, period!

This was my thinking on this subject, I just wasn't sure on how to word it..
 

DAVe3283

Heavy & Slow
Sep 3, 2009
3,729
297
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Boise, ID, USA
Honestly, even at ~600HP, you can get into trouble really quick on the street trying to dial things in. I was having a weird 3->4 shift and the trans shop had to drive an half an hour out just so they could click off a few WOT 3->4 shifts without going to jail :cool2: And that's with my 8200lb pig. If you have a light truck, with "small" tires (I have traction problems with my 35x12.5" tires), then by the time you get traction, you're going to have a bad time with the law.

I've never had a problem with a good dyno operator getting my turbo lit. They just have to dial the load high enough. I do think some street tuning is valuable for part throttle, as Mark said, mainly to dial in the shift points and lockup. I spent 3 hours one evening dialing in my trans tuning and that made a bigger difference than anything else.
 

MarkBroviak

DMax Junkie
Vendor/Sponsor
May 25, 2008
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Danville Indiana
Do you really get them that close on the Dyno Mark? I thought it sounds like guys are always having problems building full boost on the Dyno. I would've thought most you're turning would've had to been done at the track as opposed to on the street.

Really I think any good tuner should be able to tune the average truck over emails. Competition builds and trucks that are problematic or newer would be another story.


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95% on my dyno tuning I don't have to touch it on the street afterwards. I usually don't even log mine at the track unless I'm looking for an issue with it. It's the 800hp and up that usually need the most attention to the tcm tuning and driveability adjustments depending on the setup. A truck like mine is worthless to do anything at all on the street, on tune4 you can blow the tires off of it at 65mph without any trouble. At the end of the day it comes down to personal preference and I almost went to jail right before I got the dyno because of testing stuff so it was an easy choice for me. Unfortunately you can ruin the rest of your life in a split second. When you do it for a living then the odds of it happening go through the roof.
 

catman3126

Ehhh?.... You don't say?
Jul 24, 2012
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NE Oregon
95% on my dyno tuning I don't have to touch it on the street afterwards. I usually don't even log mine at the track unless I'm looking for an issue with it. It's the 800hp and up that usually need the most attention to the tcm tuning and driveability adjustments depending on the setup. A truck like mine is worthless to do anything at all on the street, on tune4 you can blow the tires off of it at 65mph without any trouble. At the end of the day it comes down to personal preference and I almost went to jail right before I got the dyno because of testing stuff so it was an easy choice for me. Unfortunately you can ruin the rest of your life in a split second. When you do it for a living then the odds of it happening go through the roof.


Amen to this! this is where I'm at right now. I can't keep ripping up and down the road with peoples trucks. I go way outta of town but still. what if some broke or a tire blows. or speeding tickets. or someone hits me in a customers truck. that would be terrible.