Before I started reading this forum I'd never even heard of tuners, so forgive me if I'm missing something. I've got an idea of how they work now, but I still have a basic question. Generally speaking, you buy a tuner for about $400-500 and it comes with software to upgrade your PCM. You probably use it once and never again unless you decide to restore your original tune. To me, this seems like buying an expensive drill and using it to drill only one hole. Are there speed shops where you can take your car and have them program your tune so you don't have to spend as much money?

 

I use mine to read codes on other Ford/Lincoln cars for my family and friends.
If your car ever throws a code, you can immediately find out what it is and maybe correct it.
If you have more than one type of tune for the street and track you'll need it too.
If you have a tune for 87 octane you will use it.
It also can change speedo readings for different size tires.
It can adjust global timing.
I think you get the idea...

 

I'm also pretty new to Fords and ECM tuning.

Are these hand held "tuners" absolutely required; are there not programs available to do the same things (or more) with a laptop?

Does anyone offer custom e-mail tunes based off data-logging results? Seems like if you have a Ford you must make do with a "canned" tune for stock or minor modifications, anything else requiring a custom dyno tune...

 

To do anything with a laptop would require a laptop (USB) to car (OBD II) interface.
The handheld tuner are partially just that.
The tuners also have memory for tunes.
If you figure the interface would cost well over $100 and the software even more...
You can see where the cost of the tuner is.
Once you have the tuner you can buy additional software for an even higher price to go on a laptop.
Yes,there are a few different mail order companies that will retune based on datalogging and dyno info.
Anybody else have more and better info, please chime in?

 

I will be waiting for the hp tuners release of the 5.0 support software, i hate the fact that you pay 500 bucks for someone who made a tune for a car that wasn't yours was probably on the other side of the country so there was different sea level, pressures, etc... and the fact that they won't even tell you what was changed.

And you don't get to see the changes or monitor the differences later on.

Because of all of these shortcommings i will be waiting for hptuners which is pc based software that interfaces with the car over usb-odbII inteface and allows custom tuning on the fly along with real-time monitoring.

 

You pretty much covered it. I also have an emissions tune that I load so I can pass state inspection when the time comes.

 

Interesting points but I still don't have an answer to the original question. Must you buy a tuner yourself or can you go to a shop where they install the tune for less money than buying your own device?

 

I'm sure you can go to a shop and they'll uplosd a tune, but this gives you no control. If you're really curious, call Brenspeed or Evolution Performance and see if there limitations on tune installation.

 

No you can't.

 

Sorry for interupting your thread Randy.

Seems Bigjohns97 has pointed me in the direction I'm interested in with the hp tuner's software.

 

Yep HP Tuners is the way to go, it just takes a little bit longer to support new hardware than it does with the diablo and sct tuners.

But you know what they say about people who wait...