Share your LSX Tuner Experiences and Recommendations

[MattG]

I finally found a tuner that made my LS7 run the way I always wanted it to. Ed at https://www.virginiaspeed.com/ really came through for me and I feel like we should all share which tuners have come through for us!

After 3 different tuners had their way with my car (some with better success than others), I can finally drive my car without it stalling or surging anywhere near idle (not to mention Much more Power).

There are many tuners that can post some big numbers (they are all over the place on LS1Tech.com), but with my experience the difficult part for tuning an LSX Pro Touring car is getting the drivability right.

I have a combo that I thought would be straight forward to tune, but proved to be vary challenging in the end. I found that just because someone can tune a new gen. Corvette, it doesn't mean they will be able to tune the many different combos that we come up with when we put and LSx into an old car. There are so many differences in computers, sensors and power combos that a tuner must really know the finer points in tuning.

I don't have my original dyno graph to show, but with a Much larger cam (243/253 on 113+3 .650 lift) my car only managed 500 rwhp and 475 rwt. I was very dissapointed to say the least and the drivability was poor. I then changed to the Katech Torquer cam to gain more torque and drivability (220/244 on 110) and got a retune. More torque for sure, but still didn't idle well and proved to be very difficult to manage.

Now to Ed at VA speed. He came highly recommended to me by a couple of local guys and by following him on LS1tech.com.

Ed discovered some key issues in the computer right away that no one else had seen, and ultimately discovered that the MAF was not working correctly.

Here are the results:

http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy199/mgober737/Dyno.jpg

I drove the car home 3.5 hrs and picked up 2 mpg (23mpg at 70mph, Ford 9inch w/3.70 gears and t56) with 50 more hp than before, WOW!

At 70 mph I can cruise with the cruise control on with zero surging (never had a problem with that anyway) and when I come to a stop regardless of how I do it, it settles in at an 850 rpm idle.

First and second gear are a major exercise in throttle control and after 3 years of frustration, I FINALLY enjoy driving my car!

Hope this helps someone, and maybe we can make this a sticky to make finding a Good tuner easier for everyone around the country.

Thanks and lets hear about everyones tuners they trust,

Matt

[ProdigyCustoms]

Mike Norris is the best I have ever seen with LS motors.

[XcYZ]

Matt, are you running an E38 ECM? Mass air or speed density?

Great numbers!

[Vegas69]

Look at that air/fuel, it's one of the best I've ever seen. Crazy good numbers out of a 427 with that little cam.

[KPC67]

It's a long ways away but I have been wondering who I will get to help me with this up in Canada when the time comes...

[MattG]

Matt, are you running an E38 ECM? Mass air or speed density?

Great numbers!

I've got the old 24 tooth from Speartech. I wanted cruise control and at the time that was the only option. Did you ever get your cruise to work?

[XcYZ]

No, I haven't really looked any more into cruise control. It would sure be nice on the Power Tour. :thumbsup:


Yep, that cam is small, but the LS7 heads are great right out of the box. Look at the out of the box flow numbers, 360cfm at .600". The Torquer gives up some power above 6600, but it makes up for it with great mid-range torque. I've thought about doing a cam swap just to try something new, but my car runs so well - cold/hot starts/idle/driveabilty/etc - I don't want to change it. lol It traps 124mph weiging in over 3500 with me in it, so it's making decent power.

I had my car on a chassis dyno when it was brand new, and with only 19* of total timing (had intended on spraying it on the dyno, but never did), it made 500rwhp.

I'd like to get it back on the chassis dyno now that it's fully broke in and see what numbers it will make with the full 26* of timing.

[Vegas69]

Looks like the perfect pro-touring cam. Great low end torque and even thought it makes peak hp at 5900, it doesn't drop off much all the way up to 6600.

[BBC71Nova]

That is awesome.

That MPG info is killer. I keep telling myself...keep the faith, the BBC is still the way to go :lol:


John

[Neil B]

Mike Norris is the best I have ever seen with LS motors.

Another plug for Mike. He did a great job on my Procharged Corvette. I went in with a race gas tune from another tuner and left with a pump gas tune and improved driveability with virtually no loss of horsepower.

I also recommend buying HP Tuners and either going to the Precision Motorsports school or getting their learn at home kit. Tuning is fun and can easily be learned by enthusiasts.

[XcYZ]

That is awesome.

That MPG info is killer. I keep telling myself...keep the faith, the BBC is still the way to go :lol:

John

My best so far is 24mpg hiway, but I'm sure I could get better if I tried. lol On my trip home from Detroit last June, I made 660 miles in 10 hours (yes, I was really pushing), I averaged 22mpg, and that includes going through all the toll roads and construction in Chicago and stopping for gas twice.




Another plug for Mike. He did a great job on my Procharged Corvette. I went in with a race gas tune from another tuner and left with a pump gas tune and improved driveability with virtually no loss of horsepower.

I also recommend buying HP Tuners and either going to the Precision Motorsports school or getting their learn at home kit. Tuning is fun and can easily be learned by enthusiasts.

I've never had Mike work on my car, but I've talked to him in person and he really knows his stuff.

[Chicken Louie]

It's a long ways away but I have been wondering who I will get to help me with this up in Canada when the time comes...

KPC 67,

James Hatfield at HorsePower Solutions in Edmonton is a name I have heard a few times up here in Alberta.

Dave

[KPC67]

KPC 67,

James Hatfield at HorsePower Solutions in Edmonton is a name I have heard a few times up here in Alberta.

Dave

I will look into him.. thanks:thumbsup:

[BillyBobL71]

Matt,

That is one fine Dyno sheet. Am changing my LS2 for an LS7, and would be elated to achieve the same results. Can you tell us what ALL you have done to your motor? And what gears are you running?

Thanks,
Billy Bob

[MattG]

Matt,

That is one fine Dyno sheet. Am changing my LS2 for an LS7, and would be elated to achieve the same results. Can you tell us what ALL you have done to your motor? And what gears are you running?

Thanks,
Billy Bob

Sure Billy,

It is really just the 430 LS7 that LME from Houston offers. LS7 block and heads (heads have mild exhaust work). Eagle crank with forged pistons, 11.5 to 1 compression. The intake manifold and throttle body were ported and I chose the Katech Torquer cam for the LS7. It is a wet sump motor with a 24 tooth crank and the harness is from Speartech set up with electronic throttle body and cruise control.

I chose the torquer cam because the car is 98% street driven and I wanted more torque (as you can see it worked). The final detail is the PowrMax 100mm MAF sensor that actually added almost 15 rwhp after changing it from the old Corvette 85mm MAF.

The tranny is a reworked T56 from a camaro that can handle 800ft/lbs and the rearend is a Ford 9 inch with 3:70 gears.

Lastly the exhaust is 1 7/8 primary longtubes from Lemons built specifically for the DSE subframe, and the go into 3 inch exhaust with x pipe and Magnaflow mufflers.

All of these parts work well together and the car has tons of power throughout the rpm range, but none of it matters without a good tune and once again, Ed from VA Speed really sorted it out for me!

Hope this helps,

Matt :cheers:

[James OLC]

It's a long ways away but I have been wondering who I will get to help me with this up in Canada when the time comes...

Davenport in Calgary should be able to help you out - they seem to have one of the best handles on LS engines that I know of in "the neighborhood". Good luck

[BillyBobL71]

Sure Billy,

It is really just the 430 LS7 that LME from Houston offers. LS7 block and heads (heads have mild exhaust work). Eagle crank with forged pistons, 11.5 to 1 compression. The intake manifold and throttle body were ported and I chose the Katech Torquer cam for the LS7. It is a wet sump motor with a 24 tooth crank and the harness is from Speartech set up with electronic throttle body and cruise control.

I chose the torquer cam because the car is 98% street driven and I wanted more torque (as you can see it worked). The final detail is the PowrMax 100mm MAF sensor that actually added almost 15 rwhp after changing it from the old Corvette 85mm MAF.

The tranny is a reworked T56 from a camaro that can handle 800ft/lbs and the rearend is a Ford 9 inch with 3:70 gears.

Lastly the exhaust is 1 7/8 primary longtubes from Lemons built specifically for the DSE subframe, and the go into 3 inch exhaust with x pipe and Magnaflow mufflers.

All of these parts work well together and the car has tons of power throughout the rpm range, but none of it matters without a good tune and once again, Ed from VA Speed really sorted it out for me!

Hope this helps,

Matt :cheers:

Matt,

As they say "It's all in the details" and looks like your engine has all the good stuff to make that incredible torque curve. I'll be starting with a crate LS7, and have most of what you have, but your CR, head and intake work, and I suppose the 3 extra cubes, really took it over the top. I can only hope to get close to your specs with the right cam and extras. Talking strategy with Mike Norris tommorow. We'll see what he can pull out of his hat.

I asked about your final ratio as I've been driving my 69 LS2/T56 with 4:10s and although 5th and 6th are ok, 1st gear is absolutely worthless. Been thinking lower gears, but don't know which numbers to choose.

Billy Bob