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Tune Confused...

3K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  Plum Crazy R/T 
#1 ·
Whats up guys..
I have a 2012 R/T 6 speed with exhaust and cai that came with the car. I got it out of hibernation and i'm just not happy with it anymore. So i want a tune but not sure what kind. do i get a tuner or do i have someone tune it? Is there a difference? I been doing research on torque management but some say it doesn't affect 6m others say it does. I just want the full potential out of my car. I've read comments from guys with the same mods as mine that had a tune and said it was like a whole new car...so much more fun to drive. I also read that i can get a new ecu already tuned.....???? Please help me figure this out so i can love my car again........Thanks
 
#2 ·
You have a few options here.

1. Diablo trinity canned tune. After purchasing one of these units, you can load a tune for your car based on 91 or 93 octane, and these tunes come pre-loaded on the tuner. It makes a noticeable difference. Cost: $500 give or take

2. Diablo trinity custom tune. You do some datalogging with the trinity, give a tuner the info he needs, and he writes a somewhat specific tune fit to your vehicle based on the logs. Pricing varies on this, but a ballpark would be around $200 plus the tuner.

3. Dyno tune. Pretty straight forward, though in my opinion with limited modifications, it's just not worth it. Again cost varies on this, but several hundred dollars at least.

4. Poor mans tune. Reset the #2 fuse as outlined here. http://www.challengertalk.com/forums/f108/fuse-2-pulled-engine-wake-up-call-67709/

It didn't do much for me, but some swear by it, as it resets the cars fuel trim learning adaptives. And it's free, so got nothing to lose.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Whats up guys..

I have a 2012 R/T 6 speed with exhaust and cai that came with the car. I got it out of hibernation and i'm just not happy with it anymore. So i want a tune but not sure what kind. do i get a tuner or do i have someone tune it? Is there a difference? I been doing research on torque management but some say it doesn't affect 6m others say it does. I just want the full potential out of my car. I've read comments from guys with the same mods as mine that had a tune and said it was like a whole new car...so much more fun to drive. I also read that i can get a new ecu already tuned.....???? Please help me figure this out so i can love my car again........Thanks

I doubt a tune will satisfy you if you are no longer happy with your car. You will need at least a 100-150 HP bump to get a different feel. And that bump will be fleeting.


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#4 ·
What mods do you have?

The tuner is less noticeable on the 6m's as you have heard but you can always add more power depending on how much you want to spend.

Are you dissatisfied solely on performance? I was with my RT in stock form. I installed some long tubes and a custom tune and now it pulls hard every time, but it was an expensive journey.
 
#5 ·
Hello
I have a 2013 R/T Classic 6m that I also wanted to tune. I got an intune DCX from tuner that I can't mention here. The intune was $40 more through this tuner but came with an email tune. I loaded the canned 91octane tune and there was no difference in power or drivability. I though uh oh, that was money wasted. I then got the email tune loaded that and the car came alive, noticeable improvement in power and a slight improvement in fuel economy.

Long story short, if you are going to use a tuner get a custom tune to get the most out of the car
 
#9 ·
I know exactly how you feel. I was expecting more from a 5.7 but the stock tune was very sluggish.

But I can tell you it has a lot of potential.

The canned tunes do reduce torque management, but how much on a 6m I do not know. A custom tune allows them to remove even more.

My A5 was very sluggish and I could hardly even spin the tires in stock form. The canned tune with throttle boost maxed out helped a lot. It will be the best bang for your buck (other than a supercharger)

Long tubes are expensive but paired with a custom tune made a world of a difference in my car. If I can keep the tires from spinning, it throws me back in my seat whenever I want it to.

If you are looking for that low end grunt, a tune, long tubes with a custom tune or a set of sticky tires should be the cure.

Or just go test drive a scat pack :laugh2:
 
#17 ·
Ok,just so i understand...say i buy the intune,that is what is called a "canned tune" which i just install in the car but a "custom tune" is something i also get from them at extra cost that is for what mods i have done to my car and is e-mailed to me and then i put into the tuner and then into car? Does the custom tune let you tune the car in more depth other than just the mods?
 
#18 ·
You can buy a DS tuner which is available in two models, the trinity and the intune, from any vendor. The tuners come with 2 different canned tunes, 91 and 93 octane tunes, you can download any of the two and after the download you have options to modify that tune. For example, change tire size. A custom tune is bought from a professional hemi tuner. It comes in form of an email where you download it into your tuner then your car. You'll have to data log with the tuner and send that log to the tuner where he'd make some adjustments for you to put the final tune on your car. You'll need to have a tuning device to do all this.


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#19 ·
Personal opinions rule the day.
My view is that to get the most from your car, a dyno and a proper tune is what you need. Sure the canned tunes can be adjusted with data logging but nothing can match the dyno and a tuner who knows what he/she is doing.
I have intake and exhaust modded, did the reset and the car woke up and adjusted to it just fine but it still is stock in tune so higher octane than 86 is not figured into how the car runs.
To get more grunt, I am installing a blower in a few months but when done right, stock pistons DO work but the tune needs to be good, detonation is death to any piston, stock or otherwise. When all the mods are in THEN it is getting a dyno tune. I expect about 500 at rear wheels give or take a few while staying safe for a stock block.
YMMV!
 
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#20 ·
Real world experience with stock pistons - yes, the tune matters



I agree, a bad tune can be bad news. But stock pistons can do A LOT. I've got some real world examples.

My 2014 R/T 5.7L is 451RWHP with stock pistons, stock fuel system, supercharged with about 8 psi boost. We’ve put together many, many packages in this power range without upgrading the pistons. Tunes created for that blower, of course. Here is more on another R/T build with stock engine internals with 466RWHP.
Supercharged R/T

This build is a 6.4L SRT8 with a 8 psi supercharger making 551RWHP:
Supercharged SRT8
The engine is stock, including stock pistons. We did upgrade the fuel system in order to prevent any lean-out condition that would lead to detonation. Sometimes what you do with the tune and fuel is preventative of piston damage, allowing you to remain stock.

When we take the cars up to 600HP ++, though, we upgrade the pistons and a lot more.
 
#21 ·
Tim, I am right there with you and stock pistons.
I am working with a well known tuner here in the Inland Empire and he is saying just about exactly what you are. He has some ~500 hp cars going on several years now with stock pistons. Also, yes when you get into the 6 range it is time to be serious with the other internals.
I intend to not really push things and hope to get a reasonable street life out of the 5.7 and a mild boost. There is no need for me..... at the moment, to need more power. UH, well I said that about the 5.7 and it has not been a year yet. It is a sickness I tell you!
 
#22 ·
With the intune or trinity, the most noticeable adjustment is the "throttle boost". You can actually make your throttle too sensitive for the M6 and driving through parking lots, for instance, it's too easy to make it lurch. But set to the right sensitivity can make a nice difference.

The most informative feature is the ability to data log. Monitoring ST and LT knock retard will tell you if the fuel you are using is any good (assuming you use 91+ octane). If it isn't, the PCM is pulling timing and you're loosing power. And you can monitor the air intake and fuel temperatures.

I have gotten email tunes from 2 sources. Both are great a improvement over the stock and caned tunes, at least with the mods I have.
 
#23 ·
I just got my Trinity T1000. I installed the 91 Octane Tune on my 2013 RT Classic, A5, with Super Track Pack, I've always filled up with 92 Octane. I test drove it and it seems the most noticeable change are the shift points. After driving around for a while my check engine light comes on, I check codes and this is what I got

Display device Neon sign Neon Technology Screen


The car still seemed to run fine. We are expecting rain for the next week so I cleared the tune and set it back to factory the factory tune so I could put a tune on my truck for the next week. Since the forecast changed and didn't call for rain today I decided to take the RT to work and the code just disappeared.

Has anyone seen this code before? I don't want the hassle of taking it in if it just seems like it would be false code or temporary error. Any suggestions?




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