Tuning suggestions? Zchip or AMS tune for my car?

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Jan 2, 2009 | 07:21 AM

#46

TTP Engineering

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From: Central FL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nsomniac

I want to ask for clarification on your first statement as I am still deciding on a tuning option over the winter until it's time to bring the X out of retirement. Are you saying the ZChip's off the shelf capability (preprogrammed for octane and altitude of course) will achieve equal to or better performance than a custom tune by an industry leading professional like the ones at AMS on a bone stock evo X? If that's the case, it defies all the tuning logic I've tried to read up on here and now I am really confused. Isn't custom tuning (assuming it's done correctly) always better than off the shelf as far as performance goes?

Maybe someone else can shed some light on this, but I was always under the impression that custom tuning was better than mail-in or plug and play in every way. Even all the posts regarding the ZChip numbers show much better performance on the vehicles professionally tuned by TTP.

Again, I just want clarification because either I am reading it wrong or that's a game changing statement.

We have slightly detuned a number of maps in circulation to allow for more room with regards to fuel quality, altitude and boost.

We have specific mapping preprogrammed for octane fuel used, altitude, cold weather climates.

We will give you a few scenarios of off the shelf basemaps. A few weeks ago we sent out a unit to Hawaii where the octane is 92 or so in an unknown blend. The customer took the car to an independent dyno where it gained 62whp.

We had another customer drive their car here this week all the way from Virginia. He bought a ZChip and installed it himself in minutes.

He wanted to make sure he was receiving the maximum performance available for his car so he drove the 17 hours, two day trip.

When we put his car on the dyno and datalogged it, first pass it made 350whp out of the box.

Here was the datalog from the off the shelf preprogrammed map.

Needless to say, there was not much left on the table in terms of performance that could be extracted. I think we may have got 366whp out of it by leaning it out a little more on top, however for an off the shelf preprogrammed tune, we were very impressed with the results on this TBE equipped car with WeaponR Intake.

SAFE, RELIABLE AND POWERFUL.

Jan 2, 2009 | 07:25 AM

#47

Robevo RS

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From: Park Ridge N.J.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris@AMS

I just wanted to pop in really quick and say thank you to everyone who has been recommending us.

We really appreciate your support over here

If anybody has any questions related to tuning via AMS, or specific questions about any setup, I am available via PM as well!

well i tried but turn out to be for me specially a disaster

Jan 2, 2009 | 08:28 AM

#48

Nsomniac

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From: South Dakota

Quote:

Originally Posted by TTP Engineering

Wow, that's pretty impressive. Is that with stock boost control, or was he using a MBC? If you guys are getting those kind of results with only fuel, altitude, and weather concerns taken into consideration, that changes the whole industry in my eyes. Not to say other options are any less valid or worthy, just that the idea of off the shelf tunes being competitive with custom tunes is now a reality. Great job.

Jan 2, 2009 | 08:35 AM

#49

Noize

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From: Franklin, TN

Quote:

Originally Posted by TTP Engineering

Gadiel Tuning from Puerto Rico is a well respected tuner and has used a number of Euro and JDM mivec maps to NO GAIN on the Evo X.

In our own MIVEC testing, the MIVEC mapping appears to only change the powerband and move it higher in the RPM range.

Well, the point of tuning MIVEC is to custom tune it, not to use one of the OEM maps from other countries. We were tuning MIVEC with EcuTeK on my X and picked up 20wtq and spooled the car 400rpm faster by advancing the cam timing. You can also retard the cams to help sustain power up top.

The X has adjustable MIVEC gears on the intake and exhaust cams, so the authority range is higher than the IX. I think we all know that the IX Mivec gains were well documented. While the X MIVEC mapping is a little better than the IX was stock, there is still room for a good amount of improvement. This isn't heresay, this is dyno proven fact right before my eyes.

**I'm not suggesting MIVEC manipulation is required, but its another tuning tool that can be used in the equation of tuning the 4B11 along with fueling, boost, and timing.

Last edited by Noize; Jan 2, 2009 at 08:49 AM.

Jan 2, 2009 | 08:41 AM

#50

Noize

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From: Franklin, TN

Quote:

Originally Posted by custm08

My Evo X GSR only has a K&N drop in filter. I'm looking for reviews on the Z-chip as compared to a tune from AMS. I definately want to get a tune but want to know the advantages and disadvantages of both. Yes, I already searched. I'm on the fence, just need someone to push me over to one side.
Thanks guys!

As the OP has not come back to this thread, it seems pointless to let it continue. There is a lot of good information in here, but its becoming a pointless pissing match. What's worse, we're getting a grip of reported posts on it from all sides, and people unhappy that their posts were deleted.

The real answer is this: Both shops are great. Do your research, establish a relationship with a vendor, and move onward.

I'm locking this one as the staff has lives outside this forum and I don't believe any thread should receive this many reported posts. Huge thanks to SASD209 for stepping in and taking control of this thread when I was unavailable at points with an iffy connection at my inlaws.