Etune or dyno tune?

[Aegean303]

Hello, I’m running the ktuner base map with the race maf for the cobra cai.

Currently my aftermarket parts are catted exhaust, catted dp, race maf cai, fmic
This is also a cvt and my daily

I am wondering which one would be better, dyno tune(495$)or etune(400$)
Pros? Cons?

or would it be better just to stay with ktuner base tune?

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[xjoshuax89]

If you are stopping there power mod wise you could save your money and use base maps or a slightly more aggressive tune via TSP.

Now if you had to tune I would recommend in house dyno vs etune every time.

While etunes are still very good, in person will give the tuner the opportunity to more fine tune and tweak things. Also no risk of having to find a place to do your WOT pulls.

 

[360glitch]

If you feel the need to go for a custom tune a dyno tune typically beats an e-tune, HOWEVER, an e-tune by someone well recommended and familiar with the platform is often better than having someone that does not specialize in the 10th gen Civic do a dyno tune.

Best of both worlds if you do not live near a reputable 10th gen Civic tuner? Remote dyno tune.

 

[Aegean303]

If you are stopping there power mod wise you could save your money and use base maps or a slightly more aggressive tune via TSP.

Now if you had to tune I would recommend in house dyno vs etune every time.

While etunes are still very good, in person will give the tuner the opportunity to more fine tune and tweak things. Also no risk of having to find a place to do your WOT pulls.

I honestly was planning on staying at where I am with mods, unless there was a massive sale on a turbo, . I was looking through threads and notice you’re currently running one with a cvt, how is it? And is it worth it? And is your car a daily?

 

[Aegean303]

If you feel the need to go for a custom tune a dyno tune typically beats an e-tune, HOWEVER, an e-tune by someone well recommended and familiar with the platform is often better than having someone that does not specialize in the 10th gen Civic do a dyno tune.

Best of both worlds if you do not live near a reputable 10th gen Civic tuner? Remote dyno tune.

This might be a dumb question but if I was to dyno tune, would I lose the “reliability” of daily driving? Since e tune sees more of that and just one or two wot? And would it be harder to dyno tune a cvt? Sorry if these are stupid question still new to all of this. The shop does own a civic so... I would hope they would be familiar with the 10th gen. But at the end of the day I’ve seen a lot of good reviews on here about d rob.

I’m just having a tough time on which one to decide on

 

[Hollywoo0220]

Going for a Custom Tune (Dyno / E-Tune) would only be necessary if you want one for higher than 93OCT (i.e. Race Fuel or E85 blend). Other than that, DRob’s TSP Stage 1 would be the pinnacle; given 1) you are on a CVT and 2) You are on the stock turbo.
Cheers...

 

[Myx]

I have a CVT and could not be dyno tuned due to my car going into 'limp mode' on the dyno. Instead, I had to be street tuned by the tuner, which recording WOT pulls.

Etuning is convenient. I am now going that route. Something to think about with you having a CVT.

Otherwise the Ktuner stage 2 and TSP stage one tuned are great.

 

[Aegean303]

I have a CVT and could not be dyno tuned due to my car going into 'limp mode' on the dyno. Instead, I had to be street tuned by the tuner, which recording WOT pulls.

Etuning is convenient. I am now going that route. Something to think about with you having a CVT.

Otherwise the Ktuner stage 2 and TSP stage one tuned are great.

what do you mean by your car went into “limp mode” ? Is it harder to tune a cvt on a dyno?

 

[Hollywoo0220]

Yes. Due to the transition of gearing of the CVT (seamlessly). Stick with the CAN tunes or get a Street driven one (E-tune). Ensure that the tuner has done many CVT models first if you do - otherwise you’ll end up an experiment.
Now get going fwd with your plans...

 

[FlexRex]

In my books e tune (street tune) > dyno tune. Why would i pay extra to replicate the real world environment (my streets and real air movement) with a tool in an artificial environment? Doesnt make sense unless you are:

1. the tuner
2. You want a pretty dyno print out (VD is pretty accurate and was within 5whp on my friends 350whp car)
3. Pushing power resulting in crazy speeds in real world/want safety.

Now whether you need a custom tune or not, id say not.

 

[charleswrivers]

I think an e-tune would be better than using a tuner w/a dyno inexperienced on the platform.

That being said... I see no way to be able to see feedback from etuning datalogs as to whether changes affect power/torque. While I am not a tuner and have done little more than tweak maps and then see how fuel trims and k/cont responds... I've read extensively on the subject prior to touching anything... a lot of it was information outside of these forums. There are strategies in finding the right marriage between boost and timing... especially when you're trying to tune a car with an undersized turbo for your power goals, which is what we have stock. I do think the opportunity to maximize power better presents themselves by having a dyno to see how the cars is reacting to that last pound of boost and degree of timing.

If you can't tune with @D-RobIMW directly... I think he offers remote dyno tuning if the shop you go to supports. That may be the most expensive option as I assume you'd have to pay both him and the shop itself. I've never really heard anything but good things about him... and he's very supportive to the community. If remote dyno tuning isn't an option, or is cost prohibitive... I'd still choose him over a possibly inexperienced tuning on the platform and be willing to give up bleeding edge power for your setup for a tune that is a good marriage of performance and powertrain-saving... hmmm... "professional restraint" (I guess that's the best term I can think of).

 

[FlexRex]

That being said... I see no way to be able to see feedback from etuning datalogs as to whether changes affect power/torque. While I am not a tuner and have done little more than tweak maps and then see how fuel trims and k/cont responds... I've read extensively on the subject prior to touching anything... a lot of it was information outside of these forums. There are strategies in finding the right marriage between boost and timing... especially when you're trying to tune a car with an undersized turbo for your power goals, which is what we have stock. I do think the opportunity to maximize power better presents themselves by having a dyno to see how the cars is reacting to that last pound of boost and degree of timing

And why cant all of this be done via etune or in person w tuner in car on the street? I would say safety/convenience is the only con, but setting that aside id rather run the car “in the actual/real environment” rather then a room on a tool designed to replicate the “actual/real environment.”

Just trying to understand why you see it a problem to do the same on the street, assuming you could do it safely. (Its definitely less convenient, hence point 1. In my first post). They are logging same data whether on street or dyno and using same logic.

 

[charleswrivers]

And why cant all of this be done via etune or in person w tuner in car on the street? I would say safety/convenience is the only con, but setting that aside id rather run the car “in the actual/real environment” rather then a room on a tool designed to replicate the “actual/real environment.”

Just trying to understand why you see it a problem to do the same on the street, assuming you could do it safely. (Its definitely less convenient, hence point 1. In my first post). They are logging same data whether on street or dyno and using same logic.

I don't see an e-tune as having any problem at all. You're just lacking a tool to determine whether the car is generating more torque from changes. Datalogging can absolutely ensure engine safety... and you can surmise that additional boost and torque equals more torque generated. We don't have a torsion meter or anything built into the car... so without a dyno... you really don't know.

There were writeups from tuners that were outside of these forums I've read that talk about this in a lot of detail... and how under-turboed cars have a point where you give up on boost for timing. I think even the tuners on here have mentioned there's the potential to get slightly more power out of the cars on the dyno. It wasn't a huge amount more... but that last pound or last degree they may not push for because they can't see the benefit... or which one is better than the other to do. For a tuner experienced on the platform however... who's done a lot of live tuning and knows what works and what doesn't... I bet there's probably very little left on the table using an e-tune.

Someone with first hand experience as a tuner would be better qualified to answer. I'm regurgitating a lot from what I've read and my understanding comes from reading and less from first hand experience.

 

[FlexRex]

I think even the tuners on here have mentioned there's the potential to get slightly more power out of the cars on the dyno. It wasn't a huge amount more... but that last pound or last degree they may not push for because they can't see the benefit... or which one is better than the other to do. For a tuner experienced on the platform however... who's done a lot of live tuning and knows what works and what doesn't... I bet there's probably very little left on the table using an e-tune.

Yes. Agree.

But that last half a degree or degree on dyno may result in knock retard in the streat/actual real life. The dyno calculates torque thru rotation of the wheels on the dyno, same can be done with other software non dyno related.

 

[boosted180sx]

if you have a flat stretch of road you can use virtual dyno to map it out if you really want to see the curve.

your doing the same thing whether or not your on the dyno or on the streets. Better yet, a e tune would give you a better representation of what you'll see on the actual road vs loading it up in a shop environment

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