Noob 101 (Purchasing S300)

[NoLimits]

Yes I am tuning myself!!!! I figured I'd get atleaset someone to tell me I shouldn't...

@97redjetgsr : I can just buy s100 cause it's way cheaper or w.e the case may be but at the end of the day there is a newer upgraded version out with better features so why would I buy the one with less? No my engine isn't built but i definitely plan on building it in the near future which is also why I don't want to cheap out on my ecu n have to buy a better one in the future.. For now it can seem like overkill but it will be a plus for me in the future when I want to pull 300+ from my teg .. Won't have to/ want to upgrade. (otherwise I would've paid like a buck n a half for a phearable ecu ...

@cluelessmale: I've read nothing but good reviews for the AEM EMS also but I simply don't have like a stack+ for that system.. Unless I buy it second hand which I really don't want to do.. N I can't lie I thought of buying a less expensive ecu (phearable,s100-200 etc) to atleast even move my teg n as you said get basics downpact, but I'd have to get ostrich or other add ons to get the job done n I simply rather purchase an s300 n get started.



Way I look at it is if theres plenty of people (which I personally know) who aren't pro tuners that can tune their car themselves.. There's no reason I shouldn't be able to. I know I need lots of more studying but I want to learn everything n dont see why I can't ..
Worse comes to worse, I'll have a tuner on stand by but I'm pretty sure I'll be doing so

[NoLimits]

Thanks for the feedback Guys, Its very appreciated!

@migee thanks alot for for the reference!

Originally Posted by fcluddington

I was able to successfully tune my NA car and turbo'd car using Neptune RTP. The customer support in "learning to tune" from Neptune is excellent. BTW I had no prior "efi tuning experience".

Really all the different tuning softwares are just a type of tool to use. Go with what ever one you personally like. I like Neptune for a lot of reasons, Also have never heard of any problems with getting it fixed.

Before you buy from a dealer run their name on here check the feedback.

And for a person that began tuning with no prior experience how hard would you say it was? Did you find most of the information you needed through your ecu's forums or info on the web?? No reason I shouldn't be able to tackle this obstacle if I put my mind to it! And yes , i would check reviews, that's why I prefer being referred to business based off great experience cause it gives me some type 'guarantee' (not literally)

[fcluddington]

No Limits Before I started tuning I read a little here and there. I will give you a list of very useful reading.

1st. free on internet

a.AEM tuning for basics 52pages.(MUST READ 1st)
b.AEM pro tuning 216pages. has useful info
c.intro to tuning 8pages. pgfmi
d. many other 5-10page good reads

2. Books

a.High Perf. Honda Joe Pettitt
b.How to Tune and Modify Jeff Hartman
c.Engine Management Advanced Tuning Greg Banish
d.Nitrous Injection Joe Pettitt
e.Street Turbocharging Mark Warner
f. Maximum Boost Corky Bell

Some of these books are on iternet free. pm me if you want some of my collections. Glad to see you taking working on cars serious. To not tune a engine after you build is like to let your best man do your wife on the wedding nite. Good luck will help ya all I can.
I found the books to give me very important info and the internet as a guide process. Use both. I also read all tuning forums at first and occationally. (note tuning becomes a little habit forming, it's funnn!!!

[Da1witskilz]

Tuning yourself is not too difficult, but you have to have a good understanding of what effect every setting has and what effect fuel and timing will have on the way your engine runs. Just make small adjustments and always stay on the safe side even if it takes longer. Of course you can read about all of the basics online and Neptune gives you a ton of help in the help section of the program. For a turbocharged, just tuning the fuel maps and using a basic timing retard will get you very very far and most people stop there anyway.

I tuned my car n/a and boosted on Neptune RTP and afterwards on Hondata S300 and I think Neptune was easier to learn from scratch but in the end they were equally easy to tune on. Hondata may have required just a bit more reading in the beginning since they are a dealer based system. A lot of the stuff you read in the Neptune tuning help can be applied directly to the other tuning programs.

[cluelessmale]

Don't be afraid to get help from non-Honda forums or tuners.

My last couple of issue were solved by talking with DSM people.

Fuel tuning I think is 100 times easier than timing tuning. With timing tuning you need to watch how the motor act after a change (knock, egt, coolant temps.) Some times that small change in one field will be too much for the given combo of fuel and timing or even too much for the given engine.