When you want to push more performance out of an engine, past the factory standard you need to have the engine tuned. Whether you have an old classic you or a newer vehicle you want tweaked, custom car tuning can push your motors performance to it’s limits. There are many different options in car tuning which we will discuss below. We will also discuss the importance of using a certified mechanic, trusted equipment, and I’ll share my experience with the place that does car tuning near me.
Find Car Tuning Near Me
If you are searching for “car tuning near me”, see the map below…
How Does Custom Car Tuning Near Me Work?
Custom car tuning is common practice to change your vehicles performance requirements from the original factory defaults. In most cases people tune for increased engine performance and/or dynamic handling. Other tuning such as improved gas mileage and smoother response are also possible.
When you call a car tuning shop they will ask you a bunch of basic questions to understand your vehicle. This includes questions around year, make, model, engine type, and any modifications you have made. Then inquire about how the vehicle performs mechanically and what are the areas you are looking to improve. They may also inquire about constraints you have like budget and on a restoration project for example if there is a need to keep everything original.
Next they will discuss what there shop does and the type of technology or methods they use. There are essentially two types of tuning; street tuning and dyno tuning. You will likely find more shops that do dyno tuning these days and then take the vehicle to the street for testing. To better understand how custom car tuning works, you should grasp the pros and cons of each method.
Street Tuning
Pros:
- The most environmentally accurate way to tune. Dynos can not simulate environment conditions. (Load-bearing dynos are decent at replicating track and street conditions).
- You can do it yourself and no need to research and find a local custom car tuning shop.
- It is the cheapest option for tuning.
Cons:
- You need open roads, no traffic, and no police.
- If the vehicle has any mechanical problems it can impede the tuner.
- Driving aggressive and monitoring a laptop is not very safe.
- Performing wide open throttle tests is not only unsafe, but also illegal.
While street tuning is something you can do yourself, it isn’t all that safe. Trying to monitor and tweak the tables while driving poses safety issues. Also you really need to open the engine up full throttle, which is illegal of course on public roads. The best way to bypass this is to hit the drag strip or rent track time.
Dyno Tuning
Pros:
- It’s done in a controlled safe environment
- Repeating the test is easier and therefore results become more consistent
- Dyno tuning measure actual power output
Cons:
- The money you pay upfront is much higher
- Renting a dyno is now possible everywhere and finding a shop with a dyno can be difficult.
- If you decide to buy a dyno tuner, you need to have sufficient space to store it
- Some quirky performance issues don’t appear, but show up when you drive the vehicle.
Overall Dyno tuning is a much more consistent way to tune. The problem though is you have a vehicle that idles and stalls on a hard left, the dyno can not replicate and correct that.
Which is Better Street or Dyno Tuning?
In my experience with the car tuning shop near me a combination of both is the best choice. This will result in a more well rounded performance of the vehicle.
What to Know Before You Book a Car Tuning Service…
The car tuning shop near me shared a few helpful tips for folks that hire their services.
- Before showing up for an appointment you must complete the startup, idle, and part-throttle tuning. The vehicle must run well enough mechanically to even be tuned.
- You have signed a waiver up front saying you understand the risks of having the vehicle pushed to it’s mechanical limits.
- You have thoroughly inspected the safety of the vehicle like checking the tire pressure and tread depth and ensuring the oil level is adequate.
Following the advice above will save you time and money. You don’t want to have to spend money on the car tuner fixing a mechanical issue just to get your vehicle onto the dyno machine. Any good car tuner will also do pre-tuning checks like an inspection, leak check, street test, sensor adjustments, and checking installation of mechanical components.
What Does Car Tuning Cost?
If you were to do a car tuning yourself (without renting a dyno), you can tune a car for between $50 and $250. The cost would also largely depend on what you are trying to tweak.
Taking your car to a dyno tuning garage will have initial costs between $400 to $700. This cost will depend on the make of the vehicle and any after market parts that are needed to reach the desired performance specs. A tuning shop will improve performance, boost horsepower, and make the engine run more efficiently then you could on your own.
Many Car Tuning Shops Near Me Offer Options…
Some places will offer full tuning services, where you drop the vehicle off and pay for a full day of work. You can also ask about half day of tuning as well. Places that do tuning may also offer weekly rentals on dyno tuners.
When Should Engine Tuning Be Performed?
Engine tuning can be done with the engine in or the engine out. It should be performed whenever you want it done or you feel like you want more out of the performance. There is no right or wrong time to seek the service. It can be as simple as you have an off-idle stumble you won’t gone or you are looking to squeeze more horsepower out.
With a classic car I like to get it serviced and tuned right before I put it in long term storage for the off season. This way it’s in good shape and has been throughly looked at before it sits for the winter.
What Kind of Cars Can Be Tuned?
Any kind of car can be tuned. Most commonly it is performed on hot rods, race cars, carbureted muscle cars, and EFI systems on a classic muscle car. However you can tune a 40 HP commuter car. Whether the vehicle is supercharged, has turbos, naturally aspirated, or has nitrous on-board tuning can be done.
Tuning can be as simple as calibrating the speedometer and checking the horsepower and torque to optimizing the performance and drivability. When I tuned my Mercedes C450 on a dyno they boosted the horse power from 364 to 429 without upgrading any parts.
How Does Car Tuning Work…
If you are curious about the ins and outs of car tuning, here is a great video on how it works…
How To Select a Car Tuning Shop Near Me
If you are looking for a shop with a Dyno there are a few key things to consider. Look for a shop that has a load-bearing eddy-current chassis dynamometers. You also want to make sure they perform weather correction on the data results. You also want full graphical printouts of charts to show all your power numbers before and after such as your horsepower and torque curves. Then supporting data on max mph, rpm, hp, torque, air to fuel ratio, exhaust gas temperatures, brake specific fuel consumption, and vacuum boost readings across the rpm band.
Other common considerations before selecting a tuning shop:
- Do your research; read online reviews and get several price quotes.
- Ask for samples of their before and after results.
- Search for results online for actual customers you used their shop
- Ask about guarantees and realistic estimated performance baselines
- Ask for a customer reference that you can call
Car Tuning Near Me – Wrap Up
Getting your car tuned is the best way to get the most out of the performance. Before you select a shop you should understand the difference between street and dyno tuning. If you decide on a dyno tuning shop, then consider what technology they use and make sure you have done all of your prep work. The best results come from a mix of both dyno and street tuning. This is what I have learned from the place that does car tuning near me.