How to choose a good 'Custom' tuner?
So you are ready for a 'custom' tune but worried about the horror stories you have heard on the internet about windowed blocks.
I have read countless posts on several sites where many guys just want to turn their KB or saleen, or vortech, or whatever up and pulley down to make some more power and be in the 450 reliably range. They are constantly told if they want to run 10 psi or 12 psi, etc. etc. - you'll need a rebuild or take care of your bottom end. These guys seem to be the majority and a rebuild is not only not neccessary, it is the 'opening of the floodgates' so to speak that unless that's the direction you are committed to go, maybe more than you're bargaining for.
The tune is everything! We all know now that no motor is created equal in these beasts. It is a fact that a certain stock motor might run great at 500 rwhp and another one will let go at 425 rwhp. However, these motors do not just 'let go' despite what anyone has told you. There are ALWAYS warning signs and steps in the tuning process that a good tuner will be able to establish and catch before dissaster. Yes, there are the rare instances like Don_w where a faulty product and freak occurrence can happen but you should not take those rare instances as a common danger cause they are not. It is the same as worrying about someone running a redlight and t-boning your car. It happens, but just a freak oocurence and 'crap happens' scenario. No, what you do is count on the facts and current knowledge out for the vehicles. With this in mind, there is no reason a good tuner can't find your maximum power range safely on the stock motor without it blowing up.
Many guys ask their tuners, "what kind of power can you get" or "what is the most power you have gotten out of this kit?" etc, etc.
What few ask and is what is REALLY IMPORTANT, is to ask "how do you get the power out of the car?" and "what curves do you monitor when turning it up and how do you tune it safely" and "how exactly do you add and monitor timing safely?"
These are the kinds of questions that if you get a good answer to - then you're in good hands.
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