Headers and a tune? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Kwik · 05-30-2010, 12:34 PM

Greetings:

I have a few basic mods and will be installing my Kooks long tubes with cats next week. I probably won't add any further engine mods after that. Maybe some eye candy and other suspension stuff. My car is used mainly for street and I plan to do some SCCA Solo. Here is my question. Do I absolutely have to get a tune when I install headers? I'm not worried about dyno numbers etc. If I can keep the warranty, I'd trade off a few HP. Seems to me that the computer could read input from the O2 sensors and adjust accordingly. What do you think? Thanks and enjoy the 500!

camarohead · 05-30-2010, 12:41 PM

you will have sensors go off without a tune like check engine light. plus my dealer told me headers void the warranty. not sure on that one though.

VADER SS L99 · 05-30-2010, 12:42 PM

It will run without a tune and "learn" but I think the only way to not have a CEL light is to have it tuned. I could be wrong but I think it ends up running richer with no tune which will not hurt the motor but will not be ideal drivability. To awnser your question in short, NO you dont have to get a tune.

danhr · 05-30-2010, 12:50 PM

you don't need a tune. I still put down 400rwhp/405tq (those are SAE numbers, the STD numbers were like 415 rwhp), with my car with kooks longtubes and a few other bolt ons and stock tune. The check engine light will pop up, if you don't have the rear 02's hooked up. you can either hook up the rear o2's and still have cats, or run no cats with o2 simulators on the rear o2's. Talk about the headers with your dealer about them voiding your warranty. some dealers will void it, some won't.

Romeloc · 05-30-2010, 03:05 PM

my dealer told slp dont void the warranty

MarylandSpeed · 05-31-2010, 04:03 PM

Do you have to get a tune...no. However, you are leaving half the power your could get from headers on the table. Headers with tune is 25-35 rwhp. Headers without tune is 1--15 rwhp. You will get check engine lights, and more importantly, your car will not be running the best it can. If you put headers on, the car wants to run like stockm so the computer trys to learn the headers away. I always tell people headers and tune are like shoes and laces..you really should have both.

2010 SSRS · 05-31-2010, 04:10 PM

Get the tune, I had mine tuned at Jannetty Racing and it is awesome.

Kwik · 05-31-2010, 09:00 PM

Tune it is! Thanks.

csjcsj · 05-31-2010, 09:57 PM

Yeah tune it. mine was running really rich.

JohnJ@Texas-Speed · 06-01-2010, 08:25 PM

Tuning isn't a bad move, you might checkout Jason 98 TA's post from installing our TSP headers & air intake on a stock L99 car. That combo made 45rwhp gains with before tuning! I expect it to pickup another 5 or so with tuning.

xavier02832 · 06-03-2010, 11:36 PM

Can someone play devil’s advocate and tell us, what is the worst thing that can happen when tuning our camaros? We always here the pros of tuning but us noobs need to know what we are getting into. If the risk outweighs the benefits.
Thanks Xavier

05-30-2010, 12:34 PM	#1
Kwik Drives: car Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: USA Posts: 801	Headers and a tune? Greetings: I have a few basic mods and will be installing my Kooks long tubes with cats next week. I probably won't add any further engine mods after that. Maybe some eye candy and other suspension stuff. My car is used mainly for street and I plan to do some SCCA Solo. Here is my question. Do I absolutely have to get a tune when I install headers? I'm not worried about dyno numbers etc. If I can keep the warranty, I'd trade off a few HP. Seems to me that the computer could read input from the O2 sensors and adjust accordingly. What do you think? Thanks and enjoy the 500! __________________ Upgrades to suspension, brakes, motor and appearance. 482.7 RWHP- 434.2 RWT - All motor.

05-30-2010, 12:42 PM	#3
VADER SS L99 Drives: 2013 A6 GT 5.0 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Edmond, OK Posts: 2,909	It will run without a tune and "learn" but I think the only way to not have a CEL light is to have it tuned. I could be wrong but I think it ends up running richer with no tune which will not hurt the motor but will not be ideal drivability. To awnser your question in short, NO you dont have to get a tune. __________________ BLK/BLK 1SS/RS Ordered 11-01-2009 Took delivery 12-22-2009. Heads/cam/converter/bolt ons. SOLD Feb 2015 to fund 6th gen LT1 SS with 8L90E.

05-30-2010, 12:50 PM	#4
danhr BAMF SS Drives: 2016 Camaro 1SS A8 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ford City, PA Posts: 3,024	you don't need a tune. I still put down 400rwhp/405tq (those are SAE numbers, the STD numbers were like 415 rwhp), with my car with kooks longtubes and a few other bolt ons and stock tune. The check engine light will pop up, if you don't have the rear 02's hooked up. you can either hook up the rear o2's and still have cats, or run no cats with o2 simulators on the rear o2's. Talk about the headers with your dealer about them voiding your warranty. some dealers will void it, some won't. __________________ 2016 1SS A8: FBO + Circle D + P1X + Meth + Tuned by Pray Performance Stock Longblock 800 SAE rwhp. 9.4 @ 145 mph.

05-30-2010, 03:05 PM	#5
Romeloc Drives: 2010 Black 2SS RS A6 Inferno Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,160	my dealer told slp dont void the warranty __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]2010 Camaro Black 2SS/RS A6 Inferno Interior Polished Rims, Sunroof Born 11/19/09 mods: 20% tints Borla Atak cat-bak Roto-Fab intake amber footwell, dome, and trunk lighting(AAC) Decepticon Gas door Led Taillights (technostalgia)

05-31-2010, 04:10 PM	#7
2010 SSRS Drives: 3 V8 Camaros Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Ocean State Posts: 111,186 View My Garage	Get the tune, I had mine tuned at Jannetty Racing and it is awesome. __________________ Jannetty Racing JRE Street Package

05-30-2010, 12:41 PM	#2
camarohead Drives: 2010 ss rs ls3 red-white rallys Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 729	you will have sensors go off without a tune like check engine light. plus my dealer told me headers void the warranty. not sure on that one though.

05-31-2010, 04:03 PM	#6
MarylandSpeed Account Suspended Drives: 2012 ZL1 & 2010 2SS/RS Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,378	Do you have to get a tune...no. However, you are leaving half the power your could get from headers on the table. Headers with tune is 25-35 rwhp. Headers without tune is 1--15 rwhp. You will get check engine lights, and more importantly, your car will not be running the best it can. If you put headers on, the car wants to run like stockm so the computer trys to learn the headers away. I always tell people headers and tune are like shoes and laces..you really should have both.

05-31-2010, 09:00 PM	#8
Kwik Drives: car Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: USA Posts: 801	Tune it is! Thanks. __________________ Upgrades to suspension, brakes, motor and appearance. 482.7 RWHP- 434.2 RWT - All motor.

05-31-2010, 09:57 PM	#9
csjcsj Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS 6spd Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Jefferson, Ga Posts: 4,399 View My Garage	Yeah tune it. mine was running really rich. __________________

06-01-2010, 08:25 PM	#10
JohnJ@Texas-Speed Drives: Body In White Camaro Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lubbock Posts: 18	Tuning isn't a bad move, you might checkout Jason 98 TA's post from installing our TSP headers & air intake on a stock L99 car. That combo made 45rwhp gains with before tuning! I expect it to pickup another 5 or so with tuning.

06-03-2010, 11:36 PM	#11
xavier02832 Drives: 13 ZL1-SOLD, 13 GT500-Sold Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Sunrise Posts: 450	Devils advocate Can someone play devil’s advocate and tell us, what is the worst thing that can happen when tuning our camaros? We always here the pros of tuning but us noobs need to know what we are getting into. If the risk outweighs the benefits. Thanks Xavier

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