To Tune or Not to Tune... - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

scots67 · 08-17-2016, 10:29 AM

If you have been debating whether or not to get a tuner/tune from Dyno Steve at RDP Motorsports I highly recommend it! I just installed it on my stock SS Camaro and it awoke the Sleeping Giant. The difference is night and day, you will not be disappointed!

Just the shifting alone is worth every penny, but deleting the AFM is awesome too.

Steve was very helpful on the phone as well as online, and installation is a no brainer. This was the best and easiest mod for the dollar.

deweyg63 · 08-17-2016, 10:37 AM

Funny how deleting the afm actually helps your mpg

Rainbow1616 · 08-17-2016, 10:55 AM

My mileage went up considerably, very surprising.

I'm not terribly happy with the way it shifts now though.

LCPLPunk · 08-17-2016, 11:58 AM

Rainbow, why do you say that, are they more pronounced?

rontammy0 · 08-17-2016, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

Rainbow, why do you say that, are they more pronounced?

Shifts harder and is definitely more pronounced. It can be adjusted by your tuner as everybody is different.

LCPLPunk · 08-17-2016, 02:07 PM

Yep, I knew that.

I've heard it's actually better for the tranny that way because it isn't building up heat for a nice, smooth shift.

rontammy0 · 08-17-2016, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

Yep, I knew that.

I've heard it's actually better for the tranny that way because it isn't building up heat for a nice, smooth shift.

When my exhaust was really loud it was a bit annoying on the downshifts ....really barked . Now with a resonated x pipe installed it's much better.

Rainbow1616 · 08-17-2016, 02:53 PM

I thought I would get use to it but I'm going to have to get a hold of him. My wife even complained about it and she rarely ever drives it. It "jumps" into the next gear. I almost have to anticipate the shift and back off the gas to make it smooth.

qcman · 08-17-2016, 03:03 PM

^He can soften it up for you quite easily and he will. I had him soften mine at the start as I found it too abrupt but now I'm back to his original tune and love it. D mode is pretty good for tooling around and M/S really barks on the 1-2 shift.

OHIOSS · 08-17-2016, 03:48 PM

I found Steve online and he did a tune on my SS a few years ago. Before the tune the dyno showed 366HP at the wheels, after the tune it dyno'ed @ 418HP at the wheels! What a HUGE difference!

I am going to be calling him soon to put a new cam in my car. His prices are a little high but I think he is one of the best motor heads out there.

Sent from my iPhone

PalmerGA · 08-17-2016, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainbow1616

It "jumps" into the next gear.

That's the best part about a DynoSteve tune, IMO (besides removing AFM). I guess you and the wife REALLY hate how it shifts in Sport Mode. I love it.

LCPLPunk · 08-17-2016, 11:10 PM

And one other great thing is that if you change/add/remove parts he'll send you a retune for free.

CamaroFred · 08-18-2016, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

Yep, I knew that.

I've heard it's actually better for the tranny that way because it isn't building up heat for a nice, smooth shift.

What you heard is wrong.

I had a TH350 rebuilt in ~1984 on my 1979, ~70K miles, Buick Regal Sport Coupe (3.8 turbo) and the tech said he tightened up the shifts. I thought "Cool!"
But I didn't get half-way home when 2nd gear quit working. I blew out the rear sprag and I had been driving easy to break it in.
So, back to a bit of slip on upshifts and I went for years.

Automatics have a good cooling system so unless you are running a high speed stall you should be fine for street use concerning cooling.

Keep in mind that clutches, clutch packs, drums and bands are all wear items, just like brakes, spark plugs, and windshield wipers.

Sooner or later they will need to be replaced.
Sooner if you drive hard, average if you drive like a citizen, later if you drive as if you have all the time in the world (except for brake light bulbs

).

1KillerSS · 08-18-2016, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scots67

If you have been debating whether or not to get a tuner/tune from Dyno Steve at RDP Motorsports I highly recommend it! I just installed it on my stock SS Camaro and it awoke the Sleeping Giant. The difference is night and day, you will not be disappointed!

Just the shifting alone is worth every penny, but deleting the AFM is awesome too.

Steve was very helpful on the phone as well as online, and installation is a no brainer. This was the best and easiest mod for the dollar.

What other mods do you have? Did you just do a tune?

08-17-2016, 10:29 AM	#1
scots67 Drives: 2012 ss rs convertable Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: northern mich Posts: 7	To Tune or Not to Tune... If you have been debating whether or not to get a tuner/tune from Dyno Steve at RDP Motorsports I highly recommend it! I just installed it on my stock SS Camaro and it awoke the Sleeping Giant. The difference is night and day, you will not be disappointed! Just the shifting alone is worth every penny, but deleting the AFM is awesome too. Steve was very helpful on the phone as well as online, and installation is a no brainer. This was the best and easiest mod for the dollar.

08-17-2016, 10:37 AM	#2
deweyg63 Drives: 2011 2SS/RS 500+ h.p. monster Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Charleston IL Posts: 272	Funny how deleting the afm actually helps your mpg

08-17-2016, 10:55 AM	#3
Rainbow1616 Drives: 2011 Inferno Orange Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,372	My mileage went up considerably, very surprising. I'm not terribly happy with the way it shifts now though.

08-17-2016, 11:58 AM	#4
LCPLPunk USA-1 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Near DC Posts: 1,893 View My Garage	Rainbow, why do you say that, are they more pronounced?

08-17-2016, 02:07 PM	#6
LCPLPunk USA-1 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Near DC Posts: 1,893 View My Garage	Yep, I knew that. I've heard it's actually better for the tranny that way because it isn't building up heat for a nice, smooth shift.

08-17-2016, 02:53 PM	#8
Rainbow1616 Drives: 2011 Inferno Orange Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,372	I thought I would get use to it but I'm going to have to get a hold of him. My wife even complained about it and she rarely ever drives it. It "jumps" into the next gear. I almost have to anticipate the shift and back off the gas to make it smooth.

08-17-2016, 03:03 PM	#9
qcman Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS RDP Tuned L99 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada eh? Posts: 1,889	^He can soften it up for you quite easily and he will. I had him soften mine at the start as I found it too abrupt but now I'm back to his original tune and love it. D mode is pretty good for tooling around and M/S really barks on the 1-2 shift.

08-17-2016, 03:48 PM	#10
OHIOSS Russ Drives: Yukon Denali, Charger, CamaroSS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,811	I found Steve online and he did a tune on my SS a few years ago. Before the tune the dyno showed 366HP at the wheels, after the tune it dyno'ed @ 418HP at the wheels! What a HUGE difference! I am going to be calling him soon to put a new cam in my car. His prices are a little high but I think he is one of the best motor heads out there. Sent from my iPhone

08-17-2016, 11:10 PM	#12
LCPLPunk USA-1 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Near DC Posts: 1,893 View My Garage	And one other great thing is that if you change/add/remove parts he'll send you a retune for free.