EOI: Signal's top tuner to tune here in Adeliade

[Steve]

Hi all

seeking expressions of interest

D1 Garage are looking like getting Signal Japan's top tuner out here to perform their magic, they will be bringing all the laptop software for Japanese ECUS.

It wont be cheap, expect to pay between $1000 and $1500 for a full tune - not just power, but a full map from idle.

Whilst this isnt cheap, it is quite good value for a japanese tuning guru to come over and get the best possible safe performance from your car.

Numbers available, currently need 5 cars to make it worth while for the tuner to come out - air fairs hotel accomodation etc.

currently 3 spots are pretty much spoken for

Anyway guys, please put the word out, I would really love to see what these guys can do with my car - this is pretty close to a once in a lifetime opportunity.

[EnricoPalazzo]

will u be gettin ur car tuned?

Could i come and watch?

[Steve]

Most likely - I am sure anyone can come and have a look

[Maxx]

wish i have the money...

[slyr33]

Does that mean ill be able to tune my power fc pro series??

No one here has the laptop to tune the pro series properly.

[N/A®]

Sounds like a good deal. Which tuner from Signal?

[Steve]

Maxx, get a loan (I think I may have to )

Slyr33, absolutely, power fc pro (full excel softwar), HKS fcon Pro V, e-manage every japanese ecu.

N/A®, James told me it was their head tuner. I will try and find out the name.

They will also be bringing Bai back out again, he is not only a Signal D1 driver, but also a mechanic for them too.

[Steve]

Oops forgot, he can also tune motec too:)

[EnricoPalazzo]

maybe n/a can crack 100 4wkws with a decent tune. lets go ken, then get pizza

which dyno would be used steve?

[N/A®]

maybe n/a can crack 100 4wkws with a decent tune. lets go ken, then get pizza

which dyno would be used steve?

killa reh...

Steve, when would this happen and as asked, which dyno would it probably be done on?

[Martin Donnon]

Oops forgot, he can also tune motec too:)

Does he work on Commodores too?

[Steve]

N/A, not sure, I would expect in the next couple of months. I will find out more exact details. I am assuming that the numbers (at least 5) would have to be firm before getting him out.

Martin, why would you get one of Japans top tuners to tune a commodore? Just go and see Mr Keen at Turbo Tune if you need some hints:)

EDIT: have you actually ever seen any commodores in Japan?

[Martin Donnon]

Maybe that was a bit subtle for you Steve

My question is why would you get one of 'Japans top tuners' to tune an Australian computer in Australia? ie. a Motec.

[Steve]

Because its in a Japanese car, that the guy has many many years of experience with.

Plus, at the end of the day, if the guy is Signal's top tuner, a population of nearly 10 times that in australia, and a many many years of playing with Japanese cars - I think you would be getting a very, very good tune.

Arguably they do after all understand their car's their engines, the limitations and how to get relaible power, optimum response, and street driveability much better than anyone who has been playing with them occasionally for the last couple of years. Japanese cars are their bread and butter, not a sideline.

Bai managed to tune Jame's car via phone to this guy, and when richard checked it he was amazed that this was the first time he has seen a full tune, with no correction in the AFM, everything was safe and optimised, without seeing a dyno. They know their shit with jap cars. James said the tune was better (more responsive and better top end) with 1.2bar than it was with its previous tune at 1.4 bar when he destroyed the engine.

If you are talking holdens, get an aussie to do it. If you are talking Japanese cars, get a Japanese to do it - and if that guy tunes japanese cars for a living at the highest competative level in japan, you can be assured you wont get a better tune regardless of the management being used.

but hey, each to their own.

[Martin Donnon]

Wouldnt it be cheaper and easier for the customer then for them to just supply a tune over the telephone? I agree, you dont need stuff like a wide band air fuel ratio meter or a dyno to tune a car. Its all mostly overrated.

[N/A®]

Martin,

Would be an interesting article for HPI if someone here ie: Simon or yourself finalised a tune and then have the Signal guys retune it. Would end all the hype and queries....

Are the Japs really good at their stuff.

They see modified cars like Ultra Tune see's commodores.... So my guess, yes...

[Martin Donnon]

Nice call N/A. Way too many demi gods involved in the 'smoke and mirrors trickery' that is the import tuning scene for me! I am an interested observer of the scene though, watching how 'a tune' has become yet another bolt on accessory for a car. Yeah, got neons, turbo, boosh valve, XYZ tune.

Lets look at some facts. Fastest OS Giken 3 litre GTR in the world - tuned and run in Adelaide, Willall Racing. Fastest WRX in the world, tune by TRP Sydney. CRD have some sort of world SR record too with 9.2 out of their S14 200SX. The Japanese came to learn from Gibson Motorsport in the GTR days as they were unable to tune their engines to last for anything other than short sprint races. The list goes on and on. Whats the top line Japanese tuners weapon of choice? Motec. Wheres it made? Melbourne.

All the players in the LS1 scene here in Aus used to think that the Americans were 5 years down the road on us in terms of tuning and setting up these engines. Their engine, and they had it ages before us, so it would make sense. When one of the big guys came over from the US they were blown away, couldnt believe what the top notch guys in Aus could do with the things. They actually took some training and went back to improve their own setups.

Each to their own though

[Clint32]

For that sort of $$ id rather get the engine builder to put it on a engine dyno and run it in and then give it a full tune, then you know how much power you have and its alot easier to moniter everything

if you could get 20 or so people and get the cost down to 500 or so then it would be a good deal for everyone

[N/A®]

Interesting facts..

So from all your past experience with japan tuners and tuning, would you say they are able to tune a modified car better than say Morpowa? Im talking the well know tuners, HKS, TOP SECRET etc.... high number with safe tuning etc etc....

[Martin Donnon]

high number with safe tuning...........I like that.

Tuning an engine for outright power is a job an average 5 year old child could be trained to undertake in the space of a couple of hours.

There is no such thing as 'safe' though. A couple of degrees out of the ignition, or some additional fuel to be 'safe' could actually be quite unsafe. None of the great aftermarket tuners I see either here or overseas uses thermocouples to measure EGT, pull engines down to have a look at the effect of mixture of valve regression etc. and see how 'safe' their 'safe' really is. Most guess. The only folks that do it properly are the race teams.

Which is why, a dirty old 5 litre pushrod V8 with a maximum comp of 10:1 and a rev limit of 7500rpm can last over 1000km of near continual full load producing over 500kw. Its all very basic thermodynamics.