Masterclass for newbies

[jmcbgardner]

Any issues with warranty by installing a catch can? It does look like a simple add-on that could be quickly removed, but just curious if it is a problem.

 

[EClapp3]

Any issues with warranty by installing a catch can? It does look like a simple add-on that could be quickly removed, but just curious if it is a problem.

Absolutely not. As long as it is installed properly.

 

[FIM-92]

Any issues with warranty by installing a catch can? It does look like a simple add-on that could be quickly removed, but just curious if it is a problem.

No. Car maker can't reject a warranty claims for a repair unless they can demonstrate the modification made caused a failure. Magnusson-Moss act, as already mentioned.

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[RogueIV]

Since I've seen people complain about the car leaving manual mode after a short period of time:

If you want to stay in Manual mode and have a Stinger GT with the mechanical shifter push the shifter over to the left into the manual gate. The car will stay in manual mode without timing out and you can still use the paddle shifters.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Since I've seen people complain about the car leaving manual mode after a short period of time:

If you want to stay in Manual mode and have a Stinger GT with the mechanical shifter push the shifter over to the left into the manual gate. The car will stay in manual mode without timing out and you can still use the paddle shifters.

It took me most of two months to get to that part in the manual: I went, "No way! What is THIS?" Went out at once and tried it. Hah! I had driven to Wichita Falls, TX and back using Sport mode and the paddles: of course, each time you stop you have to reengage the manual to get out of "D" (no biggie). I understand that shift by wire works the same way in Sport mode: come to a stop: pull the right paddle to go from "D" to "1"; the rest of the time you'll stay in manual (until you come to a stop, or pull and hold the paddle for c. three seconds, which goes out of manual and back into "D").

 

[eaboyle57]

Almost embarrassed to ask this, but what the hell, it's just the internet. When installing basic mods like intake and exhaust, I've read a lot of arguments about whether you should get a tune afterward or not.

Some say you must or your call will run too lean with all that extra air and explode or something. Some say no need, an Injen intake, air scoops, and MBRP catback won't change your AFR enough that the ECU can't handle it, it will automatically adjust. In either case, my question is simple.

What exactly is "a tune"? Is it a service provided by....an auto shop that reads my ECU and they can adjust my AFR? Is it a JB4? Are there other brands? Are there tunes that can adjust this without any warranty issues? If I set up my UltraGauge and it says my AFR is 20, what should I do?

 

[Ozstung]

Tune after the intake install. An intake is not going to add more than a couple of horses, mainly a noise thing.

 

[eaboyle57]

Tune after the intake install. An intake is not going to add more than a couple of horses, mainly a noise thing.

Sorry I don't understand this response. You're saying yes I should tune it, but my question was what is a "tune".

 

[monusa]

Sorry I don't understand this response. You're saying yes I should tune it, but my question was what is a "tune".

You will get many different responses or, just maybe "crickets"(mainly because if you are asking this question, leave the car stock) but it's always good to learn!!!.....basically, a "tune" is manipulating various parts of the combustion process of the engine to perform outside of the "stock" parameters. changing the intake, changes "air in" and a performance exhaust changes "air out". Add in a turbo/supercharger and you further change the "air in" side to produce more "combustion" to produce more power.....

In a lot of cases, you will need to "modify" the "programming" of the engine computer (ECU) to make use of the performance changes you make to the engine. This is basic but all i got......anyone else, please chime in or correct me.

HTH......

 

[eaboyle57]

You will get many different responses or, just maybe "crickets"(mainly because if you are asking this question, leave the car stock) but it's always good to learn!!!.....basically, a "tune" is manipulating various parts of the combustion process of the engine to perform outside of the "stock" parameters. changing the intake, changes "air in" and a performance exhaust changes "air out". Add in a turbo/supercharger and you further change the "air in" side to produce more "combustion" to produce more power.....

In a lot of cases, you will need to "modify" the "programming" of the engine computer (ECU) to make use of the performance changes you make to the engine. This is basic but all i got......anyone else, please chime in or correct me.

HTH......

Hey man, lots of air quotes in your response makes it come off super sarcastic, especially since you gave an incredibly rudimentary answer that had no practical application to my question.

It's pretty clear I understand that I need to increase the fuel through tuning. My question is, if the widespan O2 sensors arent sufficient to adjust the AFR automatically and it needs adjusting, is a JB4 my only course of action, are services provided that test the mass airflow and modify the ECU to send more fuel only, etc.

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[RogueIV]

@eaboyle57

An ECU tune adjusts multiple things to get the most out of the modifications you do. This is more than just AFR. there's other parameters such as ignition timing and variable valve timing advance.

An intake and exhaust don't require a tune to safely work but you won't be getting the most out of them. The car has MAF, MAP and O2 sensors among others that will keep the car running in spec.

Ther are things that can mess with some factory tunes badly though. Such as BOV after the MAF that dump air into the atmosphere which commonly causes the engine to run rich when the BOV is operating since it's letting metered air out of the system and the ECU doesn't realize it.

You'll run into issues when you start manipulating the boost or if you change the fuel system or change engine turbos or internals, this is where you'll absolutely need a tune.

JB4 is probably one of the more popular easy solutions and is quickly reversible. There's other of the shelf solutions as well that tune the existing ECU, granted this may void warranties and it'd be beneficial to have a spare, unmodified ecu, to swap in. These are decent solutions for known bolt on mods and most will look at your logs and help you with your tune.

If you are being more serious, and going beyond simple bolt ons, you're going to need to get tuning done at a reputable shop with a dyno.

As far as basics go HKS has a beginner's guide here that will help you understand the basics https://www.hks-power.co.jp/en/tuning/index.html Granted some funny translation errors in there, but the info is still decent.

 

[eaboyle57]

@eaboyle57

An ECU tune adjusts multiple things to get the most out of the modifications you do. This is more than just AFR. there's other parameters such as ignition timing and variable valve timing advance.

An intake and exhaust don't require a tune to safely work but you won't be getting the most out of them. The car has MAF, MAP and O2 sensors among others that will keep the car running in spec.

Ther are things that can mess with some factory tunes badly though. Such as BOV after the MAF that dump air into the atmosphere which commonly causes the engine to run rich when the BOV is operating since it's letting metered air out of the system and the ECU doesn't realize it.

You'll run into issues when you start manipulating the boost or if you change the fuel system or change engine turbos or internals, this is where you'll absolutely need a tune.

JB4 is probably one of the more popular easy solutions and is quickly reversible. There's other of the shelf solutions as well that tune the existing ECU, granted this may void warranties and it'd be beneficial to have a spare, unmodified ecu, to swap in. These are decent solutions for known bolt on mods and most will look at your logs and help you with your tune.

If you are being more serious, and going beyond simple bolt ons, you're going to need to get tuning done at a reputable shop with a dyno.

As far as basics go HKS has a beginner's guide here that will help you understand the basics https://www.hks-power.co.jp/en/tuning/index.html Granted some funny translation errors in there, but the info is still decent.

This is great, thanks for the write up.

 

[monusa]

Almost embarrassed to ask this, but what the hell, it's just the internet. When installing basic mods like intake and exhaust, I've read a lot of arguments about whether you should get a tune afterward or not.

Some say you must or your call will run too lean with all that extra air and explode or something. Some say no need, an Injen intake, air scoops, and MBRP catback won't change your AFR enough that the ECU can't handle it, it will automatically adjust. In either case, my question is simple.

What exactly is "a tune"? Is it a service provided by....an auto shop that reads my ECU and they can adjust my AFR? Is it a JB4? Are there other brands? Are there tunes that can adjust this without any warranty issues? If I set up my UltraGauge and it says my AFR is 20, what should I do?

First, let me apologize for all the "air quotes"....that is just how I get my thoughts across on a keyboard......now that's out of the way.

I responded in kind BUT your first sentence, is what I based my response on. You spray a lot of tuner terms around but they are all proceeded with a question????? Maybe your query should have been; "what does the jb4 offer in terms of closed loop tuning vs directly programming the ECU"..... Once again, if you are throwing this many questions around and expecting answers from the forum that you CLEARLY don't agree with, then leave the car stock!!! If you are someone who has done some reading but has no practical app., then sure, ask away, otherwise, don't become personal at the responses. ......."but what the hell, it's just the Internet"....(used quotes as I was actually quoting you, @eaboyle57 ).

 

[monusa]

@MerlintheMad

You tha' man!!!!

 

[eaboyle57]

First, let me apologize for all the "air quotes"....that is just how I get my thoughts across on a keyboard......now that's out of the way.

I responded in kind BUT your first sentence, is what I based my response on. You spray a lot of tuner terms around but they are all proceeded with a question????? Maybe your query should have been; "what does the jb4 offer in terms of closed loop tuning vs directly programming the ECU"..... Once again, if you are throwing this many questions around and expecting answers from the forum that you CLEARLY don't agree with, then leave the car stock!!! If you are someone who has done some reading but has no practical app., then sure, ask away, otherwise, don't become personal at the responses. ......."but what the hell, it's just the Internet"....(used quotes as I was actually quoting you, @eaboyle57 ).

I only asked one primary question. "What is 'a tune'? With some clarifying questions and additional information that I thought would intimate that I understood how an intake and exhaust work and why I need to "manipulate various parts of the combustion process" but was looking for the next level of detail about how to go about doing that and what my options were.

Maybe I could have phrased it better, but also maybe if you're going to be that condescending in your response you should neither answer questions in a thread dedicated to new members of the community nor make suggestions about what people should or shouldn't do to their car.

But what the hell, it's just the internet.

 

[MerlintheMad]

From a third party perspective, I took @monusa 's post to be a deliberate, simplistic explanation and didn't see anything condescending about it.

maybe if you're going to be that condescending in your response you should neither answer questions in a thread dedicated to new members of the community nor make suggestions about what people should or shouldn't do to their car.

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[eaboyle57]

From a third party perspective, I took @monusa 's post to be a deliberate, simplistic explanation and didn't see anything condescending about it.

That's fair, and appreciate the input. Probably a combination of a) the hesitancy to ask the question in th first place b) the air quotes and c) the suggestion that if I'm not a seasoned garage veteran then I have no business doing anything to my car. Just rubbed me the wrong way.

@RogueIV gave a great answer that I appreciated and I'm moving on.

 

[Pezzy]

hey all, recently decided to upgrade some stuff. Would love to hear(read) some opinions

first off, the wheels. I wanna go 20" wheels but I live in a area with a lot of speed bumps and horrible road works (plenty road in melbourne if anyones familiar with that). Should I still upgrade or keep the 19"s?

Secondly I have the bi-model exhaust but I still think the car is quiet. I've been looking at the borla catbacks and the ultimate performance down pipe and mid pipe combo. they're very pricey (3k). Would it be worth it without a tune? Or should I take it to a local exhaust shop for a resonator delete/muffler delete.

Lastly, is a racechip worth considering? or just straight to a piggy back instead. I haven't found anyone in my city with access to ecu and tcu tuning if anyone tuned their stinger in melbourne, I would appreciate some coordinates.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this essay in advance

 

[MerlintheMad]

Howdy and welcome. My Stinger is bone stock in the drivetrain, so, I have nothing to suggest from personal experience. I do a lot of reading on here. The take home for me is that people who modify their Gran Turismo hail from another realm of reality: they like "farting/popping/crackling/belching" exhaust noises every time they let off the throttle, which is as often as possible, interspersed with revs and rabbit hop accelerations: which, to my aesthetics (one of the main reasons why I have this car from brand new, the only time in my life that I have done that), is anathema. But you guys play with your toys differently than I want to (or the original concept designers wanted to: the Stinger was never intended to be a hot rod). The car has an acceptably quiet cabin and a great surround sound system (even the "factory" nine speaker system is very good, just not as granular or quite as powerful as the Harman Kardon): and you want to mix that in with belching that you can hear. Inconceivable.

As for 20" wheels, I go with the manual which recommends that we stick to the OEM wheels and tire sizes (I bent a bit and have 8.5" wide in front and 9.5" wide in the back on my summer setup). If your roads are built in purgatory, I think you've already answered your own question.

 

[Birthday_Cat]

hey all, recently decided to upgrade some stuff. Would love to hear(read) some opinions

first off, the wheels. I wanna go 20" wheels but I live in a area with a lot of speed bumps and horrible road works (plenty road in melbourne if anyones familiar with that). Should I still upgrade or keep the 19"s?

Secondly I have the bi-model exhaust but I still think the car is quiet. I've been looking at the borla catbacks and the ultimate performance down pipe and mid pipe combo. they're very pricey (3k). Would it be worth it without a tune? Or should I take it to a local exhaust shop for a resonator delete/muffler delete.

Lastly, is a racechip worth considering? or just straight to a piggy back instead. I haven't found anyone in my city with access to ecu and tcu tuning if anyone tuned their stinger in melbourne, I would appreciate some coordinates.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this essay in advance

I've gone up to 20s on mine, and I'm in Perth. I daily drive mine all around with no issues. If you're worried about potholes you could stick to 19s and just go wider but I think at most just don't splurge on super expensive wheels for your own piece of mind.

I dropped mine on H&R springs, I would suggest you *don't* do that if you've got lots of uneven terrain. I can scrape the odd Macca's carpark if not careful so potholes would be tough.

I'm on the stock bi-modal too, completely agree however I don't have an answer for you.

If you want some more speed the most reliable seems to be the JB4 piggyback ECU. If you'd like a tune and want to stick local you want Unichip. They're actually in Victoria so you might have some luck.

Hope that helps mate.