Ford Tuner

[jeff@allusa]

Who here in town is a good Ford tuner? We have a customer that wants us to do some performance work but we don't have the software to tune Fords.

[slowgreen99]

Who here in town is a good Ford tuner? We have a customer that wants us to do some performance work but we don't have the software to tune Fords.

no one local that I know of.

[Bradleyrj]

Arthur Todd in Conway SC is the only tuner I'd let work on mine. (if I didn't tune my own myself) (843) 365-6918

[WWhittle]

Tell them to make the trip to Columbia and see Chris Tuten.

[LXtasy]

Or if they want a mail order chip to call JMS CHIPS.

[1iron]

Tell them to make the trip to Columbia and see Chris Tuten.

Yep

[Longshot]

What kind of build? If it's a modular I'd say there's Rick @ Amazon Tuning in Andersen and then there's Mike McHale @ Unique Tuning in Hardeeville (southern tip of SC). Mike tuned my cobra and I couldn't be happier.

[slowgreen99]

mph for modular dtuff imo

[Longshot]

mph for modular dtuff imo

After seeing what I've seen come out of there I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them.

[WTFWSAT]

After seeing what I've seen come out of there I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them.

I recently had a mail order N/A tune done from Rick and from what i can tell its pretty solid, although its not on a race car its pretty stout for what it is.

If i had a tune done for my slobra i would probably choose Tuten or MPH but thats just from what ive read.

FYI i believe a majority of the board here is not for Amazon and its from personal experience.

[chrisheltra]

Arthur Todd in Conway SC is the only tuner I'd let work on mine. (if I didn't tune my own myself) (843) 365-6918

+1

[Longshot]

FYI i believe a majority of the board here is not for Amazon and its from personal experience.

I can understand that. Every shop has had it's hiccups (some more than others) and it's success stories. Some people, regardless of experience, will always have a sour taste in their mouths. That's why I think that it's important to find someone you trust, you're happy with, and takes care of you, then stick to that one person.

I'm a big do-it-yourself'er, so I turn my own wrenches whenever possible. However, when it comes to tuning, My car goes to UniqueTuning (http://www.uniquetuning.net). Mike McHale has been fixing a lot of others mistakes for a while now and his anal retentive approach benefits his customers. I'd recommend some of the closer ones (Charleston?) check him out. He's worth the drive, extremely thorough. It's a one man operation and a two bay shop so sometimes you have to wait to get in, but I really haven't heard one bitch or complaint from anyone coming out of the place.

[Magoo]

I'm a big do-it-yourself'er, so I turn my own wrenches whenever possible. However, when it comes to tuning, My car goes to UniqueTuning (http://www.uniquetuning.net). Mike McHale has been fixing a lot of others mistakes for a while now and his anal retentive approach benefits his customers. I'd recommend some of the closer ones (Charleston?) check him out. He's worth the drive, extremely thorough. It's a one man operation and a two bay shop so sometimes you have to wait to get in, but I really haven't heard one bitch or complaint from anyone coming out of the place.


Mike's a good guy, been hearing more and more good things from his shop.

[DolSVT00]

FYI i believe a majority of the board here is not for Amazon and its from personal experience.


Not necessarily, Most of the Cobra guys are happy with Amazon.

If you have a Lightning, i'd hang it up with them. They just need to stop trying to tune them all togather......... In the 3 years that I have been reading and watching, Not 1 single Lightning that they tuned has done anything remotely impressive.

And 90% of the 14 second turtle Lightnings have their tunes in their mod list.

I think its auto's.... I don't think he can tune an automatic transmission, he just thinks he can.

[WTFWSAT]

Lightnings > cobra's on the site haha

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

I can understand that. Every shop has had it's hiccups (some more than others) and it's success stories. Some people, regardless of experience, will always have a sour taste in their mouths. That's why I think that it's important to find someone you trust, you're happy with, and takes care of you, then stick to that one person.

I'm a big do-it-yourself'er, so I turn my own wrenches whenever possible. However, when it comes to tuning, My car goes to UniqueTuning (http://www.uniquetuning.net). Mike McHale has been fixing a lot of others mistakes for a while now and his anal retentive approach benefits his customers. I'd recommend some of the closer ones (Charleston?) check him out. He's worth the drive, extremely thorough. It's a one man operation and a two bay shop so sometimes you have to wait to get in, but I really haven't heard one bitch or complaint from anyone coming out of the place.

this is true and well said.. we have our share of people coming here who were not happy with each shop that has been mentioned already.. and IM sure those shops have the same thing happen with other shops customers..that is just the way it is in this business.. you cant make every single customer happy no matter how hard you try..we have tons of customers who drive up here from your area who are totally satisfied but then we have some who were not.. and so does every other shop

if you want to stay closer to your area Mike@ Unique Tuning is an excellent choice..but I would still recommend talking to any of the tuners you are considering and see how you feel after you talk to them..

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

Not necessarily, Most of the Cobra guys are happy with Amazon.

If you have a Lightning, i'd hang it up with them. They just need to stop trying to tune them all togather......... In the 3 years that I have been reading and watching, Not 1 single Lightning that they tuned has done anything remotely impressive.

And 90% of the 14 second turtle Lightnings have their tunes in their mod list.I think its auto's.... I don't think he can tune an automatic transmission, he just thinks he can.

I'd just like to point out that non of them have blown up motors either..when our customers express that they are not interested in having to rebuild a blown motor ..they will get a conservative tune..why was it again that you had to rebuild your motor? ahh who was it you were trying to be faster than?and didnt you have a non Amazon tune when that happened?

I think winning the very first JDM Lightning shootout is impressive. and we did that years ago with our 99 Lightning when most of you guys didnt even know what a Lightning was..and the guy Rick squeeked past that was running NOS was Sal@PSP


you may think that Rick cant tune a Lightning... you are entitled to your opinion Randy.. lord knows ..we all know the history with you and Amazon.. but at least he is a man of his word.. if he makes a promise ..he keeps it.. unlike someone I know who will look a man in the eye,shake his hand and make a promise to never say another word then a month later break his word

to say that Rick cant built or tune a Lightning ..well ..you just keep on thinking that way....we do have 9 second Lightnings around.. their lives do not revolve around the internet..they dont have to post about every fart they make..

90% of our customers have no desire to race their trucks..they are more interested in spirited street vehicles with longevity of the motor..those trucks will never see a track..

we bent over backwards to make you happy.. offered to dyno tune your truck for free just so Rick could get the data he needed to get your issues fixed..you refused..that should be the end of it.. the offer was made.. you refused it..

the situation between us is what it is Randy.. I'll pray for you that no one in your life ever does to you what you have been doing to us for the last 3 years..

[Mike]

we do have 9 second Lightnings around....

9 second simulated dyno runs do not equal 9 seconds at the track. :hide:

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

been down this road before with you.. the dyno has a rollar that is a certain diameter.. it turns a certain # of times...to calulate a certain distance in a certain period of time ...it isnt rocket science.. you cant get more simple than that..it is more accurate than slipping and sliding down a track with weather and driver ability ,etc to add to the equation

I do understand what you mean tho.. the true test is at the track.. we all know that..but you can have the exact same conditions and still not have consistant results every time down the track..

[DolSVT00]

why was it again that you had to rebuild your motor? ..
Lets get this strait, Sal's tune didn't take my motor out, I did...... and made a damn fine pass doing so. I put that stock block into the low low 12's many times over on 15# of boost and many many more 7.60's for a year or two before I jacked it up even more running 7.50's and 7.40's heading for mid 11's on boost only. Not to mention I raced it almost every weekend for 2 years that it didn't rain.

ahh who was it you were trying to be faster than?..
Noone, I didn't need too. My old 15# ET is faster than anyone around here with a Eaton Lightning was and still holds now.

and didnt you have a non Amazon tune when that happened?....
Hell yeah, if I had an Amazon tune I'd probably still have my motor, but id be stuck running 8.50's and 13's on a 100 shot of gas and 19# of boost.

I think winning the very first JDM Lightning shootout is impressive. and we did that years ago with our 99 Lightning when most of you guys didnt even know what a Lightning was..and the guy Rick squeeked past that was running NOS was Sal@PSP.

Thats impressive, who tuned it?


I know who will look a man in the eye,shake his hand and make a promise to never say another word then a month later break his word.
If theres one thing I can't stand, its watching other people get screwed, its a pet peeve of mine......And when I see people complaining about their track times and I look in their mod list and see Amazon..... It becomes my civic duty to explain to them why their so slow.

we do have 9 second Lightnings around.. their lives do not revolve around the internet..they dont have to post about every fart they make...

:miss:

90% of our customers have no desire to race their trucks..they are more interested in spirited street vehicles with longevity of the motor..those trucks will never see a track.....

If thats the case, you should advise them to stay with the stock tune.

we bent over backwards to make you happy.. offered to dyno tune your truck for free just so Rick could get the data he needed to get your issues fixed..you refused..that should be the end of it.. the offer was made.. you refused it.......
After what I had seen and heard, it would have been a waste of gas money.

the situation between us is what it is Randy.. I'll pray for you that no one in your life ever does to you what you have been doing to us for the last 3 years..

Just tell people the truth, you can't tune a Lightning to run a number at the track, but you can tune a pullied Lightning to run the same number as it did when it was stock and make the tranny sound like it has a midget with a jack hammer in it.

[Mike]

..and how does that little roller thingy calculate wind resistance & weight ?

can't be done accurately.

:cheers

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

the rollar has a brake to put resistence against it to simulate weight and the wind resistence is calculated into the computer program..

you can pick this apart if it entertains you to do so.. we use it to get a close idea of what the vehicle will do at the track in real time..if it does it on the dyno you SHOULD be able to get to that on the track too..unfortunately the dyno can not calculate for driver ability.. not that it is all that hard to take a Lightning down the track.. you pretty much do a burn out and point and shoot..if I can do it.. you all should look like pros

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

Im not going to argue with you Randy.....I said all Im going to say.. you are not a man of your word..that is something that you have to live with and I'll pray for you..

[LXtasy]

Simulation track times should never be bragged about. Just like the "a guy with the same mods as me runs XXX number and I know I can be faster than that"

[DolSVT00]

Im not going to argue with you Randy.....I said all Im going to say.. you are not a man of your word..that is something that you have to live with and I'll pray for you..

Its probably a good idea not to argue with me, im a prick and it would start gettin real funny after a few more threads.

And as far as my word is concerned, at no point did I say or sign any waver that said i would not tell people the truth about my out of body amazon experience.

My exact words were "give me my money back and im done with yall"

I am done with yall, but im not gonna stand around and watch other people get in that same boat. If you can't do what people want, or your not capable of doing so, dont offer a service for their money and brag about how good you are.

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

:cheers I'll still pray for you..maybe God will answer..

[WWhittle]

Pray for me too then because I still think I got screwed- and Donny definately did- but i didn't get no damn refund.....

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

I already pray for you Wes :cheers and your two lovely children

[DolSVT00]

Wes, you got a dog? Perhaps a cat? Im gonna pray for it... Linn seem's to have the rest covered.

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

this is the bible belt.. people down here take prayer very seriously..dont make fun of prayer

[LXtasy]

this is the bible belt.. people down here take prayer very seriously..dont make fun of prayer

along with our right to bear arms, jobs, money and the right to freedom of speech.

[DolSVT00]

this is the bible belt.. people down here take prayer very seriously..dont make fun of prayer

Ya,and there's a time and a place for everything. Typing about it on a drag race/grudgerace forum just makes you look like a hypocrite.

[WWhittle]

this is the bible belt.. people down here take prayer very seriously..dont make fun of prayer


.......says the yankee.......

[chrisheltra]

Again?

[DolSVT00]

Again?

You know you love it when I get on my Amazon kick............... You usually have your hand on the stick stirring the pot prick.

[chrisheltra]

You know you love it when I get on my Amazon kick............... You usually have your hand on the stick stirring the pot prick.

LOL

Im not the puppet master this time though.
:hide:

[slow04]

Did ya'll kiss and make up :barf:...seems like if Amazon was a paying vendor then you couldn't bash them....did I mention I am the CHP treasurer?:hysterical:

[05Saleen]

Did ya'll kiss and make up :barf:...seems like if Amazon was a paying vendor then you couldn't bash them....did I mention I am the CHP treasurer?:hysterical:

Sounds like they are in a boat with no paddle, no life jacket's and a hole in the bottom of the boat! :hysterical: :bigthumb:

[chrisheltra]

Sounds like they are in a boat with no paddle, no life jacket's and a hole in the bottom of the boat! :hysterical: :bigthumb:

They are but no need in shooting them in the head with a .50 cal while all this is going down.

Luckily for me Ive put the thousands Ive spent with them behind me.

[05Saleen]

:boohoo:They are but no need in shooting them in the head with a .50 cal while all this is going down.

Luckily for me Ive put the thousands Ive spent with them behind me.

[Chillerman]

the rollar has a brake to put resistence against it to simulate weight and the wind resistence is calculated into the computer program..

you can pick this apart if it entertains you to do so.. we use it to get a close idea of what the vehicle will do at the track in real time..if it does it on the dyno you SHOULD be able to get to that on the track too..unfortunately the dyno can not calculate for driver ability.. not that it is all that hard to take a Lightning down the track.. you pretty much do a burn out and point and shoot..if I can do it.. you all should look like pros

Linn,

Not trying to start an argument here. I would like to know how you know how much brake pressure to put on the dyno to simulate the weight of the vehicle being tested? Also is the wind resistance calculation a fixed number or is it a variable in the program? Can the dyno discern between slicks, drag radials, or street tires? I do realize that you have an eddy-current dyno which is state of the art equipment. I know what eddy-current equipment is since I'm exposed to it every winter in my line of HVAC work so we can test the integrity of the copper tubes in water cooled industrial centrifugal chillers.

If there are variables in your computer models, then I would think you could make whatever predictions you want about track performance. I'm a firm believer in test&tune at the track, but also a believer in tuning your vehicle for the mods it has. But track testing is the only way to know what the vehicle is capable of.

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

Linn,Not trying to start an argument here. I would like to know how you know how much brake pressure to put on the dyno to simulate the weight of the vehicle being tested? Also is the wind resistance calculation a fixed number or is it a variable in the program? Can the dyno discern between slicks, drag radials, or street tires? I do realize that you have an eddy-current dyno which is state of the art equipment. I know what eddy-current equipment is since I'm exposed to it every winter in my line of HVAC work so we can test the integrity of the copper tubes in water cooled industrial centrifugal chillers.

If there are variables in your computer models, then I would think you could make whatever predictions you want about track performance. I'm a firm believer in test&tune at the track, but also a believer in tuning your vehicle for the mods it has. But track testing is the only way to know what the vehicle is capable of.


the weight is entered into the computer before the dyno tuning session starts..the drag coefficient is generated by the computer for the weight of the vehicle..whatever is on the vehicle will either spin the rollar or not spin it.. so whether it has slicks,radials or street tires if it spins the rollar will not turn and this will effect the results..

Mustang Dyno makes the computer progams by the model.. if the model changes then they have to update for the shape of the body.. so there are different drag coeffients for different body models

if you have any more questions about how this works you can contact MD and get more detailed info from them..

we bought a new dyno about a year ago.. it has a single rollar with a built in weather station..it also has a tie down under the vehicle in the middle of the axle to help eliminate wheel spin on high hp vehicles... it is very stingy on the results and more consistant than our old dyno that had 2 rollars and no built in weather station..

according to MD any dyno result can be manipulated.. even from an inertia dyno

I agree that track results are generally thought of as a better way to test results but there are also variables involved at the track that can effect the outcome.. and many people will never take their vehicle down a track so they need a way to measure results other than a track run..

[LXtasy]

those people that never take their vehicle down the track and boasts what "it s 1/4 mile times are" are complete tools who dyno race and get their ass cut by way underpowered vehicle and come up with bs excuses. which usually nets them in going back for more tuning because "its off". blah

[clubracergt1]

Most Mustang guys are dyno racers anyway, if what I heard about Drag Night at Mustang Week is true. Guys running 1-2 seconds off of normal times? Please. Sometimes I think guys go out and get a tune so they can add another sticker to their car. LOL

I may be slow, but at least I know that the biggest problem with my car is sitting in the driver's seat.

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

I hear ya.. and thats true enough but it is different strokes for different folks...eventually they will understand or they wont..and some will never care what you are trying to tell them about track results.. they think they know better .. and they will think what they want to..

[Chillerman]

Linn,

Thanks for your response. You've answered my questions. Yes there is different strokes for different folks. I for one don't dyno race my cars, I do it on the track. My car runs what it runs, and my times and mph differ from previous visits as track conditions & driver ability all effect the outcome at the big end of the track. I had my blue car tuned by Chris Tuten, only did HCI, fuel injectors and MAF conversion. Motor only makes about 310-315 RWHP and a flat A/F all the way up to 6K. We made a couple of fuel pressure adjustments and dialed it right in. Car has been trouble free for 2 years, runs great, and has had the shit run out of it.

Sean,

Drag night at Darlington for Mustang week was a joke. We went with the white car, registered for T&T and class. First time to a 1/4 mile track since the C4 and loose converter went in. It was so dis-organized, tech took about 2 hrs., plus they waited until around 6 pm to open tech. I was lucky as I was pitted close and only about the 10th car back. I made a whopping 2 passes before the rain came and shut down the track. We loaded up and left. Car ran ok but not great as we blew the tires off when I hit it with 125 of love juice.

Lastly Linn,

I do believe in tuning your engine period. It's the only way I know of getting peak efficiency out your combination. I won't comment on your services as I'm not a customer, if I were and had any issues, it would be kept between us on the phone and not on the forums.

[Linn@AmazonTuning]

the inherent fault with dyno result racing is that no two dyno's results can be compared to each other..even the results from the same type of dynos can not be compared to each other.. they are all set up and calibrated differently..the true test is at the track but you are only as good as the day you play .. there are so many varibles involved.. it is like golf.. one day you are really good at it just enough to keeping you coming back even when you really suck the next time you go out..

a dyno is a tuning tool..plain and simply but others dont look at it that way and when they are paying.. they can look at it any way they want to..


Drag night at MW had alot of complaints.. it is really a shame.. you would think it would have been a really fun time..

...airing problems in public seems to be the norm these days..it is used to put pressure on a party to comply ..I appreciate your attitude..it shows intergity and character and Im glad there are still guys like you around..

[Chillerman]

Linn,

I couldn't agree with you more. Thank you for the compliment as well. It was a shame that drag night turned out the way it did. You certainly can't control the weather which is what shut it down. I don't think the track was prepared for the turn-out they had (just my opinion). The people representing Mustang Week were trying their best to get all the class cars through since we paid for it. They seemed a little frustrated with all the confusion going on.

Thanks for all the dyno info. Our cars make what they make at the wheels, and they run what they run at the track. You just need to be at your best behind the wheel and hope you brought enough power to beat your opponent.

[DolSVT00]

I won't comment on your services as I'm not a customer, if I were and had any issues, it would be kept between us on the phone and not on the forums.
This is where you and I dissagree and mostly because 99.9% of their customers have probably tried that route including myself. I'm lucky I got my money back as others that you can see posting in this thread, and others that read and don't post and are previous pissed off customers didn't.

People that roll over and take beatings are why vendors like Amazon exist, because basicly what they are saying is "well there's alwayse another dumbass out there we can screw out of their money" and they are right, people will continue to pay for their garbage tunes, garbage work as long as people continue to roll over and take it in the rear.

As for me, I hate it ,I see it all the time, one after another, after another, after another. And they roll over.................

If people didn't roll over, everyone would be getting their moneys worth out of everything they buy........ And there would be no such things as scams or con artists.

Yes I know.... Thats what makes the world go round, and its been like that since the dawn of time bla bla bla, whats one person gonna do about it........

The answer, one person can do alot. If I can shed light on 10 rip off's in my entire lifetime, thats 10 less rip off's that my kids or my kids kids will have to deal with..... Shure it may not be Amazon but they are one that fits the bill with the rest of the scum out there.


...airing problems in public seems to be the norm these days..it is used to put pressure on a party to comply ..I appreciate your attitude..it shows intergity and character and Im glad there are still guys like you around..

Let me tell you something rite now, you can whine, you can try and buy your way out, you can make up stories, you can kiss ass, you can make phone calls and you can make threats.
But there's nothing you can do outside of prying my cold dead fingers off this keyboard or any other comunication device (and even then your gonna have a fight) thats gonna stop me from telling others about how you've screwed people. I don't roll over,I don't stand by and watch others get screwed, and most of all I don't forget.

The worst part is, I want nothing from you, and theres nothing you can do to stop me.

So pay your supporting vendor fee's and plead for the oppression of free speach, you do nothing more than feed and fuel me more.