Sponsored
Tuning devices what are the differences? Do any of the tuners use the iPhone?What should we know?
robvas
Well-Known Member
Keep in mind they will all do the same job of loading the tune onto your car.
Not all tuners support all devices
Yes
Some you can do things like crank relearns
Rarely
When your tuner or the manufacturer drops support for it
HKusp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2021
- Threads
- 37
- Messages
- 2,226
- Reaction score
- 2,872
- Location
- Hampton, Md.
- First Name
- Jason
- Vehicle(s)
- 2018 Mustang GT
Why by one tuning device over another?
There are a couple of reasons to buy one over another.
Reason 1. is which platform(s) does your specific tuner prefer to use?
Reason 2. Is ease of use and how detailed/complex is the tuning software that you are planning on using with regards to PID's, sampling rate and number of parameters you can datalog at any given moment
Does one give you much better display, and information for on track usage?
There are tuning devices that attch to the car and can be used to display data in real time and there are others that use a laptop or tablet that could be mounted to the car, but would not be practical for on track viewing
Does one let you do something the others don’t?
There are some that can datalog more parameters/PID's than others. There are ones that can re-write a tune faster than some others (PCMtec being probably the fastest and most detailed currently)
Do they end up crapping out? I have 2 SCT devices the X4 and the BDX, the RTD device, as well as PCMTec. None of them have crapped out. I DID have a laptop crash in the middle of my initial tuning when I forst did my Whipple, and the tuner was used to the RTD type tuner and tried to convert it to SCT and it didn'y "play nice" which is why I have the RTD to begin with.
How often do you have to buy a new one?
As long as you take care of the device, and the tuner you choose still supports tuning with it, it could be a decade or more. The SCT X4 has been in use for probably 10 years or more if I had a guess. RTD has been around a while as well. They don't have moving parts so they should last a good while. There are guys using other devices that are now not supported but they can still use them to monitor data, read and clear codes, etc.
Thank you.
There are a couple of reasons to buy one over another.
Reason 1. is which platform(s) does your specific tuner prefer to use?
Reason 2. Is ease of use and how detailed/complex is the tuning software that you are planning on using with regards to PID's, sampling rate and number of parameters you can datalog at any given moment
Does one give you much better display, and information for on track usage?
There are tuning devices that attch to the car and can be used to display data in real time and there are others that use a laptop or tablet that could be mounted to the car, but would not be practical for on track viewing
Does one let you do something the others don’t?
There are some that can datalog more parameters/PID's than others. There are ones that can re-write a tune faster than some others (PCMtec being probably the fastest and most detailed currently)
Do they end up crapping out? I have 2 SCT devices the X4 and the BDX, the RTD device, as well as PCMTec. None of them have crapped out. I DID have a laptop crash in the middle of my initial tuning when I forst did my Whipple, and the tuner was used to the RTD type tuner and tried to convert it to SCT and it didn'y "play nice" which is why I have the RTD to begin with.
How often do you have to buy a new one?
As long as you take care of the device, and the tuner you choose still supports tuning with it, it could be a decade or more. The SCT X4 has been in use for probably 10 years or more if I had a guess. RTD has been around a while as well. They don't have moving parts so they should last a good while. There are guys using other devices that are now not supported but they can still use them to monitor data, read and clear codes, etc.
Thank you.
HKusp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2021
- Threads
- 37
- Messages
- 2,226
- Reaction score
- 2,872
- Location
- Hampton, Md.
- First Name
- Jason
- Vehicle(s)
- 2018 Mustang GT
Sorry Rob, I was typing up my response as you replied and I hadn't refreshed the page.
thecloneranger
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2017
- Threads
- 66
- Messages
- 379
- Reaction score
- 156
- Location
- houston texas
- Vehicle(s)
- 2018 royal crimson mustang gt
I have a brand new avid tuner device I'm bout to sell still unlocked. Gonna post it in the for sale section after work
Sponsored
the best display is the avid by far,
hp doesn't have a display, but works off the cloud on your phone. rtd is cloud based as well from your phone, but avid doesn't even need a phone to work, just an internet connection
sct has a display, but awkward to look at.
BullittBoy
Well-Known Member
I use an HP Tuners MPVI4 and the TDM app on both my Iphone (work phone) and my Android (personal phone). Works great and I can always hook up the laptop to get deep in the tune if needed. I especially like that I can use this set up across multiple cars and trucks by just buying credits from HP Tuners for the various platforms. Write tunes with the phone pretty quick, can read/erase codes and check emission readiness, all from the phone. Also this setup supports remote tuning with my tuner if needed. Now my Mustang, F150 and 02 Vette all work with a single set up which makes it easy.
Strokerswild
Shallow and Pedantic
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2014
- Threads
- 76
- Messages
- 7,103
- Reaction score
- 6,469
- Location
- Southern MN
- First Name
- Dave
- Vehicle(s)
- Things With Wheels
Beware of using a cloud based tuner.
I had a BAD experience with an early RTD, which bricked the vehicle's PCM and it locked itself down, resulting in the vehicle needing to be flatbedded to a dealer and factory reflashed. Long story short, a firmware glitch was the culprit. The tuner/seller stepped up and covered everything (major props there), but it was a colossal pain in the ass at the time.
Beyond that, fantastic idea. But I'll never trust anything again without a cable. And I definitely won't flash a vehicle that's not sitting in the garage anymore.
I had a BAD experience with an early RTD, which bricked the vehicle's PCM and it locked itself down, resulting in the vehicle needing to be flatbedded to a dealer and factory reflashed. Long story short, a firmware glitch was the culprit. The tuner/seller stepped up and covered everything (major props there), but it was a colossal pain in the ass at the time.
Beyond that, fantastic idea. But I'll never trust anything again without a cable. And I definitely won't flash a vehicle that's not sitting in the garage anymore.
Sponsored
