If you want to improve the way your car runs, you might want to add an engine tuner to it. Most of the time, performance tuning will make your car have more torque and horsepower, which will make it more fun to drive.
Manufacturers put their tuners through a lot of testing and research to make sure they don’t hurt the engine of a car. But before trying to increase a vehicle’s power output, it’s important to make sure it’s in good shape.
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So, let’s look more closely at tuners to find out more about them.
What Is an Engine Tuner?
An engine turner is a device that you plug into your car’s diagnostics port. It then figures out how your car’s computer is set up.
This lets you get the best performance out of the engine and transmission. You can also figure out your best gas mileage, though it might be a little tricky.
Are Tuners Bad for Your Engine?
Most of the time, a turner isn’t bad for your engine. The many benefits are great, especially for vehicles that carry a lot of weight.
But before you put a turner on your engine, you should make sure it’s in good shape in general.
Before you choose a turner, you need to know if your engine, mileage, and drive train have been changed in any other ways. If nothing else, a turner is supposed to make your engine run better without hurting it.
The people who make engine tuners have done a lot of research to make sure that their products speed up the engine without hurting its health or making it last less long.
As we’ve already talked about, it’s important to do a feasibility study to see if your vehicle really needs a turner. Don’t install one just because you want to; install one when you need to.
A turner is well worth the money for a vehicle that has to go up and down hills and pull heavy loads. The only reason why turners exist at all is because of these kinds of vehicles.
Do Tuners Work on Gas Engines?
Yes, a turner works on a gas truck engine by changing the computer settings that need to be changed, such as:
Pulse width of an injector
Fuel or rail pressure
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When to inject
Most of these changes are made to make the engine run better in general.
Here are some reasons why you might want to tune your gas truck:
1. Enhanced Acceleration and Speed
For a gasoline or diesel engine, the output can go up by up to 88 lb-ft of torque and 99 hp. For a diesel truck, the changes can add 240 lb-ft of torque and 120 hp.
But these changes depend on the type of vehicle and how customizable the turner is.
To make the engine run more efficiently, a turner changes how it works. To do this, it can slightly raise the valve lift to improve the top speed at high RPMs.
It can also lower the lift of the valves when the car needs more pulling power.
2. Decreased Maintenance Costs
When you use a programmable turner, you will get safety alerts in the form of diagnostic problem codes (DTCs) (DTCs). With the technology we have now, you can also read and delete these messages.
When the “Check Engine” light comes on, you can use the turner to do your own diagnostic check.
Once you know how to find out what it means and address the issue, you can delete the alert. This will save you a costly trip to the auto repair shop!
3. Increased Miles-Per-Gallon
A tuner helps the engine operate efficiently; therefore, it reduces the engine’s fuel consumption.
It’s a popular belief that the best fuel economy gains happen when the tunes range from 65-90 extra horsepower. This range will differ based on the car model and the owner’s driving style.
4. Monitors Engine Function and Prevent Damage
The turner communicates either suction cupped to the windscreen or permanently mounted on the dashboard through a display screen.
It gives drivers real-time information regarding the engine, such as transmission temperatures, coolant, etc. It gives you the problem and the exact reason why it’s happening.
Some turners can also automatically lower the horsepower if the engine is overheating. This will prevent damage to the engine without intervention from the driver.
The same applies when you forget to switch on the ‘tow’ mode. The turner will shift to the highest level of safety capacity.
What is Tuning?
Tuning a vehicle can sometimes be referred to as turning up the boost. Boost is the amount of air pressure in the inlet manifold. This pressure is what forces the air into the engine.
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With every engine, peak horsepower is assigned, which is assigned by an RPM value. If you were to add more horsepower, the vehicle would perform at an optimised rate.
To tune a vehicle, a programmer or module, or chip is installed in the engine. This new tune will modify the signals that occur between the car’s computer and the electric components of the engine. The mode of signal transmission will differentiate between a programmer and a module.
A programmer connects directly to the car’s computer from the data port under the dashboard. The new programme sends different calibrations, replacing the original signals. The electronic components in the engine receive the modified signals and effects the desired changes made by the tune.
Chips or modules are installed in different places of the vehicle depending on their intended use. It is placed between the computer and at least one electronic part the computer sends signals to.
The module intercepts the signal sent by the computer and modifies the signal with the desired changes, and releases it to continue to its destination.
If what you have read so far has piqued your interest, you should continue reading to learn more about engine turners and performance tuning.
How Does a Tuner Work?
First, you have to install a tuner on your engine. The device starts to change the ratio between fuel to open throttle air. This serves to improve your vehicle’s performance as well as its power!
To maintain the best fuel mileage and extra safety during the process, you shouldn’t change the cruise or air-to-fuel ratio.
Another functionality of the turner is to increase and improve spark timing. This occurs when the throttle power and response are increased, i.e., increased throttle range.
Turners can save you some money if you drive the vehicle for long distances. This is because a turner adds 3 or 4 miles per gallon (mpg). It will, however, depend on how carefully you drive and the terrain on which you drive.
However, there have been some arguments about the added torque and the enhanced horsepower and how they might end up using more fuel. If you are using your truck for more strenuous activities such as towing, you will need the extra torque and power a turner provides.
A standard vehicle that doesn’t need the extra enhancements might consume more fuel than it needs to boost its performance.
With a turner installed, the transmission settings change as well. This will cause a change in pressure and shift speed.
You are bound to notice the performance difference as soon as you drive your car!
Conclusion
An engine turner is a great way to improve the performance of your vehicle. You can even get a customized turner that best suits your truck’s engine and its needs. You can keep an eye on the turner in real time to make sure it works.
While there are no significant drawbacks to installing a turner in your vehicle, it’s best to do your due diligence. If you need further explanation, you might seek an expert opinion. They might help you pick the best performance chip for your vehicle.
However, it’s important to note that installing a turner on your engine might void its warranty. Hence, it’s up to you to decide why you need it and how it will benefit your truck.
Sources: https://micdot.com
Category: Car
