View Poll Results: Who is the Best Tuner?
PCMforless
21
46.67%
MadZ28
23
51.11%
Other
1
2.22%
Voters: 45. You may not vote on this poll
PCMforless or Madz28 Programming?
06-12-2004, 09:32 AM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: High Orbit
Posts: 1,519
Bryan from PCMFORLESS got my tune dead on through mail order. Granted I was running the XE 224/230 off the shelf cam, but I still find that impressive. The a/f on my dyno sheet is right at 12.8.
The problem with mail order is it can be hit or miss due to the number of 'unkowns'. A tune you recieve may be just about right on given everything's up to snuff with your engine. If it's not and you don't know it's not, you may not see what you were expecting and then blame the tuner. I don't doubt inaccurate tunes sometimes get out too though These are, after all, humans we're dealing with.
Both have a great rep, customer service, and prices. I wouldn't hesitate to go with either if I were seeking a tune for the first time. I happen to have already started with Bryan and have recieved free updates, etc. He's been solid, dependable, and always helpful, so I'm sticking with him..
The problem with mail order is it can be hit or miss due to the number of 'unkowns'. A tune you recieve may be just about right on given everything's up to snuff with your engine. If it's not and you don't know it's not, you may not see what you were expecting and then blame the tuner. I don't doubt inaccurate tunes sometimes get out too though These are, after all, humans we're dealing with.
Both have a great rep, customer service, and prices. I wouldn't hesitate to go with either if I were seeking a tune for the first time. I happen to have already started with Bryan and have recieved free updates, etc. He's been solid, dependable, and always helpful, so I'm sticking with him..
06-12-2004, 11:58 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: May 2003
Location: MO.
Posts: 452
I would go with Ion if I were you he, tuned my 91 and my 96z, both were great tunes. I had a small issuse with a PCM that I received from Ion, on of the screws that holds the KM door closed was stripped out when I received it. I contacted Ion he said that he does not mess with the KM so it was from a previous customer. Anyway it was not a big issuse, Ion took care of me by reprograming the one I sent him originally (the one I removed form the 96z), and I sent him the "bad" one. No problems. He was pleasent to deal with. He does good work and more importantly he stands behind it. He is also a supporting vendor of the board.
06-12-2004, 11:58 AM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: May 2003
Location: MO.
Posts: 452
I would go with Ion if I were you he, tuned my 91 and my 96z, both were great tunes. I had a small issuse with a PCM that I received from Ion, on of the screws that holds the KM door closed was stripped out when I received it. I contacted Ion he said that he does not mess with the KM so it was from a previous customer. Anyway it was not a big issuse, Ion took care of me by reprograming the one I sent him originally (the one I removed form the 96z), and I sent him the "bad" one. No problems. He was pleasent to deal with. He does good work and more importantly he stands behind it. He is also a supporting vendor of the board.
06-12-2004, 12:07 PM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ft Wanye Indiana
Posts: 274
I just got mine tuned by Ion the tune was great. I installed longtubes he took care of all the emissions and answered all my questions promptly. Took it to the track and ran .45 faster then last year. Ions got my vote
06-12-2004, 12:08 PM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Washington, Michigan USA
Posts: 857
Another vote for Bryan Herter at PCMFORLESS. 
I did an OBDII to OBDI conversion PCM with Bryan when I put my Comp XE 230/236 cam in my car around two years ago, and have done several more "mods" as time and money have allowed. Everytime I "upgrade" my car, I e-mail Bryan the new changes, and he drops me a new tune via return e-mail. I've re-tuned this way with Bryan probably three times now since the original OBDI conversion, and my car has really responded well to ALL of Bryans tunes. Although I've never had my car on a dyno, I've made numereous 1/4 mile passes throughout the last two years since I began this "mod fest" and I can honestly say that whatever level of mods I was running at the time, my car always appeared to be in maybe(?) the quickest 10-20% of similarly modded cars, running on the same day and track that I was running on. I recently upgraded to 30#/hr SVO fuel injectors and a 52mm throttle body on my car and Bryan sent me a re-tune, which after just one trip to the dragstrip, (and maybe only six passes), has netted me a new best of 12.544 at over 111MPH, and I'm confident this new tune has a 12.4XX pass, still left in it. If you check my signiture you'll see that this is with a STOCK headed car running "shorty" headers.
In about another month or two I'll (hopefully?) be adding a set of ported and polished heads to my car, and Bryan AGAIN will be getting my e-mail for a re-tune of the "new" set up. He has been nothing short of GREAT to work with over the years, and I'm confident that with those P&P heads and Bryan's tuning "magic", an eleven second timeslip is just around the cornor.
I did an OBDII to OBDI conversion PCM with Bryan when I put my Comp XE 230/236 cam in my car around two years ago, and have done several more "mods" as time and money have allowed. Everytime I "upgrade" my car, I e-mail Bryan the new changes, and he drops me a new tune via return e-mail. I've re-tuned this way with Bryan probably three times now since the original OBDI conversion, and my car has really responded well to ALL of Bryans tunes. Although I've never had my car on a dyno, I've made numereous 1/4 mile passes throughout the last two years since I began this "mod fest" and I can honestly say that whatever level of mods I was running at the time, my car always appeared to be in maybe(?) the quickest 10-20% of similarly modded cars, running on the same day and track that I was running on. I recently upgraded to 30#/hr SVO fuel injectors and a 52mm throttle body on my car and Bryan sent me a re-tune, which after just one trip to the dragstrip, (and maybe only six passes), has netted me a new best of 12.544 at over 111MPH, and I'm confident this new tune has a 12.4XX pass, still left in it. If you check my signiture you'll see that this is with a STOCK headed car running "shorty" headers.In about another month or two I'll (hopefully?) be adding a set of ported and polished heads to my car, and Bryan AGAIN will be getting my e-mail for a re-tune of the "new" set up. He has been nothing short of GREAT to work with over the years, and I'm confident that with those P&P heads and Bryan's tuning "magic", an eleven second timeslip is just around the cornor.
06-12-2004, 12:35 PM
#9
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: New Orleans La.
Posts: 64
I'm gonna say Brian too. I have no experience with the other guy.
Bryan was a real help when it came to diagnosing a couple of issues I had. It's nice to be able to speak to someone and have them treat you as an equal. I have some pcm knowlege and know how they work, and picked his brain on the subject. He was really helpful and explained everything just as I was a competent programmer myself. He didn't act like he knows all and you don't know sh-it. That goes a long way with me.
Also, with his program and my boltons, I went from a 14.40 to 13.20 within a year.
Just my .02 cents.
Bryan was a real help when it came to diagnosing a couple of issues I had. It's nice to be able to speak to someone and have them treat you as an equal. I have some pcm knowlege and know how they work, and picked his brain on the subject. He was really helpful and explained everything just as I was a competent programmer myself. He didn't act like he knows all and you don't know sh-it. That goes a long way with me.
Also, with his program and my boltons, I went from a 14.40 to 13.20 within a year.
Just my .02 cents.
06-12-2004, 01:28 PM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 520
ion has my pcm right now I went with him on just word of mouth and better prices...im sure he'll come thru altho since im rebuilding my engine and adding a ton of stuff at the same time ill never appreciate the wow factor of a tuned stock car its all gonna hit me at once lol
06-12-2004, 03:17 PM
#13
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Palm Beach Gdns. Fl USA
Posts: 564
dang....seems to be fairly even so far....Madz28 tuning is slightly ahead in the poll as well....keep giving ur .02 cents, this is great!
I have dealt with only Alvin from PCMforless and he did a wonderful job on my 93' LT1 with the codes i wanted to deleted as well as the tuning i wanted to be changed, so all this information can be very helpful to cz28.com members.
Cory
I have dealt with only Alvin from PCMforless and he did a wonderful job on my 93' LT1 with the codes i wanted to deleted as well as the tuning i wanted to be changed, so all this information can be very helpful to cz28.com members.
Cory
06-12-2004, 04:17 PM
#15
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wilson, NC
Posts: 133
Another vote for Bryan at PCMFORLESS. I had a pretty much bone stock car. Cold air, thermostat, 30lb injectors, stock tranny, stock rear end, 150,000+ miles on the motor, valve covers had never been off.
On ET streets, Ran a 13.29 in the quarter, and a 8.29 in the 1/8th on his tune.
I went with a Turbo350 tranny w/ a stall then I went a 13.09 in the quarter, on a damn stock car just about.
On ET streets, Ran a 13.29 in the quarter, and a 8.29 in the 1/8th on his tune.
I went with a Turbo350 tranny w/ a stall then I went a 13.09 in the quarter, on a damn stock car just about.