SST 1st gear launch...

michaelrogers said:
Interesting thread. I am a new LS owner, 2002 V8. Is there anyone in Northern California, particularly the Sacramento area, that does this tuning? I mainly want the trans mods, but can't justify spending $3-4 hundred bucks for the gear.

Any help?

Thanks!
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Seriously dude, that's like saying you want a value meal but mostly for the fries :D


yeah used SCT Xcals go for about 200 ish. sometimes you can find better deals and worse ones. Pektel just did the same thing. He bought a used Xcal and then contacted his choice of tuners. I think hes into it for about 250 which isnt bad. I can say though, if you buy a new SCT device it HAS to come with tunes from the dealer. SCT mandates that from all its tuners. I would dig around this site a bit looking for one. If you cant find one through a reliable source, then buy a new one. The money you'll save in gas will pay for it in a season. You dont need anything fancy like a livewire. A Xcal2 or X3 will do exactly what you want for less money. You can also search in the LS section for SCT and probably find more info on tuning these cars than SCT will offer you.
 
Will getting a tune such as an Xcal improve the smoothness of the shifts? I have a 2003 LS V8 Sport and if I get the throttle modulation just right it's smooth, but a lot of the time it's pretty clunky.
 
Thanks Pektel and SPSully.

I think I must have a misunderstanding. I thought the device was a programmer that erased a memory on the vehicle, and stored new values through the OBD connector.

My hope was that if it was just storing new programs, I could find a shop with the programmer and pay a fee for the service. I am guessing now that you have to add the SCT hardware to the mix that stays in the vehicle?

I had two Mark VIIIs, and chipped them both, but this is different and I have no experience with the LS. I appreciate the help.
 
soccerplayer2007 said:
Will getting a tune such as an Xcal improve the smoothness of the shifts? I have a 2003 LS V8 Sport and if I get the throttle modulation just right it's smooth, but a lot of the time it's pretty clunky.
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Yes and no. I dont know for sure if anything is wrong with your tranny. The tune does adjust the way in which the tranny shifts. Mine got much smoother and then since I adjust the shift pressure mush harder, but thats under WOT.

LSFantasy said:
Does the xcal add hp or just manage more efficiently the hp the car already has?
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its adds power buy making the car more efficient. Your adjusting hte air fuel ratios and the transmissions mannerisms to get about 20 hp more and use it much better.

michaelrogers said:
Thanks Pektel and SPSully.

I think I must have a misunderstanding. I thought the device was a programmer that erased a memory on the vehicle, and stored new values through the OBD connector.

My hope was that if it was just storing new programs, I could find a shop with the programmer and pay a fee for the service. I am guessing now that you have to add the SCT hardware to the mix that stays in the vehicle?

I had two Mark VIIIs, and chipped them both, but this is different and I have no experience with the LS. I appreciate the help.
Click to expand...

The equipment is a programmer. You plug it into the OBBD-II port to upload the tune. You can also adjust user programmable settings such as shift firmness. Once you comp is re flashed, you no longer need the device. It can go in your garage, glove box, where ever you decide to store it. The issue becomes that you cant reuse that device on other vehicles. The programmer stores your stock settings and becomes VIN locked to your car. It can be used to read and clear check engine lights, or to upload new tunes or data log from the OBD-II. That's why you have to be careful buying a used unit. Lots of people have had the same idea with the upload the tune then get rid of it. They are selling a fancy paperweight at that time. You cant use it for squat unless its been unlocked. You cant unlock them with out setting the programmed car back to stock.

The process your talking about is out there for the Cobalt G5 guys, but I've yet to see anything like that for the LS. They pay the same price to borrow a tuner. SCT pretty much has the market on these cars and the programmers arent used like that.
 
Thanks Sully. That was the missing piece of information that now makes sense of it. Clever of the manufacturer of the programmer to come up with that wrinkle. I found their web site last night, but didn't pick up on the "return to stock" gotcha there.

So, the person selling a used one has gone back to stock, which means they are probably selling their vehicle.

Now I understand the worries about buying the used ones. Someone less than ethical might program their LS, and then sell it used, but worthless. As flash memory in non-volatile, it needs no battery to keep it intact, so you couldn't open the programmer up and pull the backup battery. Without an intensive study on the programmer protocol and some fancy engineering, you can't zero out the flash through the programmer (and it would not be worth it anyway unless you were gong to sell this device) with outboard gear. Gotcha!

Oh well, $400 isn't that much money. I take it from reading other threads there is no way to insure a used programmer is unlocked, except to buy from someone you trust?
 
BINGO! Pektel bought mine... i bought mine in person. You can find out if you do the deal in person. But its much more worth it IMHO to just buy new and not worry about it.
 
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