Tuner & Programmers | Complete Buying Guide

Benefits of Tuners

If we talk about the benefits, then most of the programmer chips are designed to boost overall performance while offering more power and torque to the engine.They are known to provide smoother ride as well better fuel economy.

This is main and most common purpose of any programmer or tuner.Some people upgrade their vehicles specifically for getting higher torque for towing purpose while other modify it for better fuel economy.

Most of the chips offers you all the benefits along with giving you the option to customize all tunes at same time.

However, there are also some customised tuners available with specialized function and purpose that will work for you in totally different way. Like one of the most common is, Active Fuel Management Disable device that is designed to overrides the cylinder deactivation feature found on V6 and V8 engines, keeping all cylinders active at all times to increase throttle response and power across the board.

Also,you could find Speedometer Calibrators in the market, that restores your speedo’s accuracy after gear swaps and tire size changes.

Almost, you will get all those basic tunes avialable in single tuner but if you’re not getting it then choose according to your need.

So, overall programmers & tuners are made in such a way that can give you multiple benefits.

Let’s discuss in detail one by one all the benefits, that you will expect from any tuner:

1. Boost Performance (Boost Horsepower and Torque)

This is the first and foremost reason why programmers’ chips are being used. Any basic tuner or programmer is designed for boosting overall performance of vehicle.

So, whether you’re looking for better torque or wanted to boost the horsepower, the programmers or tuners are there for you for every need. A good chip will always help you to get most from your engine by tuning it in best and most efficient way.

A tuner can reprogram the engine’s control unit to increase the amount of fuel and air delivered to the engine, resulting in more power output.

2. Increase Fuel Economy

Tuner can increase fuel economy in different ways .By optimizing the engine’s performance, a tuner can also help the vehicle use fuel more efficiently, which can lead to better gas mileage. Moreover, tuner can optimize air-fuel ratio which again results in better fuel economy.

Additionaly, tuner can also remove the speed limited , optimize timing of fuel injection and amount of fuel, improve gear ratio and reduce emmission which can then leads to increase in overall fuel economy.

3. Act as a Diagnostic Tool:

This is the other benefit of using programmers & tuners in your vehicle. Basically using your programmer as a Diagnotic tool eliminates the need of unnecessary going to mechanic every time and paying hundreds of bucks. If your vehicle is undergoing some minor problem and you’re doubting that you can fix it by yourself but not sure what will be the issue, then diagnostic tuners will help you in diagnosing the issue.

Most of times, you will get frustrated after knowing the problem is very minor and you just have to pay hundreds of bucks to the mechanic just for diagnosing overall vehicle. These type of tuners plays very vital role in this part.

With the diagnostic tools, you can easily diagnose whether there is an issue or not, or is there any need to go to mechanic or you can fix it by your own. Most of the programmes comes with the diagnostic function and those wo did not offer diagnotic feature – you can buy Diagnostic tuner separately. You can also choose best diagnostic tools that will help you in identifying the problem going on with your vehicle.

You can also choose one of the best top rated best AUTEL high end Diagnostic Scanner and Tuner for your vehicle.

4. Increased Speed and Acceleration – Improve Throttle response

The Programmers are also known to give your vehicle that extra speed within mere seconds. There are special chips available from such brands like HyperTech, Diablo Sport, that can add the extra amount of boost in your speed.

Not only this, apart from enhancing extra speed limit, the chip also allows you to shorten the acceleration time by injecting more air into the engine. This results in rapid acceleration rate and an overall quicker response.

This is also known as better throttle response for a vehicle. Basically , Throttle response time is the time taken by your vehicle to respond when you press gas pedal. It is also known as vehicle’s responsiveness. The better is the thorttle response, better is the accleration rate and speed. Tuners or also known as throttle response controller helps to get better acceleration rate. Check out complete article on throttle response and throttle response controller. 

5. Monitoring and Calibration

Some high end tuners with advanced functions not only diagnose the problems but also keeps on scanning your vehicle time to time and will alert you whenever your vehicle will face any issue.

These types of tuner act as a monitor for your vehicle and always scan and keep a look for any upcoming troubles and quickly spot even smaller issues and change in your engine, before they become bigger and uncontrollable. This helps you to monitor your vehicle’s condition and increase overall life of engine.

After getting to know about the issue, you can calibrate it as per your requirement and get the appropriate results in no time. This is the other beneifts of having tuner installed in your vehicle.

6. Saves Money

While boosting the overall performance of your vehicle, it will also create a huge impact on the mileage part. Some chips are designed for unleashing the hidden power from the engine and for that your engine needs more fuel, while other designed to increase fuel mileage of your vehicle by optimising other parameters.

So, by customising as per the Economy needs, you will easily save lots of money and moreover it will also reduce overall running cost of your vehicle indirectly or directly. That you will surely notice in long run, but many enthusiasts who are already using tuners for getting more mileage are witnessed for great results.

With more mileage, less maintenance and less overall running cost- you will save lot of money during long runs.

Types of Tuners & Programmers

1. Control Modules:

Control Modules are basically permanent installation in the vehicle’s electrical system and are custom – programmed for optimum efficiency.

They basically plugged into your hood-electrical system and delivers accurate, immediate tuning by continuously reading and interpreting date from the sensors.

They collate information from all your vehicle’s system and analyse it and then figure out the poor adjustments & any other required function and then send signals to the onboard computer which further customise all the signals and offers right amount of outcome (power, throttle or fuel economy) that will match perfectly with your driving style.

These are the computerized devices that control various aspects of the engine’s performance, such as air-fuel ratio, ignition timing, and boost pressure. Control modules can be reprogrammed or replaced with aftermarket units to improve the engine’s performance.

2. Power Programmers

Power programmers works similar to control modules as the basic function is same but somehow different from control modules when it comes to installation part, unlike control modules that offers permanent installation, power programmers are meant for plug-n-play use.

The best part of power programmer is that, it will take hardly 10 minutes to tune your vehicle. You just have to connect it to OBD-II port and put necessary details regarding your vehicle specifications and possible upgrades you’re looking for and any other parameters which has been asked and that’s it! Done… Rest of the work will be done by the programmer itself, after getting the necessary details, the programmer customise it as per the user need and upload it to your vehicle ‘s computer.

The additional benefits that you will get with this power programmer is that you can tune it as many times you want as per your driving needs. So, go get a perfect power programmer and recalibrate your vehicle as many time you want.

Power programmers are also known as Hand-held tuners which are nothing just portable tuners that can plugged into the OBD-II port.

3. Engine Management System

Engine Management System (EMS) are the most expensive tuners in the market that will totally override your vehicle’s control. They have mounted inside the engine compartment and controls all of your vehicle sensors.

They are not easy to install, however gives your vehicle astounding amount of performance increase by managing everything in your engine ranging from fuel injector to the idle speed. And, after installation, you can just control and read all the tuning data in one screen with just some clicks.

Optimum functioning of the EMS assures maximum engine power, with the lowest amount of exhaust emissions and the lowest fuel consumption.

Engine management systems allow the user to program custom maps and make more significant changes to the engine’s performance. They are generally more expensive than control modules and power programmers.

These are also used by professional tuners to tune your vehicle with the specialized computer software by reprogramming EMS of your vehicle.

Points to remember while buying a Programmer, Tuner or Chips

1. Vehicle Type and Model and Fuel Type

This is the important and most obvious thing to check before buying any upgrade for your vehicle. But in this case, it is foremost thing to check whether the programmer you’re buying is compatible with your vehicle or not, otherwise you will not get that power which you’re expecting.

Go through your vehicle make and model and get the best tuner for your vehicle. There are some universal programmers present in the market that will come with universal compatibility option, but it is best practice to check make, model and year before buying any upgrade.

Also, do check fuel type of your vehicle, as there are some tuners that are best suitable for gas tuning while other are made to boost performance level for diesel powered vehicles. So, it better to keep a checklist ready before getting any tuner for your vehicle.

2. Type of Tuning

The other most important thing to consider while buying tuner for your vehicle is type of tuning. Like, which type of tuning you’re looking for. Are you looking to boost horsepower or want to increase throttle response or just want it for getting better fuel mileage.

It all depends upon your requirement and your expectations from the tuner. Some tuners are specially designed to boost HP while other are customized for improving miles per gallon. And, some multi task programmers are also there, that can do number of other tunes also.

So, totally depends upon you. It’s better to go with power programmer that can give you option of multiple number of tunes, so that if you want to re-calibrate at any point of time, you can do it without any trouble.

3. Need / Purpose

The other important factor to consider before buying is the Purpose for which you’re buying the programmer. Don’t confuse with the (type of tuning) as that was related to your tuning requirement.

This factor is totally depending upon your purpose of using it. As in, you have to decide whether you want your tuner to just monitor or scan your vehicle or you want it to do tune also.

Also there are some tuners, that can totally control over your on-board computer and manage everything by their own.

You have to decide, if you want it just for scanning purpose then no need of speeding lot on advanced Engine Management System. Just go for simple diagnostic scanner and get it done!!

But if you’re looking for complete power package that will control your vehicle’s computer and gives you desired tunes than go for best Power Programmer or Engine Management System as per you vehicle.

4. Ease of Operating and Installation

However, this factor does not for the mechanics but for the beginners, this plays an important role.

If you’re very new to tuning, then must look for tuner that comes with pre-loaded programs and you just have to put your basic vehicle’s details and type of tune. That’s it done! Leave the rest of the work on the tuner.

And, it’s also better to choose the tuner that you can install easily without any drilling or cutting. This point is more or less for every upgrade.

5. Price

Last but not the least, always check for the price before buying any tuner.

Go for the cheap and best, though ECM comes at higher price but they pay you back in the form of fruitful outcomes. But it totally depends upon you, how much do you want to spend on this upgrade.

There are some cheap tuners available that will give impressive results, you can check them and compare with the expensive ones. If they are satisfying your needs of tuning, then undoubtedly go for them. But if you’re not getting what you’re looking for then choosing the expensive one is not bad idea.

As, tuners are one of the most important upgrade and if you really want to see some impressive results then you have to pay what it demands.

Apart from that you can also check the reputition of that brand in the market from which you’re planning to buy tuners and what warranty the brand is offering on that tuner.