Hey y'all... So after 30 straight hours (stopping only for beer, smokes, and the occasional childish fit) on what was supposed to be a 10 hr job, I finally have my turbo installed. I contacted Hal from Haltech to send me a "startup map" for my Haltech EMS, but the startup map I got doesnt run properly (the car idles so low it turns off, and bucks at all RPM in all gears under all throttle conditions). I will be calling them tomorrow during their normal business hours to see if they can help me troubleshoot and solve the problem, but from the get-go, I knew that the startup tune was only a base to facilitate actual tuning, which brings me to my question. Anybody know somebody near the Ft Meade area that is good w tuning the Haltech EMS and that can tune my car ASAP, w/o charging me an arm and a leg? I'm on a bit of a tight budget until I get paid on the 15th, and need the car as it's my DD... Thanx! Appreciate it

 

Why would you do that to your DD? or better yet, why do you have those taillights?

I'm sure Barnie will chime in on if Frank can tune haltech however I don't think he does. If he does, he is about 15 minutes from Ft Meade.

 

I am pretty sure he tunes haltech.......

 

 

Ray @PFS (Fredrick) is the only tuner in MD I know of that actually specializes in Haltech and also charges flat rates. Frank @hills will surely be able to figure it out, but doesn't charge flat rate and has a pretty gnarly hourly rate.

In the meantime, you should set your timing and fuel maps to 'copy over' in your Haltech so that the stock ECU runs things until you get a tune. This should work as long as you're not using an aftermarket MAF, just stay way out of boost.

Also I will mention that ebay and other cheap LED based taillights are known to F*ck with our ECU's and cause all kinds of issues. Seriously, try disconnecting your taillights to see if anything clears up...

 

Hahah... Leave my taillights alone, theyre OEM Nissan parts, I got them cuz I was tired of my non-led ones, wanted to be a little different, and I actually like the way the color contrast with the color of the car.

But seriously, thanx for the info. I was thinking of doing the caryover thing this morning when I wasnt too tired. Lemme know if anybody finds out for sure about frank, or if you guys know of anybody else.

 

Not to be an **** but I say this everytime when people say something like that. Don't you have a phone? Hills Garage in Baltimore, MD and PF Supercars in Frederick, MD. I think with those info you should be able to make some phone calls to solve YOUR problem? Just in case you need a 3rd option, you can try calling up Function:Tuned in Dulles, VA to get a 2nd/3rd opinion.

 

Frank can tune Haltech but no he doesnt specialize in it.

Give them a call the link is in my Sig and they will def be able to work something out with you.
The tuner is coming tonight to there so they can get you up and running tonight if they work out as your best option.

 

You want the best in the industry? Get someone that can do it with their eyes closed. Ray @ PFSupercars is your salvation.

P.S. "Tight on Budget," "FI," and "DD," do not belong in the same sentence. Pick 2/3 and that would be more realistic.

 

Not to be an **** either, but the reasons I asked if anybody knew of any other tuners (besides Ray and Frank), are called research and feedback. Cuz 2 options is not exactly what I would call a lot, and I mean sure, I can use that same phone and call all the shops I find listed in MD, and they will all tell me the same thing, and try and sell me the moon. Do you seriously expect them to tell me the horror stories of what they've done to customers cars or to tell me to stay away from them? That's likely. Hence why you ask your peers, because they WILL tell you about horror stories and bad tunes.

As for the bit about tight budget, FI, and DD. I already have everything else installed and running (ish) or on its way, and I'm not one of these dumb noobs who thinks they can't get 600whp out of an FI'ed Z for 2 grand. I know better than that, I know it takes money and patience and a more realistic goal. But I just had something come up in the family last minute and had to use my tune money on that, so I'm on a tight budget until I get paid again on the 15th, and even if I had money laying around, I don't wanna over pay if I can avoid it. Although I might be coming into a grand or so this week, but that is neither here nor there. As for the DD part, I'm sure I'm not the first, nor last person alive to FI their DD... I just should've planned a bit better about how I was gonna get around until I had it all sorted out, that I know is on me

 

^ general rule of thumb: If you're going to FI your car (regardless if its your DD or not) you want to have the EXACT same amount saved.

Example: Turbokit, install, tune, misc, supporting mods racks up to be 15-20g's, this translates to 35-40g's in the bank prior to even starting the project (aka, emergency money). Ask any FI'd guy in the Mid-A how we all figured that out, LOL

You can also try JE Performance, but we're pretty limited on people who can tune our cars let alone a Haltech.

 

Haha... I had about 20 in the bank seperated specifically for the build (apart from my Me money), but I didn't factor in the emergency funds thou, which I shouldve. Shouldve definitely given myself a buffer. And yeah, I heard from some of my friends back in PR that I was gonna have that problem w/ the haltech. They told me that it is worth every penny and inconvenience, but finding a tuner that can do them is rough. Although a tune down in PR is hella cheaper lol, maybe I should just fly one of those guys up here and have them do it

 

frank will tune your car very well.... ask the guys on here who had him tune there cars to show you a graph.

I dont have my graph on this computer or I would show you but my line is VERY straight and smooth its incredible.

 

Anybody ever heard of a guy named Charlie? A heard of him thru a friend (Matt from Precision PSI) but I don't know what shop he works w/. He supposedly tuned one of Precision PSI's cars and got 700whp out of it. I ask cuz like I said, he came recommended by a friend, and since it was thru a friend, he's asking for a $650 flat rate vice his usual 750+

 

What ECU?? What platform?? Remeber our platforms vary greatly from others which is why there were so many blown Z's in the early testing and tuning of these cars.

Would suck for you to have spent all that money boosting your car to cheap out on your tune and blow it all up.

 

Use tuner with experience with both haltech AND vq's. One or the other is a crap shoot that can cost you $$$$ in the end.

 

The 700whp wasn't a Z... but he supposedly has experience w/ Haltech ECUs and has done several 350z's before. I'm not sure if he's done any Zs w/ Haltechs thou. Just asking if anybody has heard of him

 

nope never heard of him

 

same here...

Also...seems strange you're having so many issues, have you tried copy thru mode on the haltech, or even str8 up disconnecting it and running on stock ECU? Sounds like something other than the base map causing all these issues. You should be able to idle on the stock ECU...

 

Did you call intense and see if hal could help you??