Tuner says dealer can't tell
 

I spoke with a local performance and tuning shop with 2 in-house dynos and they said that "I don't know of any dealership in town that can tell a car has our tune. They don't have our software and for all they know it is a OEM map." Now this goes against everything I have come to experience on the Harley side of things. So what makes this different, or is he just giving me a pitch?

They charge $50 for a base dyno run and $500 for dyno and tune. He said he would apply the $50 for the base dyno run towards the $500 dyno/tune (dropping D/T to $450). They also offer free installation on SW or Kooks exhaust setups as well as $100 off dyno and tune this month. Although he said they will honor that even if the special is running if mentioned.

Another point I'd like to bring up is that he highly recommended the Roto-Fab intake over the Cold Air Inductions. And on that note, he said that a tune is required after installing a Roto-Fab intake...another point I have heard wasn't the case prior.

What are your thoughts and experiences peeps???

Interesting the tuner said that.. who knows maybe he's right, maybe he has a tune that the dealer can't tell.. I'm not a GM engineer or a tuner so I can't flat out say he doesn't know what he's talking about.

In this case, you will never know unless something bad happens and GM engineers ask for your ECU. I have a close friend who used to work at Dodge and he told me they can def. see that your ECU has been flashed and that will more than likely void the powertrain warranty. It's your car, your money so your call.

If it were me, I wouldn't do it unless the tuner is going to help you pay for repairs (Which more than likely won't happen) if something were to go bad. I also wouldn't want GM warrantying anything that I did to void the warranty to begin with. My only mods are lowering springs and if shit hits the fan, I would pay for the repairs myself. Just my 2 cents.

They can see the flash counter.

That's what I am thinking too. It's all stored on ecu memory. That's how I understand it anyway... Not ready to run out and tune the car, even though that would definitely make some power. Think I will install an intake and axle back and pay the $50 to see where it pops at. SW said that I could run an intake and their axle back comfortably without a tune. Don't have to coin on full header and exhaust system yet anyway...

Rotofab does not skew the MAF so no tune is needed just because you installed it on the car.

Ask them what software they use. If it is EFI Live or HPT then they can't hide it.

I know they can, I have two buddy's that are GM techs. If you go in for a warranty issue, especially a major drive train issue they have to plug in and see if anything has been altered in the PCM. They do it everyday and sometimes it will cause your warranty to be voided. GM isn't the only manufacturer doing this either.

Get them to sign a contract saying they'll cover any repairs that results from a denied warranty claim due to a tune being detected.

If they're not willing to do that, then they're full of it.

If you alter anything in the ECM/BCM they can tell. Trust me ;)

GM should offer tuning packages like Ford does for the Mustang and Focus. If Ford can do it so can GM.

I'm guessing you are on the inside in some capacity. :)

I figured he was full of it, IDK how they WOULDN'T be able to tell. Just thought I'd ask to see if I was missing something... Decided to put off all the exhaust, intake and tuning for now. Just gonna toss in a K&N and be done with it...

My buddy is a director of vip sales for a dealer group where I live - he sells pretty much all manufactors, i'll ask him tomorrow - might be able to show me what they do to detect the tunes.

Cool beans, would love to confirm. But if you think about it, say if one of cylinders misfire and the engine goes boom. Dealer doesn't check or didn't find the tune but GM ask for the ECU/PCM/BCM, they find the tune and denies warranty work.

So it's usually a a higher up that's making the final call.. Same scenario say the dealer doesn't care about the tune but GM does and ask for the ECU or sends out a field engineer.:sorry:

Most dealers will check for it before submitting it to GM anyways. Now, if you find a cool as dealer that covers you and didn't have to send anything to GM and gets the green light to do warranty work, you're golden. But what are the chances of that happening unless the Service manager/GM is your family or best friend lol

we've heard for years now that if you have an ENGINE failure GM will most definately request the ECU be sent in for analysis. for a transmission or rear end...who knows.
we have heard over and over, FORD and GM, will want the computer when a new engine is required. when the computer is sent in, they will know all. you're buddy at the dealer won't be able to help you.