Installing headers with catless mid pipes. Question about tuning!

[Chf.BurninGlass]

So I plan on purchasing Speed Engineering headers with catless mid pipes. I will be installing then when they arrive. The most reputable LS tuner around me is booked until mid August. My question is, will installing now and running until mid August hurt anything? I know getting a tune is the way to go to get the most out of the parts and to know the car is running 100% but I won't use any other tuner around me. Please advise..thank you in advance!

[Avenging Orange]

You will get mixed opinions. Yes, you can drive it. ....but not hard. Rear 02 sensors will be out of whack and computer cannot compensate. You could get a handheld and get a mail order tune to get you by.

[Chf.BurninGlass]

I've thought of doing that but it just seems wasteful to pay $500 to $700 to get everything to install a mail order tune then in 3 to 5 months pay another $600. I don't run it to hard. Normal daily driving, occasional street pulls. Nothing crazy. Maybe trying to do a road course or 2 this year.

[Gunmetal Speedster]

Originally Posted by Avenging Orange

You will get mixed opinions. Yes, you can drive it. ....but not hard. Rear 02 sensors will be out of whack and computer cannot compensate. You could get a handheld and get a mail order tune to get you by.

This. You can pick up a SCTx4 from DynoSteve for under $400. Then sell it back for $200-$250 here on the forums when it comes time to get the new tune. I would advise against street pulls or the road course without a tune, but hey, your car, do what you want. All boils down to how much you really care about protecting the car until you get a tune.

To be honest, Steve is pretty skilled with his tuning capabilities over the handheld. Took my camaro to my tuner and he said there was very little room for improvement. I don't see the point in getting a dyno tune for headers when you can easily get the handheld for cheaper and it comes with free lifetime updates. Even if you wanted to know how much you were putting down after the tune, buying the handheld with mail order tune and paying for a set of 3 pulls would cost you less than the dyno tune would. Your call though.

[Chf.BurninGlass]

When you buy the handheld don't it cost an extra $150 to $250 For a mail order tune on top of the $400 For the device?

[Abelardoo_12]

After installing my headers I ran my car without a tune for over a year and never had a problem with it. Even the o2 sensors were fine with no check engine light for a while untill one of the front sensors went bad, but I dont think it had anything to do with running without a tune

[05SilverStreak]

So where do you get the rear o2 sensor delete?

[Gunmetal Speedster]

Originally Posted by Chf.BurninGlass

When you buy the handheld don't it cost an extra $150 to $250 For a mail order tune on top of the $400 For the device?

No. If you buy from DynoSteve (reputable vendor here on the forums) you pay for the handheld tuner and it comes with free tunes for life. I got mine for $370 shipped to my door. Not sure what he has them going for now. Either way, great deal.

Originally Posted by Abelardoo_12

After installing my headers I ran my car without a tune for over a year and never had a problem with it. Even the o2 sensors were fine with no check engine light for a while untill one of the front sensors went bad, but I dont think it had anything to do with running without a tune

That won't be his case, he is going catless. CEL will come on. You can drive the car with no tune, but it cant compensate for the differences which mean A/F ratios will not be great causing the car to run lean most likely. Not a condition I would drive hard under. But once again, your car, your call.

Originally Posted by 05SilverStreak

So where do you get the rear o2 sensor delete?

With a handheld tuner the tuner will turn them off so they no longer read, therefore no check engine light. Tuner will also correct all the settings your car can't compensate for and make sure you maximize the most out of your new mod.

[BlaqWhole]

I personally would not run it without a tune. Although to be honest, when I first did headers I loaded the tune (or thought I did) and then took it up the road a did a few spirited pulls...all to find out the tune was never uploaded. Long story short, nothing was hurt but it was just that one spirited pull. Who knows how driving it for long periods of time will affect it. Anyway, there are cheaper alternatives that will put you around $300. Buy a used Diablosport tuner and then check out Diablosport forums for custom tunes. One guy over there (this forum blocks out his name) will get you set up for $175. then when you're ready for your dyno tune you can just re-sell the DS tuner. Or just drive it easy.

[Chf.BurninGlass]

Thanks for all the helpful info guys! I really do appreciate it. Never done mail order tunes before, but what all is needed? I found an SCT x3 tuner near me for $100. Id just need a computer to receive the tune file and upload it to the tuner right?

[Gunmetal Speedster]

Originally Posted by Chf.BurninGlass

Thanks for all the helpful info guys! I really do appreciate it. Never done mail order tunes before, but what all is needed? I found an SCT x3 tuner near me for $100. Id just need a computer to receive the tune file and upload it to the tuner right?

First and foremost, is the handheld unmarried? This is vital as if it's still married to the other vehicle you wont be able to use it. Ask the seller for proof. Buying used handheld tuners can be dangerous in that sense because if it's still married you have to send it to SCT to get it unmarried and they charge like $150.

I'm not familiar with the X3 as I had the x4, but I'm assuming they are the same. However, it is important to note that by not buying the tuner new from the vendors here and instead buying a used one, you will have to pay what I believe is $100 for a custom tune, and that is just one, not lifetime. So if in 3 months you need another tune, you have to pay another $100. Good news is that if you buy that for $100, then the custom tune for $100, you're still saving money if you decide to do it that way. Even if you added a second custom tune, you're still saving roughly ~$70 so that will work for you I'm sure.

To answer the second part, yes. All that you need is a computer or laptop. You can download the software from SCT's website. You should also make sure that the handheld is updated to the latest software as well (different from the program you download to load/remove tunes).

[Avenging Orange]

OR.....just thinking outta the box here. How about waiting a little longer to install?

[frankwjr]

LULZ!! Who the f waits to install parts??? ROFL...just kiddin....but in all seriousness if you like your exhaust valves get the tune setup from dynoSteve per the above recommendations...just PM him..the MAN is THE most helpful you may ever work with...AND the car will pass ALL emissions tests EXCEPT visual...duh!

Car starts right up every time{all winter too} and settles to a 500rpm SMOOOTHHH idle(exhaust still loud as sh!t tho!)

Read my specs...runnin his tune fer 'bout a year now...next visit to the track will test the BMR trailing arms and Prothane motor mounts...and with my additional driver mods I EXPECT a faster run and lower '60...

PLUS still gettin 22+ HWY....peace out

[Chf.BurninGlass]

I will be going with him for a tune. I spoke with him, $389 For the handheld plus free tune files for life. Just may be 2 or 3 weeks between install and tune.