Dyno check list 2011-2023

Dyno Guide: If you have your car booked in for a tune with us, or are contemplating a dyno tune anywhere for that matter, take note of the following guide we have put together to ensure you get the best results, for the least amount of time, money and heartache…

 ENGINE OIL: 

Oil is the lifeblood of your pride and joy’s engine, and bad, old, or low oil can turn an exciting dyno tune into a teary, expensive mess very quickly. Always check your oil before tuning, please ensure you have nice new, fresh oil in your engine. We are happy to supply oil and/ or service your vehicle pre-dyno if necessary. Not sure what oil to run for what is about to be done? Don't be afraid to ask!

SPARK PLUGS:

Nothing is more frustrating than poor running conditions and misfires from ignition break down from a simple spark plug. Please inspect your spark plugs, and if necessary, replace before dyno tuning. If your vehicle is in having power modifications, and you don’t want the hassle of changing them yourself, we do offer the right plug with gapping for your application – Spark plug science with materials, gapping, and heat ranges is more complicated than it sounds. Let us know and we can add it as a service when you arrive. 

FUEL:

Come in with a half a tank of gas. Performance vehicles require a MINIMUM of 93 Octane. DO NOT use octane booster. DO NOT get 93 pump gas from SHELL! Many Shell stations test at a lower octane which creates an issue while on the dyno. You will be charged accordingly if we have to stop tuning, and get more gas or drain and fill to replace yours with the correct octane.

LEAKS:

Boost leaks, oil leaks, coolant leaks, air leaks, magical fairy leaks – all must be addressed before tuning. Bringing a car to the dyno for a tune with a leak is a -unwise, unwanted mess, and is going to end up all over the floor and dyno. Exhaust leaks must receive a special mention here – any exhaust leak in your system will not only rob you of power, torque and optimal potential, but they dramatically affect air: fuel ratio readouts whilst tuning, meaning a proper tune will not be possible.

COOLANT:

Coolant, for lack of a better word, keeps your car “cool”. Dyno tuning is stressful to your vehicle, there's no controlled conditions dyno cell, which is more like a wind tunnel, to aid in keeping your car cool, there is no substitute for a functional cooling system. A car overheating cannot be tuned properly, and is downright dangerous for the vehicle.

CHARGING AND POWER:

Your vehicle will most likely be turned on and off numerous times whilst tuning. Please ensure your vehicles battery, starter, and alternator/charging system are up to the task. Whilst we have jumper batteries and chargers available, time is money, and money is the thing we are trying to save you! 

Note: Battery voltage is an input to many tables in most calibrations. Fixing a voltage issue after a tune can cause the tune to be inaccurate. 

ELETRICAL: 

Do not bring a car if you have wiring rigged up “just to get to the dyno”. Chasing electrical issues is a major cause of skyrocketing tuning costs. Fix it now before we need to charge you diag on top of the repair. It will ALWAYS cost more to fix if the car is strapped to the dyno.

AFTERMARKET Gauges:

While cool, if you have aftermarket gauges that pull data over the can bus network, this can interfere with communication during tuning. Make sure you have a quick method that we can disconnect these aftermarket systems while on the dyno. 

CLUTCH:

Make absolutely sure that your clutch is not slipping, it will hold the power that you want to make, is properly broken in (if possible), and is SFI rated for the RPM you intend to turn with your engine. We cannot tune a car with a slipping clutch. We have had to cut short many tuning appointments due to slipping clutches. This can easily add several hours to a bill if we have to unstrap, unhook the test equipment, then hook it all back up and re-strap after repairs.

TIRES:

Bald tires do not only spin on the street. Make sure tires are suitable for a tuning session. Vehicles with tires that have steel belts hanging out, or chunks missing will NOT go on the dyno. Important note here is guard clearance – vehicles will squat – make sure your tires do not scrub on the inner guards. Final note – certain tires are not dyno suitable or friendly – slicks or semi slicks, while great on the street, are not great for the dyno. Confused? Don't worry – just ask us and we can explain dyno tire theory in more detail.

LUG NUTS:

While your wheels will not likely fall off driving to the local Sip & Suds missing a couple of lug nuts, it is very common for wheel speed to reach close to 200 MPH on the dyno at max power output (depending on vehicle). If it is going to fail, it WILL fail on the dyno. Make sure ALL of your lug nuts are still accounted for

*Our main objective is to tune the car. We would prefer not to have to fix mechanical or electrical problems on it. Not only does this cost you more money, but it makes for a scheduling nightmare for us. While we may be able to fix or troubleshoot some minor problems during the dyno session, this will count against your dyno session. A car that is not in proper working order, will have to be fixed and/or you may be asked to bring it back once the repairs have been completed. Customers will be charged for any tuning time or labor/diagnostic time along with a re-strap fee.