Dyno tuning vs. street tuning

March 2, 12:51 PMTampa Sports Car ExaminerMichael Berenis

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Are you ready to tune your car? Dyno and street tunes are readily available in Tampa to automotive enthusiasts. Several performance shops offering dyno tunes for all makes and models is a great way to squeeze that last bit of power from your car. Not only does tuning increase performance, the tuner can actually make your car run safer by appropriately tuning for your after market modifications by adjusting the air to fuel ratio, timing, and spark advance.

 The dynometer measures the amount of torque, horsepower, and wheel speed produced by a vehicle. Variables such as wind and resistance are emulated. The dyno logs to a RPM line chart and then displays this data via print out or LCD screen for the tuner to review. The tuner will then make adjustments to your car’s computer and increase the horsepower and torque. Measuring the values is accomplished by either two our four drums depending on the driveline of the vehicle. Wheels rest on top of these drums turning them as they create power which is logged by the dyno computer.

 All types of drivelines can run on the dyno, but special vehicles such as all wheel drive sometimes need unique equipment and different dynos. Dyno tuning is the safest form of tuning because the vehicle is safely secured to the dynometer and not actually traveling at speed to complete runs. To record the best data, third gear at wide open throttle is used. Third gear speeds are typically 70-115 mph. This can be dangerous and it is why some enthusiasts prefer the dyno tuning method over street tuning.

 Street tuning is when the tuner uses a closed road or private drive instead of the dyno to complete the third gear run. This makes for a more realistic tune that dynometers cannot compete with but increased dangers exist. Real world variables, such as temperature, wind and road surface resistance, vehicle load, and the weight of the vehicle all are exact rather than emulated. This difference is minimal; however, a true enthusiast can appreciate 100% realism in a tune. Some ECU’s allow the street tuner to measure horse power and torque even on the street.

 The best tune is a combination of dyno and street tuning. Start with a street tune, and refine the tune on the dyno. It is hard to find shops that will do a street tune due to liability and safety issues. Typically, you’ll need to find someone that is known as a street tuner such as 3gSucks of TampaRacing.com; a highly respected Subaru tuner. After finding your street tuner, you need to find a shop that will work with your professional tuner during the dyno tune. Both methods of tuning are a great way to add performance and mechanical safety to your vehicle!

 Example Dyno Tune Video "Coastal Chassis"

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