First impressions - XDI EVO HPFP and E30 (Base Tunes)

[luigisho]

Is he back to replying to emails?

Also this.

 

[RickyRecon]

Is he back to replying to emails?

I emailed him a few weeks ago wanting a 93/e30 tune. He replied in literally 7 minutes to get the necessary info from me, and then radio silence since then. It’s whatever, I knew to expect to wait a while, but just an FYI

 

[SM105K]

Is he back to replying to emails?

Maybe?

 

[ridered74]

I emailed him a few weeks ago wanting a 93/e30 tune. He replied in literally 7 minutes to get the necessary info from me, and then radio silence since then. It’s whatever, I knew to expect to wait a while, but just an FYI

You should be good then if he replied to your email once. I got a tune from him 4 or 5 years ago, but when I tried to get one after getting an upgraded pump I never could get a response from him. That was probably three years ago and at the time he didn't seem to be replying to anyone. Didn't know if things had changed or if he was still picking and choosing which people to reply to.

 

[RickyRecon]

You should be good then if he replied to your email once. I got a tune from him 4 or 5 years ago, but when I tried to get one after getting an upgraded pump I never could get a response from him. That was probably three years ago and at the time he didn't seem to be replying to anyone. Didn't know if things had changed or if he was still picking and choosing which people to reply to.

Right on. That’s too bad you couldn’t get ahold of him again though. I’m not going to get too bent out of shape if I don’t hear back. My car and Matt’s tune get along like a house fire, I just would like to be able to run e30 without having to buy the fuel pump yet. I will eventually for sure, so either way….
On the other hand, everyone that has his tunes says he is a wizard, so I also just want to experience his particular style. Oh well, good things to those who wait and all that.

 

[ridered74]

Right on. That’s too bad you couldn’t get ahold of him again though. I’m not going to get too bent out of shape if I don’t hear back. My car and Matt’s tune get along like a house fire, I just would like to be able to run e30 without having to buy the fuel pump yet. I will eventually for sure, so either way….
On the other hand, everyone that has his tunes says he is a wizard, so I also just want to experience his particular style. Oh well, good things to those who wait and all that.

He is, when I got a tune from him originally he explains everything he is doing in great detail.

 

[RickyRecon]

Brad got back to me this morning. He said he was dealing with work shit, and wrapping up with other customers before being ready to take on new projects/customers…but invoice was paid, and were gonna get started this weekend. @Ish416 if you want to give him a crack at your car, now might be a good time to email him.

 

[FiveLeeter918]

Brad got back to me this morning. He said he was dealing with work shit, and wrapping up with other customers before being ready to take on new projects/customers…but invoice was paid, and were gonna get started this weekend. @Ish416 if you want to give him a crack at your car, now might be a good time to email him.

I have heard from others that he re-did his strategy in order to complete existing customers and stay in contact with them until the process is done before moving on to others. It is a pretty good strategy for a one-man operation to keep individual wait times at bay, then have a "waiting list" for new customers.

 

[SeanDev]

I havnt used any other tuner but Brad. He has made revisions until he was satisfied. He keeps me in a perma-grin state. I am surprised to hear some say he doesn't communicate. In a little over a year me and him have accrued over 100 back and forth emails. He definitely takes care of his existing customers. Even if his response time is a day or a week, it's worth the wait.

 

[RickyRecon]

I havnt used any other tuner but Brad. He has made revisions until he was satisfied. He keeps me in a perma-grin state. I am surprised to hear some say he doesn't communicate. In a little over a year me and him have accrued over 100 back and forth emails. He definitely takes care of his existing customers. Even if his response time is a day or a week, it's worth the wait.

I just loaded the final revision to his 93 tune yesterday. Sent him some verification logs just to be sure, but he said he likes where it’s at. “run it hard and forget it.” Turns out my 93 was basically 91 according to the spark curve and KR I was getting...thanks Shell.. but we got it dialed in and now it’s onto the e30 tune after I run through this tank. He was next day with the revisions, and very descriptive on what he changes, why, and how much. Even explained things in detail, for example that OAR is basically a long term fuel trim for spark, and good OAR may not necessarily mean good fuel, or vice versa depending on how it’s tuned. Something I didn’t know.

Now that we’re done logging, I’m gonna throw some corn in to bring up that octane so I can see how it runs with that tune and proper fuel, but it already has a lot more on the low end than the GH tune…which I like.

He said my fuel system (stock) is healthy as a horse, and my turbos (also stock) aren’t running too hard at full dick even with the crappy gas…so I’m pretty excited for the e30 tune. It’s great down low, but I want her to eat over 60mph too. Overall very happy with the experience so far. Looking forward to continuing to work with him.

 

[Ish416]

I have been in contact with Brad, he will be coming on board to get this thing tuned.

In the mean time, what generates the OAR number? Is it based on knock or something else? I have checked my knock sensor wires and all looks good. I have ran a mix of Sunoco 93, 260 GT 100 octane race fuel and E85 mixed to E34. My OAR numbers have not changed significantly, the car is still a turd.

I have been thinking that maybe something like exhaust or mounts are causing vibration but I have no knock under WOT, only a ***** OAR and 11 PSI of boost regardless of 93 or E30.

 

[FiveLeeter918]

I have been in contact with Brad, he will be coming on board to get this thing tuned.

In the mean time, what generates the OAR number? Is it based on knock or something else? I have checked my knock sensor wires and all looks good. I have ran a mix of Sunoco 93, 260 GT 100 octane race fuel and E85 mixed to E34. My OAR numbers have not changed significantly, the car is still a turd.

I have been thinking that maybe something like exhaust or mounts are causing vibration but I have no knock under WOT, only a ***** OAR and 11 PSI of boost regardless of 93 or E30.

It's essentially a measure of the inferred octane, based on a calculation of spark averages, knock activity, fuel trims, and a few other things that tells the engine how much timing and boost (in some cases) to command based on what it believes is the overall health of the engine.

 

[Ish416]

“Just be careful what you may read on the internet. I see it all the time when people don't see -1 for their OAR value they suspect bad fuel. There are a few ways to skin the cat. It's a combination of the fuel quality and how the tuner is setting up your spark tuning. If I over advance the spark curve I can make the OAR value rise even when using race fuel or E85. The OAR is kind of like the long term fuel trim but for spark.

You could use really bad fuel and I could retard the spark and you can have a great OAR which would indicate good fuel but that wouldn't be true. So we tuned your spark based on YOUR 93 oct and your OAR is fairly low which is good. So now if you are to get even worse fuel your OAR would rise closer to 0 or even go above 0. Remember the range is -1 to 1.”

That was how he explained it to me after pulling some spark to make sure it was just crappy fuel, and not my knock sensor picking up noise.

Weren’t you getting 14-16 psi when you first loaded your e30 tune? Is your WGDC at 100% with the lower boost? Could try a boost leak test, if only to rule it out.

Since loading the tune, 16 PSI was seen on a 1 - 4 gear pull and was only seen in 4th gear I believe between 110 - 120 MPH - IE peak engine load. On a normal 3rd gear pull (lock in 3rd and start around 2500 - 3000 RPM), I can get boost to spike 14 PSI before settling down in the 11 PSI range. This happens on 93 or E30. WGDC is in the high 60's.

I have tested multiple times for boost leaks and found nothing.

 

[ridered74]

Since loading the tune, 16 PSI was seen on a 1 - 4 gear pull and was only seen in 4th gear I believe between 110 - 120 MPH - IE peak engine load. On a normal 3rd gear pull (lock in 3rd and start around 2500 - 3000 RPM), I can get boost to spike 14 PSI before settling down in the 11 PSI range. This happens on 93 or E30. WGDC is in the high 60's.

I have tested multiple times for boost leaks and found nothing.

If you had a boost leak your wastegates would be at 99% constantly. I'd say at 60 you can stop looking for boost leaks.

 

[76FoMoCo]

^^ yup. Look at commanded boost you should be just below it.

 

[SeanDev]

I just loaded the final revision to his 93 tune yesterday. Sent him some verification logs just to be sure, but he said he likes where it’s at. “run it hard and forget it.” Turns out my 93 was basically 91 according to the spark curve and KR I was getting...thanks Shell.. but we got it dialed in and now it’s onto the e30 tune after I run through this tank. He was next day with the revisions, and very descriptive on what he changes, why, and how much. Even explained things in detail, for example that OAR is basically a long term fuel trim for spark, and good OAR may not necessarily mean good fuel, or vice versa depending on how it’s tuned. Something I didn’t know.

Now that we’re done logging, I’m gonna throw some corn in to bring up that octane so I can see how it runs with that tune and proper fuel, but it already has a lot more on the low end than the GH tune…which I like.

He said my fuel system (stock) is healthy as a horse, and my turbos (also stock) aren’t running too hard at full dick even with the crappy gas…so I’m pretty excited for the e30 tune. It’s great down low, but I want her to eat over 60mph too. Overall very happy with the experience so far. Looking forward to continuing to work with him.

This has become a constant issue with me in last month. I have used three different gas stations 93 and during that time Brad got three logs, stated each time that poor fuel is to blame for knock. I seriously think with gas prices, there sneaking the crap in the highest margin tanks and this is has to be all of them involved. Did not have these issues before gas skyrocketed in price. And yes his E30 tune gives you alot of bang for the buck. One reason to I picked him is he used to own a SHO.

 

[luigisho]

I know there are testers for higher ethanol content fuel. Is there an octane tester for lower ethanol premium gas to get a good octane rating?

 

[SeanDev]

I know there are testers for higher ethanol content fule. Is there an octane tester for lower ethanol premium gas to get a good octane rating?

Good question, I never tested anyone's 93, need to find a way to test their octane. I researched their website to see content for ethanol content, 8-10% seems to be the norm, and such a small amount wouldn't effect a tune, but these wild fluctuations of octane as of late, is ******* my car off.

 

[SeanDev]

I emailed him a few weeks ago wanting a 93/e30 tune. He replied in literally 7 minutes to get the necessary info from me, and then radio silence since then. It’s whatever, I knew to expect to wait a while, but just an FYI

Don't give up on him, he does have a full time job. And he has stated this to me a couple times , that if he doesn't respond, send another email, he admits some emails get lost in his inbox and he takes no offense if you got to remind him to respond. But the man has never let me down, even offered to pay for his time for so many revisions he has done, and he declined. I have 10 revisions just on my E30 tune and he has never asked for more money even though he has earned it. Weekends are his best time for replying . he was doing revisions for me on memorial weekend. Don't think any tuner would go that extra mile.

 

[thenewguy]

Question guys, im in the same boat as the OP, have 93 tune from Brad. He said i could benefit from the hpfp. Theres a few different versions of it and for my goals, the 35 would suffice. Would getting the EVO be better though? its only a couple 100 more in price. Also can i then use that evo pump on a different car? Like lets say the explorer st which i plan in getting ina few years.
Next question, do i need to upgrade the lpfp as well or would I be ok with the stock one?