Industry in general
Being in the Race and Tuning industry for over 30 years, we've seen many workshops and 'experts' come and go. There are only a handful of people in the country that have stood the test of time. Many have gone out of business due to inconsistent & poor quality or poor processes.
What we do differently
We want to provide quality service and be around long-term as a customer focused shop. We have come up with processes to do this and it isn't something that happens by chance.
Ensuring tuning quality
To ensure PBMS tunes are high quality, we do things differently to many other players in our industry. All of our tunes are customised on our dyno then checked on the road. We use a PBMS developed 9-step process to ensure a thorough and consistent tune, every time.
Custom tuning
All tunes are customised to suit you and your car.
This varies from chip or generic tuning which are an 'off the shelf' or 'drop in' tune. These 'simple' tunes can improve performance by slightly altering fuelling, ignition, cam control and increasing boost (if applicable) to increase the performance over standard. They do not allow for absolute optimisation or customisation for your exact engine or modifications. You can forgo power or even damage your engine if the tune isn't accurate enough for your car. Often these drop in tunes aren't even checked for accuracy or safety when programmed into a car.
A custom tune is setup and calibrated for your car and to your specific requirements. We fit our engine monitoring equipment to your car, and put your car to our dyno. This allows us to accurately measure all changes made, so we can ensure an optimised and safe tune.
Dyno tuned
Dyno tuning is the only way to safely and accurately tune a car. We have heavily invested in a dyno facility to offer to keep your car safe and provide the best service. Without it, we'd have to do many pulls at full throttle in a high gear to redline at excessive speeds, dangerous for your car and our tuner. The other major advantage of a dyno, is the ability to measure power. To ensure the entire power band is optimised, we need to test varied engine settings throughout the rev range. The only way to accurately tell whether more or less power is being made is through the use of a dyno. This allows us to sample the power made at any RPM point, and ensure that your tune is optimised.
Road checked and adjusted
The dyno is a great tool for safety and optimisation, however there are still some situations that it can't re-create with 100% accuracy. A road test is key to ensuring our dyno tune is accurate for the road, and the place we make any minor adjustments to suit the real world situation of driving.
9-Step Tuning Process
Over the past 30 years we have developed and refined our tuning approach and processes. The 9-Step tuning process has resulted from the experience and the expertise gained.
1 - Customer Consultation
To achieve the best result, we need to know about you, your car and your goals. Armed with this information, we can better customise the tune to suit you. This allows us to tune the car specifically to your requirements. You'll also get the chance to ask any questions you may have.
2 - Pre Dyno Tune Checkup
Pre tune checkup – This starts with basics like ensuring oil and fluid levels are topped up. We take the inspection a little deeper, checking for common problems that can cause delays and headaches on the dyno. Simple however crucial checks can include intake pressure testing, fuel flow testing and spark plug inspection.
3 - Dyno and Monitoring Equipment
We fit your car to the dyno, and fit engine monitoring equipment to ensure a safe and optimal tune is achieved. We have the latest monitoring equipment from Plex Tuning, Link ECU, MoTeC and Innovate Motorsport.
4 - ECU Setup
We configure the ECU to suit your requirements using our experience and expertise.
Standalone
We configure standalone systems to run your particular engine package, receiving accurate information from the engine’s sensors. This allows the ECU to control the engine accurately and use safeguards to prevent damage to your valuable engine. Modern ECU’s are powerful computers with safety and motorsport feature that can be setup.
Reflash/Factory ECU Tuning
Many factory settings can be changed during the setup process. Check engine lights for un-used factory emission systems and speed cuts are the most commonly adjusted settings.
5 - Cruise & Light load Dyno Tuning
We begin by adjusting the tune in the area where most cars spend 95% of their lives, in the light load zones. Beginning the tune here also has the advantage of allow us to identify potential issues before the engine is put under high load.
Reflash/Factory ECU Tuning
We make small adjustments to fuel that add up over time to make a noticeable improvement in economy – that is if you can keep yourself away from the accelerator pedal for long enough!
6 - Full Power Dyno Tuning
This is where the fun happens! We tune through the entire rev range to optimize torque by adjusting the fuel, ignition and boost the engine runs on.
7 - Throttle Optimisation
When you stab the throttle to accelerate, you want instant and smooth power. We adjust the throttle pump settings to give a crisp transition to acceleration.
8 - Cold Start
We leave the car on the dyno overnight so it can completely cool down. We then run it up to ensure good starting and validate the consistency of the tune from cold.
9 - Road Test
The vehicle is driven on the road and tune adjusted as required to ensure a well performing tune in a real world situation.
Finally, we provide a laminated dyno sheet of power results. Where applicable, we will provide the customer with a before/after comparison and/or high/low boost settings.
