Tune before or after mods?

[Stretch]

Looking for some advice on my build. The only thing I have done to my 1.8 LT is install a K&N CAI (looking into headers and full exhaust next). I notice a slight difference in performance and it sounds better... sometimes. I notice after about a month the performance has been pretty much back to how it was stock. Read on here that mods such as cai and exhaust need a tune first and any mods without a tune will go back to stock.

1. Is there any issue with doing a tune AFTER installing a cai, exhaust ect rather than doing the tune first?

2. Also, with the K&N cai i notice that the acceleration laggs and there is a hesitation from the time I hit the accelerator to when the power seems to kick in and go. Same with the sound of the cai, accelerator needs to be more heavily pressed to hear the intake.

3. I am a rookie when it comes to tunes. If there is a tune for dummies thread, any links or advice and steps to take someone can pass my way to help me out that would be awesome. I come across Trifecta and BNR all over this forum and have read good things about both.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Aftermath86]

I'm literally in the same boat and would be very interested in hearing about how a tune can change a near stock Sonic

Sent from my ASUS_Z01BDC using Tapatalk

 

[zomby woof]

ALWAYS do the mods first, otherwise you may have to tune again after the mods.

The goal of mods is to increase the flow of air through the motor. The goal of the tune is to correct, or optimize the fuel and timing. Mods first, tune second and you know you have the best possible situation.

 

[2014 Blue RS]

BEFORE

And I've done Trifecta Elite for over a year and just switched to BNR. BNR all the way.

 

[Stretch]

thanks for the advice fellas. What is the best bang for the buck when it comes to tunes? Again, I have little to no knowledge on turning so any kind of breakdown on procedure, equipment needed, pricing, what to do and what not to do would be awesome. Worried about spending a lot of money on a tune and possibly damaging my car in some way by doing something stupid.

 

[2014 Blue RS]

I've done almost every mod on this forum and run tunes from the two main vendors with no issues at all.

Mechanical related mods I have not done:
motor and tranny mounts (ride quality concerns)
lowering springs or coils (same + premature wear of other parts)
Big turbo (my next mod)

Getting 40+ MPGs mixed driving with no ill effects so far. Just went over 33k. Still time for me to break something but so far though, I've just been throwing money at one mod or two at a time and having fun with it.

Performance wise, nothing happens without a tune. Computer will correct for anything you do to bring it back to stock running condition. So start with a tune. BNR highly recommended. I'm still high on what they've done for my car and we've only just begun. :banana:

 

[DaBlackapino]

Yeah I've got about just about all the Mods I've wanted, it's just the Tune I need, but then again I've got the 1.8L so Not sure it's worth it.