Guys I really want to buy the microtuner. Mostly for the ability to firm up my shifts as well as the other added benefits.

I am debating between the Microtuner and a new valve body. If the Microtuner will crip up my shifts enough then I'll just go with that.

My question is, does anyone in the Louisville, KY area have a microtuner they'd be willing to let me test out? I know Mike says you can use it on multiple vehicles if you return the original to stock. I'd just like to do a short test drive to see if it does what I hope it will.

Thanks,

John

 

I think they come with a 30 day money back. The one I bought did.

 

jstang,

Thanks for the info. I know I want the Microtuner, just trying to decide if it alone will give me the shift quality I want or do I also need to upgrade to a different valve body.

John

 

I have to wonder why a speed shop does not have micro tuners that they could use to program customers vehicles for a fee. That way the customer would not have the expense of buying the tuner, and the shop would make money by tuning many differant vehicles off the same tuner, not to mention re-tuning.

For instance, I would like to have the shift points raised on my F150, but dont want to pay the $ for the tuner. Anyone know of a shop in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that does this?

 

Can't do that, b/c the microtuners are VIN locked...once it's used to upload a performance program on one vehicle...it stores the stock program of that vehicle. If you hook it up to another, it comes on saying "tuner is VIN locked!!" and you can only use the scanner portion of it.

which is why JBRIII was asking if there was someone local to let him try it, by uploading the their stock back to their truck, and then applying the performance program to his truck for a test run...

I've had Mike Troyer's microtuner for a while now, and even though I'm using it on a heavy 4x4 SuperCrew, the shifting was much better, smoother. I wasn't expecting to make my truck an L or anything, but at least it takes off and accelerates pretty well now. I have yet to put the elect. fan kit from Mike on, but looking forward to the day I do.

 

braboin,

Exactly!! I want to see if the MT alone will do what I want. I have a chip now and it runs well. If the MT will crisp up the shifts enough then I'll buy it. If it doesn't, then I need to go with a new valve body. Unfortunately I can't afford both right now.

John

 

well when I installed my microtuner program, I also installed an AF1 intake kit, so the two together upped my truck' power, so I can't say how much the tuner alone affected it.

It did not remove the 'thunk' issue so many have written about. But prior to tuner & intake, I couldn't break the tires loose on this rig, but after install, if I put the hammer down, it'll light up for several feet, and accelerates strong. (original GY tires w/ 31k)There used to be a big dead spot after shifting into 2nd...now it just climbs steady, just keeps goin strong. and if your not happy with the pre-set performance program, you can manually modify just about everything about the program....

for what it's worth, If I was in the area, I'd let ya try it

 

Braboin,

I appreciate it!! Wish you were in the area Anyway I think I'll probably go with the tuner from Mike. Either at X-mas or bonus time in mid Jan. If it doesn't work well enough I'll wait to get the VB.

Thanks,

John

 

Hi Texcowboy9,

Good question!

Actually, we have gone back and forth over that very same issue, and for a while, Superchips actually did make a dealer version of the Micro Tuner for the GM vehicles only (as all the GM's required that kind of device starting in the 1996 model year) available, but the result was that virtually nobody wanted it. Everyone wanted the ability to go back to stock at any time, like when going in for service, or wanted to be abel to compensate for tire size changes or gear ratio changes, etc. on their own, without paying any more money. So when we made just the software upload alone available, just like you're talking about, those customers actually ended up paying more than if they had just bought their own Micro Tuner, as most of them either needed to go back to stock and then retuned again at some point, or changed tire size, etc., and so it really just wasn't financially viable to the customer. And so it just never went anywhere.

The cost of the actual hardware itself is the smallest part of the cost of the product; the biggest cost by far is in the actual R&D, all the tuning on all the different codes, and so there is not a signficant amount of money to be saved by having someone just upload the Superchips program and you not having the hardware to begin with.

Just FYI, & thanks for your post!

 

Thanks Mike,

It sounds like the micro tuner is the way to go.

 

You can also adjust you shift firmness without dropping the tranny pan, and changing parts. A shift kit will usally allow for 1 "level" of shift firmness, while the Microtuner has a linear feature(it ****ions similar to your EEC, a sort of inhancement), when your hard on it it raises line pressure, when your crusing its less. A shift kit/valve body will raise line pressure to a certian point, and the EEC will still raise and lower it according to demand from the set point, which will be most likely a higher than stock pressure.

Pressure that isn't needed is heat, heat is bad. The tuner allows you a broader range of adjustment than a kit alone. Depending on your application a kit, or a kit with a tuner may be the ticket.

 

John,

It is the slipping of the clutches that creats heat. Line pressure is just that, line pressure. The higher the line pressure the harder the clutches are applied which makes for the quicker shifts. A shift kit will not varry the line pressure like a chip can. Once you set it up the pressure is set. The PCM will try to varry the pressures as it is programed to but the "base" pressure will be higher because of the shift kit. A chip can be programed to to do the same thing that a shift kit will do but you don't have to get your hands dirty. If you have a Superchip I would expect the Microtuner would be able to set the shift firmness to the same value that the chip does. If you install a new valve body and do not like the shifts you can always go back to the old one. If you install a shift kit and do not like the shifts you have to purchase a new valve body to return to the old shifts. I am not sure if the Microtuner can vary the shift firmness, ie: soft, med. or hard.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

Been awhile since I visited this forum and this is the first I have heard of the Microtuner. Is this an alternative to a chip - does it do the same performance enhancements as a chip?? Read a lot about changing shift points and tire size adjustments - what else is this thing capable of??

Just wondering - Xmas is coming up and this sounds like a perfect gift for my wife!!!!

 

Bill,

I think it is definately better than a chip. You can customize many different things. Shift firmness (different levels) is what I'm after. but many other performance features as well.

It plugs into your OBD port and you upload it into your computer, you can return to stock at anytime. It also reads error codes.

If you do a search on "Microtuner" you'll find out more specifics. It's around $325, which seems like a great deal to me for all you get.

John

P.S. Thanks again for the sub drawings. My consol is a little narrower, but I think I can make it work.

 

Since the price of the micro-tuner is about $100 more than the chip, I think it is worth the extra $. What I want is for 1st gear to hold longer and for the transmissin to shift firmer. I do not hot rod, although I do like to get on it every now and then. Most of my driving is normal city, do I have to be "on it" for the firmner shifts and longer held gears? My biggest complaint is taking off from a stop sign or red light and turning a corner, by the time the truck is straight, even on a slight incline it has already shifted into 2nd.