A few months back I decided I wasn't feeling the love with my current tune. The power felt great, but I was worried about the timing I was running. So, I decided to get a new tune. I had heard about PES tuning, and upon a friend's suggestion decided to give them a try. I sent the car up to their shop to have it custom tuned, and decided while it was up there to have Kleemann headers and a custom exhaust installed as well.

When I got it back, I was very disappointed. The car felt slower then when it left, and it sounded like crap...like I had a bad exhaust leak. I blamed the slow feeling on the fact that I had been driving my M3 for the past few weeks. , and after having the car on the lift and not finding anything, I blamed the exhaust leak on the sound of the Kleemanns coupled with the catless straight back exhaust.

I ran the car at MIR mid April, and the car ran an 11.54 but still didn't feel like the power was there. I think my best trap was 122mph. I datalogged all my runs, and ended up sending them out to a few experts on the board for their thoughts. Upon review, it turned out that my PES tune was running hardly any timing and my afrs were all over the board. It was like someone who didn't know what the they were doing or better yet didn't care about what they were doing had tuned the car. So, after spending what was a large sum of money with PES tuning, it was back to square one.

Now we get to the good part. I had the car tuned a few weeks back by a reputable company, and the car picked up 80whp and 95ft lbs. (side note, there was another PES tuned car at this tune day and he picked up more then I did!!) I have datalogged this new tune pretty extensively, and my afrs are actually a tad rich and the timing looks to be perfect. So, PES tuning aka POS tuning not only tuned my car with unsafe AFRs, but also left 80whp on the table. But wait, there is more. The sound of my exhaust sucked. It really did. I figured installing an x-pipe would definitely help. I had a local custom exhaust shop do the work, and when I picked the car up, they asked about my exhaust leak. I explained that it didn't have a leak that we could find, it was just the sound of that set-up. They kindly informed me that oh no, it has an exhaust leak. POS tuning had installed my Kleemann headers with absolutely NO GASKETS!! That my friends was the icing on the cake. So, anybody thinking about using PES or have friends thinking about using PES, I implore you to share this information.

 

I'm glad you finally got this resolved

That is why people need to realize that going with a reputable company (especially for tuning) is very important when dealing with our high-end cars. As we've seen many times in the past, a wrong tune coupled with an aggressive setup could cost you an engine. It's not worth the hassle of saving a few bucks and going with unknowns yet people do it all the time.

 

SO glad this had a happy ending brotha!

Imagine if you popped a piston out of it OR WORSE!!

When I checked my tune, I almost had a heart attack. Timing was out of control!!! It was a ticking time bomb.

So glad I got the mighty tune on from the secretive "greatest tuner on the planet". Cough...jeremy...cough cough

 

Charlie take that beast back to the track and destroy that 11.54!!!

What do you think she'll trap now?

Have you gotten the IAT's to settle down some?

Love how your car is turnin out mang!

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa....

No gaskets? WTF?

 

Damn, I though when I first talked to you that you were happy with them! Man I am glad it worked out brotha! Oh and by the way, talk to Adam we missed you last weekend!

 

Patrick - PES = PES Tuning?

 

^ very interesting, Clay. New member, just joined today

 

BUST OUT THE POPCORN LOL.
All joking aside sorry about your nightmare story im glad things worked out for you. SO with the 80 more horses you picked up how much power are u putting down now if you dont mind me asking?

 

Haha!! Thanks. My IATs are perfect now. The rear res set-up is dialed in pretty nicely. I have no idea what she will trap except should be more then 122mph.

Clayton, yup, no gaskets. I was never going to make this thread. Figured the tune was just an expensive learning mistake...$1500 for a joke of a box tune! But no gaskets on the headers pushed me over the edge.

Marcus, thanks man. We had actually talked before I got the car back, and then when I got the car back I sent you the PM suggesting that you not go to PES.

Haha..glad you guys had a blast!! Wish I could have made it.

 

Thank you! It really isn't that big of a deal when it comes right down to it, but just don't want others to make the same mistake.

Thank you! Yes, I am very happy with my current tune... OE Tuning

Just over 500whp

 

Charlie
did you get the filters yet.
thank you

 

Wow, did Tony do the software? I considered going with PES a few years back and am now glad I went elsewhere.
Thanks for sharing and I'm glad you got it all sorted out. Hopefully you'll save others from making the same costly mistake.

Headers with no gaskets, what a cheesehead.

 

Just thought I'd throw in some perspective with this number - I dynoed 370whp on the same dyno on the same day (totally stock except for the CF intake tubes and K&N's).

 

WOW those are some awesome numbers. Thats crazy that all that extra power was not unleashed before. But all the storys i have been hearing about tunes and engines being catastrophicly torn up has started making me feel abit weiry of tunes in general. Thank god i have'nt had any issues with my car yet. (cross my fingers).

 

Charlie glad you got this sorted out. It was a real pleasure watching you put down 501, very glad I was there for that. I love to see situations turn around. Hopefully I will get to see mine turn around soon...lol.

No gaskets, unfnbelievable...we should burn that place down.
BTW how does it sound now? You still unhappy with the exhaust note?

 

This is exactly why sharing our experiences on this forum is very important: to prevent others from falling into the same mistakes/potential disasters.

930chas, thanks again for posting PES Tuning is one place that should be black listed for all new comers.

 

Who sorted out your tuning issues?

 

After your seeing your timing table I knew there was alotttt of power left on the table. After hearing about the headers, what can I say? That's just horrible! All I know is Charlies car will surprise some people. I'm gonna go on record and say it will trap 128+ and go 10s in good DA

 

Brian, have you got your fueling issue straight? That really sucked last week!

It sounds really really good now!!


Haha..maybe with you driving!!!

Thank you. It definitely helps to share all of our experiences.

I do want to say that Patrick from PES has been in contact with me to apologize and to see what can be done to remedy the situation. I haven't dealt with him before, but he seems to be a stand up guy. He also feels that my headers do have gaskets. I don't, but I will be pulling these headers in 4 weeks or so, and will report back with what I find.

 

Unfortunately, yes, Tony did the "tune".

Haha..BT, as always you crack me up bro! Also, your car is fierce now with the new tune. MIR will be inundated with black e55s this racing season!!

 

Awesome Charlie! I'm glad you got things all sorted out and I can't wail to see your new numbers. I have no doubt you'll be my East coast competitor since Ahmad is in a league of his own...damn Ahmad!!! Enjoy the car and be safe brotha!!!

Why don't you go out there and get that 60-130 time like we were talking about.

 

Sorry to hear. I just hope he looked at the knock sensors when he "tuned" your car....

 

Who tuned your car now ?

 

Who is the hell installs the manifolds without gaskets?

Two, this is why this needs to be an open forum-STOP WITH THE SECRETS and backdoor agreements people. Spill the beans, others will only suffer.

Care to share who did your tune this time around?
Thanks for sharing.