New to tuning and HPTuners (as is probably expected, got a couple questions)

[AOpen]

2000 GMC Sierra, built LC9, 10.5:1 c/r, 218/224 .604/.612 Howards Cam 19035-13, 799 LC9 heads, TBSS intake w/92mm throttle body, stock LC9 flex fuel injectors, (36lb/hr I believe) ,built 4l60e w/3400 stall, 4:30 TruTrac, nothing crazy. Just a nice driver. It's essentially an LC9 converted over to Gen3 harness with a compression bump and a camshaft.

So, onto my questions that I hope you guys can help me with. I've been reading for weeks and got my MPVI3 yesterday. I've read my factory tune and have been looking through it attempting to understand what I'm looking at. I can't! I don't have a clue where to start. I'm viewing in ADVANCED and it's overwhelming! Where do I even start? I've read all the stickys, all the start guides and I still am scared to change anything. Obviously, I am looking at fuel, air and spark. But, what does what? There is so many parameters that I have no clue what it does or even what the words mean. What are say the 3 top parameters I would start with for the above referenced fuel, air, spark? Do I start with idle? But, change what? I'm very confused on what numbers I'm even changing to what? I've attempted to go through posts and follow links and then open my stock file but, I'm now just more confused then before. Not to mention, every time I follow a link and try to go back I have to sign back in and loose my spot. Can someone give me a starting point? My plan is to hopefully get it started and then datalog. I'm hoping that once I do that I'll have some awakening that will show me what I need to change. But, honestly I'm quite frustrated at this point and contemplating buying an email tune before I damage the nice engine I built. This thing is not wild by any stretch so, I feel like I should be able to do this!! Please, someone point me in the right direction!!

[rabbs88]

There's a decent amount going on here for your first ever tune but nothing too crazy. Don't panic and don't make any changes you don't understand and you'll be ok. Nothing wrong with paying for a tune as well, just make sure your truck is 100% mechanically sound and the tune is from someone who knows what they're doing. (Not all big name tuners are good)

Still some missing info as well since it's a swapped truck. What ECU are you using? And by "factory tune" do you mean an LC9 stock repository file or did you read from the ECU in your truck?

If you have a hard time understanding the basics then I would suggest starting there. It's going to take a lot more than a few forum posts to learn how to properly tune a car. Goat Rope Garage on YouTube is honestly a good place to get the very basics down so you aren't completely overwhelmed by the tuning terminology and basic tables/formulas

[AOpen]

Thanks for the reply! By stock tune I mean the P01 PCM 2000 Sierra tune from my truck. I have found the proper injector data for the LC9 injectors I'll be using and I managed to get that info moved into my tune. I also have found the post on this forum outlining "idle tuning" and have begun to mess with that. I do believe I will buy an email tune though and then compare to get a better idea. Does anyone have a good source for a competent tuner that could email me a file?

[bk2life]

Start here.
This is a great with pictures first thing to do.

https://forum.hptuners.com/showthrea...e-(w-pictures)

[gtstorey]

A proper email tune won’t be “here’s a tune, done” . There should be at least a round or two of logs, or even more depending on mods.

[Ben Charles]

A proper email tune won’t be “here’s a tune, done” . There should be at least a round or two of logs, or even more depending on mods.

100%… you’d be surprised how many shops who do remote work won’t even send the customer a custom channel to log with. Default channel is a Joke and almost useless… to proper tune one you must have the correct data.
If someone is paying for a remote and you only get a tune file, that’s a huge red flag

[gtstorey]

100%… you’d be surprised how many shops who do remote work won’t even send the customer a custom channel to log with. Default channel is a Joke and almost useless… to proper tune one you must have the correct data.
If someone is paying for a remote and you only get a tune file, that’s a huge red flag

That’s what I was trying to express, I guess I wasn’t as direct as I usually am.

[AOpen]

I appreciate the replies fellas and Ben, I will definitely be contacting you in the coming months. But, until then I've been looking, reading and attempting to learn. I've realized a couple things over the last week or so... First, this is NOT as easy for a first timer as it is sometimes made to seem. All the info is there, it's just hard to decipher it sometimes for the novice. For me personally, I've never been a computer guy or one who learns by reading. For whatever reason I can read things a million times and it still doesn't make sense, been that way my entire life. At 45 I've found ways to learn what I want that usually involves figuring a way to equate what I've read to an actual visable, physical action or result. Which is maybe why I was an engine builder/machinist for years. I can physically see what my hands are doing and the cause and effect on whatever material I'm working with. Anyhow, I've been kinda discourage these last couple weeks since recieving my HP MPVI3. I've read the tune in my truck and have figured out how to do basic things like, delete EGR and turn on E-fans and have even moved injector data into what could be the tune for my new set up. Oh, and I've read ALL of the starting point threads and links. Last night, I had an epiphany! My "stock" tune that I read is actually a "93 Diablo" tune written to the PCM from a DiabloSport tuner a couple months ago. Oddly enough, I kinda thought that DiabloSport would have somehow "locked" this info and made it unreadable but, it's there. Using the "compare" function in the HP software I was able to download an actual stock 2000 Silverado tune from the repository and actually, physically SEE what had been changed from a "stock" tune. For obvious legality reasons this "general" tune is I would expect made very safe for the average truck and driver as long as the driver uses the specified octane rated fuel. In an attempt to learn what does what my idea is to first figure out the Scanner and log some driving. Can someone look at and compare these two tunes? And tell me if I would be safe to just add to what the DiabloSport has done? Also, if I say had a CAI on the truck, obviously I'm bringing in a tiny bit more air. Would I log MAF readings and then adjust from what I see to better match what the truck is actually sucking in?

[AOpen]

Also, can someone help me with a list of channels I should actually log instead of just logging everything? I'm attempting to simplify this and then add to things as I go.