Agile has the capability to test 2WD and AWD 4 or 5 lug-hubbed cars on it's in-house Dynapack chassis dynamometer. Whether you're trying to find out what your beast is capable of putting down at the crank or the wheels, Agile can give you an accurate torque and horsepower output for your vehicle. Agile also has the capability to monitor boost pressures and air to fuel ratio during the runs to better establish a definitive measurement of how safe your current tune really is. Unlike many of our competitors, we can also check the health of the tune at low and mid throttle to be sure that the engine has been fully calibrated and not just tuned for wide open throttle.
Agile's in-house, state-of-the-art Dynapack AWD capable chassis dyno has given Hill McCarty, owner of Agile and lead tuner, the ability to properly calibrate your engine control unit to perform best with the parts, boost pressure and octane you would like to run. Through thousands of hours of dyno tuning and testing since 2003, we have developed methodologies that allow us to safely and reliably extract more power than factory calibrations can allow even with 100% stock mechanicals. The use of a dynamometer in tuning was once thought to be a luxury reserved only for high budget race teams and auto manufacturers. However, proper engine calibration depends on how precisely the data on the car's performance and operational characteristics can be measured. This dependence on accurate, verifiable data needed for proper engine calibration has led us to the Dynapack system due to its unparalleled repeatability from one dyno run to the next(given the same tuning and mechanical setup). The Dynapack system allows us to know without a shadow of a doubt which calibration changes have made power gains and which were unnecessary. It's precise readings and our years of experience in properly tuning and calibrating engine computers will allow us to create a tune for your specific needs all while maximizing reliability and overall drivability.
Tuning is unfortunately one of the most overlooked and under-appreciated ways to extract additional power, even from highly modified engines. Most people new to modifying cars neglect to optimize the operational parameters of their engine even after significant engine modifications. By optimizing an engine's variable valve timing, throttle plate mapping, air to fuel ratio, boost pressure and, ignition timing, not only will the safety and reliability of the engine be improved, but also the power output and responsiveness in almost every circumstance. We have tested a wide variety of the engine management offerings in the aftermarket community and have the experience to steer you toward a high quality, functional, and intelligent engine management solution that will best suit your intended use for the car. When it comes to engine management selection we recommend that you contact us to for a recommendation to best meet your needs. Experience is very important when it comes to finding quality engine management and the calibration of these controls systems. Our level of experience is one area where Agile is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. We always fully calibrate the engine control unit for low load, moderate load, and wide open throttle unless instructed not to do so by the owner of the car. Too many tuners/calibrators only map wide open throttle, which can lead to detonation and damage to the engine under part throttle conditions. Our Dynapack allows us to alter the load on the engine so that we can program the engine control unit for virtually any driving condition. If you have any questions regarding dyno time or tuning please don't hesitate to give us a call.
- Make sure all maintenance up to date, and especially have proper levels of fresh, good quality oil in the engine
- Bring your wheel lock key (if you have one)
- Bring your Cobb Accessport. If we are tuning with a different engine managemnt system, bring tuning software and/or any required hardware.
- Make sure the vehicle is running properly. If the car is not running correctly to start its often the case that tuning is not the route of the problem. If you think you might need troubleshooting, or would like a pre-tune general inspection of the vehicle, set up an appointment for this before your tuning slot. Troubleshooting on the dyno is billed at dyno tuning rates because this time used while the car is attached to the dyno is lost revenue for us. We are extremely busy and dyno time is valuable.
- Make sure that there is at least a 1/4 tank of gas when you arrive at our shop. The tuning process burns a fair amount of fuel, so please arrive with some in the tank.
- Make sure you are buying high quality fuel of the octane that you typically run and have it in the tank for the tune. Poor gas quality is one of the main culprits of us not being able to make good power numbers or get a good tune on the car. We recommend Sunoco, Exxon/Mobil and Shell. Stay away from budget and grocery store chains, and make sure that what is labeled "premium" gas is 93 octane and not 92 or lower. Also, try not to buy from gas from a station that is having it's tanks filled since this will mix any sediment built up over the years into the fuel your putting into your car.
We tune various kinds of engine management. If you don't see something on the list, please call to inquire.
- Cobb AccessTuner: we currently own AccessTuner software for Subaru (WRX/STi/FXT/LGT), Mitsubishi (Evo8/9/X), Mazdaspeed 3/6, Nissan GT-R. Although the AccessTuner software isn't available for all vehicles, we do stock the full range of Accessports: Subaru, Evo X, Mazdaspeed 3 & 6, (GT-R R35 is the special order AccessPort)
- AEM EMS: Our favorite engine managment for high-power track cars that require standalone.
- Link
- Haltech
- Apexi PowerFC
- AFC/SAFC
- K-Pro
- UTEC