power programmer or dhp pcm

[jimmyv-21]

i have the 01 gp gt and i cant decide on whether to get the programmer or the pcm from dhp. i know that once i have the programmer that i can do what i want and change what i want etc. it is a bit more expensive but seems worth it. can anyone tell me the benefit of a pcm over the programmer? also, can anyone recommend a programmer? thanks

[98gpking]

it would sound like being able to prgram what you want vs whats being prgrammed for you. but keep in mind that if you change one thing itll affect another and if you dont change that required thing then...well its ghonna result in negativity not something positve. for example i know the transmission pressure line is increased on a pre-progammed computer. certain shift points are skipped and other things. pre-programmed computers in my opinion would be better off. they are set just so. i know id go for a pre programmed one vs trying to do evertyhing myself.

[jimmyv-21]

what do you mean "if you change one thing itll affect another and if you dont change that required thing then...well its ghonna result in negativity not something positve." dont mean to sound stupid but if the pcm regulates all that then the programmer should know how to make the proper adjustments. the programmers i have looked at have several different settings for how you want to drive the car. also, with the pcm, you have to get everything calibrated and that can only be done at gm. plus if you want to turn the pcm back to stock, you cant. whereas with the programmer, you can set it for ultimate gas mileage, or best horsepower and torqu, or something in between. and you can always turn it back to stock. i dont mean to sound like a programmer salesman, it just seems to me that it is the best choice hands down. am i missing something obvious??? i guess i really need to talk to someone who knows bout this stuff.............

[richtazz]

The programmers offer flexibility that re-programmed PCM's do not. If you have the money and the know-how (very important), I would think the programmer is the better deal. SInce I have no practical experience with either, I'm just going off what I've read and heard.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by richtazz

The programmers offer flexibility that re-programmed PCM's do not. If you have the money and the know-how (very important), I would think the programmer is the better deal. SInce I have no practical experience with either, I'm just going off what I've read and heard.

Good point and I agree Rich. These programmers are not for beginners or novices. You have to have a very good understanding of odb-ii and the operation of all sensors, etc. Also, it depends on what mods you have. You are not going to get that much of a gain in hp off a stock GTP or GT no matter how good you are at tweaking. The average of $400 most of these cost is nothing but I've seen a bunch of them wind up on EBay and sold or traded among members of Grand Prix Clubs. Gee I wonder why?

BTW - For example the DHP Powrtuner in itself is worthless without a decent laptop computer.

[gtp2k2]

unless your gonna cam it and do some major mods i'd just stick with the basic reprogram from your pcm seller of choice. Just search around and read what they do and dont do do your car

[jimmyv-21]

thanks for your help guys. i dont have any huge mods as of right now on this particular gt- traded my red one for a black one. i have a cai, a jet pcu, and a u bend delete. to be honest, i wanted the programmer so i could get better gas in town and on the highway, and i liked the idea of being able to get the extra horses on a saturday night. what i guess i didnt know is how much smarts it takes to program these things. i would think that they would come with some kind of instructions that tell you what to do to get what you want. please correct me if i am wrong since i dont want to make a 400 dollar mistake. also, will the pcm from dhp get me better gas around town/ highway. i dont like to race my baby too much, so i dont plan on needing the extra hp more than once in a while. the stock has got enough get-up-and-go to get me in and out of traffic. btw i have the laptop and i also like the idea of being able to clear codes with the programmer. again, not trying to be down on the pcm since you guys all probably know better than me, i just am needing yall to help me see both pros and cons. thanks

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by jimmyv-21

thanks for your help guys. i dont have any huge mods as of right now on this particular gt- traded my red one for a black one. i have a cai, a jet pcu, and a u bend delete. to be honest, i wanted the programmer so i could get better gas in town and on the highway, and i liked the idea of being able to get the extra horses on a saturday night. what i guess i didnt know is how much smarts it takes to program these things. i would think that they would come with some kind of instructions that tell you what to do to get what you want. please correct me if i am wrong since i dont want to make a 400 dollar mistake. also, will the pcm from dhp get me better gas around town/ highway. i dont like to race my baby too much, so i dont plan on needing the extra hp more than once in a while. the stock has got enough get-up-and-go to get me in and out of traffic. btw i have the laptop and i also like the idea of being able to clear codes with the programmer. again, not trying to be down on the pcm since you guys all probably know better than me, i just am needing yall to help me see both pros and cons. thanks

Whether you get better gas mileage out of a re-programmed PCM is still going to be based on how you drive. One problem with going to a PCM like from DHP or others is you will have to run minimum 91 octane premium gas on a GT. On a GT you are looking at a 8 - 12 hp gain over stock using a DHP.

Another alternative although it is not a programmer since you have a laptop is Autotap for Windows. It is cheaper than the powertuners. You can monitor every pertinent sensor and determine where a problem is. You can put up various graphical gauges and leave it plugged in while driving. I use Autotap to monitor knock retard (KR). It has a logging function where you can run events over a period of time. It will read out MAF and 02 activity, etc. You can retrieve DTC error codes and reset the SES light. Of course, it will not program or flash a PCM like the powertuners.

http://www.autotap.com/autotap_for_windows.html

[jimmyv-21]

if i get the pcm and just do regular driving are we talking an increase in gas mileage at all? back when i had the civic si i did several mods that said they would impove mileage and it actually got worse. i know why now (was young n dumb then)- they were all engine and exhaust mods and the decreased mileage was because i has totally eliminated my back pressure. i know this is a totally different case (now i am a little older and still dumb) but the principle is still there. with pcm and normal driving, do you get better or worse mileage. my dad has a banks chip on his 04 f350 6.0 that has six settings, and basically, on the lowest, you get great mileage and sacrafice a little hp, and on the highest setting, you can smoke the tires off. i guess at this point i am not a serious modder, but with the programmer, and a little know how...or maybe a lot of know how...would the programmer also be able to help me if i ever become a serious modder? to be honest, i dont know of any other programmer for the grand prix except the one bnayler pointed out. the others i have read about are able to program the car for 87, 91, or 93 octane gas, and i never run less than 91. are there any others?? i have a dhp pcm that i can get for a great price so that option is still there. btw bnayler, my gp wasnt the red red one, like yours which is a smokin color, it was the maroon one which i have only seen on a couple of se's and i didnt like it very much.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by jimmyv-21

if i get the pcm and just do regular driving are we talking an increase in gas mileage at all? back when i had the civic si i did several mods that said they would impove mileage and it actually got worse. i know why now (was young n dumb then)- they were all engine and exhaust mods and the decreased mileage was because i has totally eliminated my back pressure. i know this is a totally different case (now i am a little older and still dumb) but the principle is still there. with pcm and normal driving, do you get better or worse mileage. my dad has a banks chip on his 04 f350 6.0 that has six settings, and basically, on the lowest, you get great mileage and sacrafice a little hp, and on the highest setting, you can smoke the tires off. i guess at this point i am not a serious modder, but with the programmer, and a little know how...or maybe a lot of know how...would the programmer also be able to help me if i ever become a serious modder? to be honest, i dont know of any other programmer for the grand prix except the one bnayler pointed out. the others i have read about are able to program the car for 87, 91, or 93 octane gas, and i never run less than 91. are there any others?? i have a dhp pcm that i can get for a great price so that option is still there. btw bnayler, my gp wasnt the red red one, like yours which is a smokin color, it was the maroon one which i have only seen on a couple of se's and i didnt like it very much.

Here is another that seems easy enough and no laptop is required. I don't have any experience with it. It looks like it is for power and not fuel economy though. If it were my choice I'd go with a DHP Powrtuner because it is more versatile and I love tweaking. Being complex makes it more challenging as long as you do not blow your engine or tranny. When you get to my age you will have nothing better to do.....lol.

To be honest with you I have never been able to see the original fuel economy I had before mods but I only put about 500 miles a year on it nowadays so that alone is savings. I do not drive it to work. It is just a toy I've had for 8 years.

http://www.3800performance.com/Merch...roduct_Count=4

BTW - It doesn't matter whether you are old or young. We all rise to the level of our own incompetency but at least it is fun doing it.

[gtp2k2]

i believe i read in pontiac perf. magazine that they gained some HP and MPG by installing a catback exhaust, CAI and SLP 1.8 roller rockers... kind of an oxymoron to want go fast w/ good gas mileage.. sometimes it just doesnt work that way

[jimmyv-21]

that is why i want something that i can tune to get good gas when i want and to get good hp when i want. i dont think there is a pcm that is preprogrammed to do both..... is there?
thanks for your help bnayler.