Saturn Forum - Saturn Enthusiasts Forums - Tuning a 05 saturn ion 3 2.2l.. Need help

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I’m sure that some end users of the Trifecta product can help you dial in your tune after you got your base map figured out... look on YouTube for a user called huckernage, he’s tuned a few cars and may bbe able to help you...

our cars use the E16a PCM, which almost nobody supports, except Trifecta (and they supposedly only do 05-06)... my cars not modded enough yet to really “need” a tune so I haven’t been looking around with any serious intent lol

my suggestion is to get all the gauges on it you’re gonna run (need wideband AFR, a scan gauge of some kind (Aeroforce Interceptor, ScanGauge, UltraGauge, etc) and a mechanical vac/boost gauge), get a cheap turbo setup in there (take off parts from Saab 9-3 with 2.0T/B207R will work and make plenty of power to begin with), and then build you a spare engine and trans to handle the 400+whp that you want... you’ll wanna get used to boost in steps anyway, I couldn’t imagine going straight from 115whp (stock 2.2/auto) to 400+

but the first stage setup will allow you to get a tune on it and dial it in while not having $10-15k in your powertrain yet, and will give you a chance to gradually learn the car at higher power levels

I will look into that guy you mentioned and ask trifecta what all they can do. I've owned boosted cars before my ralliart made about 300 whp.. It was a beast I loved it have the same engine as a Evo and was twin turbo'd. I'll start picking up the parts for the engine as soon as I can. And will keep yall informed with my progress, she is gonna be a beast when done

Sounds that way, and ZZP has a pretty good selection of parts for Ecotec builds...

So I found some stuff

I found a standalone that may work I asked them about it and they said they can't be 100% sure it'll work but it is universal ..but wont control the transmission... Well I figured that out to. The guy said its illegal to run it on the streets.. I replyed with its illegal if I get caught he pretty much said fair enough and said it should work. But he had to run me through the whole he isn't liable thing and that when I purchase it I will have to click that I understand that it's illegal to be on a street vehicle and is for race cars only
https://www.realstreetperformance.com/aem-infinity-6-stand-alone-programmable-engine-management-system.html
https://www.carid.com/msd/lenco-liberty-programmable-rpm-trans-shifter-mpn-75591.html?singleid=1386327249

Why go standalone when you can be tuned on the factory PCM?

the factory PCM can diagnose the engine and it’s emissions systems itself and give a trouble code to use to fix it, whereas I think with a standalone you’re figuring it out by ear from what I understand...

the legal status of going standalone lies in the fact that there will be no functioning check engine light and no diagnostic port to plug into for an emissions test...

since the initial thought was that Trifecta supported your car, what’s making you want full standalone engine control?

They said they only offer it for a stock car..

I can't figure out how to upload a screenshot from my phone of what they said

Emissions where I live are done at like car shops or by mechanics. And alot of then are pretty Shady so I could probably just get them to pass it anyway I did it when I lived in PA, I got inspection stickers and everything from a friend who worked at a shop. And with the turbos and stuff she probably wouldn't pass anyway

Like I said, check out some end users and see if anybody has tuned a turbo setup... get the hardware from Trifecta and get the tune from someone else... seriously, look on RedlineForums.com for people who have boosted the base model cars and ask them about tuning...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacob Sharp (Post 61531)

a properly built/tuned car will still run clean regardless of how it gets it’s air (N/A, turbo, super, twin charge)... it’s the presence of the stock PCM that often will make/break a modded setup...

turbos? Why would you want/need more than one? A BorgWarner S256ET will make 400whp and spool by 3500 on the LSJ... if you want more top end, step up to the S259 and call it a day, no need to complicate the setup with twin turbos or anything crazy...