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Why tune your
Holden LS1?
Most Holden LS1 engines from the factory were restricted.
Why did they do this
you may ask? Every year Holden had to release a new model with more power and
the HSV brand always needed to have more power than an SS as an example. So how
did they restrict the power? There are two main factors: The obvious being the
air intake and exhaust headers which are normally the first thing to be
replaced in the pursuit of more power. The other factor was the engine tune and by
limiting the spark map and running the engine very rich power was limited.
Just take a look at the spark map below from a 2002 Holden Ute in comparison to
the spark map from a 2004 Clubsport - the areas highlighted are the zones
accessed in a typical wide open throttle run from 2400-6400rpm
You can clearly see the extra timing in the
Clubsport tune - as high as 14
degrees more.
This factor along with the very rich WOT fuel mixture (as low as 11.25:1) combines to reduce
output.
By customizing the tune of your engine to match your intake and exhaust, along
with running your engine on premium 98-octane fuel, we can achieve far more power
than was available from the factory.
Other reasons to carry out a tune are fuel economy. The factory Holden had
fitted what is called Lean Cruise; by leaning the fuel mixture under cruise
conditions the fuel economy is improved. But this function was not enabled
on all engines. By turning this function on, then setting up the run enablers
to make it work faster and more effectively, economy is increased.
Another reason for improved fuel economy is when an engine runs more efficiently
it uses less fuel to achieve the same power output. So buy fitting a good intake
and exhaust system air flows more freely through the engine and then by
introducing the correct amount of fuel coupled with perfect ignition timing
maximum cylinder pressure is achieved thus increasing efficiency and using less
fuel.
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