Dyno Tuning Basics - Jets, Timing, Camera, Action

As you gaze out your window and wonder when winter will finally break-at least enough so that you can safely open up the garage and fire up your Pontiac without fear of engulfing it in a swirling maelstrom of snow and ice-take solace in knowing that there is a way to test the effectiveness of your "winter" performance upgrades without hitting the dragstrip.

For those lucky few who live in climates that support year-round dragstrip operation, hold off a few minutes before heading out the door to test again. While dragstrips are certainly fun, and in many towns a great place to meet and participate in the Pontiac hobby, they do have their limitations for A-B-type testing of performance products.

Since new or modified engine combinations often require extensive tuning, it may take 10 quality passes or more to get your combination dialed in. Invariably, things don't always go as planned. In many cases, you end up waiting and getting in only three runs, of which one was invalidated due to poor traction or some other variable. By the time you arrive back home, tired and frustrated, the mental financial calculator has already clicked off $100-$150 of wasted funds, paid for tow vehicle fuel, race car fuel, food and gate fees.

Sure, you can head back out at the next available time or try another track, but what happens if at the next date the weather is 20 degrees warmer and the barometric pressure has swung wildly? Will the changes that you made following the first testing session show improvements or will you simply be compensating for other variables, and continue chasing your tail until the perfect set of circumstances allow you to get your Pontiac dialed in?

For years, the only methods available for hobbyists to test their high-performance modifications included a street-based "seat-of-the-pants" approach or the dragstrip. With the introduction of the inertia-based chassis dyno, the Dynojet and the iconic Dynojet 248 model, dynamometers offer enthusiasts and tuners alike a tool to measure horsepower and torque in a controlled environment.

Now a mainstay of both the aftermarket shops and the OEMs, chances are there is a performance-oriented business in your area that will provide you with dyno-tuning time so you can objectively quantify a baseline, then make changes to optimize your tune.

Regardless of the brand or technology employed by the "chassis dynamometer," the object of dyno tuning is to allow you to get your Pontiac dialed in so that when it's driven on the street or the track, it's very close to being optimized. Whether it's equipped with a classic Pontiac running a traditional carburetor and distributor, or the latest LS-offering from GM, the same principles apply. Optimize the fuel delivery system and ignition timing for maximum safe power.

Strap yourselves in as we roll on over to Real Performance Motorsports (RPM) in Lewisville, Texas, and dyno-tune Floyd Hand's '66 Tempest. Is there power to be gained by tuning this well-sorted out combination or will we simply be spinning our wheels?

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