Anyone possessing even the slightest interest in their car's performance, particularly those who have invested time and money in power-adding modifications, has likely wondered just how much power their car puts to the ground. Some people like to know in order to amass bragging rights, others want to know simply out of curiosity, and then there are the devoted souls who spend quality time with their investments, coaxing out every last bit of horsepower to gain that winning edge.
When it comes to measuring a car's power output, the dynamometer is the only professional choice. However, choosing the right dyno can be difficult, for three different types exist, and each has its benefits and drawbacks. In addition, the many variables, a small number of which include tire pressure, vehicle tie-down/strap settings and drivetrain loss, can often complicate the tuning process as well as the dyno results. Complicating matters further is the tendency of many car owners to bounce around from dyno to dyno, eliminating the ability to validate true gains in horsepower measurements offered by utilizing the exact same dyno. And remember, not every tuner take such a simple approach.
Blacktrax aims to make tuning simple and painless and has chosen to use a Dynapack system, for several reasons. Dynapack's hub style design (in which a hydraulic load cell, or absorption unit, is mounted to each of the car's hubs) was deemed superior for its ability to simulate load on a vehicle's motor at a user specified rpm, a feature not found on the inertia-style systems. This operator controlled function allows a specific RPM to be programmed into the computer to “lock” the engine in at the chosen speed, allowing the motor to be driven under a predetermined load amount. This has the benefit of allowing the tuner to virtually build a base map from scratch, a step used for engine break-in on custom built Blacktrax .
At the same time, because this dyno design requires removing the drive tires and wheels, the heavy and often inaccurate weighted drum component is removed, which eliminates those variables mentioned earlier. Lastly, the hub design is considerably more space-friendly, allowing Blacktrax more flexibility in its working area as well as having the portability in transporting the dyno to special dyno day events or club gatherings.
Blacktrax emphasizes the importance of not cutting corners, of paying full attention to all aspects of tuning for optimal results. Imagine a 10x20 cell (engine load vs. rpm) Microsoft Excel spreadsheet consisting of random numeric values. Now picture a tuner spending 1hr on the dyno but only editing 20% of this cell. That would result in a mere 40 cells out of 200 that were actually edited. If tuned properly, your engine will run awesome at WOT (Wide Open Throttle) but how often will the average enthusiast hit WOT? Assuming we generously give away 10% more of cells for tuning idle, then what happens to the other 70% of the map? Better not to think about that. Blacktrax’s approach is to promote full understanding of the importance of proper tuning and to advise and guide clients accordingly, in order to reach the outcome that is best for both owner and car.
For every customer looking for the complete BlackTrax Tuning Package (not just your average WOT tuning) for his/her platform, BT abides by a strict protocol:
At the standard Blacktrax rate of $185/hr., our basic protocol includes but is not limited to:
1) Cold start
2) Warm up
3) Idle
4) Part throttle tuning – get the most value for your dollar by increasing mpg
5) Low & high cam tuning for variable valve timing engines
6) Cam phasing & Cross-over
7) WOT tuning
8) Rev limit
And remember, visiting the same dyno consistently also provides the added benefit of having the tuner be familiar with each individual’s setup. Blacktrax keeps a cataloged backup of all dyno log history as well as individual custom tunes. Even in these tough economic times, Blacktrax's choice of the Dynapack system, along with expert ECU tuning by Jei Chang, offers the most value and knowledge to any performance car owner wishing to take their vehicle’s power-production capability to the next level.
