Why do we tune after headers

**hwp** · 10-04-2008, 09:29 PM

Have a friend that has a 06 Daytona. We want to put headers on the car (dont know what brand yet) we have been reading about how many of you have your cars tuned after header install. Why do you need to do this. Will not the computer adjust fuel/air ratio to the new flow or will it throw a code? new to the modern electronic age of makeing your car go fast.

**tlrche** · 10-04-2008, 10:41 PM

... more knowledge techs will chime in, But to my knlowedge the car would run BETTER after a tune. You opening up the air flow so much that more fuel ect. would be needed,

**BAMF** · 10-05-2008, 12:47 AM

I'm no tuner either, but retuning is often just taking advantage of untapped potential in an engine. A good tune on an almost completely stock car will result in a net gain of a significant amount of horsepower. This gain increases the further you get from stock, such as with the greater mass of air available after adding aftermarket headers.

My personal opinion is that it has more to do with money and common sense than modern technology. Headers are expensive. If you're spending $500-$1500 on headers, then spending $100 on tuning is well worth the expense to turn a 10-20HP increase into a 30-50HP increase.

**Super T** · 10-05-2008, 11:55 AM

Yeah... it can compensate just fine, but once you open the breathing that much (assuming you also have cats and a cat-back) the car can really benefit more from a tune than it could stock.