2019 Buick Regal GS AWD Tune and CAI??

[2007LucerneCXL]

Back to the tune on a NA, as so clearly stated that it's not worth the money for a small gain of a few HP, maybe even a little improved MPG along with a smoother power curve, got it and understood it's wasted money. Now about those aftermarket wheels performance specs on HP and torque improvements LMAO.

It's all perspective, like all Buick’s owner's are old farts whose only reason they don't like SUV's is it to high to lift their walker's in to.

I'm from a different time where any improvement, no matter on size, was good as in my former other world where tool-path, G & M codes were being tweaked for removing seconds out of productions. On a single dashboard mold its foolish, on a volume production transmission valve body it's a great ROI. Same on a car, a one day track event not worth it, but on a daily driver it has a return if not in dollars at least on driving experience.

As for adding more equipment to get a 50 to 100 HP gain, well that 1995 Lesabre POS in front of you in bumper to bumper traffic has the same preformance level with no mods LOL. Talk about a ROI, plus it can park next to the cart corral at Wal-Mart with out worry of dents.

Those Ebay and other off the shelf chips are crap, but when a statement is made that no NA car from 1990 can be tuned, it's like saying all Buick owners.......

Worth it, each owner makes a decision on value to them, I wouldn't do it until other items had been installed not because it is right it's that I'm to lazy to go do it twice.

 

[Rhetoric]

Back to the tune on a NA, as so clearly stated that it's not worth the money for a small gain of a few HP, maybe even a little improved MPG along with a smoother power curve, got it and understood it's wasted money. Now about those aftermarket wheels performance specs on HP and torque improvements LMAO.

It's all perspective, like all Buick’s owner's are old farts whose only reason they don't like SUV's is it to high to lift their walker's in to.

I'm from a different time where any improvement, no matter on size, was good as in my former other world where tool-path, G & M codes were being tweaked for removing seconds out of productions. On a single dashboard mold its foolish, on a volume production transmission valve body it's a great ROI. Same on a car, a one day track event not worth it, but on a daily driver it has a return if not in dollars at least on driving experience.

As for adding more equipment to get a 50 to 100 HP gain, well that 1995 Lesabre POS in front of you in bumper to bumper traffic has the same preformance level with no mods LOL. Talk about a ROI, plus it can park next to the cart corral at Wal-Mart with out worry of dents.

Those Ebay and other off the shelf chips are crap, but when a statement is made that no NA car from 1990 can be tuned, it's like saying all Buick owners.......

Worth it, each owner makes a decision on value to them, I wouldn't do it until other items had been installed not because it is right it's that I'm to lazy to go do it twice.

Well said! I’m a fan of tuning (hardware and software) regardless of the induction type. Hell, I modded the injection pump on my ‘81 NA diesel Rabbit to eek more power out and didn’t have to dive into the complexity of turbo land.

Sometimes the ‘on paper gains’ can’t show how a tune can change things like throttle response through the rev range and MPG bumps. At this point I’m quite happy with the LTG in the TourX, but if a tune was offered for the transmission I’d buy it immediately.

 

[L J]

Unfortunately my idea of a NA engine is more than likely different than some others and a small gain in performance was always welcomed. I spent some good money on chasing down everything I could squeeze out my high school car and was happy with a 5 HP increase when I found it. More smiles per gallon also increased significantly LOL.

View attachment 13142

I tend to keep my cars pretty stock, I learned my lesson putting headers on 70 TA. Made it loud like my buddys 428 CJ with headers open. Gained nothing but problems and being able to open at dragstrip for few tenths.

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

LMAO, NA to tune or not to tune. It's when a Bozo who reads something on the misinformation highway and then states it the only truth and all other facts stating otherwise are wrong well there may be a debate. If owner see's value in doing it, then it's their choice to toss a tune on a NA engine after looking at all the facts.

Is that synthetic or petroleum oil for that use and what has been your experience with it? Sorry I'm from the upper Midwest and not familiar with the Redneck ways.

 

[L J]

LMAO, NA to tune or not to tune. It's when a Bozo who reads something on the misinformation highway and then states it the only truth and all other facts stating otherwise are wrong well there may be a debate. If owner see's value in doing it, then it's their choice to toss a tune on a NA engine after looking at all the facts.

Is that synthetic or petroleum oil for that use and what has been your experience with it? Sorry I'm from the upper Midwest and not familiar with the Redneck ways.

Still funny... Back in 70 was using conventional Pennzoil for racing in 70 TA. For years been using Mobil1, was specified for Typhoon back in 93. You will have to ask stoopid about his fondness for 10w30, may be drinking it but thats his business.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Discussion cleaned. Thank you for the reports. This is not Facebook. Stay on topic. And keep political arguments out of this community.

 

[BoostedRegal2.0]

LMAO, NA to tune or not to tune. It's when a Bozo who reads something on the misinformation highway and then states it the only truth and all other facts stating otherwise are wrong well there may be a debate. If owner see's value in doing it, then it's their choice to toss a tune on a NA engine after looking at all the facts.

Is that synthetic or petroleum oil for that use and what has been your experience with it? Sorry I'm from the upper Midwest and not familiar with the Redneck ways.

Yeah Steve Dinan knows nothing about tuning cars. What the heck was I thinking by believing that he did. And this Wikipedia page devoted to his accomplishments in the automotive field is all lies.

Dinan Cars - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

The top of that devoted page states clearly: "This article contains content that is written like an advertisement."
So everyone can draw their own conclusion and opinion as they can about a tune on a NA engine.

 

[BoostedRegal2.0]

Gramps obviously you know nothing about making cars faster if you don't know that Dinan really has accomplished what is written on that Wikipedia page. But then I have found that you think you know everything but in actuality you know very little, so it's not surprising to me that you would say that.

Why don't you go to the old folks home and tell them your fake stories of your accomplishments, I'm sure they would believe you LOL. I have many years of experience making cars faster AND working in a machine shop. It's obvious that you don't, you just talk a good game.

 

[RyeLou]

I tuned the 6.0 in my G8 and it gained very little power. If you want to see a huge increase in power you need a headers and a CAI and a cam along with a tune specifically for those mods.

What’s your definition of “very little?” I tuned my 6.0 in a G8 I had and picked up decent poker. I tuned the 6.2 in my SS and picked up about the same HP and TQ.

You won’t see numbers like a car with a turbo, but usually you’re 15-20 HP and about the same TQ. Admittedly most cars seem to pick up more performance from a transmission tune as opposed to the increased power you get from the engine tune, but they go hand in hand.

Personally, I think the GS is designed very well. The intake is more than good enough as people have pointed out. And the transmission is pretty good for a stock tune. You could firm up the shifts a little bit but that’s about it. Again, personally, the 3.6 is just underpowered for the car. No tune is going to make it feel like it should simply based on power.

If a tune does come out I’d strongly consider it based on the transmission tune. The power is a lost cause but again it’s just part of the package usually.

For concerns about reliability and longevity, the engine has been around a while and is more than capable. I’d be more concerned about the transmission but on an otherwise stock car you won’t have a problem.

 

[BoostedRegal2.0]

Very little means it was hardly noticeable, which is what a 15-20 hp gain amounts to. On the other hand I noticed a big power gain when I tuned my turbo Regal, specially in the lower RPM range. So now I don't have to go wide open throttle and rev it so high to get it moving fast, and that will prolong the life of my motor.

I don't feel the transmission tune really did much for my car, but it does shift a whole lot quicker/firmer now. So that allows the motor to make better use of the added power and keep it in the sweet spot of the power band after it shifts.

 

[G-252911]

Very little means it was hardly noticeable, which is what a 15-20 hp gain amounts to. On the other hand I noticed a big power gain when I tuned my turbo Regal, specially in the lower RPM range. So now I don't have to go wide open throttle and rev it so high to get it moving fast, and that will prolong the life of my motor.

I don't feel the transmission tune really did much for my car, but it does shift a whole lot quicker/firmer now. So that allows the motor to make better use of the added power and keep it in the sweet spot of the power band after it shifts.

15-20 HP isn’t insignificant. And what you felt was low end torque. Most turbo cars come with a rather small turbo. When you tune them they spool upquicker but with aftermarket tunes they struggle to hold that boost so power can fall off significantly in some cases. Power per dollar a tune is usually one of the better values. Some cars take well to an intake or exhaust or whatever but usually the best value is still in the tune.

I’ve only had two cars that were automatics (prior to the GS). Both the G8 and the SS benefited big time from the transmission tube. Everything else was manual transmissions but the SRT4 and Evo I had were stereotypical cases of what I’d expect out of tuning a factory turbocharged 4 cylinder engine.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

While 15-20 horsepower increases on a naturally aspirated engine aren't exactly "insignificant" - they're not nearly as impressive as the 100 horsepower increases on a boosted engine. That being said, please stop with the nasty attitudes. Remove the ships from your shoulders or this discussion will be closed...

 

[RyeLou]

15-20 HP isn’t insignificant. And what you felt was low end torque. Most turbo cars come with a rather small turbo. When you tune them they spool upquicker but with aftermarket tunes they struggle to hold that boost so power can fall off significantly in some cases. Power per dollar a tune is usually one of the better values. Some cars take well to an intake or exhaust or whatever but usually the best value is still in the tune.

I’ve only had two cars that were automatics (prior to the GS). Both the G8 and the SS benefited big time from the transmission tube. Everything else was manual transmissions but the SRT4 and Evo I had were stereotypical cases of what I’d expect out of tuning a factory turbocharged 4 cylinder engine.

For the record, the above comment was mine. No idea how I managed to screw that up from my phone...

I don't have an issue with everyone having their opinion on this. It comes up a lot in the aftermarket community.

Performance per dollar, a tune is still one of the better mods, even on a N/A engine. Even a few years ago when CAI's gave better results and on the LSx series engines where you can do an intake and headers, you need the tune to get the performance out of it. Short of spending $10k on a supercharger or a turbo setup, there's not always a ton you can do.

My opinion still doesn't change...tune the 3.6, add an intake and exhaust, you can start changing internal engine parts...it'd still leave me disappointed. I would've liked to have seen much closer to 400HP stock...as I'm sure we all would have. How the car drives as it is, it maes for an absolutely wonderful daily driver. The lower HP/TQ than what I would've liked to have seen doesn't ruin it, and I'm happy with the AWD and transmission tuning from the factory. The tires are a bit soft for what it is, but that's easy enough to change.

 

[G-352939]

Like Rhetoric stated, the air intake on the 2018+ Regal (2.0 and 3.6) is very well done and no aftermarket intake is going to outperform it. In many cases aftermarket CAI's reduce HP and TQ.
These ain't the 1990's anymore 😀

No tuning for the 2018+ Regal's yet. Someone who tunes with EFI-Live could tune the car but most who tune GM cars use HPTuners and our 2018+ Regal's are not supperted yet.

Trifecta has a tune. TRIFECTA presents: 2018--Present Buick Regal Sportback / Avenir / TourX Performance Calibration!

 

[G-160728]

I’d recommend keeping the factory air box. CAI’s offer little to no performance upgrade and in most cases allow more fine particles through to the engine.

Factory airboxes on modern cars are good for massive amounts of power... more than any tune on stock internals could muster. I believe this car has an inlet right from the front of the grill into the box, which is truly where you want the cold air from; not from inside the engine bay.

Save your money for good tires and a tune (when one exists).

Boooo!! Another person who knows nothing about CAIs. I love it because these are the folks that need to sit in front of a dyno machine to see the proof. Problem is they still wont believe because they already have misconceptions and lack of knowledge. Yes a CAI does work. I recomend K&N because they have been around for over 40 years now and proven themselves time and time again as the leader in air intake performance.

 

[BoostedRegal2.0]

Obviously you have a lack of knowledge. Years ago when the stock air box and filter were a restriction on airflow a CAI was an improvement. But today the stock airbox and filter flow very well, so adding a CAI will show none to very little improvement in airflow and power output. There are dyno sheets that back this up, so this is why it's been said that a CAI is a waste of money.

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

Biggest issue with Cold Air Intakes on some new cars is they change the air flow enough to mess the MAF readings enough to botch up to air fuel ratio.

For some cars CAI's work well, but for others they don't. And unfortunately our 2.0 turbo engine doesn't benefit from them unless you get a custom wideband dyno tune.

At least the 2018+ Regal has factory wideband oxygen sensor. So no need to install one when tuning.

 

[niklus]

Get the Regal GS, it has preset standard, Sport and Grand Sport tunes only it's the Engine, Transmission, suspension, Strut Dampening and so on.
Well worth the price imo ~ just upgraded myself and drove home in a snow storm, very surefooted and solid.
Had a chance to go Grand Sport mode earlier this morning on the dry roads, that car moves and handles well at 140 mph, coulda went more but wife was with me lol.

 

[riojawagonmaster]

All I would say is that every motor, every oem setup is different. I have put tunes on multiple v6 and had substantial gains well worth the money. Also depends on how aggressive of a tune is over stock.

I agree, it’s all in how well it is tuned from the factory. Maybe the GM 3.6 is done really well and there is not much room for improvement.

On the opposite side coming from and still living the Gen Coupe world, there is a lot to offer for the NA 3.8 in proper tuning.