Visconti Stage 1 NA Tune Pump & e85 Review
 

When I was reading about John Visconti's tunes along time ago I knew I wanted to get it. I saw that his gains were pretty significant on a bone stock car with pump gas (~13whp maybe - not sure specifically). The E85 gains blew me away (~35whp).

If you consider that these are whp numbers it is like saying that instead of the car having 200hp, it is more like 220hp for pumpgas, and more like 245hp on e85. If this car actually came from the factory with 245hp I think alot of people would be much happier, and maybe the magazines wouldn't be saying the car is under powered.

Anyways. I flashed the car the other night with the pump gas tune (fairly straight forward to BTW -I have never flashed a car before). I followed the steps and then let the car idle for 5 minutes. Then I went inside and scarffed down my dinner because I wanted to rush out and test out the car.

Before I bought this tune, I was thinking that the 13whp wouldn't be all that noticable. Was I ever wrong!!! The car has completely changed!!! the increase in power is definitly noticable. Not huge by any means, but noticable. But this by far is not the best part. The best part is everything else that has changed. The throttle response is MUCH more crisp and quick. The engine note has completely changed. There is much more of a growel under the hood - especially above 3500 rpm. The torque dip is almost completely gone. The increased rev limit is awesome! When you shift from 1st to 2nd at 7800rpm and kick the clutch back there is much more of a learch forward from the car than ever before. I think this is because the car shifts more in the powerband now. then there is all the cool features luke launch control, traction control etc...

Now I gotta get through my tank of pumpgas and try out the e85 tune.

Review of e85 pending...


@Visconti great job on the tune :clap: :happy0180: :burnrubber:

So a few weeks later now and I have had a chance to flash the e85 tune on to the ECU.

Back story: I have been testing my gas light and fuel gauge to see how 'low I can go'. Well for the past two days I have been driving around with my gas light on and today. I decided it was empty enough to go get e85. I put a few Jerry Cans in the trunk in the morning and went off to work. After work I went to the local gas station that sells e85. I got stuck in a LOT of stop and go traffic on the way there. I filled up the Jerry cans with 45 litres of corn juice and left for home. Got stuck in bad traffic again. I was so nervous that I would run out of gas on the way with all this e85 in the trunk and know way to use it (lap top is at home). Anyways I made it home but I am sure that I had mere drops left in the tank. I tested the ethanol content of the fuel (was thinking that being in Canada, we would still be on the e70 winter blend) sure enough it was spot on e85. I filled up the tank with corn juice and flashed the car.

The car started up without hesitation and idled flawlessly for 5 minutes. I turned off the car and put my laptop away. Went back out to the car to go for a rip. now here is where I kind of wishes I had gone straight from bone stock to e85. But as you know I went from bong stock to 93 octane tune and then to e85 tune. The increase in performance, like before was very noticeable, but if I had jumped straight to e85 I think I would have been more excited about it.

With that said, I love the e85 tune! Just like the 93 tune, I can feel the increased power and torque. All the aspects of my review above are the same except there is more power and torque. The torque dip, like above, is still there but barely. It does feel like the dip got shorter too. One thing I noticed is that in low gear at below 2000rpm it feels like there is a bit less power, but there is definitely more everywhere above 2000rpm, so maybe that is causing this feeling.

The engine does seem to like corn juice better, it feels a bit smoother, but maybe that's just me.

Anyways, e85 is awesome!!! I am happy I got this tune and luckily the station with e85 is only about 10-15 miles away. Not too much of an inconvenience. Also corn is $1.16 per litre there where 91 octane was $1.32 per litre.

To the ottawa guys. GreenStop (2mins from my work) is out of business. The only station I know of is the McEwen on bank.

ugh i want this so bad, but I am holding out for the flex fuel kit he is promising. that way I will be able to fill up with whatever I have available.

thanks for the review

makes both of us

I'm really looking forward to get myself an E85 tune when it's avaliable here in Sweden.

Especially since E85 is avaliable everywhere here in Sweden and i got 4-5 places just within 1km of radius :D

About 30whp more on this car would be how the car was supposed to be from factory!

Nice review... and I totally concur.

Have you been logging gas mileage before and after? I keep seeing references to an increase but haven't really found any numbers.

No I haven't been. But I have noticed slightly better mileage when on cruise control.

Th problem is the tune makes you want to use the throttle more than before.

Was your car bone stock when you did a stage 1 tune? Where did you purchase this tune at? I have never done flashed my self. SO you just did a e85 right off the bat with stock everything?

I'm holding out for Flex Fuel as well. Once Vortech is CARB approved I'll be adding that assuming it's compatible with Visconti flex kit & tune.
@Visconti How long before I can throw money at you for flex fuel? Will it work with Vortech?

I purchased it directly from John Visconti.

The car was bone stock and I have flashed only the 91/93 octane pump gas tune.

Still waiting to flash the e85 tune.

I'd like to see an actual dyno of these before and after.

The benefits of e85 are not seen very well a Dino. Dino does not show throttle response, and how quickly rpm can rise so much faster on e85. Its very useful for competition, hdpe and autos. Night and day. Not just for the minor hp increase. Just be prepared for a big hit 30% to you gas mileage

Dino..damn auto