Piggyback Tuning MEGATHREAD

[RwYeAsNt]

Welcome to the piggyback tuning megathread. The idea is for this to be a 1-stop-shop for all the available information on tuning chips as well as a place to get your questions answered.

Come here to find known information and vehicle configurations, and this thread will be continually updated as new information is discovered to remain relevant and up to date.

Please be advised that we are still in the early days of tuning and the information below is subject to changes. The information below isn't a guarantee, but rather a collection of manufacturer requirements/recommendations and user feedback.

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RACECHIP:

Requirements:

-91 octane fuel or above
​

Recommendations:

-93 octane fuel or above
-Re-gap/replace spark plugs to 0.024 - 0.028
​

Warnings:

-Do NOT use RaceChip with 87 or below octane fuel. *Worth noting that a stock Stinger calls for mininum 91 octane fuel in general.​

91 Octane Fuel
Please choose one of the following options:

1. Re-gap or replace your spark plugs:
   All drive modes are compatible.
   *In rare cases the highest mode ("Race" mode for app-enable devices, setting 6 & 7 for non-app devices) might be too aggressive for 91 octane. If your car is not running as smooth as it should, please lower the mapping.
2. Unmodified stock spark plugs:
   • Use only low mappings of the GTS Black
     Please DO NOT use the Race mode (if you don't have the app, please DO NOT use mapping 6 or 7).
     The maximum mode is Sport (or 5).
   • Buy the RaceChip RS
     The RS adds less boost and less power. You can use it in all modes.

93-98 Octane Fuel

You can use all modes/mappings.
Re-gapping is not required
​

Kia Stinger installation guide:

https://stingerforum.org/racechip-installation-guide.pdf
​

Troubleshooting and fine tuning:

Fine-tuning & Troubleshooting

​

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Please let me know should you find any errors with the information and I will edit it as needed.

​

 

[RwYeAsNt]

Hey everyone, I so far only have solid information on RaceChip as that is what I have been primarily dealing with. As far as the other tuning options (LAP3, JB4, etc..) I'd ask that people please post their findings and information and it will be added to the post.

Thank you all for your help in building this tool for our community.

 

[KLR STINGER]

Also to be clear, running higher Octane and tightening the spark plug gap are mutually exclusive and solutions to different problems.

Higher Octane will allow more timing and boost to be run, reducing likely hood of detonation( aka knock...which is the spontaneous ignition of the combustion process, not triggered by the spark flame front). If knock is detected from the engine knock sensors timing, boost and ETC maps are adjusted to stop the detonation from occurring, meaning torque and HP are reduced to protect the motor. This is a safety mechanism, as detonation is uncontrolled combustion, that can be very damaging to the engine. Particularly to piston ring lands, connecting rods and valves.

Higher Octane fuel burns slower and has a reduced propensity to detonate under high heat and pressure scenarios( ie in Turbo or FI engines), and is required to run the engine at its peak performance in its state of tune. ( Ie appropriate timing control of combustion). This allows engine make peak power and torque.

Spark Gap is directly related to spark blow out, which is the underlying cause of misfires on either stock or tuned engines. Under transition to boost, especially in DI motors with High compression and small cylinder head quench pads, spark can literally be blown out or suppressed due to a sudden and sustained transition in cyl pressures. Forced induction cars will experience this with either too much initial spark plug gap, or down the line as the gap erodes due to exposure to the combustion process. Bottom line, large spark plug gap and high performance operation or tuning are incompatible, and if you want to avoid misfires stock or tuned gap must be corrected to .022-26 range for optimal performance no matter what Octane fuel you use.

Both of these things are basic tuning mechanics, and have nothing to do with any one piggy back platform, vendor or user of the products directly. They are both however 100% pre-requisites for running a turbo motor for high performance purposes, and are 100% required for tuning. You must do both if you want to run your turbo motor reliably and at peak power. I hope RC and all other Vendors make this clear going forward.

 

[4wheelpilot]

Also to be clear, running higher Octane and tightening the spark plug gap are mutually exclusive and solutions to different problems.

Higher Octane will allow more timing and boost to be run, reducing likely hood of detonation( aka knock...which is the spontaneous ignition of the combustion process, not triggered by the spark flame front). If knock is detected from the engine knock sensors timing, boost and ETC maps are adjusted to stop the detonation from occurring, meaning torque and HP are reduced to protect the motor. This is a safety mechanism, as detonation is uncontrolled combustion, that can be very damaging to the engine. Particularly to piston ring lands, connecting rods and valves.

Higher Octane fuel burns slower and has a reduced propensity to detonate under high heat and pressure scenarios( ie in Turbo or FI engines), and is required to run the engine at its peak performance in its state of tune. ( Ie appropriate timing control of combustion). This allows engine make peak power and torque.

Spark Gap is directly related to spark blow out, which is the underlying cause of misfires on either stock or tuned engines. Under transition to boost, especially in DI motors with High compression and small cylinder head quench pads, spark can literally be blown out or suppressed due to a sudden and sustained transition in cyl pressures. Forced induction cars will experience this with either too much initial spark plug gap, or down the line as the gap erodes due to exposure to the combustion process. Bottom line, large spark plug gap and high performance operation or tuning are incompatible, and if you want to avoid misfires stock or tuned gap must be corrected to .022-26 range for optimal performance no matter what Octane fuel you use.

Both of these things are basic tuning mechanics, and have nothing to do with any one piggy back platform, vendor or user of the products directly. They are both however 100% pre-requisites for running a turbo motor for high performance purposes, and are 100% required for tuning. You must do both if you want to run your turbo motor reliably and at peak power. I hope RC and all other Vendors make this clear going forward.

I'll be new to the performance mods of a turbocharged engine.
So greatly appreciate your thorough explanations and pre reqisites.

 

[Rango]

Purchased the Racechip GTS Black but have yet to install it. I will run 93 octane always and I see that that the plugs have to regapped. Can the stock plugs being regapped handle the tune. If not, what plugs are recommended.

 

[Dustin]

Purchased the Racechip GTS Black but have yet to install it. I will run 93 octane always and I see that that the plugs have to regapped. Can the stock plugs being regapped handle the tune. If not, what plugs are recommended.

What motor do you have? And it’s all over the forum that regapping the plugs if definitely recommended when using a piggyback chip. Guys are regapping the stock plugs with good results using the JB4 and Racechip but it’s still early in the tuning process as stated above and only time will tell. I have replaced my plugs with HKS but they are rather expensive.

 

[Rango]

What motor do you have? And it’s all over the forum that regapping the plugs if definitely recommended when using a piggyback chip. Guys are regapping the stock plugs with good results using the JB4 and Racechip but it’s still early in the tuning process as stated above and only time will tell. I have replaced my plugs with HKS but they are rather expensive.

3.3TT

 

[Dustin]

3.3TT

Good choice! I installed the HKS45il, others are using the HKS40il. The stock NGK seem to be doing ok regapped if you want to save some $$$. @KLR STINGER has some very good posts on the forum if your interested in reading about tuning and the related issues.

 

[Diggerdale]

Welcome to the piggyback tuning megathread. The idea is for this to be a 1-stop-shop for all the available information on tuning chips as well as a place to get your questions answered.

Come here to find known information and vehicle configurations, and this thread will be continually updated as new information is discovered to remain relevant and up to date.

Please be advised that we are still in the early days of tuning and the information below is subject to changes. The information below isn't a guarantee, but rather a collection of manufacturer requirements/recommendations and user feedback.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RACECHIP:

Requirements:

-91 octane fuel or above
​

Recommendations:

-93 octane fuel or above
-Re-gap/replace spark plugs to 0.024 - 0.028
​

Warnings:

-Do NOT use RaceChip with 87 or below octane fuel. *Worth noting that a stock Stinger calls for mininum 91 octane fuel in general.​

91 Octane Fuel
Please choose one of the following options:

1. Re-gap or replace your spark plugs:
   All drive modes are compatible.
   *In rare cases the highest mode ("Race" mode for app-enable devices, setting 6 & 7 for non-app devices) might be too aggressive for 91 octane. If your car is not running as smooth as it should, please lower the mapping.
2. Unmodified stock spark plugs:
   • Use only low mappings of the GTS Black
     Please DO NOT use the Race mode (if you don't have the app, please DO NOT use mapping 6 or 7).
     The maximum mode is Sport (or 5).
   • Buy the RaceChip RS
     The RS adds less boost and less power. You can use it in all modes.

93-98 Octane Fuel

You can use all modes/mappings.
Re-gapping is not required
​

Kia Stinger installation guide:

https://stingerforum.org/racechip-installation-guide.pdf
​

Troubleshooting and fine tuning:

Fine-tuning & Troubleshooting

​

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please let me know should you find any errors with the information and I will edit it as needed.

​

AWESOME THREAD! Thanks so much for taking on this initiative.

 

[Diggerdale]

Good choice! I installed the HKS45il, others are using the HKS40il. The stock NGK seem to be doing ok regapped if you want to save some $$$. @KLR STINGER has some very good posts on the forum if your interested in reading about tuning and the related issues.

If the only mod you will ever have is RC GTS Black and you only run 93 octane, which, if any, would you consider a higher risk...gapping down the stock plugs or replacing with HKS and risking potential warranty issue down the road? Thanks.

 

[Dustin]

If the only mod you will ever have is RC GTS Black and you only run 93 octane, which, if any, would you consider a higher risk...gapping down the stock plugs or replacing with HKS and risking potential warranty issue down the road? Thanks.

Risk wise? I would install new plugs “My opinion”. I however am pretty mechanically inclined so if the situation ever occurs I will reinstall the factory plugs with the stock gap and then take to the dealer for warranty work. The cost for new plugs is rather expensive, though it is almost a necessary evil for tuning the car.

 

[Diggerdale]

Risk wise? I would install new plugs “My opinion”. I however am pretty mechanically inclined so if the situation ever occurs I will reinstall the factory plugs with the stock gap and then take to the dealer for warranty work. The cost for new plugs is rather expensive, though it is almost a necessary evil for tuning the car.

That helps a lot...thanks. Guess i’ll change them then (appt with a good shop on thurs) and see if they’ll let me hang around and watch. I’ll bet they will. I’ve seen the Tork how-to video posted on this forum, but didn’t want to take it on. Thinking if I watched it once, i’d have no problem forward.

 

[Dustin]

That helps a lot...thanks. Guess i’ll change them then (appt with a good shop on thurs) and see if they’ll let me hang around and watch. I’ll bet they will. I’ve seen the Tork how-to video posted on this forum, but didn’t want to take it on. Thinking if I watched it once, i’d have no problem forward.

Torques video was very informative! Not sure what the shop is going to charge you but it wasn’t very hard to do in my garage and only took about 45 mins to do it. However I did a few things different when I removed the intake to make things easier. Are you installing new plugs or having the factory once’s regapped?

 

[Diggerdale]

Torques video was very informative! Not sure what the shop is going to charge you but it wasn’t very hard to do in my garage and only took about 45 mins to do it. However I did a few things different when I removed the intake to make things easier. Are you installing new plugs or having the factory once’s regapped?

I’m thinking i’m going to have them install new. They quoted me 2 hours and $200 to regap. I run 93 octane now, but just found a place close to me I can get 94. Can’t help wonder if as an option, maybe I just run 94 octane and leave it out of race mode all together and keep stock plugs gapped as is. If I could learn to do it myself, that solves any issue.

 

[Dustin]

I’m thinking i’m going to have them install new. They quoted me 2 hours and $200 to regap. I run 93 octane now, but just found a place close to me I can get 94. Can’t help wonder if as an option, maybe I just run 94 octane and leave it out of race mode all together and keep stock plugs gapped as is. If I could learn to do it myself, that solves any issue.

Dang! That’s a heck of a shop rate per Hr. Are you installing the RaceChip? If so I highly recommend new plugs or at least regap of the stock. Spending that kind of money on a tuner is a waist if you can’t use it to it’s fullest “ when you want to”.

 

[KLR STINGER]

I’m thinking i’m going to have them install new. They quoted me 2 hours and $200 to regap. I run 93 octane now, but just found a place close to me I can get 94. Can’t help wonder if as an option, maybe I just run 94 octane and leave it out of race mode all together and keep stock plugs gapped as is. If I could learn to do it myself, that solves any issue.

Did you not read my post? Gap and octane rating use have nothing to do with one another. You could run 110 vp race gas and still get blow out. Changing the plug gap is 100% required for tuning regardless of fuel octane, and In my opinion required even a stock car. Running higher octane is the prevent detonation/knock and not missfires. This is basic mechanics, and anyone can do this in under an hour. Pay someone to do it if you can't, but do not run a piggy back, or Flash tune without gapping plugs to a boost friendly range of .022-026. PERIOD.

 

[Diggerdale]

Did you not read my post? Gap and octane rating use have nothing to do with one another. You could run 110 vp race gas and still get blow out. Changing the plug gap is 100% required for tuning regardless of fuel octane, and In my opinion required even a stock car. Running higher octane is the prevent detonation/knock and not missfires. This is basic mechanics, and anyone can do this in under an hour. Pay someone to do it if you can't, but do not run a piggy back, or Flash tune without gapping plugs to a boost friendly range of .022-026. PERIOD.

I went back and re-read your post after I posted mine so yeah, I get it. I’m going to get it done

Did you not read my post? Gap and octane rating use have nothing to do with one another. You could run 110 vp race gas and still get blow out. Changing the plug gap is 100% required for tuning regardless of fuel octane, and In my opinion required even a stock car. Running higher octane is the prevent detonation/knock and not missfires. This is basic mechanics, and anyone can do this in under an hour. Pay someone to do it if you can't, but do not run a piggy back, or Flash tune without gapping plugs to a boost friendly range of .022-026. PERIOD.

After I posted that, I went back and re-read the thread. Yeah, I get it and appreciate your looking out for me. I’m going to have the HKS plugs put in on Thurs.

 

[Rango]

Thanks for everyone's input. I am not near a mechanic ... but learning everyday about what and what not to do with my Stinger. Just want to make sure I do not void my warrany. Any internal work will be done at the dealership where I purchased ... and before any work, I will have warranty quarantee in writing ... signed by the manager. KLR STINGER knows his stuff. Watching closely. This forum ROCKS!!! Just got a navigation upgrade card for free because I was here. Thanks again to everyone posting ... KEEP IT COMING!

 

[Dustin]

Thanks for everyone's input. I am not near a mechanic ... but learning everyday about what and what not to do with my Stinger. Just want to make sure I do not void my warrany. Any internal work will be done at the dealership where I purchased ... and before any work, I will have warranty quarantee in writing ... signed by the manager. KLR STINGER knows his stuff. Watching closely. This forum ROCKS!!! Just got a navigation upgrade card for free because I was here. Thanks again to everyone posting ... KEEP IT COMING!

The dealership will not regap your spark plugs..... Just an “FYI”

 

[Rango]

The dealership will not regap your spark plugs..... Just an “FYI”

Racechip will not b

The dealership will not regap your spark plugs..... Just an “FYI”