Would you recommend a Dyno tune?

[XH29N0G]

How many of you would recommend a chassis dyno tune?  I had my 383 stroked to 452 by MM and they dynoed it at a little less than 530 hp and 590 ft-lb.  It is in the car and I am considering a dyno tune because it now has mufflers, accessories, etc... on it and I figure that it would be good to check out the AF and get it tuned. 

Is this a waste of money? 

If a dyno tune is strongly recommended, is there any advice on finding a place?  I am in the Maryland/DC area.  Which puts me close enough to Virginia to go there too. 

Thanks for thoughts.  So far the car is completely different from before, but I do not know if it is right and I know just enough to cause trouble.

[myk]

If you've got the money, time and a tuner that knows what they're doing I'd say it's totally worth it.  Otherwise, what you're doing under the hood with common hand tools is just guessing.  Granted, that's "how it's been done" for decades, but a dyno tune speaks with numbers and facts, not "seat of the pants" science.  The key is to find someone who can do this properly, or it's just a lot of money out the window...

[Cooter]

If you've got the money, time and a tuner that knows what they're doing I'd say it's totally worth it.  Otherwise, what you're doing under the hood with common hand tools is just guessing.  Granted, that's "how it's been done" for decades, but a dyno tune speaks with numbers and facts, not "seat of the pants" science.  The key is to find someone who can do this properly, or it's just a lot of money out the window...

Amen...a lot of kids these days get hung up on "at the feet" numbers. Different chassis dynos give different numbers. I know it wad like this with the white car. (5.0)..

[XH29N0G]

If you've got the money, time and a tuner that knows what they're doing I'd say it's totally worth it.  Otherwise, what you're doing under the hood with common hand tools is just guessing.  Granted, that's "how it's been done" for decades, but a dyno tune speaks with numbers and facts, not "seat of the pants" science.  The key is to find someone who can do this properly, or it's just a lot of money out the window...

Amen...a lot of kids these days get hung up on "at the feet" numbers. Different chassis dynos give different numbers. I know it wad like this with the white car. (5.0)..

Myk,  thanks. 

Cooter,  I think I catch your drift.  I don't actually know much about the numbers myself, but I sure could use guidance in knowing how to find a reputable shop with a dyno if that is the way to go.  You are in Virginia, right?  I do not have a sense of how close to DC, but if you know of someone reputable, and think this is the way to go, I would be interested in the information.

I do not have an AF sensor/gauge, I assume this is also another way to go without the numbers.

Thanks for the responses.

[Cooter]

Every dyno shop I know of (Closer to Lynchburg/Bedford area), charges out the ass. I refuse to give up $600.00/Day for some guy to call himself "tuning" on my junk when I've watched him "tune" on others stuff and wasn't impressed. When I'm paying for every second of time, I expect a little more than basically tuning the damn thing myself, as all he knew was late model Ford's.

[XH29N0G]

Thanks,

So, would you recommend getting an AF gauge and setting slowly working through this myself.  My guess is this will cost less, and I will learn more in the long run.  Lynchburg is far for me now.  I used to be closer.

[myk]

$600 a day/session?  Shoot; out here it's about $1,000 a day/session.  And you just KNOW that won't be the end of it...

[2Luke2]

It depends on who is doing it. When I first supercharged my SRT8 Challenger I tried to get a couple shops to tune it. I ended up spending tons of money for a car running worse than when I brought it to them. I ended up buying a hand held tuner and doing it myself with much better results. There is nothing wrong with using a dyno to fine tune your car, but the biggest recommendation I can give is to make sure to always use the same dyno and make sure to get a good base number. It's not so much of how big the number is, but how much it moves in the right direction with the right curve that you want. I will be the first to admit that I have no clue about carbs though so it's a whole new game for me with some older muscle, but you can also avoid getting ripped off by trying yourself and then getting someone to help after you hit a wall you can't get past. That will give you the knowledge you need to speak with the tuner to make sure he has a clue as to what he/she is doing. I plan on throwing on a wide band to try to help me along the way as I don't have the spark plug reading skills.