Think I would rather spend half the money (or even less...) and get the HP tuner software, convert the electronics to the 96-97 OBDII flavor, and do the tuning myself......

 

I am running the 96/97 pcm/harness, I just don’t currently have the diag port setup but I do have the little OBD port thing I need, I just need to run the wires it wants. How difficult is it to learn the software for it? I’ve never even actually looked at how to tune an engine yourself, that’s why I was leaning towards the snipers because it tunes itself.

Id imagine I don’t need any sort of unlocked PCM like you do with the 2010+ engines

 

Nope. PCM doesn't need to be unlocked, and tuning is a science unto itself. The learning curve is STEEP. The trick is to only make one or two SMALL changes, see what happens, and go from there. Another option would be to take it to a place that will do a dyno tune.... Easiest, fastest, and not hideously expensive.... likely about the same price as buying the software, provided you can find someone in your area that does that trick....

 

Yeah finding a dyno tune around here is difficult, let alone finding someone who actually knows how these engines like to run. I was looking at the FRP tunes but with what I would need to actually get that tune costs almost as much as just getting a standalone.

I think right now is getting the thing to actually want to go at lower rpm, which I’m assuming is the tps, and finding out why on earth the second crank seal in the front is leaking still. I did everything according to what many say to do, loosely install the cover bolts, fully install and tighten the balancer, then tighten the cover bolts fully, but still leaks. It’s not enough to where it’s pissing all over the ground while it’s running but it is enough to soak the crossmember and leave drips as the oil makes its way down. Also of course because it’s on the balancer it gets thrown around to other things and sometimes onto the exhaust so I can smell it burning occasionally.

Im starting to think maybe the Dorman part I ordered isn’t true round and it’s not sealing properly.

 

Replace it with a quality seal....... Put some grease on the inside of the seal, where it rides on the crank, so it doesn't just burn up the first time you start the engine..... Usually, they are really easy. No idea why yours is being so problematic.

 

The first and second time I installed it I used a felpro gasket, and I oiled the balancer quite a bit before install and it went in very easily both times, it’s very odd because I replaced the seal on my v6 and I actually had the cover off like 3 times and still it never leaked.

 

I don't pull the cover to change the seal. Just pop it out, pop in the new one, but it back together.

 

I actually never thought of that, probably would be smart it’s just I feel like I don’t have enough room to be able to get a hammer in there to tap it in because the cover is like 7 inches from the radiator.

 

It's fun, I'll give ya that. But, I have a full size too... so, quite a bit more room to work there. I also have a seal driver set. Used to do this kind of thing for a living, and the right tool makes the job a LOT easier. Might be able to rent them from your local parts store....

 

Yeah I’m tempted to give it a try because it saves me the annoyance of changing the oil and buying a bunch of coolant. I might go buy a harbor freight puller set so while I’m there I might as well buy the seal driver. Both times I installed the seal I got it started by bonking around the seal until all the edges were in, then got a big piece of wood so it would evenly drive in, but it’s possible that could be my issue.