# Tuning a turbo civic Question **URL:** \ **Category:** PittSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [November 23, 2007, 11:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798 "2007-11-23T11:22:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Craze\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aca169/32.png) [@Craze\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Craze_Z)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 11:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/1 "2007-11-23T11:22:12Z")
Call me an idiot, a moron, whatever you’d like but I just have some questions about tuning a turbo civic. I have a civic and i’m piecing together a turbo setup for it. I’m using a 14b turbo, dsm 450 injectors, and pretty much custom intercooler piping. I have a 99 civic ex - so obd2 P2P ecu. I know i have to get a hold of a p28 and a jumper harness. Heres the question when people say they have a “chipped” ecu, what exactly does that mean. Also, can you drive your car if it’s untuned (i know it would be lean and you couldn’t drive it over a certain RPM’s but could you drive it to a shop to get tuned?)…basically can someone please give me the run down on what i am going to have to do to turbo my civic p.s. although i sound like an idiot - i’m not…i’ve done 3 swaps before, i’ve helped put together a turbo set up or two, i’ve just never really messed with tuning. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Cheeks](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cheeks/32/5930_2.png) [@Cheeks](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cheeks)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 11:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/2 "2007-11-23T11:31:10Z")
a chipped ecu is when someone takes the chip out of the ecu and burns a tune to it, it then uses the basemap from the ecu and the tune to run the car. CROME seems to be the cheap alternative to hondata but you get what you pay for when it comes to tuning/tuning software ---
**Author:** ![bgblockelcamino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bgblockelcamino/32/5997_2.png) [@bgblockelcamino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bgblockelcamino)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 11:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/3 "2007-11-23T11:55:12Z")
don’t think there would be anything wrong with CROME with that setup if you ask me. such a basic turbo setup. ---
**Author:** ![fmfkid250](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fmfkid250/32/5973_2.png) [@fmfkid250](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fmfkid250)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/4 "2007-11-23T14:23:28Z")
crome works great up to 880cc injectors some get away with 1000’s [PGMFI.ORG](http://PGMFI.ORG) [tunewithcrome.com](http://tunewithcrome.com) ---
**Author:** ![Craze\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aca169/32.png) [@Craze\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Craze_Z)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/5 "2007-11-23T15:11:56Z")
ok so what would probably be easiest…trying to find a P28 already chipped or finding an unchipped p28 and getting it chipped what are some ballpark prices on chipping an ecu and gettin just a street tune? after i finish my turbo set up and have the ecu- do i have to trailer it to a shop or would i be able to take an easy and drive it to the shop? i know it would be running lean but how lean would it be? thanks ---
**Author:** ![spoolinsteve](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/spoolinsteve/32/6026_2.png) [@spoolinsteve](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/spoolinsteve)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 7:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/6 "2007-11-23T19:02:06Z")
i dont know hondas, but if you have a map sensor, you could always not hook up the cold side and just wait till you get to the shop and pop it on. ---
**Author:** ![fmfkid250](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fmfkid250/32/5973_2.png) [@fmfkid250](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fmfkid250)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/7 "2007-11-23T19:59:45Z")
> [@On another topic](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/33434/156): > > ok so what would probably be easiest…trying to find a P28 already chipped or finding an unchipped p28 and getting it chipped > > what are some ballpark prices on chipping an ecu and gettin just a street tune? > > after i finish my turbo set up and have the ecu- do i have to trailer it to a shop or would i be able to take an easy and drive it to the shop? i know it would be running lean but how lean would it be? > > thanks It doesent matter if you have a non chipped p28 go to [moates.net](http://moates.net) and order a chip kit and DIY. I used to do a street tune with my own wideband for around $100. I gave up on that right now I just dont have any time available right now for that. \*\*recomend getting a wideband you can pick them up around $250 and will be worth it knowing whats going on. ---
**Author:** ![fmfkid250](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fmfkid250/32/5973_2.png) [@fmfkid250](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fmfkid250)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/8 "2007-11-23T20:00:51Z")
I have a tune of a d16z6 with a 14b and Z6 I would have to look for it I can burn you a chip. ---
**Author:** ![watacanga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@watacanga](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/watacanga)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/9 "2007-11-24T18:53:04Z")
[http://www.phearable.net/](http://www.phearable.net/) they have alot of good info and they can burn you a basemap so that you can drive it to a dyno safely. they also do alot for you like a two step rev limit and vtec engagement etc. ---
**Author:** ![bald1one](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de053/32.png) [@bald1one](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bald1one)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/10 "2007-11-27T18:38:32Z")
get your p28 and your boomslang harness, if your still concerned about running to lean, take your wastegate spring out and you wont build boost period, It will be loud as hell because the diaphram in the wastegate will constantly be open and will let exhaust gasses pass through out your dumptube(if installed). But it will be safe. I drove from Pittsburgh to Philly to get tuned like that, I recomend wearing earplugs. Obviously I wouldnt beat on the car either in this condition so basically drive like a grandma ---
**Author:** ![fmfkid250](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fmfkid250/32/5973_2.png) [@fmfkid250](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fmfkid250)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tuning-a-turbo-civic-question/193798/11 "2007-11-30T08:16:16Z")
Boost it!