Tuning a Supercharged 2001 Chevrolet S-10 - Power From a PC

7. With everything bolted on and ready to rock 'n' roll, we had one last chance to double-check our modifications before the moment of truth. Notice the Edelbrock injectors coming off the Vortech hat; that menacing look means power!

8. It was time to strap the truck onto the Superior Automotive dyno. Shawn Ellis, owner of SoCal Tuning, went to work by loading the new Perfect Power software onto his laptop. Shawn was accustomed to looking at timing and fuel charts. It's this kind of experience that can make a difference when generating more power.

9. After logging in and setting up the S-10's data to the program, the baseline fuel and timing figures were acquired. By using the AEM UEGO A/F ratio gauge, Auto Meter Fuel Pressure, and Auto Meter Boost gauges in the triple A-pillar pod, we were able to monitor these two key pieces in the horsepower puzzle.

10. Starting with the fuel chart, Shawn was able to adjust the fuel-injector pulse width every 50 rpm, based on the fuel pressure and air/fuel ratio. Using the load deflection of each injector amperage, an exact point was able to be calculated and adjusted to make certain the injectors were sending the right amount of fuel.

11. Switching over to the ignition chart, Shawn continued to monitor and adjust the timing to ensure there was no detonation and that the fuel would burn at just the right level. A great feature of the SMT-6 is the ability to override an aftermarket ignition system like the Crane Cams H-6R that came with the Vortech kit.

12. Several strong pulls later, the newly-tuned 4.3L put out 247 hp to the wheels, with an increase of 91 hp. That is an awesome improvement, due to just a couple of minutes clicking the mouse on a laptop. With the Venom digital-nitrous system installed, the truck should make 293 hp, based on previous dyno runs and maintaining safe percentage levels. If you're tired of adding new performance bolt-ons and not noticing a difference, contact a tuner near you, because the computer makes all of the difference.