Going to tune; Precautions to take beforehand?

[Goallie11]

Now that I'm home for the summer and the weather's warm I'm going to start tuning and was wondering if theres anything I should do before I start to make sure nothing goes wrong.

I was thinking a compression test and leak down test, and pressure test. Do I really need to worry about doing compression tests and leak down, or should I just get out there and start? Any other things I should do?

[mb3000]

If you know your car is (or has been) running well there isn't too much of a reason to do a compression and leak down test. Pressure test is a must.

[vr3.9]

Yes, check for boost leaks. Make sure all your fluids are good.
How many psi are you going for?
What's your plug gap? Is it small enough for the boost levels.
What are you logging with?
What are you tuning with?

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

oil change, new plugs, radar detector, full tank of gas

[Goallie11]

Yes, check for boost leaks. Make sure all your fluids are good.
How many psi are you going for?
What's your plug gap? Is it small enough for the boost levels.
What are you logging with?
What are you tuning with?

I don't have a set amount of psi I'm aiming for, I'll just start off low and work my way up til I hit too much knock.
I don't know the plug gap either, but that's something I can easily check.
I'll be using mmcd and a laptop to monitor and see wideband, and I'm using an emanage blue to tune.

[UTRacerX9]

Good ideas posted already, I would second the oil change comment, but just use dino oil until you get your tune down. If you are running too rich, you may contaminate your oil with fuel, and have to change it quickly, so you don't want it to cost so much.

Also, put some new copper plugs in.

[Goallie11]

Copper plugs just for tuning or for afterwards also?

[UTRacerX9]

I have coppers in mine all the time, primarily because they are cheap and work well. I've done the platinum, iridium, supermagical plug thing, and it costs a lot to have to change plugs when you foul them from a bad tune or if something goes wrong. If your engine bay is cleaned up so you can remove the plenum easily to change the rear plugs, I'd say stick with coppers.

[Goallie11]

Ok I'll have to check mine and see what they are and what the gap is, then go get some new ones in case I foul some. Running on the tune its got now though it hasn't fouled any, and it runs ~14.0 with city driving right now. I don't know if thats rich enough to have already fouled them or not, but getting new oens is always a good idea.

So lets see:
oil change (what should I go with if I normally run rotella?)
new plugs, properly gapped
boost check
check fluids
find radar detector to borrow

Missing anything?

[rawavr4]

I'd keep the rotella because its already cheap. And tune in the early morning. I see the least amount of traffic around then.

[Goallie11]

I just checked my spark plugs and the gap was around .40, which I believe is too big for proper boost correct? Again I don't have a boost I'm shooting for, but the turbo's are old style Dr-650's

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

gap to .028 if you are trying to run moderate boost.

[Goallie11]

Ok I'll gap them to that.