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does G-tech work?

Dyno time at a reputable shop, with a well qualified dyno operator is the only way to go to get a accurate HP/ TQ reading, and you get the added bonus of seeing how the power is made across the whole powerband.
 
does the G-Tech work to measure horsepower?

Here's my few cents worth;

The G-tech can't replace a good dyno for tuning. A good tuning dyno is able to provide a steady load on the vehicle and then hold that load anyplace in the powerband. Many dynos are not good dynos and provide the same info you can get from the G-tech.

Many Dynos are simply large rollers of a known mass connected to a computer. Your truck applies maximum power to the rollers and the computer measures how quickly your truck accelerated these rollers. The computer also keeps track of your RPMs so it can tell where, in the power band, the most rapid acceleration took place. How quickly did your truck accelerate these rollers of a known mass (weight)? That's how much torque you truck produced at full throttle, your hoursepower is then calculated. These dynos can't apply a specific load at a specific engine speed for real time tuning.

The G-Tech is very similar to this type of Dyno. By using a very sensitive accelerometer it also measures how quickly you accelerate a known mass (the weight of your truck, you need to weigh your truck with you in it). It also keeps track of your RPMs so it knows where, in the power band, the most acceleration and torque took place. Your horsepower is then calculated.

Both of these are only useful for getting a baseline and comparing the changes a modification made. Both can give you a printout of your torque and HP curves.

The big difference is the controlled environment the dyno lives in. The G-tech instrument itself is very accurate and repeatable. In order for the G-tech to be useful you need to control the environment as much as possible. Use the same stretch of road each time. Make a run in each direction, average the readings to cancell out the uphill/downhill variable. Keep the weight of the truck the same. Try for similar weather conditions.

The G-tech is likely to give you a lower power reading because it also has to deal with wind resistance and rolling resistance which aren't present with a dyno. It's like combining a dyno and a drag strip.

The downside of the G-tech is the environmental variable. The upside is it's yours to use as often as you want. It will be at least as accurate as a run at the drag stip in comparing vehicle modifications. Combine it with a data logger such as EFIlive and you will get a ton of real world tuning information whenever you want.

kw

 
The other useful thing about a G-tech if it's the unit I think it is, is that it will measure lateral acceleration as well, so it will tell you how well your rig corners or how well you drive it regarding slowing toward the apex of a turn and then accelerating out of it. At least, I think this is the device I'm thinking of that does that.

 
it will measure lateral acceleration

You are right!

It will measure your lateral G-force. It will record the Gs it took to break you loose and give you a warning light the next time you get close to that G-force.

It will also give you a shift light when it senses that you have reached maximum power in that gear.

It will measure;

your reaction time,
your 60' time
your 300' time
your 0-60mph time
1/8 and 1/4 mile times
plus a pant load of other performance measurements I can't remember.

A dyno will give you precise HP readings. Your time slip will tell if you ran quicker or slower. The G-tech will tell you how and why your performance improved.

kw

 
My tuppence worth:

G-Tech (or in my case Tazzo) is an essential for anyone who is modifying and wants to be able to see the benefits quantified.

Unless you got lots of spare time and spare cash, a trip to the dyno every time you change something is gonna be impractical.

I use mine to check 0-60 times and power after each mod. The power figure will seem low but it should be consistent if you do as in the previous post.

Then you can see how little gain you get from your intake kit and make the decision to get NOS or a supercharger!
 
metalguru said:
Unless you got lots of spare time and spare cash, a trip to the dyno every time you change something is gonna be impractical.

I use mine to check 0-60 times and power after each mod. The power figure will seem low but it should be consistent if you do as in the previous post.

I agree. The point here isn't to see exactly how many horses you have at the back wheels, as that is nothing more than a bragging number anyway. The point is to see how many MORE horses you have after making a change to your ride. The more you can keep everything else the same (road, wind, temperature, etc.) the more accurate it will be. Dynos get rid of most of those variables for you, but you pay through the nose for it.

 
I've got a Tazzo unit, as mentioned by gandolphxx above, I'd be willing to sell. Send me a pm if interested.
www.tazzo.com for specs/details
 
Has anyone seen the new one from Escort??? Makers of radar detectors??? I saw it in the latest edition of Car & Driver but wondered if it is brand new or similar to others out there. :B: (y) ;D :cool:
 
What is the difference between devices like the Tazzo and G-tech versus Autotap? Is it just due to the need for a laptop/pc with Autotap or is there more to it?
 
G-tech versus Autotap

Hey Joe,

That's a tougher question than it sounds!

Autotap gets it's info from the truck's computer sensors. G-Tech uses G force and time to get it's readings. One is electronic the other is physical. One is theory the other performance.

A-tap would be the thing to have if you were also to try programming your computer with LS1Edit.

You could use it to calculate some actual performance numbers the G-tech provides but no where near as convenient or complete.

A-tap is essential if your are going to tune the PCM. It can still provide a lot of data on how your truck is running and why but it can be real boring if you don't understand all the data. It just gives you numbers, you have to figure out what they mean.

The G-tech will give you instant gratification. If you think new headers made the truck quicker G-tech will confirm or deny your impression. It will also measure a lot of other physical performance functions that Atap doesn't. Cornering, braking, reaction time, time to distance calculations,etc.

You can't get everything with either one.

Gtech for mod installer/driver people.
Atap and LS1edit for computer tuners.
Get both if you want to do it all.

kw


 
Redshift,

Thanks for taking the time to educate me.

11H seems to have located the next toy for my beast but a G-tech probably won't be far behind it! >:D

Joe
 
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