Remember how I didn't get the results I was looking for after the head work? Well, I figured the problem would be one of two things. Either my transmission was taking a dump or my ECM was in need of some serious re-programming.

For the longest time people had been suggesting I get a custom program but I kept putting it off due to the fact that I had seen/known too many people getting horrible results from "custom" chips/programes that ended up costing them theire vehicles drivabily and/or masking one problem but creating another at the same time. Up until I did the cylinder heads, my car ran great with the mods I had done, so I just didn't see the "need" to upgrade the chip. After the poor results at the dyno with the heads though, I came to the conclusion that I had surpassed the factory ECM's ability to "learn" and "compensate" for new mods.

After a lot of research, I decided to go with progamming from PCMFORLESS.COM . I had heard many good things about them from others so I decided to give them a try. They responded to all my emails within an hour and told me that on average custormers would see a 3-5 tenth's reduction in 1/4 times and much improved drivability with their "LT4 HOT-CAM" tune. I was sold.

I filled out their applictaion with a list of all the mods I had made. Within three days, I had my chip delivered to me at my work.

I never had time to put the car on the dyno 'cause winter was right around the corner and besides, I didn't have insurance, so I didn't want to take the chance at getting pulled over on the way to the dyno, so I just drove the car around the neighbourhood.

I can't guarentee everyone will get the same rusults I did, but for the record, I was just blown away with the difference in the Formula's performance.

The first thing I noticed was that the exhaust tone was different. It sounded more refined. Less raspy. I shifted the tranny into reverse to get out of my driveway and for the first time, it actualy moved under it's own power ! It never did that. Not even when it was stock. I'd always have to give it gas to get it to move while in reverse. Not so, with the new chip. I only had the car on the road for 5-10 minutes but in that time I got to lay into it a few times and the car responded in a BIG way. I could feel the increase in Torque throughout the rev range. BIG improvment.

Best of all? The car ran soo much smoother than before. Almost as if it were stock again. I had forgotton how smooth she ran when I first got her. The drivabily was reduced with each passing mod, but because the mods were gradual throughout the years, I hadn't really noticed it 'till I had the new chip. It's amazing what a good tuning will do for a car's performance.

With the origional factory chip I had to drive the car around for a long time whenever I unpugged it or disconnected the battery 'cause the car would run like crap. It'd be a good week before the car would run properly again. I know that my new ECM works the same way, so performance/streetability will only be getting better the more I drive it. I can't wait !!

$99 for programming and 60 day free reprogramming, $50 for reprogramming thereafter