How did everyone learn to tune?
How did everyone learn to tune? Yeah I was searching around and then i was looking at all the people that tune, and started wondering...how did everyone learn what they know? did yall learn it on your own? did you have a sinsay (lol) to help you? i've just BARELY started to pick up a tuner and learn how to do this myself, and was needing help. i know this takes a long time to learn. but still....i've always wanted to know how everyone got to where they are at.
I just do a lot of reading, a lot of thinking, and a lot of my own testing and inspection. I've made a ton of mistakes (fortunately, none have blown my motor), and along the way, I learned. Still learning to this day.
Research and lurking on the forums, asking stupid questions without fear from those willing to help. 
Day one I did make the Vette Backfire with the VE tutorial, then entered the reduced power mode while getting on the highway (reloaded the stock tune and made it home OK)...hit the forums found out that happened to others and how they fixed it, and moved from there.
Still learning, but actually enjoying seeing the changes in the car as I go.
Thanks EFI Live guys, and especially TAQuickness for the help.
Day one I did make the Vette Backfire with the VE tutorial, then entered the reduced power mode while getting on the highway (reloaded the stock tune and made it home OK)...hit the forums found out that happened to others and how they fixed it, and moved from there.
Still learning, but actually enjoying seeing the changes in the car as I go.
Thanks EFI Live guys, and especially TAQuickness for the help.
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I first learned how the PCM works and interacts with all the various sensors, this is key. Then I read up on what tables do what. Then I started doing it myself using LS1 Edit and now I have no problem doing it. It really isnt very hard at all. Its just imtimidating at first because of all the big words and acronyms and complicated sounding stuff. Its not that hard to learn.
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Verdad Gallardo yeah intimidation is what keeps me reading the tuning 101 doc over and over lol i've been playing with the scanner looking at how the lines and stuff move up and down, trying to figure out what they doing at what RPM, i'm kind of getting the idea... just wish there was someone i could watch, i learn easier watching than doing it myself (sounds backwards i know) so the majority of you guys have been self taught then fromt the responses been posted right now
not again.... LMAO.
trial and error, i'm an engineer, I f*** with things...
saw this great resource on the internet (ls1tech) and got to know a lot of main people, and a friend here helped me (WS6FirebirdTA00) and Nick williams taught me some, I did trial and error on other things and found out how it works.
FROST, WS6FirebirdTA00, Black02SS,... god i can't remember all the people that have helped me. But I refuse to recieve any more advice from " my intake is too big for my cam/car"
there are a bunch of hobby tuners up here... so its best to do trial and error. MAKE 1 CHANGE AT A TIME. check what it does... then go. it might be a little time consuming but thats the way it should be done, as when you are done you will understand what does what.. instead of " oh crap the car runs bad... lets change this... o god thats not good'
trial and error, i'm an engineer, I f*** with things...
saw this great resource on the internet (ls1tech) and got to know a lot of main people, and a friend here helped me (WS6FirebirdTA00) and Nick williams taught me some, I did trial and error on other things and found out how it works.
FROST, WS6FirebirdTA00, Black02SS,... god i can't remember all the people that have helped me. But I refuse to recieve any more advice from " my intake is too big for my cam/car"
there are a bunch of hobby tuners up here... so its best to do trial and error. MAKE 1 CHANGE AT A TIME. check what it does... then go. it might be a little time consuming but thats the way it should be done, as when you are done you will understand what does what.. instead of " oh crap the car runs bad... lets change this... o god thats not good'
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,036
Likes: 1
From: Lake Zurich, IL
I just read alot... no matter what software is used... knowledge is power....
I read all i could on various message boards... and experimented (as safely as I could... changed values by small percentages to see effects) Also bought every book i could possibly find about tuning (sitting on shelf... for most part useless... most of the info is on this message board) ... as stated earlier... knowing how the sensors work is key (also knowing how an internal combustion engine works... at least in theory)
And I asked questions (if search works then many questions have prolly been answered but there are still many that haven't been asked)
the idea about no question is a stupid question... holds true
main thing to remember is that don't try jumping into the deep end and expect you'll know how to swim... start small and work your way up... it takes time to build your own confidence in tuning your vehicle
I read all i could on various message boards... and experimented (as safely as I could... changed values by small percentages to see effects) Also bought every book i could possibly find about tuning (sitting on shelf... for most part useless... most of the info is on this message board) ... as stated earlier... knowing how the sensors work is key (also knowing how an internal combustion engine works... at least in theory)
And I asked questions (if search works then many questions have prolly been answered but there are still many that haven't been asked)
the idea about no question is a stupid question... holds true
main thing to remember is that don't try jumping into the deep end and expect you'll know how to swim... start small and work your way up... it takes time to build your own confidence in tuning your vehicle
I read eveything I could on the subject. The i search the forums. Then I asked questions. After all that I bought the software and went at it. Then again after doing Robotic PLC (Programable Logic Controllers) programming at work on a daily basis its not that bad. Tunning is trail and error. The smaller the change the less chance of huge errors.
You lose a motor making a mistake your wallet gets thin. You crash a $35,000 robot and you lose your Job...
You lose a motor making a mistake your wallet gets thin. You crash a $35,000 robot and you lose your Job...
Approach this with an open mind.... read everything I can.... ask questions if I am not sure....
I also made friends with a local shop and was able to see there tuner using EFIlive and was able to pick his brain for a few ideas. It amazing what a little lunch will do
Patients and trail and error... I have not even begun to scratch the surface. I also decided that if I was going to learn to tune my own car I was going to spend the money on the tools necessary to get the job done right. (read: a tuning solution... the RR was a gift to myself )
You can do it. Jump in.
R/
Frat
I also made friends with a local shop and was able to see there tuner using EFIlive and was able to pick his brain for a few ideas. It amazing what a little lunch will do
Patients and trail and error... I have not even begun to scratch the surface. I also decided that if I was going to learn to tune my own car I was going to spend the money on the tools necessary to get the job done right. (read: a tuning solution... the RR was a gift to myself
)You can do it. Jump in.
R/
Frat
Originally Posted by ZL1Killa
FROST, WS6FirebirdTA00, Black02SS,... god i can't remember all the people that have helped me. But I refuse to recieve any more advice from " my intake is too big for my cam/car"
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 1
From: Sunny London, UK
Get a scan tool. It will teach you loads too.
Read heaps, text books are good too as the info is likely to be almost 100% accurate.
Internet info, is more of a debate/discussion. Some points are more valid than others. You just need to filter out the rubbish. Post counts are a good indication at times and forum moderators generally have things figured out. Except ffoff, JK
Read heaps, text books are good too as the info is likely to be almost 100% accurate.
Internet info, is more of a debate/discussion. Some points are more valid than others. You just need to filter out the rubbish. Post counts are a good indication at times and forum moderators generally have things figured out. Except ffoff, JK
Originally Posted by ringram
Get a scan tool. It will teach you loads too.
Read heaps, text books are good too as the info is likely to be almost 100% accurate.
Internet info, is more of a debate/discussion. Some points are more valid than others. You just need to filter out the rubbish. Post counts are a good indication at times and forum moderators generally have things figured out. Except ffoff, JK
Read heaps, text books are good too as the info is likely to be almost 100% accurate.
Internet info, is more of a debate/discussion. Some points are more valid than others. You just need to filter out the rubbish. Post counts are a good indication at times and forum moderators generally have things figured out. Except ffoff, JK
I learn most of what I know by talking to people more knowledgable than I & reading alot & just experimenting...but like has already been stated take whatever you read on the net with a grain of salt.
Tuning IMO is more about scanning & analizing that data properly than it is using an editor...anyone can enter #'s, but knowing what those numbers should be is a whole other issue.
BTW myself & a bunch of others that I've learned from are listed on the Team ZR-1 "don't know how to tune" list so I must be doing something right
Like everyone else has said. Take advice with a grain of salt.
I took efi101.com classes and learn a good bit, but you need experience too. When you start understand the system and what the car wants, it gets easier :p
http://www.efi101.com/forum/ is a good forum
I took efi101.com classes and learn a good bit, but you need experience too. When you start understand the system and what the car wants, it gets easier :p
http://www.efi101.com/forum/ is a good forum
EFI University is a good place to learn the theory of tuning. Naturally, tuning is going to be different for every make and model of car, however you are doing basically the same thing, so it is good to learn the basics and what is right or what is wrong.Also a good place to go is (I hope this is OK with the admin's) www.gearchatter.com
Alot of knowlegable guys over there and not alot BSing from people who think they know what they're doing
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
Ditto on all of the above... read, think, try, analyze, ask, repeat, eat, sleep, repeat.
Also:
1. scan every time you drive your car (2-3 times a day) and analyze the logs.
2. make small tuning change(s) and then goto 1. above.
3. keep notes (or otherwise organize your logs and tunes so you know which caused which),
4. make sure your car is mechanically good (can't tune properly with air leaks, injector leaks, bad plugs/wires,...).
5. make sure this is all you think about from now on...
It becomes your obsession... arrr... hobby.
Also:
1. scan every time you drive your car (2-3 times a day) and analyze the logs.
2. make small tuning change(s) and then goto 1. above.
3. keep notes (or otherwise organize your logs and tunes so you know which caused which),
4. make sure your car is mechanically good (can't tune properly with air leaks, injector leaks, bad plugs/wires,...).
5. make sure this is all you think about from now on...
It becomes your obsession... arrr... hobby.